The News in Brief
Wednesday, August 8
Mikheil Saakashvili attends funeral of soldier who died in August War 2008
The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, along with the Minister of Defence, Dimitry Shashkin, attended the funeral ceremony of the Georgian soldier Gela Tigishvili who died in the 2008 August War. Saakashvili personally conveyed his condolences to the family of the soldier and promised them assistance. The First Sergeant Gela Tigishvili was considered missing, before the DNA results. Gela Tigishvili had served in the Georgian Armed Forces since 2006. DNA analysis identified another Georgian soldier, sergeant Zurab Turashvili, who was buried several days ago. (IPN)
24-year-old wrestler brings silver medal to Georgia
Georgia’s Revaz Lashkhi, 24, had to settle for silver after losing on August 6 the men’s 60kg Greco-Roman wrestling final to Iran’s Omid Haji Noroozi at the London 2012 Summer Olympics. Lashkhi’s silver brings Georgia’s London Olympics medal tally to two after Lasha Shavdatuashvili won the gold medal in the men’s under 66 kg Judo competition on July 29.
Also, on August 6, Georgia’s Vladimer Gegeshidze, 27, was close to winning a bronze in men’s 84kg Greco-Roman wrestling after he was given two points for a defense move just before the end of the match against Kazakhstan’s Danyal Gajiyev. However, the referee’s decision was challenged by the Kazakh athlete; after a video replay the Georgian athlete was stripped of his points and ultimately the bronze medal was given to the Kazakh athlete. (Rustavi 2)
Maia Panjikidze – We Call on Government to Preserve Silence for Two days as an Apology
“2008 August war is the greatest tragedy in Georgia’s modern history. We call on the government to observe silence for two-days to apologize for the tragedy the country suffered due to their reckless policy,” Maia Panjikidze said. She said that the coalition planned its election campaign so that no mass events will be held today and tomorrow. “As for the local meetings before the elections and solving organization issues, the candidates don’t stop working in this regard,” Panjikidze said. (IPN)
Bondo Shalikyani killed in Minsk, Belarus
Bondo Shalikyan was killed in Minsk, Belarus, local media report. Along with the crime boss, reportedly, the person accompanying him was also killed. Before Georgia`s Rose Revolution in 2003, Bondo Shalikyan owned an oil business and Kutaisi a local TV-company in the Imereti region of western Georgia. In March 2004, Shalikyani, who was a single-mandate candidate for Tkibuli district, was detained. As reported, Shalikyani has a bullet lodged in his head. Law enforcers refrained from making comments on the murder, although they do not rule out that Shlikyani’s death could be caused by conflicts among criminal groups. (Rustavi 2)
Saakashvili visits family of Olympic gold-winner
Georgia’s president gave congratulations on the success achieved at the London Olympics 2012 to the parents of the 20-year-old Judo wrestler who captured Georgia’s first gold medal by defeating four rivals, the last of whom was 11 years older than him. Mikheil Saakashvili arrived in Lasha Datuashvili`s native village and gave his thanks to the sportsman`s parents.
When visiting the Shavdatuashvili family, who is considered a socially vulnerable family, Saakashvili called the gold-winner athlete in London and thanked him for winning the medal for Georgia.
The president then spoke to locals in the village and discussed the problems they are facing. They also discussed the reforms, which have been carried out throughout the country in recent years.
Shavdatuashvili, 20, defeated Hungary`s Miklos Ungvari and before that made his way to the final after defeating Masashi Ebinuma of Japan in the semi-final. (Rustavi 2)
15-year-old Commits Suicide in Village Karajala
A 15-year-old girl committed suicide with a hunting rifle at her house in the village of Karajala, in the Telavi region, the Kakheti information center reports. The reason behind the suicide is not known yet. “The girl and her brother were home alone during the incident. The brother found the girl on the floor unconscious,” the authorities report. Doctors state that the patient was brought into the hospital in critical condition. She couldn’t be saved. A criminal case has been instituted. The investigation is being conducted by the Telavi police. (IPN)
The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, along with the Minister of Defence, Dimitry Shashkin, attended the funeral ceremony of the Georgian soldier Gela Tigishvili who died in the 2008 August War. Saakashvili personally conveyed his condolences to the family of the soldier and promised them assistance. The First Sergeant Gela Tigishvili was considered missing, before the DNA results. Gela Tigishvili had served in the Georgian Armed Forces since 2006. DNA analysis identified another Georgian soldier, sergeant Zurab Turashvili, who was buried several days ago. (IPN)
24-year-old wrestler brings silver medal to Georgia
Georgia’s Revaz Lashkhi, 24, had to settle for silver after losing on August 6 the men’s 60kg Greco-Roman wrestling final to Iran’s Omid Haji Noroozi at the London 2012 Summer Olympics. Lashkhi’s silver brings Georgia’s London Olympics medal tally to two after Lasha Shavdatuashvili won the gold medal in the men’s under 66 kg Judo competition on July 29.
Also, on August 6, Georgia’s Vladimer Gegeshidze, 27, was close to winning a bronze in men’s 84kg Greco-Roman wrestling after he was given two points for a defense move just before the end of the match against Kazakhstan’s Danyal Gajiyev. However, the referee’s decision was challenged by the Kazakh athlete; after a video replay the Georgian athlete was stripped of his points and ultimately the bronze medal was given to the Kazakh athlete. (Rustavi 2)
Maia Panjikidze – We Call on Government to Preserve Silence for Two days as an Apology
“2008 August war is the greatest tragedy in Georgia’s modern history. We call on the government to observe silence for two-days to apologize for the tragedy the country suffered due to their reckless policy,” Maia Panjikidze said. She said that the coalition planned its election campaign so that no mass events will be held today and tomorrow. “As for the local meetings before the elections and solving organization issues, the candidates don’t stop working in this regard,” Panjikidze said. (IPN)
Bondo Shalikyani killed in Minsk, Belarus
Bondo Shalikyan was killed in Minsk, Belarus, local media report. Along with the crime boss, reportedly, the person accompanying him was also killed. Before Georgia`s Rose Revolution in 2003, Bondo Shalikyan owned an oil business and Kutaisi a local TV-company in the Imereti region of western Georgia. In March 2004, Shalikyani, who was a single-mandate candidate for Tkibuli district, was detained. As reported, Shalikyani has a bullet lodged in his head. Law enforcers refrained from making comments on the murder, although they do not rule out that Shlikyani’s death could be caused by conflicts among criminal groups. (Rustavi 2)
Saakashvili visits family of Olympic gold-winner
Georgia’s president gave congratulations on the success achieved at the London Olympics 2012 to the parents of the 20-year-old Judo wrestler who captured Georgia’s first gold medal by defeating four rivals, the last of whom was 11 years older than him. Mikheil Saakashvili arrived in Lasha Datuashvili`s native village and gave his thanks to the sportsman`s parents.
When visiting the Shavdatuashvili family, who is considered a socially vulnerable family, Saakashvili called the gold-winner athlete in London and thanked him for winning the medal for Georgia.
The president then spoke to locals in the village and discussed the problems they are facing. They also discussed the reforms, which have been carried out throughout the country in recent years.
Shavdatuashvili, 20, defeated Hungary`s Miklos Ungvari and before that made his way to the final after defeating Masashi Ebinuma of Japan in the semi-final. (Rustavi 2)
15-year-old Commits Suicide in Village Karajala
A 15-year-old girl committed suicide with a hunting rifle at her house in the village of Karajala, in the Telavi region, the Kakheti information center reports. The reason behind the suicide is not known yet. “The girl and her brother were home alone during the incident. The brother found the girl on the floor unconscious,” the authorities report. Doctors state that the patient was brought into the hospital in critical condition. She couldn’t be saved. A criminal case has been instituted. The investigation is being conducted by the Telavi police. (IPN)