The News in Brief
Wednesday, February 5
Court in France Releases Kezerashvili Under Electronic Monitoring
A court of appeals in southern French city of Aix-en-Provence ordered released of Georgia’s ex-defense minister Davit Kezerashvili on the condition that he wears an electronic bracelet for monitoring purposes, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
The court has yet to rule on Georgia’s request for Kezerashvili’s extradition.
Kezerashvili, wanted in Georgia on several criminal charges including corruption, was detained in France on October 14, 2013.
Kezerashvili, 35, who was chief of financial police from 2004 till late 2006 and then served as defense minister till December 2008, faces criminal charges into two separate cases, which he denies as politically motivated. (Civil.Ge)
Breakaway S.Ossetia Says Its Leader Invited to Sochi Olympics
Leader of breakaway South Ossetia, Leonid Tibilov, has been invited by Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, according to Tibilov’s spokesperson.
“Leonid Tibilov is also invited at a reception of heads of states hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin,” Gana Yanovska, a spokesperson of breakaway region’s leader, was quoted by South Ossetian and Russian news agencies on February 3.
When speaking about Tbilisi’s “constructive” steps towards Russia, Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili told the Munich Security Conference on February 1 that Georgia decided not to boycott the Sochi Games. “It was really hard for us to take this decision, because we have this unsolved conflict with our brothers, Abkhazians and South Ossetians,” he said. (Civil.Ge)
President`s report scheduled for February 17 session week
Consultations between the chairperson of the Georgian parliament and the president of Georgia are over - they have agreed that the president will deliver his report to the parliament in the February 17th session week.
The press release of the parliament says that the decision was taken as a result of agreement on the parliament`s agenda and consultations with the majority and minority MPs. (Rustavi 2)
Commercial director of “Armentel” Archil Magradze may have frozen to death in snow
Commercial director of “Armentel” Archil Maghradze who died at the resort Tsaghkadzori, according to the early version, was snowboarding when he lost his way and was frozen to death, Armenian media informs.
“Archil Maghradze fell in a ravine when snowboarding, he tried to get out, though could not and froze”, news.am quotes the comment of the source.
The Armenian media informs that an investigation has been launched that will find out whether the death of the 35-year-old man was an accident or not.
Archil Maghradze’s body was found yesterday at Armenia’s resort Tsaghkadzor. Maghradze was appointed as the commercial director of “Armentel” on 11 July 2013. Maghradze’s career started in the field of telecommunications in 1999 in Magticom where he worked for nine years.
In 2006 he moved to “Mobitel”, in 2008 was appointed as commercial director of Beeline. In 2010, Maghradze was appointed as director of the Tashkent branch of Unitel. In 2012 he was commercial director of Beeline in Cambodia. Maghradze has a wife and four children. (1st channel)
Batumi Mayor resigns
Jemal Ananidze, Mayor of Batumi city of Adjara region has resigned from his post. The Batumi Sakrebulo (City assembly) has been submitted a letter of resignation. Ananidze named the forthcoming local self-governance elections as reason for resignation.
He was appointed as Batumi Mayor on October 4, 2012. Before that he worked as Vice-Mayor. Previously he headed Finance Service of Batumi City Hall. (1st channel)
Freezing temperatures to be less extreme after 6 February
Freezing temperatures will continue till 10 February. According to Svetlana Nioradze from the national environment agency’s monitoring and forecast centre , it was minus 14 in Tbilisi on Monday night. The same temperature was forecast for Tuesday. From today, temperatures will increase to +2; +3. Freezing temperatures will continue till 10 February in Tbilisi.
Minus 20-15 is forecast in Eastern Georgia.
Freezing temperatures will be less extreme in Eastern Georgia from 6 February.
In Tbilisi it will be minus 7-8 at night.
Freezing temperatures will be less extreme in western Georgia. However, the temperature will be above zero in the black sea region. Minus 13 will be in the highlands, in the high mountainous regions – minus 18. (InterPressNews)
Nodar Kumaritashvili will be honored at Sochi Olympics
The Georgian luger who died in a tragic accident at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games will be honored at the Sochi Olympic competition.
Nodar Kumaritashvili will be remembered by the President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach and the International Luge Federation.
Bach said official meetings will be held with representatives of Georgian Olympic Committee to further pay their respects to Kumaritashvili.
Kumaritashvili, 21, was on his final official training run when he lost control at high speed and crashed into a steel pole. He was travelling at 143.3 km per hour when he crashed.
After the accident Kumaritashvili was transferred to hospital, where he later died. (Agenda.Ge)
Khatia Buniatishvili’s unusual master class for German children
Sister of Georgian pianist, Khatia Buniatishvili, Gvantsa posted a video on her Facebook page featuring the famous pianist conducting an unusual master class. As Gvantsa informs, her sister is conducting a master class in the frames of educational program for 8-9 year old children in Dortmund, Germany.
According to Gvantsa Buniatishvili, the lesson should have lasted for thirty minutes, but children would not let her go, asking numerous questions.
Khatia advised the children to watch Milos Forman’s drama Amadeus. It turned out that many of them had already seen this movie. Therefore, Buniatishvili decided to revive the famous scene from the film and played the piano lying on the bench. (Georgian News)
A court of appeals in southern French city of Aix-en-Provence ordered released of Georgia’s ex-defense minister Davit Kezerashvili on the condition that he wears an electronic bracelet for monitoring purposes, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
The court has yet to rule on Georgia’s request for Kezerashvili’s extradition.
Kezerashvili, wanted in Georgia on several criminal charges including corruption, was detained in France on October 14, 2013.
Kezerashvili, 35, who was chief of financial police from 2004 till late 2006 and then served as defense minister till December 2008, faces criminal charges into two separate cases, which he denies as politically motivated. (Civil.Ge)
Breakaway S.Ossetia Says Its Leader Invited to Sochi Olympics
Leader of breakaway South Ossetia, Leonid Tibilov, has been invited by Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, according to Tibilov’s spokesperson.
“Leonid Tibilov is also invited at a reception of heads of states hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin,” Gana Yanovska, a spokesperson of breakaway region’s leader, was quoted by South Ossetian and Russian news agencies on February 3.
When speaking about Tbilisi’s “constructive” steps towards Russia, Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili told the Munich Security Conference on February 1 that Georgia decided not to boycott the Sochi Games. “It was really hard for us to take this decision, because we have this unsolved conflict with our brothers, Abkhazians and South Ossetians,” he said. (Civil.Ge)
President`s report scheduled for February 17 session week
Consultations between the chairperson of the Georgian parliament and the president of Georgia are over - they have agreed that the president will deliver his report to the parliament in the February 17th session week.
The press release of the parliament says that the decision was taken as a result of agreement on the parliament`s agenda and consultations with the majority and minority MPs. (Rustavi 2)
Commercial director of “Armentel” Archil Magradze may have frozen to death in snow
Commercial director of “Armentel” Archil Maghradze who died at the resort Tsaghkadzori, according to the early version, was snowboarding when he lost his way and was frozen to death, Armenian media informs.
“Archil Maghradze fell in a ravine when snowboarding, he tried to get out, though could not and froze”, news.am quotes the comment of the source.
The Armenian media informs that an investigation has been launched that will find out whether the death of the 35-year-old man was an accident or not.
Archil Maghradze’s body was found yesterday at Armenia’s resort Tsaghkadzor. Maghradze was appointed as the commercial director of “Armentel” on 11 July 2013. Maghradze’s career started in the field of telecommunications in 1999 in Magticom where he worked for nine years.
In 2006 he moved to “Mobitel”, in 2008 was appointed as commercial director of Beeline. In 2010, Maghradze was appointed as director of the Tashkent branch of Unitel. In 2012 he was commercial director of Beeline in Cambodia. Maghradze has a wife and four children. (1st channel)
Batumi Mayor resigns
Jemal Ananidze, Mayor of Batumi city of Adjara region has resigned from his post. The Batumi Sakrebulo (City assembly) has been submitted a letter of resignation. Ananidze named the forthcoming local self-governance elections as reason for resignation.
He was appointed as Batumi Mayor on October 4, 2012. Before that he worked as Vice-Mayor. Previously he headed Finance Service of Batumi City Hall. (1st channel)
Freezing temperatures to be less extreme after 6 February
Freezing temperatures will continue till 10 February. According to Svetlana Nioradze from the national environment agency’s monitoring and forecast centre , it was minus 14 in Tbilisi on Monday night. The same temperature was forecast for Tuesday. From today, temperatures will increase to +2; +3. Freezing temperatures will continue till 10 February in Tbilisi.
Minus 20-15 is forecast in Eastern Georgia.
Freezing temperatures will be less extreme in Eastern Georgia from 6 February.
In Tbilisi it will be minus 7-8 at night.
Freezing temperatures will be less extreme in western Georgia. However, the temperature will be above zero in the black sea region. Minus 13 will be in the highlands, in the high mountainous regions – minus 18. (InterPressNews)
Nodar Kumaritashvili will be honored at Sochi Olympics
The Georgian luger who died in a tragic accident at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games will be honored at the Sochi Olympic competition.
Nodar Kumaritashvili will be remembered by the President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach and the International Luge Federation.
Bach said official meetings will be held with representatives of Georgian Olympic Committee to further pay their respects to Kumaritashvili.
Kumaritashvili, 21, was on his final official training run when he lost control at high speed and crashed into a steel pole. He was travelling at 143.3 km per hour when he crashed.
After the accident Kumaritashvili was transferred to hospital, where he later died. (Agenda.Ge)
Khatia Buniatishvili’s unusual master class for German children
Sister of Georgian pianist, Khatia Buniatishvili, Gvantsa posted a video on her Facebook page featuring the famous pianist conducting an unusual master class. As Gvantsa informs, her sister is conducting a master class in the frames of educational program for 8-9 year old children in Dortmund, Germany.
According to Gvantsa Buniatishvili, the lesson should have lasted for thirty minutes, but children would not let her go, asking numerous questions.
Khatia advised the children to watch Milos Forman’s drama Amadeus. It turned out that many of them had already seen this movie. Therefore, Buniatishvili decided to revive the famous scene from the film and played the piano lying on the bench. (Georgian News)