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The News in Brief

Thursday, November 1
U.S. ambassador meets with Georgian Minister of Finance

Minister of Finance of Georgia Nodar Khaduri has hosted the U.S. ambassador to Georgia, Mr. Richard Norland, to discuss the programs implemented and supported by the U.S. government and other international organizations.

The ambassador said the U.S. administration was supporting the financial stability of Georgia. He also said the meeting was a good opportunity to get introduced with the new minister and his team.

Vice President of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Thomas Hurley and Director for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) programs in Georgia, Stephen M. Haykin, also attended the meeting. The sides focused on future cooperation between Georgia and the United States.

Earlier, U.S. ambassador and the representatives of the MCC held meeting with the Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili. The sides discussed the details of the MCC programs and subordinate projects, which are underway in Georgia. (Rustavi 2)



Bidzina Ivanishvili third on the Forbes list of the World’s Richest Politicians

Forbes magazine published a list of the World’s Richest Politicians. Georgia’s Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili is in third place.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg tops the list, Russian oppositionist Mikhail Prokhorov is in second place. Forbes estimates Ivanishvili’s net worth to be $6.4 billion. “Bidzina's wealth is equal to half of Georgia's GDP, and he's used it to provide for the people living in his hometown of Chorvila, creating a modern feudal municipality,” Forbes reports. Former Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi rated fourth place. Russian politicians Andrey Guriev, Dimtiry Ananiev, Aleksandr Lebedev; President of Chile, Sebastian Pinera and incumbent and former Prime Ministers of Libya Najib Mikat and Saad Harir are also on the list. (IPN)



Journalists’ work still restricted

Journalists have to work within a restricted format on the governmental sitting.

Journalists are not allowed on the 12th floor where the government sitting will be held. Media representatives are in a specially allocated room on the 3rd floor. Representatives of the press service of the government promise journalists will have different conditions for the next sitting of the cabinet of Ministers. The restriction on journalists was imposed when Vano Merabishvili was the Prime Minister. (IPN)



Young girl saved by police

An incident has occurred on the bridge that connects the higher building of the Tbilisi State University and the Bagebi district. Reportedly, passers-by heard the scream of a girl, who was asking for help. They called for the police. Patrol police officers arrived at the scene and saved the girl, who was seriously injured. They say the girl was in shock, however, she somehow told the officers about what happened. She said she was walking on the bridge, where she noticed a stranger following her. He struck her in the head with something similar to a hammer and dragged her down to the bushes. The police say it is a fact of violence. The girl has been hospitalized. People living in the vicinity of the bridge recollect a young man wandering near the area sometimes naked, swearing and chasing passers-by. (Rustavi 2)



Irakli Alasania Introduces Deputy Ministers

Minister of Defense Irakli Alasania presented Deputy Ministers of Defense: Irakli Gegechkori, Aleksandre Burchuladze and Levan Dolidze. Alasania told journalists, the Prime Minister has already passed the candidates. Levan Dolidze has been appointed as the first deputy Minister, who will be the parliamentary secretary of the MOD. Aleksandre Burchuladze will be responsible for financial issues, Irakli Gegechkori – for security issues. (IPN)



Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration to Have Two Deputy Ministers

State Minister for Euro-Atlantic integration, Aleksi Petriashvili, will have two deputy Ministers.

Minister Aleksi Petriashvili stated before the governmental sitting, his first deputy Minster will be Davit Dondua, who is an experienced diplomat he said. The other Deputy Minister will be Tamar Beruchashvili, who was the chief advisor of his predecessor. The Minister noted that there will be a minor reorganization in this department and he doesn’t intend to make any cardinal changes. (IPN)



Politician`s son arrested for hooliganism

Old Tbilisi regional police department has arrested Giorgi Gachechiladze, son of politician Levan Gachechiladze. He was charged under the Article 239 III part envisaged by the Criminal Code of Georgia (hooliganism perpetrated with a firearm or other object). Gachechiladze was detained in connection with a fight that took place in Cafe Gallery at Griboedov Street on October 27. As a result of the fight, Irakli Tsindeliani, security officer at the night club was wounded.

Attorney Lali Aptsiauri says her defendant does not recognize himself guilty and instead, he asserts he was assaulted by a couple of men, who beat him up. (Rustavi 2)



Samegrelo Regional Prosecutor`s Office employees object to dismissal

Employees of the Prosecutor`s office of the Samegrelo region object to the demand of their chiefs to write resignations. They assert they were ordered by the Prosecutor General`s office to resign. Romeo Sajaia, who is the chief of the investigation department of the regional office, expressed the protest on behalf of the whole staff yesterday. He believes that the decision was politically motivated and it was unacceptable for them. The employees of the Samegrelo Prosecutor`s office were ordered to write resignations by the end of the day. (Rustavi 2)