The News in Brief
Friday, April 24
Defense Minister of Georgia Hosted U.S. Delegation
Defense Minister of Georgia Mindia Janelidze hosted Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Dr. Evelyn Farkas and Main Deputy Assistant of U.S. Department of State Tod Chapman at the MoD. U.S. delegation pays visit to Georgia within U.S.-Georgia Bilateral Defense Consultations.
Mindia Janelidze emphasized the importance the of U.S. delegation’s visit to Georgia. The sides discussed the outcomes of bilateral defense consultations and talked about future cooperative efforts. Georgia’s security and enhancing defense capabilities, as well as implementation of the NATO-Georgia Substantial Package and the U.S. contribution in the process of implementation were highlighted at the meeting. Defense Minister Janelidze expressed gratitude to the U.S. side for supporting the joint statement at the NATO-Georgia Commission and for the U.S. contribution in Georgia’s training for NATO Response Forces.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense positively evaluated the outcomes of bilateral defense consultations and enhancing cooperation with the USA in the defense sphere. Dr. Evelyn Farkas emphasized Georgia’s contribution in global security, and reiterated Washington’s steadfast support for Georgia’s NATO membership aspirations.
Deputy Defence Minister Levan Girsiashvili, U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Richard Norland, Defense Attache COL Mathew Dimmick and other members of the delegation attended the meeting. (Mod.ge)
Eight-year-old Georgian boy wins Special Citizen Nomination
The 112 Award Ceremony 2015 held on April 23, honored individuals and organizations from around the entire Europe for their commitment to promoting safety and well-being.
Eight-year-old Lekso Bozhadze was recognized for saving his mother’s life by knowing what number to dial in an emergency situation.
The ceremony was attended by about 500 representatives, including experts as well as members of the emergency services, international organizations and associations, European Parliament and others.
The celebration was marked by the presence of the Vice-President of the European Parliament, Mrs. Adina-Ioana Valean, who presented the award and expressed her deep gratitude to all nominees.
"It is a great pleasure and honor to award the achievements of these organizations, men and women who through their actions and interventions have contributed to the improvement of the quality and awareness levels of 112 across Europe. For this, they deserve our full recognition and admiration. Congratulations then to all the winners and nominees who can only motivate and commit us in contributing to a safer society!" stated Mrs. Valean.
The winners of the 112 Awards 2015 were revealed as follows:
• The outstanding call taker is from Lithuania
• The outstanding citizen is an 8-year-old boy from Georgia
• The outstanding emergency call centers are AREU in Lombardia, Italy and Special Telecommunications Service in Romania
• The outstanding rescue was carried out by SOS Alarm from Sweden
• The outstanding innovation was undertaken by BT UK, with the support and expertise of HTC and EE
The 112 Award Ceremony is the only pan-European award ceremony aiming to reward excellence in the emergency services field. This unique event is aimed at bringing into the limelight the outstanding contributions of organizations and individuals who strive to save lives. (IPN)
Deputy Chief Prosecutor Says MP Baramidze’s Questioning not Yet Planned
The Prosecutor’s Office does not yet have plans to question Giorgi Baramidze, one of the leaders of the United National Movement party, on the case of Afrasidzes.
Deputy Chief Prosecutor said that the case is under intensive investigation and there is no need for Baramidze’s questioning at this time.
The former head of the Special Forces, Zurab Kajaia, is being questioned on the mentioned case.
On March 24 of 2004, special operations activity was carried out in Mestia district of Svaneti region. A father and his son – Evgeni and Omekh Aprasidzes were killed during the special operation. Giorgi Baramidze was Internal Affairs Minister. (Frontnews)
Polish Institute of International Affairs - up to 100 Georgians fight in Ukraine
Approximately 100 Georgians are fighting in eastern Ukraine, Polish Institute of International Affairs has published a report written by researcher Kacper Rekawek.
According to the report, the same number of fighters has arrived in Donbas from Germany, Belarus and Serbia.
“More specifically, such groups as the Swedish fighters, prominent in the Azov Regiment, refer to the “legacy of the Caroleans,” i.e., the 17th and 18th century Swedish soldiers who fought Russia’. The single Dutch volunteer apparently wants to avenge the taking down of the MH17 plane in which 193 Dutch people perished.125 For the pro-Ukraine Croat volunteers, “this war with Russia reminds them of how the Serbs handled their war in the Balkans. The Croats are nationalists and help other nationalists to fight a common enemy,” reads the report.
According to the research, “the presence of Serb volunteers in the separatist ranks only strengthens the Croatian motivations for joining in the conflict, and vice versa. On top of that, the Serbs stress their cultural and historical affinity with Russia as the reason for their support of the separatists. The perception of Ukraine as a fake, buffer, Kosovo-lite state that only exists to prevent Russian expansion and greatness, common amongst the Eurasianists, is also a potential mobilising factor for the Serbs. On the other hand, the anti-Serbian Albanians, allegedly present on the Ukrainian side, could be motivated by their desire to prove both Russia and Serbia wrong while supporting viable, pro-Western Ukraine. Northern European volunteers, i.e., the Swedes but also Finns, and also inhabitants of the Baltic states, are motivated by “some historical connections [to Russia and Ukraine], [they] also fought many wars with Russia [in the past] and the Ukrainians can understand this.”
“Thus, this is seen as a fight against a common enemy. The same can be said about the Georgians or Belarussians, who use the imagery of “Pahonia,” Belarus’ coat of arms between 1991 and 1995 (abolished by President Alexander Lukashenko and now used as an unofficial emblem of the opposition in the country) as their emblem. This suggests that such individuals see their fight in Ukraine as their continuation of a struggle against post-Soviet and pro-Russian political regimes,” says the report. (IPN)
Defense Minister of Georgia Mindia Janelidze hosted Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Dr. Evelyn Farkas and Main Deputy Assistant of U.S. Department of State Tod Chapman at the MoD. U.S. delegation pays visit to Georgia within U.S.-Georgia Bilateral Defense Consultations.
Mindia Janelidze emphasized the importance the of U.S. delegation’s visit to Georgia. The sides discussed the outcomes of bilateral defense consultations and talked about future cooperative efforts. Georgia’s security and enhancing defense capabilities, as well as implementation of the NATO-Georgia Substantial Package and the U.S. contribution in the process of implementation were highlighted at the meeting. Defense Minister Janelidze expressed gratitude to the U.S. side for supporting the joint statement at the NATO-Georgia Commission and for the U.S. contribution in Georgia’s training for NATO Response Forces.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense positively evaluated the outcomes of bilateral defense consultations and enhancing cooperation with the USA in the defense sphere. Dr. Evelyn Farkas emphasized Georgia’s contribution in global security, and reiterated Washington’s steadfast support for Georgia’s NATO membership aspirations.
Deputy Defence Minister Levan Girsiashvili, U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Richard Norland, Defense Attache COL Mathew Dimmick and other members of the delegation attended the meeting. (Mod.ge)
Eight-year-old Georgian boy wins Special Citizen Nomination
The 112 Award Ceremony 2015 held on April 23, honored individuals and organizations from around the entire Europe for their commitment to promoting safety and well-being.
Eight-year-old Lekso Bozhadze was recognized for saving his mother’s life by knowing what number to dial in an emergency situation.
The ceremony was attended by about 500 representatives, including experts as well as members of the emergency services, international organizations and associations, European Parliament and others.
The celebration was marked by the presence of the Vice-President of the European Parliament, Mrs. Adina-Ioana Valean, who presented the award and expressed her deep gratitude to all nominees.
"It is a great pleasure and honor to award the achievements of these organizations, men and women who through their actions and interventions have contributed to the improvement of the quality and awareness levels of 112 across Europe. For this, they deserve our full recognition and admiration. Congratulations then to all the winners and nominees who can only motivate and commit us in contributing to a safer society!" stated Mrs. Valean.
The winners of the 112 Awards 2015 were revealed as follows:
• The outstanding call taker is from Lithuania
• The outstanding citizen is an 8-year-old boy from Georgia
• The outstanding emergency call centers are AREU in Lombardia, Italy and Special Telecommunications Service in Romania
• The outstanding rescue was carried out by SOS Alarm from Sweden
• The outstanding innovation was undertaken by BT UK, with the support and expertise of HTC and EE
The 112 Award Ceremony is the only pan-European award ceremony aiming to reward excellence in the emergency services field. This unique event is aimed at bringing into the limelight the outstanding contributions of organizations and individuals who strive to save lives. (IPN)
Deputy Chief Prosecutor Says MP Baramidze’s Questioning not Yet Planned
The Prosecutor’s Office does not yet have plans to question Giorgi Baramidze, one of the leaders of the United National Movement party, on the case of Afrasidzes.
Deputy Chief Prosecutor said that the case is under intensive investigation and there is no need for Baramidze’s questioning at this time.
The former head of the Special Forces, Zurab Kajaia, is being questioned on the mentioned case.
On March 24 of 2004, special operations activity was carried out in Mestia district of Svaneti region. A father and his son – Evgeni and Omekh Aprasidzes were killed during the special operation. Giorgi Baramidze was Internal Affairs Minister. (Frontnews)
Polish Institute of International Affairs - up to 100 Georgians fight in Ukraine
Approximately 100 Georgians are fighting in eastern Ukraine, Polish Institute of International Affairs has published a report written by researcher Kacper Rekawek.
According to the report, the same number of fighters has arrived in Donbas from Germany, Belarus and Serbia.
“More specifically, such groups as the Swedish fighters, prominent in the Azov Regiment, refer to the “legacy of the Caroleans,” i.e., the 17th and 18th century Swedish soldiers who fought Russia’. The single Dutch volunteer apparently wants to avenge the taking down of the MH17 plane in which 193 Dutch people perished.125 For the pro-Ukraine Croat volunteers, “this war with Russia reminds them of how the Serbs handled their war in the Balkans. The Croats are nationalists and help other nationalists to fight a common enemy,” reads the report.
According to the research, “the presence of Serb volunteers in the separatist ranks only strengthens the Croatian motivations for joining in the conflict, and vice versa. On top of that, the Serbs stress their cultural and historical affinity with Russia as the reason for their support of the separatists. The perception of Ukraine as a fake, buffer, Kosovo-lite state that only exists to prevent Russian expansion and greatness, common amongst the Eurasianists, is also a potential mobilising factor for the Serbs. On the other hand, the anti-Serbian Albanians, allegedly present on the Ukrainian side, could be motivated by their desire to prove both Russia and Serbia wrong while supporting viable, pro-Western Ukraine. Northern European volunteers, i.e., the Swedes but also Finns, and also inhabitants of the Baltic states, are motivated by “some historical connections [to Russia and Ukraine], [they] also fought many wars with Russia [in the past] and the Ukrainians can understand this.”
“Thus, this is seen as a fight against a common enemy. The same can be said about the Georgians or Belarussians, who use the imagery of “Pahonia,” Belarus’ coat of arms between 1991 and 1995 (abolished by President Alexander Lukashenko and now used as an unofficial emblem of the opposition in the country) as their emblem. This suggests that such individuals see their fight in Ukraine as their continuation of a struggle against post-Soviet and pro-Russian political regimes,” says the report. (IPN)