The News in Brief
Monday, November 12
Georgian battalion returns from Afghanistan
The 23rd Battalion of the II Infantry Brigade of the GAF has completed the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. The last flow of 246 servicemen of the 23rd Battalion has returned to Georgia. Defense Minister of Georgia Irakli Alasania and First Deputy Chief of Joint Staff Brigadier, General Vakhtang Kapanadze, welcomed home Georgian peacekeepers and congratulated the successful completion of the mission.
Commanded by LTC Roman Janjulia, the 23rd Battalion accomplished the NATO- led ISAF operation without losses. Georgian peacekeepers were carrying out the international operation under the US contingent over seven months. Their main task was to combat terrorism, conduct patrolling to insure the safety of the population and to set up mobile control posts in the operating zone of the province.
The 23rd Battalion of the II Infantry Brigade was replaced by the 12th Battalion of the I Infantry Brigade. Along with the 12th Battalion, the 32nd Battalion of the III Infantry Brigade will participate in the international operation. It is the second rotation of the 32nd Battalion in ISAF mission.
(Rustavi 2)
60 convicts granted parole in Georgia
60 convicts, among them 5 women and two juveniles, were granted today parole in Georgia. The inmates were released from various facilities throughout the country.
The parole commission made the decision after reviewing 250 applications.
Former MP and leader of the Conservative Monarchical Party, Temur Zhorzholiani left prison N17 in Rustavi yesterday.
Minister for Corrections and Legal Assistance Mr. Sozar Subari who arrived at the facility yesterday, said that the parole commission continues to discuss applications of other prisoners.
Melor Vachnadze, who was detained during protest rallies in 2009, was also granted parole, although he refused to leave the facility, because Vachnadze was refused parole by the commission during the previous discussion and he appealed against it in court. Therefore, Melor Vachnadze intends to leave the prison after the response from the prosecutor`s office.
50 inmates from facility N8 of Gldani were transported yesterday to various prisons in Georgia. 1,000 more convicts are expected to be transported to other prisons. Representatives of the ministry for corrections and legal assistance attended the process of transportation.
(Rustavi 2)
MFA has selected, but not nominated new ambassador to US
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Maia Panjikidze says the candidacy of the new Ambassador to the United States has already been selected, but when this person will be nominated is yet unknown. Current ambassador, Temur Iakobashvili has already resigned willfully. Iakobashvili headed the Georgian diplomatic mission in the United States for the past two years. Foreign Ministry officials have announced that out of 60 diplomatic missions of Georgia abroad, the heads of only a few of them will be replaced.
(Rustavi 2)
Soso Tsiskarishvili – President’s decision looks like primitive attempt at revenge by National Movement
The president’s step is an expression of contempt about the situation he found himself in. This Georgia is unacceptable to him, expert Soso Tsiskarishvili commented on the president’s decision that Giorgi Kalandadze recently released from early detention remains chief of the Joint Staff. Tsiskarishvili told InterPressNews that the decision has not the trace of solidarity and thinking. “This looks like a primitive attempt of revenge by the National Movement, which is disadvantageous for the authors,” Tsiskarishvili said. He says that NATO’s reaction will be interesting, when the President in opposition appoints the suspect general at the responsible position.
By the decision of President of Georgia, Giorgi Kalandadze will continue to work as Chief of the Joint Staff. The administration of the president reports that Mikheil Saakashvili received Kalandadze in the presidential palace on Sunday and said that everyone should respect the Georgian armed forces.
The president declared that the Georgian armed forces don’t serve any political party, government or president, but the Georgian people. “Protection of our country is the most important. My advice would be to leave all these behind, return to the Joint Staff and continue the loyal service of the homeland like you did in previous years”, Mikheil Saakashvili said.
(IPN)
Georgian citizen found dead in prison in Geneva, Switzerland
A Georgian citizen was found dead in prison in Geneva, Switzerland, a foreign media source reports.
The dead inmate`s identity has not been ascertained.
As reported, the prisoner is a 24-year-old man, who was serving his sentence since November 2011 on charges of illegally breaking into a building.
Law enforcers reported that the Georgian citizen was found unconscious by a guard in the prison. He was given medical aid, but the prisoner could not be saved.
An investigation is underway.
(Rustavi 2)
Police arrest crime boss nicknamed Valteri
The officers of the Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs detained a member of a criminal network– Valeri Janashia, nicknamed Valteri. On October 26, 2012, police were informed that Valeri Janashia entered Georgia from the occupied territory of Abkhazia, who resided in the Russian Federation for years. He was detained in Tbilisi by law enforcers as a result of operative-searching activities on November 8, 2012. An investigation was launched against Valeri Janashia under Article 260 envisaged by the Criminal Code of Georgia. It is also notable that Janashia has six previous convictions. An investigation is underway.
(Rustavi 2)
The 23rd Battalion of the II Infantry Brigade of the GAF has completed the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. The last flow of 246 servicemen of the 23rd Battalion has returned to Georgia. Defense Minister of Georgia Irakli Alasania and First Deputy Chief of Joint Staff Brigadier, General Vakhtang Kapanadze, welcomed home Georgian peacekeepers and congratulated the successful completion of the mission.
Commanded by LTC Roman Janjulia, the 23rd Battalion accomplished the NATO- led ISAF operation without losses. Georgian peacekeepers were carrying out the international operation under the US contingent over seven months. Their main task was to combat terrorism, conduct patrolling to insure the safety of the population and to set up mobile control posts in the operating zone of the province.
The 23rd Battalion of the II Infantry Brigade was replaced by the 12th Battalion of the I Infantry Brigade. Along with the 12th Battalion, the 32nd Battalion of the III Infantry Brigade will participate in the international operation. It is the second rotation of the 32nd Battalion in ISAF mission.
(Rustavi 2)
60 convicts granted parole in Georgia
60 convicts, among them 5 women and two juveniles, were granted today parole in Georgia. The inmates were released from various facilities throughout the country.
The parole commission made the decision after reviewing 250 applications.
Former MP and leader of the Conservative Monarchical Party, Temur Zhorzholiani left prison N17 in Rustavi yesterday.
Minister for Corrections and Legal Assistance Mr. Sozar Subari who arrived at the facility yesterday, said that the parole commission continues to discuss applications of other prisoners.
Melor Vachnadze, who was detained during protest rallies in 2009, was also granted parole, although he refused to leave the facility, because Vachnadze was refused parole by the commission during the previous discussion and he appealed against it in court. Therefore, Melor Vachnadze intends to leave the prison after the response from the prosecutor`s office.
50 inmates from facility N8 of Gldani were transported yesterday to various prisons in Georgia. 1,000 more convicts are expected to be transported to other prisons. Representatives of the ministry for corrections and legal assistance attended the process of transportation.
(Rustavi 2)
MFA has selected, but not nominated new ambassador to US
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Maia Panjikidze says the candidacy of the new Ambassador to the United States has already been selected, but when this person will be nominated is yet unknown. Current ambassador, Temur Iakobashvili has already resigned willfully. Iakobashvili headed the Georgian diplomatic mission in the United States for the past two years. Foreign Ministry officials have announced that out of 60 diplomatic missions of Georgia abroad, the heads of only a few of them will be replaced.
(Rustavi 2)
Soso Tsiskarishvili – President’s decision looks like primitive attempt at revenge by National Movement
The president’s step is an expression of contempt about the situation he found himself in. This Georgia is unacceptable to him, expert Soso Tsiskarishvili commented on the president’s decision that Giorgi Kalandadze recently released from early detention remains chief of the Joint Staff. Tsiskarishvili told InterPressNews that the decision has not the trace of solidarity and thinking. “This looks like a primitive attempt of revenge by the National Movement, which is disadvantageous for the authors,” Tsiskarishvili said. He says that NATO’s reaction will be interesting, when the President in opposition appoints the suspect general at the responsible position.
By the decision of President of Georgia, Giorgi Kalandadze will continue to work as Chief of the Joint Staff. The administration of the president reports that Mikheil Saakashvili received Kalandadze in the presidential palace on Sunday and said that everyone should respect the Georgian armed forces.
The president declared that the Georgian armed forces don’t serve any political party, government or president, but the Georgian people. “Protection of our country is the most important. My advice would be to leave all these behind, return to the Joint Staff and continue the loyal service of the homeland like you did in previous years”, Mikheil Saakashvili said.
(IPN)
Georgian citizen found dead in prison in Geneva, Switzerland
A Georgian citizen was found dead in prison in Geneva, Switzerland, a foreign media source reports.
The dead inmate`s identity has not been ascertained.
As reported, the prisoner is a 24-year-old man, who was serving his sentence since November 2011 on charges of illegally breaking into a building.
Law enforcers reported that the Georgian citizen was found unconscious by a guard in the prison. He was given medical aid, but the prisoner could not be saved.
An investigation is underway.
(Rustavi 2)
Police arrest crime boss nicknamed Valteri
The officers of the Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs detained a member of a criminal network– Valeri Janashia, nicknamed Valteri. On October 26, 2012, police were informed that Valeri Janashia entered Georgia from the occupied territory of Abkhazia, who resided in the Russian Federation for years. He was detained in Tbilisi by law enforcers as a result of operative-searching activities on November 8, 2012. An investigation was launched against Valeri Janashia under Article 260 envisaged by the Criminal Code of Georgia. It is also notable that Janashia has six previous convictions. An investigation is underway.
(Rustavi 2)