The News in Brief
Wednesday, August 6
Five vehicles seized as material evidence returned to their owners
Five vehicles seized as material evidence for criminal cases in 2006 – 2011 have been returned to their owners by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. The car owners sustained losses as a result of buying the vehicles imported to Georgia by that time and registered in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Upon buying the mentioned vehicles it was revealed that their identification data had been modified; this fact became the basis for initiation of investigation and confiscation of the vehicles.
The joint measures conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor’s Office in 2014 revealed that the vehicles were purchased honestly; involvement of the victims in the mentioned crime was ruled out.
Given the above-mentioned, the Ministry of Internal Affairs made an unprecedented decision and returned the 5 vehicles to their rightful owners. (IPN)
Occupied South Ossetia’s de facto Foreign Ministry to begin issuing foreign passports
Occupied South Ossetia’s de facto Foreign Ministry is going to begin issuing foreign passports.
According to Ossetian media, from August 1, applicants can address the so—called ministry regarding the above-mentioned.
As a representative of the de facto Foreign Ministry’s press service says, all applications will be considered, however priority will be given to the Ossetian students studying in Russia. (Frontnews)
Ambassadorial: Georgia’s foreign policy is 'irreversible'
Georgia’s foreign policy will be irreversible in the future, believed Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze, and pledges it will become even more pragmatic.
The country’s first diplomat said foreign policy priorities and strategic goals were irreversible and she was confident the process of dealing with challenges would be more reasonable.
"I would like to stress that Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration are the main priority of the authority that depends on the free choice of the local population,” Panjikidze said in her remarks at the 2014 Ambassadorial meeting in Tbilisi today, attended by heads of Georgia’s Diplomatic Mission.
While assessing the work of Georgia’s Foreign Ministry and Diplomatic Mission and outlining plans for 2015, Panjikidze said de-occupation of the country, strengthening its security and sovereignty, restoration of territorial integrity and enhancement of international involvement in this regard would be the priority areas where Georgia’s diplomatic missions would continue to work.
She also said the Foreign Ministry would continue working on various priorities including Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic integration, development of strategic partnership with the US, de-escalation of relations with the Russian Federation, promotion of democratic and sustainable development of Georgia and raising the country’s international role through bilateral and multilateral relations as well as improving Georgia’s economic and cultural diplomacy.
Panjikidze believed 2014 would go down in Georgia’s historic for signing the Association Agreement (AA) with the European Union (EU).
"This year Georgia came even closer with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO),” Panjikidze said.
The first ever Ambassadors’ Meeting was held in 1995 when Georgia’s newly-appointed Foreign Minister, Irakli Menagarishvili, brought Georgian and foreign diplomats together at the Georgian Government’ s Chancery, where they discussed plans for developing the country, regional relations and future prospects. (agenda.ge)
Journalists interrogated over death of Erosi Kitsmarishvili
The prosecutor`s office has started the interrogation of some journalists on the case of the death of Erosi Kitsmarishvili, one of the founders of the Rustavi2 Broadcasting Company, former ambassador of Georgia to Russia and the candidate for the mayor of the Rustavi city in the recent local government elections.
Some of the interrogated journalists, including the ones from the Rustavi2 have already left the office of the prosecutor. They say the questions mostly referred to their telephone conversations with Erosi Kitsmarishvili.
In July 2014 Kitsmarishvili was found dead in a garage of the apartment block where he had lived in Tbilisi’s Vake district. The authorities said he had one gunshot wound to the head, and though they were investigating the death under article 115 of the criminal code, which deals with suicide, but would examine other causes of his death as well. (Rustavi2)
Russians detain two people in Gori region
Russian border officers detained two citizens of Georgia at the village of Kveshi, Gori region. According to Interpressnews news agency, the detained persons are a 21-year-old resident of the Kveshi village, Zakro Butkhuzi and his guest, Buta Baliashvili – resident of the village of Akhrisi.
The detained citizens of Georgia have been moved to the Tskhinvali detention facility. (Tabula.ge)
Saakashvili`s defense preparing for Strasburg Court
The attorneys of the ex-president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili are in fact preparing to continue legal procedures at the European Court of Human Rights - the defense is currently waiting for the ruling of the Appeals Court, which is to consider their appeal of the Tbilisi City Court. The first instance court sent Saakashvili to prison in absentia last week under the motion of the Prosecutor`s Office. Though, the lawyers say they are not expecting the justifying judgment by the Appeals Court, therefore, they believe they will have to appeal to the ECHR.
Mikheil Saakashvili was charged with the excessive use of power in a case that includes charges of dispersing an opposition rally in November 2007, the raid of television broadcaster Imedi, plus the seizure of billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili’s property. The case was opened on Article 333 Part 3 of the Criminal Code of Georgia on excessive use of power, use of violence or a weapon, and the breach of the dignity of a victim. (Rustavi2)
Five vehicles seized as material evidence for criminal cases in 2006 – 2011 have been returned to their owners by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. The car owners sustained losses as a result of buying the vehicles imported to Georgia by that time and registered in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Upon buying the mentioned vehicles it was revealed that their identification data had been modified; this fact became the basis for initiation of investigation and confiscation of the vehicles.
The joint measures conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor’s Office in 2014 revealed that the vehicles were purchased honestly; involvement of the victims in the mentioned crime was ruled out.
Given the above-mentioned, the Ministry of Internal Affairs made an unprecedented decision and returned the 5 vehicles to their rightful owners. (IPN)
Occupied South Ossetia’s de facto Foreign Ministry to begin issuing foreign passports
Occupied South Ossetia’s de facto Foreign Ministry is going to begin issuing foreign passports.
According to Ossetian media, from August 1, applicants can address the so—called ministry regarding the above-mentioned.
As a representative of the de facto Foreign Ministry’s press service says, all applications will be considered, however priority will be given to the Ossetian students studying in Russia. (Frontnews)
Ambassadorial: Georgia’s foreign policy is 'irreversible'
Georgia’s foreign policy will be irreversible in the future, believed Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze, and pledges it will become even more pragmatic.
The country’s first diplomat said foreign policy priorities and strategic goals were irreversible and she was confident the process of dealing with challenges would be more reasonable.
"I would like to stress that Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration are the main priority of the authority that depends on the free choice of the local population,” Panjikidze said in her remarks at the 2014 Ambassadorial meeting in Tbilisi today, attended by heads of Georgia’s Diplomatic Mission.
While assessing the work of Georgia’s Foreign Ministry and Diplomatic Mission and outlining plans for 2015, Panjikidze said de-occupation of the country, strengthening its security and sovereignty, restoration of territorial integrity and enhancement of international involvement in this regard would be the priority areas where Georgia’s diplomatic missions would continue to work.
She also said the Foreign Ministry would continue working on various priorities including Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic integration, development of strategic partnership with the US, de-escalation of relations with the Russian Federation, promotion of democratic and sustainable development of Georgia and raising the country’s international role through bilateral and multilateral relations as well as improving Georgia’s economic and cultural diplomacy.
Panjikidze believed 2014 would go down in Georgia’s historic for signing the Association Agreement (AA) with the European Union (EU).
"This year Georgia came even closer with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO),” Panjikidze said.
The first ever Ambassadors’ Meeting was held in 1995 when Georgia’s newly-appointed Foreign Minister, Irakli Menagarishvili, brought Georgian and foreign diplomats together at the Georgian Government’ s Chancery, where they discussed plans for developing the country, regional relations and future prospects. (agenda.ge)
Journalists interrogated over death of Erosi Kitsmarishvili
The prosecutor`s office has started the interrogation of some journalists on the case of the death of Erosi Kitsmarishvili, one of the founders of the Rustavi2 Broadcasting Company, former ambassador of Georgia to Russia and the candidate for the mayor of the Rustavi city in the recent local government elections.
Some of the interrogated journalists, including the ones from the Rustavi2 have already left the office of the prosecutor. They say the questions mostly referred to their telephone conversations with Erosi Kitsmarishvili.
In July 2014 Kitsmarishvili was found dead in a garage of the apartment block where he had lived in Tbilisi’s Vake district. The authorities said he had one gunshot wound to the head, and though they were investigating the death under article 115 of the criminal code, which deals with suicide, but would examine other causes of his death as well. (Rustavi2)
Russians detain two people in Gori region
Russian border officers detained two citizens of Georgia at the village of Kveshi, Gori region. According to Interpressnews news agency, the detained persons are a 21-year-old resident of the Kveshi village, Zakro Butkhuzi and his guest, Buta Baliashvili – resident of the village of Akhrisi.
The detained citizens of Georgia have been moved to the Tskhinvali detention facility. (Tabula.ge)
Saakashvili`s defense preparing for Strasburg Court
The attorneys of the ex-president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili are in fact preparing to continue legal procedures at the European Court of Human Rights - the defense is currently waiting for the ruling of the Appeals Court, which is to consider their appeal of the Tbilisi City Court. The first instance court sent Saakashvili to prison in absentia last week under the motion of the Prosecutor`s Office. Though, the lawyers say they are not expecting the justifying judgment by the Appeals Court, therefore, they believe they will have to appeal to the ECHR.
Mikheil Saakashvili was charged with the excessive use of power in a case that includes charges of dispersing an opposition rally in November 2007, the raid of television broadcaster Imedi, plus the seizure of billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili’s property. The case was opened on Article 333 Part 3 of the Criminal Code of Georgia on excessive use of power, use of violence or a weapon, and the breach of the dignity of a victim. (Rustavi2)