The News in Brief
Monday, June 22
Sochi-Abkhazia train services resume
On June 26th, Russia and Abkhazia resumed passenger train services between Adler, Sochi and Gagra, Abkhazia. The train travels twice a day – at 7:05 AM from Adler’s train station, and back at 17:57 (5:57 PM) back the same day. The over two-hour trip includes two ten minutes stops for passport control on both Russian and Abkhazian sides. Passengers do not leave the train for this procedure. More trains are expected to operate on this route in the near future, as reported by www.sochi-travel.info. The passenger train service between Sochi and Abkhazia was active in years 2003-2004, back then around 400 people traveled during each ride. It is hoped that the resuming of the Sochi-Abkhazia train service will help to unload automotive Russia-Abkhazia border crossings, which increased in the recent years, reaching 35000 people per day.
(Georgian Public Broadcaster)
Ex-MoD Officials Released from Pretrial Detention
The trial's judge ordered on June 19 the release of five former MoD and general staff officials from pretrial detention on the personal guarantee of a group of lawmakers from the opposition Free Democrats party.
The release of the five men, who spent almost eight months in pretrial detention, came after the prosecution dropped its objection against their release on June 18.
One former and four serving officials from MoD and general staff were detained on October 28, 2014 and charged with misspending GEL 4.1 million in an alleged sham tender in 2013 on laying fiber-optic cable. They deny charges.
This co called “cable case” led to major split within the Georgian Dream (GD) ruling coalition and the firing of Defense Minister Irakli Alasania, followed by resignations of his two allies from cabinet posts. It resulted in Alasania’s Free Democrats leaving the GD coalition in November, 2014. Throughout this period Alasania has been denouncing investigation against the MoD officials as “politically motivated” and saying that the arrested former officials were ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili’s “personal prisoners.”
Alasania said on June 18 that the prosecutors’ decision to drop objections against the release of ex-officials was an attempt to “save face” as defense lawyers were planning to file a similar motion and there was no reason for the judge to decline it.
The prosecution wanted the five men to be released on bail, but the judge accepted defense lawyers’ motion and the accused men were released on personal guarantee of a group of five lawmakers from the Free Democrats party: Zurab Abashidze; Nino Goguadze; Victor Dolidze; Irakli Chikovani and Shalva Shavgulidze.
Ivanishvili told journalists on June 18 that Alasania is “lying” while levelling allegations about politically motivated arrest of former MoD officials.
In an interview with Rustavi 2 TV on June 19, Alasania said that Ivanishvili’s “mafia-type” of rule will fail in Georgia.
“The Georgian society will stand together in order not to allow him [Ivanishvili] to turn Georgia into a mafia clan,” Alasania said.
Prosecutors’ decision to drop objection against release of the accused men came 40 days before the expiration of the nine-month pre-trial detention period.
The trial into the “cable case” is now at its preliminary or pre-trial hearing stage, when a judge decides on the admissibility of evidence submitted by the parties and hears various motions from the parties.
Defense lawyers will now try to convince the judge to drop the entire case against their clients.
Earlier this month, the Tbilisi City Court ruled in favour of the defence’s motion and found a key piece of prosecution’s evidence – an expert report assessing the engineering and other aspects of the fiber-optic cable project – inadmissible. But the prosecution appealed the ruling and the Court of Appeals overturned the lower court’s decision.
(Civil.ge)
President Margvelashvili Awards Dead Fireman- Rescuer for "Civil Devotion"
President Giorgi Margvelashvili has granted Junior Inspector (Fireman-Rescuer) Zurab Muzashvili a posthumous award for exemplary “Civil Devotion" while performing his duties during the June 13 deadly flood in Tbilisi.
Muzashvili’s body was found a few days ago. Zurab Muzashvili died during the rescue operation. He has managed to save seven people.
(Forntnews.ge)
Health Ministry Says There is no Danger of Epidemic in Tbilisi
The Ministry of Health says that there is no danger of epidemic in Tbilisi at this stage, however, precautions should be taken to prevent the possible spread of the infection risk, which is caused by the work with soil.
According to the Crisis Management Council, it’s important to protect safety rules: namely, rescuers and volunteers should take into account the recommendations of the coordinators during performing the recovery and cleanup works.
The citizens can receive free vaccinations in certain clinics.
(Forntnews.ge)
Trafficking scheme uncovered in Georgia
The Finance Ministry’s investigative service has uncovered a case of trafficking in babies and arrested nine people at two maternity clinics.
The arrested are the director of Rustavi Maternity House and his deputy, and one of the owners of New Maternity House Center along with six other people.
Investigators say the people who have been detained ran a scheme to sell newborns. They negotiated with mothers visiting for consultations at Maternity House and tried to make them abandon their child, whom they would later sell.
According to investigators, the detainees managed to sell two babies for 3,000 laris and USD 5,000, respectively.
The investigation is not yet finished. If convicted, the suspects may face from 14 to 17 years in jail.
(DFwatch)
New zoo may be located near Tbilisi Sea
The New Tbilisi zoo may be located in the vicinity of Tbilisi Sea.
As Tbilisi Mayor Davit Narmania has told reporters, a separate workgroup has been created to deal with the issue; it will re-evaluate the projects offered earlier and come up with a decision.
“After the new zoo is built, all the animals will be transferred there,”- Narmania said.
(IPN)
Construction of Protective Wall Started on Tskneti Street
The bed of the river Vere has been changed and the river has been switched to the left side on the nearby territory of Tskneti Street ¹13, the Ministry of Infrastrcucture and Regional Development has said.
Before implementation of the works, the river has been bordered by the rock from the left.
That is why burst River was moving out from the riverbed on the right side and was damaging Tskneti Street. To prevent the future disaster, the part of the rock was cut and the river bed was changed. At this stage, the works of construction of the protective wall from the right side has been already started. Also, the car was taken out from the flooded garage.
The works are coordinated by the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure. Ltd "The land reclamation of Georgia" at Ministry of Agriculture, Tbilisi City Hall, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Interior Ministry are involved in disaster liquidation works.
Tskhneti Street was flooded as a result of June 13-14 disaster in Tbilisi and the garages and other facilities have been damaged.
Before implementation of the works, the river has been bordered by the rock from the left.
That is why burst River was moving out from the riverbed on the right side and was damaging Tskneti Street. To prevent the future disaster, the part of the rock was cut and the river bed was changed. At this stage, the works of construction of the protective wall from the right side has been already started. .
The works are coordinated by the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure. Ltd "The land reclamation of Georgia" at Ministry of Agriculture, Tbilisi City Hall, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Interior Ministry are involved in disaster liquidation works.
Tskhneti Street was flooded as a result of June 13-14 disaster in Tbilisi and the garages and other facilities have been damaged.
(Frontenws)
On June 26th, Russia and Abkhazia resumed passenger train services between Adler, Sochi and Gagra, Abkhazia. The train travels twice a day – at 7:05 AM from Adler’s train station, and back at 17:57 (5:57 PM) back the same day. The over two-hour trip includes two ten minutes stops for passport control on both Russian and Abkhazian sides. Passengers do not leave the train for this procedure. More trains are expected to operate on this route in the near future, as reported by www.sochi-travel.info. The passenger train service between Sochi and Abkhazia was active in years 2003-2004, back then around 400 people traveled during each ride. It is hoped that the resuming of the Sochi-Abkhazia train service will help to unload automotive Russia-Abkhazia border crossings, which increased in the recent years, reaching 35000 people per day.
(Georgian Public Broadcaster)
Ex-MoD Officials Released from Pretrial Detention
The trial's judge ordered on June 19 the release of five former MoD and general staff officials from pretrial detention on the personal guarantee of a group of lawmakers from the opposition Free Democrats party.
The release of the five men, who spent almost eight months in pretrial detention, came after the prosecution dropped its objection against their release on June 18.
One former and four serving officials from MoD and general staff were detained on October 28, 2014 and charged with misspending GEL 4.1 million in an alleged sham tender in 2013 on laying fiber-optic cable. They deny charges.
This co called “cable case” led to major split within the Georgian Dream (GD) ruling coalition and the firing of Defense Minister Irakli Alasania, followed by resignations of his two allies from cabinet posts. It resulted in Alasania’s Free Democrats leaving the GD coalition in November, 2014. Throughout this period Alasania has been denouncing investigation against the MoD officials as “politically motivated” and saying that the arrested former officials were ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili’s “personal prisoners.”
Alasania said on June 18 that the prosecutors’ decision to drop objections against the release of ex-officials was an attempt to “save face” as defense lawyers were planning to file a similar motion and there was no reason for the judge to decline it.
The prosecution wanted the five men to be released on bail, but the judge accepted defense lawyers’ motion and the accused men were released on personal guarantee of a group of five lawmakers from the Free Democrats party: Zurab Abashidze; Nino Goguadze; Victor Dolidze; Irakli Chikovani and Shalva Shavgulidze.
Ivanishvili told journalists on June 18 that Alasania is “lying” while levelling allegations about politically motivated arrest of former MoD officials.
In an interview with Rustavi 2 TV on June 19, Alasania said that Ivanishvili’s “mafia-type” of rule will fail in Georgia.
“The Georgian society will stand together in order not to allow him [Ivanishvili] to turn Georgia into a mafia clan,” Alasania said.
Prosecutors’ decision to drop objection against release of the accused men came 40 days before the expiration of the nine-month pre-trial detention period.
The trial into the “cable case” is now at its preliminary or pre-trial hearing stage, when a judge decides on the admissibility of evidence submitted by the parties and hears various motions from the parties.
Defense lawyers will now try to convince the judge to drop the entire case against their clients.
Earlier this month, the Tbilisi City Court ruled in favour of the defence’s motion and found a key piece of prosecution’s evidence – an expert report assessing the engineering and other aspects of the fiber-optic cable project – inadmissible. But the prosecution appealed the ruling and the Court of Appeals overturned the lower court’s decision.
(Civil.ge)
President Margvelashvili Awards Dead Fireman- Rescuer for "Civil Devotion"
President Giorgi Margvelashvili has granted Junior Inspector (Fireman-Rescuer) Zurab Muzashvili a posthumous award for exemplary “Civil Devotion" while performing his duties during the June 13 deadly flood in Tbilisi.
Muzashvili’s body was found a few days ago. Zurab Muzashvili died during the rescue operation. He has managed to save seven people.
(Forntnews.ge)
Health Ministry Says There is no Danger of Epidemic in Tbilisi
The Ministry of Health says that there is no danger of epidemic in Tbilisi at this stage, however, precautions should be taken to prevent the possible spread of the infection risk, which is caused by the work with soil.
According to the Crisis Management Council, it’s important to protect safety rules: namely, rescuers and volunteers should take into account the recommendations of the coordinators during performing the recovery and cleanup works.
The citizens can receive free vaccinations in certain clinics.
(Forntnews.ge)
Trafficking scheme uncovered in Georgia
The Finance Ministry’s investigative service has uncovered a case of trafficking in babies and arrested nine people at two maternity clinics.
The arrested are the director of Rustavi Maternity House and his deputy, and one of the owners of New Maternity House Center along with six other people.
Investigators say the people who have been detained ran a scheme to sell newborns. They negotiated with mothers visiting for consultations at Maternity House and tried to make them abandon their child, whom they would later sell.
According to investigators, the detainees managed to sell two babies for 3,000 laris and USD 5,000, respectively.
The investigation is not yet finished. If convicted, the suspects may face from 14 to 17 years in jail.
(DFwatch)
New zoo may be located near Tbilisi Sea
The New Tbilisi zoo may be located in the vicinity of Tbilisi Sea.
As Tbilisi Mayor Davit Narmania has told reporters, a separate workgroup has been created to deal with the issue; it will re-evaluate the projects offered earlier and come up with a decision.
“After the new zoo is built, all the animals will be transferred there,”- Narmania said.
(IPN)
Construction of Protective Wall Started on Tskneti Street
The bed of the river Vere has been changed and the river has been switched to the left side on the nearby territory of Tskneti Street ¹13, the Ministry of Infrastrcucture and Regional Development has said.
Before implementation of the works, the river has been bordered by the rock from the left.
That is why burst River was moving out from the riverbed on the right side and was damaging Tskneti Street. To prevent the future disaster, the part of the rock was cut and the river bed was changed. At this stage, the works of construction of the protective wall from the right side has been already started. Also, the car was taken out from the flooded garage.
The works are coordinated by the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure. Ltd "The land reclamation of Georgia" at Ministry of Agriculture, Tbilisi City Hall, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Interior Ministry are involved in disaster liquidation works.
Tskhneti Street was flooded as a result of June 13-14 disaster in Tbilisi and the garages and other facilities have been damaged.
Before implementation of the works, the river has been bordered by the rock from the left.
That is why burst River was moving out from the riverbed on the right side and was damaging Tskneti Street. To prevent the future disaster, the part of the rock was cut and the river bed was changed. At this stage, the works of construction of the protective wall from the right side has been already started. .
The works are coordinated by the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure. Ltd "The land reclamation of Georgia" at Ministry of Agriculture, Tbilisi City Hall, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Interior Ministry are involved in disaster liquidation works.
Tskhneti Street was flooded as a result of June 13-14 disaster in Tbilisi and the garages and other facilities have been damaged.
(Frontenws)