The News in Brief
Thursday, October 31
New president to lead Georgian delegation at Vilnius Summit
The Georgian delegation will be headed by the President-elect Giorgi Margvelashvili at the Vilnius Summit of the Eastern Partnership, First Deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said at a briefing on Tuesday. According to him, the delegation will also include Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze.
"We will decide on other members of the delegation soon," Zalkaliani said.
According to him, there will be an opportunity at the Vilnius Summit to initial the Association Agreement with the European Union and comprehensive trade.
"In addition, we plan to hold bilateral meetings with the heads of member states of the Eastern Partnership within this event. During these meetings we will familiarize them with Georgia's priorities," Zalkaliani said.
The inauguration of the newly elected president will take place on November 17. (Trend)
Russia’s Patriarch hopes Margvelashvili will turn a new page for the two countries
Russia’s Patriarch Kirill congratulated Giorgi Margvelashvili on his victory during the election. His congratulation letter was published on the official web page of the Patriarchate.
“I sincerely congratulate you on being elected as president. This victory shows the trust of the Georgian people in you and your program. I hope your activity will turn a new page in the history of relations between Georgia and Russia,” the Patriarch’s letter of congratulations said.
Patriarch Kirill said that Russia and Georgia are connected with spiritual, moral, and cultural values.
“I wish you spiritual and physical strength, also God’s help in your future responsibility,” the patriarch said. (InterPressNews)
President’s reserve fund totally spent
The president’s reserve fund has been totally spent on the activists of the UNM and on the study of former officials, the Minister of Finance, Nodar Khaduri, told journalists. Khaduri said that the outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili has totally used the expenses of the year and spent it in ten months. The president’s reserve fund will not exist for the next two months, thus, the inauguration of the President of Georgia will be financed by the government’s reserve fund. The commission will plan the events. As for the expenses, there is no money in the presidential fund as it was spent illogically,” Khaduri said. (InterPressNews)
Ivanishvili to head inaugural governmental commission
The first session of the governmental commission preparing for the new President’s inauguration was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. The commission will be led by Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, the deputy head will be the Minister of Foreign Affairs Maia Panjikidze. Deputy Ministers of Finance, Internal Affairs, Defense, Culture, sport and Youth Affairs, Regional Development are also members of the commission. According to Minister Panjikidze foreign guests will also be invited to the inauguration. Giorgi Margvelashvili’s inauguration will be held on 17 November. (InterPressNews)
Georgian FM attends Israel’s regional assembly
Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Pandzhikidze took part in the Israeli Foreign Ministry's regional assembly. Pandzhikidze addressed the assembly participants in connection with Georgian-Israeli relations. She stressed the importance of developing and intensifying cooperation between the two countries in various spheres and also spoke about the current processes and priorities of Georgia's foreign policy.
Representatives of Israeli diplomatic missions in the region attended the assembly in Tbilisi. Israel's regional assembly in Tbilisi emphasizes the special relations between the two countries, Pandzhikidze told the media on Wednesday.
Israel's Ambassador to Georgia, Yuval Fuchs thanked Georgian Foreign Minister for participation at the assembly. (Trend)
Outgoing President vetoes amendment to law on common courts
Outgoing President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, vetoed the amendments to the law on common courts. The chairperson of parliament Davit Usupashvili said that Saakashvili’s notes will be discussed by the legal issues committee and the issue of overriding veto will be raised on the Friday’s session.
The draft law is about the amendments that will be activated from the moment the new President takes his oath. The legal initiative was the subject of criticism by the former governmental team. The minority is against judges having to serve a 3 year trial period before being appointed permanently. The high council of justice has to monitor the judge and afterwards judges are appointed permanently.
The norm was also protested by the chairperson of the Supreme Court. According to the amendments, the minimum age of a judge increases from 28 to 30. (InterPressNees)
Merabishvili says he will stop going to Kutaisi Court
Imprisoned Vano Merabishvil said he will stop systematically going to Kutaisi court. In his address to the judge Merabishvili explained that it was difficult for him to go from Tbilisi to Kutaisi. “I asked you not to appoint more than one trial a week, you responded that you would hold three trials if necessary. Your statement finally assured me that I must not be expecting a fair trial in Kutaisi. I decided to stop systematically going to Kutaisi and focus the public’s attention on this issue. From today I will only attend several trials,” Merabishvili’s statement says. (InterPressNews)
Workers find hand grenade at Youth Palace
A hand grenade was found at the Youth Palace situated on Rustaveli Avenue on Tuesday. Reportedly, a worker, who was fixing damaged electricity, found an old box and say an explosive device inside. The worker informed the palace administration about the finding, which in their turn informed emergencies control center 112. Patrol police arrived at the palace and transferred the box with the hand-grenade to a safer place for utilization. They believe the device was left in the building in the 1990s. (Rustavi 2)
The Georgian delegation will be headed by the President-elect Giorgi Margvelashvili at the Vilnius Summit of the Eastern Partnership, First Deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said at a briefing on Tuesday. According to him, the delegation will also include Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze.
"We will decide on other members of the delegation soon," Zalkaliani said.
According to him, there will be an opportunity at the Vilnius Summit to initial the Association Agreement with the European Union and comprehensive trade.
"In addition, we plan to hold bilateral meetings with the heads of member states of the Eastern Partnership within this event. During these meetings we will familiarize them with Georgia's priorities," Zalkaliani said.
The inauguration of the newly elected president will take place on November 17. (Trend)
Russia’s Patriarch hopes Margvelashvili will turn a new page for the two countries
Russia’s Patriarch Kirill congratulated Giorgi Margvelashvili on his victory during the election. His congratulation letter was published on the official web page of the Patriarchate.
“I sincerely congratulate you on being elected as president. This victory shows the trust of the Georgian people in you and your program. I hope your activity will turn a new page in the history of relations between Georgia and Russia,” the Patriarch’s letter of congratulations said.
Patriarch Kirill said that Russia and Georgia are connected with spiritual, moral, and cultural values.
“I wish you spiritual and physical strength, also God’s help in your future responsibility,” the patriarch said. (InterPressNews)
President’s reserve fund totally spent
The president’s reserve fund has been totally spent on the activists of the UNM and on the study of former officials, the Minister of Finance, Nodar Khaduri, told journalists. Khaduri said that the outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili has totally used the expenses of the year and spent it in ten months. The president’s reserve fund will not exist for the next two months, thus, the inauguration of the President of Georgia will be financed by the government’s reserve fund. The commission will plan the events. As for the expenses, there is no money in the presidential fund as it was spent illogically,” Khaduri said. (InterPressNews)
Ivanishvili to head inaugural governmental commission
The first session of the governmental commission preparing for the new President’s inauguration was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. The commission will be led by Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, the deputy head will be the Minister of Foreign Affairs Maia Panjikidze. Deputy Ministers of Finance, Internal Affairs, Defense, Culture, sport and Youth Affairs, Regional Development are also members of the commission. According to Minister Panjikidze foreign guests will also be invited to the inauguration. Giorgi Margvelashvili’s inauguration will be held on 17 November. (InterPressNews)
Georgian FM attends Israel’s regional assembly
Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Pandzhikidze took part in the Israeli Foreign Ministry's regional assembly. Pandzhikidze addressed the assembly participants in connection with Georgian-Israeli relations. She stressed the importance of developing and intensifying cooperation between the two countries in various spheres and also spoke about the current processes and priorities of Georgia's foreign policy.
Representatives of Israeli diplomatic missions in the region attended the assembly in Tbilisi. Israel's regional assembly in Tbilisi emphasizes the special relations between the two countries, Pandzhikidze told the media on Wednesday.
Israel's Ambassador to Georgia, Yuval Fuchs thanked Georgian Foreign Minister for participation at the assembly. (Trend)
Outgoing President vetoes amendment to law on common courts
Outgoing President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, vetoed the amendments to the law on common courts. The chairperson of parliament Davit Usupashvili said that Saakashvili’s notes will be discussed by the legal issues committee and the issue of overriding veto will be raised on the Friday’s session.
The draft law is about the amendments that will be activated from the moment the new President takes his oath. The legal initiative was the subject of criticism by the former governmental team. The minority is against judges having to serve a 3 year trial period before being appointed permanently. The high council of justice has to monitor the judge and afterwards judges are appointed permanently.
The norm was also protested by the chairperson of the Supreme Court. According to the amendments, the minimum age of a judge increases from 28 to 30. (InterPressNees)
Merabishvili says he will stop going to Kutaisi Court
Imprisoned Vano Merabishvil said he will stop systematically going to Kutaisi court. In his address to the judge Merabishvili explained that it was difficult for him to go from Tbilisi to Kutaisi. “I asked you not to appoint more than one trial a week, you responded that you would hold three trials if necessary. Your statement finally assured me that I must not be expecting a fair trial in Kutaisi. I decided to stop systematically going to Kutaisi and focus the public’s attention on this issue. From today I will only attend several trials,” Merabishvili’s statement says. (InterPressNews)
Workers find hand grenade at Youth Palace
A hand grenade was found at the Youth Palace situated on Rustaveli Avenue on Tuesday. Reportedly, a worker, who was fixing damaged electricity, found an old box and say an explosive device inside. The worker informed the palace administration about the finding, which in their turn informed emergencies control center 112. Patrol police arrived at the palace and transferred the box with the hand-grenade to a safer place for utilization. They believe the device was left in the building in the 1990s. (Rustavi 2)