The News in Brief
Wednesday, October 26
President urges all questions to be answered regarding Krtsanisi incident
“The President considers that timely and transparent investigation of the incident that took place in the Krtsanisi training center is essential,” the President's Spokesperson, Eka Mishveladze, said at today's press conference.
According to her, the Commander-in-Chief also believes that all the questions of the victim's family members must be answered.
"We would like to respond to the sad incident that took place at the Krtsanisi National Training Center. The President believes that a timely and transparent investigation of the incident is essential. As you know, this is a very important and protected part of Georgia, where the NATO-Georgia joint training and assessment center is located. The Commander-in-Chief believes that all the questions of the victim's family members and society must be answered. We hope the investigation will not leave any questions or doubts regarding this issue without response. This is important for the state interests and the reputation of the armed forces,” said Mishveladze. (IPN)
CEC Summarizes Proportional, Majoritarian MP Election Results
The Central Election Commission (CEC) summarized on Sunday the proportional part of the October 8 parliamentary elections as well as the results of the first rounds of majoritarian MP elections, according to which three political parties will enter the new Parliament.
According to final results, with 48.68% of the votes, the GDDG ruling party will have 44 seats under the proportional representation system; UNM party, which garnered 27.11% of the votes, will have 27 seats, and an election bloc led by the Alliance of Patriots, which garnered 5.01% of the votes, will have 6 seats.
77 seats out of a total 150 are allocated proportionally under the party-list contest among political parties and election blocs, which must clear a 5% threshold. 73 lawmakers are elected in 73 majoritarian, single-mandate constituencies.
On top of the 44 seats which the ruling party took in the Parliament under the proportional representation, its candidates have won outright in majoritarian MP races in 23 single-mandate constituencies, where GD candidates cleared the 50% threshold in the first rounds.
Second rounds are set for October 30 to reveal the remaining 50 majoritarian MPs, including in Zugdidi and Marneuli single-mandate constituencies, where repeat elections on October 22 failed to reveal the winners.
A candidate who garners more votes will win in the second round runoff.
Irakli Alasania, leader of the Free Democrats opposition party, and Georgia’s ex-first lady Sandra Roelofs announced their withdrawal from the second round contests for majoritarian MP seats in Gori and Zugdidi single-mandate constituencies, respectively. But their names will still remain on ballot papers during the second rounds along with GDDG’s candidates.
GDDG’s candidates are in the second round runoffs for majoritarian MP seats in 49 single-mandate-constituencies; in one constituency – Tbilisi’s Mtatsminda district, where the second round will also be held - GDDG had no candidate of its own; instead the party backed independent candidate Salome Zurabishvili, who will face the UNM’s Nika Rurua in the second round.
In 44 districts where second rounds are expected, GDDG’s candidates will face contenders from the UNM party. According to the results of the first round, GDDG candidates are leading in all but the Marneuli and Akhaltsikhe/Adigeni districts, where UNM candidates have better results; in two districts – Mtskheta and Lanchkhuti/Chokhatauri – GDDG will compete with independent candidates; in the Chiatura district, candidates of GDDG and Free Democrats will face each other; in Khashuri district, GDDG candidate will face a representative from election bloc Industrialists-Our Homeland.
The October 30 second rounds will determine the final composition of the new Parliament, where the ruling party already has 67 seats – 9 short of a majority (76 seats) and 46 short of a three-quarters super-majority in the 150-member Parliament; 113 seats are required to pass constitutional amendments. (Civil.ge)
Caucasus mountain road closed in north Georgia due to snow and ice
A key mountain road that connects north and south Caucasus is now closed for large vehicles because of snow and ice.
Trailers, semi-trailers and vehicles with more than 30 seats are prohibited from driving on the S-3 between Gudauri and Kobi, the Road Departmentannounced on Tuesday.
Other types of vehicles are allowed. The Road Department has sent machinery to clear the road of snow.
The S-3 Mtskheta-Stepantsminda-Larsi road, also known as the Georgian Military Highway, connects Georgia’s former capital Mtskheta, just north of Tbilisi, with the border crossing at Lars and the Russian republic North Ossetia. (DF watch)
“The President considers that timely and transparent investigation of the incident that took place in the Krtsanisi training center is essential,” the President's Spokesperson, Eka Mishveladze, said at today's press conference.
According to her, the Commander-in-Chief also believes that all the questions of the victim's family members must be answered.
"We would like to respond to the sad incident that took place at the Krtsanisi National Training Center. The President believes that a timely and transparent investigation of the incident is essential. As you know, this is a very important and protected part of Georgia, where the NATO-Georgia joint training and assessment center is located. The Commander-in-Chief believes that all the questions of the victim's family members and society must be answered. We hope the investigation will not leave any questions or doubts regarding this issue without response. This is important for the state interests and the reputation of the armed forces,” said Mishveladze. (IPN)
CEC Summarizes Proportional, Majoritarian MP Election Results
The Central Election Commission (CEC) summarized on Sunday the proportional part of the October 8 parliamentary elections as well as the results of the first rounds of majoritarian MP elections, according to which three political parties will enter the new Parliament.
According to final results, with 48.68% of the votes, the GDDG ruling party will have 44 seats under the proportional representation system; UNM party, which garnered 27.11% of the votes, will have 27 seats, and an election bloc led by the Alliance of Patriots, which garnered 5.01% of the votes, will have 6 seats.
77 seats out of a total 150 are allocated proportionally under the party-list contest among political parties and election blocs, which must clear a 5% threshold. 73 lawmakers are elected in 73 majoritarian, single-mandate constituencies.
On top of the 44 seats which the ruling party took in the Parliament under the proportional representation, its candidates have won outright in majoritarian MP races in 23 single-mandate constituencies, where GD candidates cleared the 50% threshold in the first rounds.
Second rounds are set for October 30 to reveal the remaining 50 majoritarian MPs, including in Zugdidi and Marneuli single-mandate constituencies, where repeat elections on October 22 failed to reveal the winners.
A candidate who garners more votes will win in the second round runoff.
Irakli Alasania, leader of the Free Democrats opposition party, and Georgia’s ex-first lady Sandra Roelofs announced their withdrawal from the second round contests for majoritarian MP seats in Gori and Zugdidi single-mandate constituencies, respectively. But their names will still remain on ballot papers during the second rounds along with GDDG’s candidates.
GDDG’s candidates are in the second round runoffs for majoritarian MP seats in 49 single-mandate-constituencies; in one constituency – Tbilisi’s Mtatsminda district, where the second round will also be held - GDDG had no candidate of its own; instead the party backed independent candidate Salome Zurabishvili, who will face the UNM’s Nika Rurua in the second round.
In 44 districts where second rounds are expected, GDDG’s candidates will face contenders from the UNM party. According to the results of the first round, GDDG candidates are leading in all but the Marneuli and Akhaltsikhe/Adigeni districts, where UNM candidates have better results; in two districts – Mtskheta and Lanchkhuti/Chokhatauri – GDDG will compete with independent candidates; in the Chiatura district, candidates of GDDG and Free Democrats will face each other; in Khashuri district, GDDG candidate will face a representative from election bloc Industrialists-Our Homeland.
The October 30 second rounds will determine the final composition of the new Parliament, where the ruling party already has 67 seats – 9 short of a majority (76 seats) and 46 short of a three-quarters super-majority in the 150-member Parliament; 113 seats are required to pass constitutional amendments. (Civil.ge)
Caucasus mountain road closed in north Georgia due to snow and ice
A key mountain road that connects north and south Caucasus is now closed for large vehicles because of snow and ice.
Trailers, semi-trailers and vehicles with more than 30 seats are prohibited from driving on the S-3 between Gudauri and Kobi, the Road Departmentannounced on Tuesday.
Other types of vehicles are allowed. The Road Department has sent machinery to clear the road of snow.
The S-3 Mtskheta-Stepantsminda-Larsi road, also known as the Georgian Military Highway, connects Georgia’s former capital Mtskheta, just north of Tbilisi, with the border crossing at Lars and the Russian republic North Ossetia. (DF watch)