Press Scanner

Paata Zakareishvili will visit Akhaltsikhe and Ninotsminda

Inter Press News reports that ethnic Armenian from Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda held a rally in front of the State Chancellery on April 4th. Ethnic Armenian representative Stephan Ivanasyan explained that those present want to meet with Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. Ivanasyan stated that Ivanishvili is not informed enough about the problems of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, which has a large ethnic Armenian population.

The protestors asked the PM to carry out the changes in Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda which the local population were expecting after the elections. They said they are grateful to Ivanishvili as the latter has released them from an "inhumane pressure." However, they said the old government of Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda have not implemented the reforms of the Georgian Dream administration.

According to the protesters, most residents of the two towns live in extreme poverty. Holding the Georgian Dream flag they claimed there is no threat of separatism in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region and reminded those present about their loyalty to Georgia during the August 2008 War.

State Minister for Reintegration Pata Zakareishvili met with the protesters. The Minister promised he will visit these regions on April 15th and discuss all their problems there. Although the protesters wanted to meet with the Prime Minister, Zakareishvili explained it was Ivanishvili who had sent him to meet with the protestors. According to Zakareishvili, the Prime Minister was not in a position to give informed answers to the protestors' questions.



Russian soldiers oppress the villagers of Dvani

Akhali Taoba reports that since the August 2008 War the villages of Shida Kartli located across the occupation line are oppressed by Russian soldiers every day as the latter make daily incursions into Georgian territory.

According to Genadi Mamagulahsvili, a representative from the village of Dvani if these incursions continue local residents will face great problems. "We won't be able to have livestock, our lives will become useless…" he said. He added that the former government used to deal with this situation with the help of international NGOs but the situation has dramatically changed recently.