The News in Brief
Monday, July 27
Traffic restrictions to be imposed due to Tbilisi 2015 Olympic Festival
According to Tbilisi City Hall, restrictions will be imposed on some roads in Tbilisi due to the 13th Youth Olympic Festival Tbilisi 2015.
In particular, on July 26th, from 18:20 till 19:40, as well as from 22:00 to 22:30 traffic will be banned in the vicinity of Mikheil Meskhi ("Lokomotiv”) Stadium – from the crossroad of Tsereteli and Chavchavadze streets to “Turtle Lake” bend.
On July 27th, from 15:00 till 18:00 traffic will be banned on Aghmashenebeli Lane, in the direction of Mtskheta, whilst two-way traffic will be available in the direction of Tbilisi.
On July 28th, from 08:00 till 20:00 traffic movement will be banned on Aghmashenebeli Lane, in the direction of Mtskheta; two-way traffic will be available in the direction of Tbilisi;
On July 29th, from 15:00 till 19:00 movement will be fully banned on the Tbilisi Sea highway;
On July 30th, from 08:00 till 19:00 traffic will be fully banned on the Tbilisi Sea highway;
We call on citizens to refrain from traveling by car on the above-mentioned roads.
(IPN)
NGOs hold protest in front of Presidential Administration building
NGOs are calling on the President of Georgia to break free of the United National Movement party's influence.
Non-governmental organizations Human Rights Union, Young Human Rights Defenders Association and civil society representatives held a protest in front of the Presidential Administration building today.
They protested against the President pardoning National Movement MP Akaki Bobokhidze's brother.
As Nikoloz Mzhavanadze, the Human Rights Union Chairman said, Margvelashvili rewarded Bobokhidze after he announced the launch of anti-government demonstrations in autumn.
He called on the President to break free of the National Movement’s influence; otherwise, he threatened to create inconveniences everywhere he goes.
(IPN)
Tbilisi City Hall starts restoration of road infrastructure in Vere Gorge
Tbilisi City Hall has begun restoration of road infrastructure in the Vere Gorge.
Tbilisi Mayor Davtd Narmania surveyed the area today.
According to City Hall, the damaged roadway and sidewalks as well as tunnel entrance will be repaired. In addition, a bridge will be built near Mziuri Park.
“On the opposite side of Mziuri Park there will be a bridge instead of a tunnel, since we think it is safer. Vere River will run under the bridge and it will no longer represent any danger even if it is swelled,"- said Davit Narmania.
According to him, the recovery efforts will be underway round-the-clock to restore the roadway as quickly as possible and put an end to the cumbersome traffic jams in the capital.
Rehabilitation efforts are being carried out by the Black Sea Group and Caucasus Road Project companies. The project cost is 14.7 million GEL.
(IPN)
Georgia’s Defence Minister will spend week on military base
Georgia’s Defence Minister Tinatin Khidasheli will live on a military base alongside the country’s servicemen for a week.
"The Minister wants to see what conditions our soldiers live in,” the Defence Ministry press service told local media yesterday.
Khidasheli will spend a day at different military bases across the country. She will participate in morning exercises and will have soldiers’ meal every day for a week.
The Minister will visit military bases in Batumi, Senaki, Khoni, Gori, Sachkhere and Kutaisi – all in western and central Georgia. A number of events were scheduled during her visits, including sporting competitions and lectures on security issues.
Earlier on Friday, Khidasheli met with heads of Georgia's higher education institutions and discussed with them what programs and public lectures universities could offer to military servicemen. Khidasheli believed soldiers should be not only "well-trained", but "well-educated" too.
Khidasheli, who is Georgia’s first female defence minister, was appointed to the role in May 2015.
(Agenda.ge)
Booking.com enters Georgia
The world’s leading online hotel booking website www.booking.com has entered Georgia and is ready to offer its services to the country and its guests.
The website has already opened an office in Tbilisi and will supposedly start operating from September.
Brokering service for Booking.com was provided by real estate service company Colliers International Georgia.
"Colliers International’s Tbilisi and Amsterdam offices have advised Booking.com on their Tbilisi office opening. Under tenant representation mandate we came up with a strategy for the client, short listed suitable properties and conducted lease negotiations. We welcome Booking.com to Georgia!" the company wrote on its Facebook page.
Before opening its office in Tbilisi, the global booking portal announced vacancies for different positions in Georgia.
Booking.com was established in 1996. Currently more than 750,000 hotel rooms around the world are booked through the website.
The online portal offers services to the public and business sector. It operates in more than 40 languages and offers its customers more than 556,189 facilities in 210 countries.
(Agenda.ge)
PM in partnership meeting with National Democratic Institute staff
Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili held a meeting today with National Democratic Institute (NDI) board member Howard Dean and the organisation’s resident director Laura Thornton to discuss Georgia's relationship with the US and other topics.
Garibashvili’s meeting with Thornton and Dean – the latter being a former United States presidential candidate and Vermont state governor – involved a discussion about the Georgia-US strategic partnership and ongoing political processes in Georgia.
Among the items discussed were NDI’s future plans in the country, the Open Government Partnership and the recent developments in Georgia’s occupied territories.
Georgia’s continued work to strengthen democracy and improve economic stability was also reviewed, and the sides noted perspectives for future cooperation.
The NDI has been involved in Georgia since 1994. The organisation's current activities are funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
(Agenda.ge)
According to Tbilisi City Hall, restrictions will be imposed on some roads in Tbilisi due to the 13th Youth Olympic Festival Tbilisi 2015.
In particular, on July 26th, from 18:20 till 19:40, as well as from 22:00 to 22:30 traffic will be banned in the vicinity of Mikheil Meskhi ("Lokomotiv”) Stadium – from the crossroad of Tsereteli and Chavchavadze streets to “Turtle Lake” bend.
On July 27th, from 15:00 till 18:00 traffic will be banned on Aghmashenebeli Lane, in the direction of Mtskheta, whilst two-way traffic will be available in the direction of Tbilisi.
On July 28th, from 08:00 till 20:00 traffic movement will be banned on Aghmashenebeli Lane, in the direction of Mtskheta; two-way traffic will be available in the direction of Tbilisi;
On July 29th, from 15:00 till 19:00 movement will be fully banned on the Tbilisi Sea highway;
On July 30th, from 08:00 till 19:00 traffic will be fully banned on the Tbilisi Sea highway;
We call on citizens to refrain from traveling by car on the above-mentioned roads.
(IPN)
NGOs hold protest in front of Presidential Administration building
NGOs are calling on the President of Georgia to break free of the United National Movement party's influence.
Non-governmental organizations Human Rights Union, Young Human Rights Defenders Association and civil society representatives held a protest in front of the Presidential Administration building today.
They protested against the President pardoning National Movement MP Akaki Bobokhidze's brother.
As Nikoloz Mzhavanadze, the Human Rights Union Chairman said, Margvelashvili rewarded Bobokhidze after he announced the launch of anti-government demonstrations in autumn.
He called on the President to break free of the National Movement’s influence; otherwise, he threatened to create inconveniences everywhere he goes.
(IPN)
Tbilisi City Hall starts restoration of road infrastructure in Vere Gorge
Tbilisi City Hall has begun restoration of road infrastructure in the Vere Gorge.
Tbilisi Mayor Davtd Narmania surveyed the area today.
According to City Hall, the damaged roadway and sidewalks as well as tunnel entrance will be repaired. In addition, a bridge will be built near Mziuri Park.
“On the opposite side of Mziuri Park there will be a bridge instead of a tunnel, since we think it is safer. Vere River will run under the bridge and it will no longer represent any danger even if it is swelled,"- said Davit Narmania.
According to him, the recovery efforts will be underway round-the-clock to restore the roadway as quickly as possible and put an end to the cumbersome traffic jams in the capital.
Rehabilitation efforts are being carried out by the Black Sea Group and Caucasus Road Project companies. The project cost is 14.7 million GEL.
(IPN)
Georgia’s Defence Minister will spend week on military base
Georgia’s Defence Minister Tinatin Khidasheli will live on a military base alongside the country’s servicemen for a week.
"The Minister wants to see what conditions our soldiers live in,” the Defence Ministry press service told local media yesterday.
Khidasheli will spend a day at different military bases across the country. She will participate in morning exercises and will have soldiers’ meal every day for a week.
The Minister will visit military bases in Batumi, Senaki, Khoni, Gori, Sachkhere and Kutaisi – all in western and central Georgia. A number of events were scheduled during her visits, including sporting competitions and lectures on security issues.
Earlier on Friday, Khidasheli met with heads of Georgia's higher education institutions and discussed with them what programs and public lectures universities could offer to military servicemen. Khidasheli believed soldiers should be not only "well-trained", but "well-educated" too.
Khidasheli, who is Georgia’s first female defence minister, was appointed to the role in May 2015.
(Agenda.ge)
Booking.com enters Georgia
The world’s leading online hotel booking website www.booking.com has entered Georgia and is ready to offer its services to the country and its guests.
The website has already opened an office in Tbilisi and will supposedly start operating from September.
Brokering service for Booking.com was provided by real estate service company Colliers International Georgia.
"Colliers International’s Tbilisi and Amsterdam offices have advised Booking.com on their Tbilisi office opening. Under tenant representation mandate we came up with a strategy for the client, short listed suitable properties and conducted lease negotiations. We welcome Booking.com to Georgia!" the company wrote on its Facebook page.
Before opening its office in Tbilisi, the global booking portal announced vacancies for different positions in Georgia.
Booking.com was established in 1996. Currently more than 750,000 hotel rooms around the world are booked through the website.
The online portal offers services to the public and business sector. It operates in more than 40 languages and offers its customers more than 556,189 facilities in 210 countries.
(Agenda.ge)
PM in partnership meeting with National Democratic Institute staff
Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili held a meeting today with National Democratic Institute (NDI) board member Howard Dean and the organisation’s resident director Laura Thornton to discuss Georgia's relationship with the US and other topics.
Garibashvili’s meeting with Thornton and Dean – the latter being a former United States presidential candidate and Vermont state governor – involved a discussion about the Georgia-US strategic partnership and ongoing political processes in Georgia.
Among the items discussed were NDI’s future plans in the country, the Open Government Partnership and the recent developments in Georgia’s occupied territories.
Georgia’s continued work to strengthen democracy and improve economic stability was also reviewed, and the sides noted perspectives for future cooperation.
The NDI has been involved in Georgia since 1994. The organisation's current activities are funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
(Agenda.ge)