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Compiled by Messenger Staff
Wednesday, March 23
Kindergartens to become payable from September

In her interview to Rezonansi, member of Tbilisi city council Tina Khidasheli said that a price of GEL 30, 50 or 80 will need to be paid for kindergartens from September. Tbilisi City Hall does not confirm this information however parents say that they have been informed by kindergartens that from September they should pay money.

Jaba Samushia, another city council member, says that when they asked City Hall they responded that the opposition speaks on topics which should not be discussed.

Khidasheli claims that it was planned to introduce this paying system from January 2011 however, at that time, City Hall suspended this plan. Khidasheli says that one of the reasons for suspension was increased prices on transport and communal payments. According to her, the authorities wanted to avoid more problems and protest from the population; however parents and children will face a new payment system from September.

One of the parents of kindergarten kid Nino Iremashvili says that the parents were informed last December that kindergarten would no longer be free of charge. “What is most unusual is that they say that if the kid did not go to kindergarten she/he would not be accepted at school,” Iremashvili told the paper.



Prime minister asks Malaysian counterpart to release Georgian citizens

The Prime Minister of Georgia Nika Gilauri has called on his Malaysian counterpart to release citizens of Georgia Babutsa Gordadze and Darejan Kokhtashvili detained in Malaysia, 24 Hours reports. As Gilauri’s spokesperson Niko Mchedlishvili stated, according to the Georgian investigation the women knew nothing about drug smuggling.

“After the investigation, the Prime Minister decided to send a letter to his Malaysian counterpart and request the women’s release”, Mchedlishvili said.

A meeting between Georgian and Malaysian prosecutors has already been held. The citizens of Georgia are accused of drug smuggling and face the death penalty.