The News in Brief
Thursday, November 15
Mikheil Saakashvili – Georgia Made Important steps on the road to Integration with European Structures
The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili attended a working dinner with representatives of EU institutes in Brussels and then addressed the public. On his Facebook page, the president spoke about democratic reforms and the importance of Georgia’s integration with Euro-Atlantic structures. He said that after restoring its independence, the country had a difficult period, though in recent years, a lot has radically changed.
The president says that Georgia made important steps on the road to European integration and the country is going forward in signing free trade and visa free travel agreements. (IPN)
Philip Gordon to visit Georgia soon
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon will arrive in Georgia soon. The Embassy of the United States to Georgia has explained that the date and the schedule of the visit is under discussion currently and will be announced soon.
According to latest report, Philip Gordon will hold meetings with Georgian parliament speaker Davit Usupashvili and the leader of the parliamentary minority, Davit Bakradze.
U.S. embassy will release other details of the visit later. (Rustavi 2)
Paata Zakareishvili Meets Philip Dimitrov
State Minister for Reintegration Paata Zakareishvili met with the head of the EU representation in Georgia ambassador Philip Dimitrov.
The Ministry reports that Philip Dimitrov was hosted by the state minister and the deputy Minister Ketevan Tsikhelashvili. The ambassador thanked the state minister for the reception.
“This is not our first meeting, but we wanted to hold this meeting as a lot of issues need to be discussed with this office,” Dimitrov said.
He spoke about the importance of EU projects and activities in Abkhazia, Tskhinvali and other regions of Georgia. Ramon Regada - Head of Operations Department of the Delegation of the EU to Georgia and Renata Wrobel – deputy head of political section of the Delegation of the EU to Georgia were at the Ministry too.
Deputy Minister of Reintegration Ketevan Tsikhelashvli noted that the EU is one of the main actors in Georgia.
She said that it’s important that in the last two weeks, international partners reaffirmed the support in a non-recognition policy and readiness to collaborate.
Paata Zakaraishvili has already met with ambassadors and representatives of international missions. Zakareishvili met with the UN permanent coordinator, ambassadors of the U.S., Great Britain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Israel, Sweden, Czech Republic, Turkey, Estonia and Australia, also head of the EUMM and Red Cross International Committee representatives. (IPN)
American experts concerned about political arrests in Georgia
Certain American experts have expressed their concerns about the recent arrests in Georgia since the change of government. They have voiced their concerns following the statement of the NATO Secretary General. After the meeting held at the Atlantic Council, they said that prosecution and detention of people according to political sympathies should be ruled out. Experts do not rule out these processes might obstruct Georgia`s integration into Euro-Atlantic structures.
"If the new government as it stated is committed to entry into the NATO it has to fulfill all the conditions and has to cease from all arresting what would be political prisoners and continue on the path of maintaining its relationship and developing its relationship with NATO. The signals that we have had so far from Tbilisi are very discouraging. And we see the government is saying one thing but doing something else. I think there should be coherence within the government," said the analyst of the Center for Strategic and International Studies Janusz Bugajski.
"I think the arrests are something to be concerned about. I think that we have all been pleased with the progress and the elections with which Georgia has had a change of government, President Saakashvili responded very well in terms of working with the new government, but we are very concerned about these new arrests. There are situations in which those individuals should be prosecuted, but the evidence should be clear and open– particularly in situations like this," Frances Burwell said. (Rustavi 2)
Unusual rally in Tetritskaro municipality
The rally of the locals in the Tetritskaro municipality has had unusual development. About a hundred protestors of the village of Tsintskaro of Tetritskaro municipality, assembled outside the municipality demanding resignation of the governor, but in difference from other rallies of the similar character held in several other municipalities of Georgia, protestors entered the administration office calmly and began procedures of election of a new governor. Currently they are listening to the candidates. They plan to elect a new governor. (Rustavi 2)
The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili attended a working dinner with representatives of EU institutes in Brussels and then addressed the public. On his Facebook page, the president spoke about democratic reforms and the importance of Georgia’s integration with Euro-Atlantic structures. He said that after restoring its independence, the country had a difficult period, though in recent years, a lot has radically changed.
The president says that Georgia made important steps on the road to European integration and the country is going forward in signing free trade and visa free travel agreements. (IPN)
Philip Gordon to visit Georgia soon
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon will arrive in Georgia soon. The Embassy of the United States to Georgia has explained that the date and the schedule of the visit is under discussion currently and will be announced soon.
According to latest report, Philip Gordon will hold meetings with Georgian parliament speaker Davit Usupashvili and the leader of the parliamentary minority, Davit Bakradze.
U.S. embassy will release other details of the visit later. (Rustavi 2)
Paata Zakareishvili Meets Philip Dimitrov
State Minister for Reintegration Paata Zakareishvili met with the head of the EU representation in Georgia ambassador Philip Dimitrov.
The Ministry reports that Philip Dimitrov was hosted by the state minister and the deputy Minister Ketevan Tsikhelashvili. The ambassador thanked the state minister for the reception.
“This is not our first meeting, but we wanted to hold this meeting as a lot of issues need to be discussed with this office,” Dimitrov said.
He spoke about the importance of EU projects and activities in Abkhazia, Tskhinvali and other regions of Georgia. Ramon Regada - Head of Operations Department of the Delegation of the EU to Georgia and Renata Wrobel – deputy head of political section of the Delegation of the EU to Georgia were at the Ministry too.
Deputy Minister of Reintegration Ketevan Tsikhelashvli noted that the EU is one of the main actors in Georgia.
She said that it’s important that in the last two weeks, international partners reaffirmed the support in a non-recognition policy and readiness to collaborate.
Paata Zakaraishvili has already met with ambassadors and representatives of international missions. Zakareishvili met with the UN permanent coordinator, ambassadors of the U.S., Great Britain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Israel, Sweden, Czech Republic, Turkey, Estonia and Australia, also head of the EUMM and Red Cross International Committee representatives. (IPN)
American experts concerned about political arrests in Georgia
Certain American experts have expressed their concerns about the recent arrests in Georgia since the change of government. They have voiced their concerns following the statement of the NATO Secretary General. After the meeting held at the Atlantic Council, they said that prosecution and detention of people according to political sympathies should be ruled out. Experts do not rule out these processes might obstruct Georgia`s integration into Euro-Atlantic structures.
"If the new government as it stated is committed to entry into the NATO it has to fulfill all the conditions and has to cease from all arresting what would be political prisoners and continue on the path of maintaining its relationship and developing its relationship with NATO. The signals that we have had so far from Tbilisi are very discouraging. And we see the government is saying one thing but doing something else. I think there should be coherence within the government," said the analyst of the Center for Strategic and International Studies Janusz Bugajski.
"I think the arrests are something to be concerned about. I think that we have all been pleased with the progress and the elections with which Georgia has had a change of government, President Saakashvili responded very well in terms of working with the new government, but we are very concerned about these new arrests. There are situations in which those individuals should be prosecuted, but the evidence should be clear and open– particularly in situations like this," Frances Burwell said. (Rustavi 2)
Unusual rally in Tetritskaro municipality
The rally of the locals in the Tetritskaro municipality has had unusual development. About a hundred protestors of the village of Tsintskaro of Tetritskaro municipality, assembled outside the municipality demanding resignation of the governor, but in difference from other rallies of the similar character held in several other municipalities of Georgia, protestors entered the administration office calmly and began procedures of election of a new governor. Currently they are listening to the candidates. They plan to elect a new governor. (Rustavi 2)