The messenger logo

The News in Brief

Thursday, March 16
Parliament Speaker Joins Progressive Alliance Board

Georgian Parliamentary Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze was elected into the 35-member Board of the Progressive Alliance, a global network of social-democratic parties.

The decision was made on March 12 at the Progressive Alliance Convention in Berlin, Germany.

“It is a great honor to be elected as the board member of the organization,” Kobakhidze said and added that the appointment will enhance the international contacts of the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia (GDDG) and facilitate “better representation of the country.”

Kobakhidze will serve as a Board member for a period of two years.

The Progressive Alliance was established in 2013 as an international network of progressive, social democratic, socialist and labor parties and organizations, unifying more than 130 organizations worldwide today. The Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia is one of the founding members of the Alliance.

The Alliance partners with various regional party networks, including the Group of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament and the Party of European Socialists. The Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia is an observer member of the Party of European Socialists. (civil.ge)



We fully respect European structures, Vice Parliament Speaker says

“We fully respect the European structures and therefore, we act as a worthy member of the Council of Europe,” Deputy Chairman of Parliament Tamar Chugoshvili said in response to Minister of Economics Giorgi Gakharia’s statement on the Strasbourg Court's decision on the Rustavi 2 case.

"The Court made a decision similar to which had already been made. In particular, the suspension mechanism had not been used in relation to these articles of the Convention earlier. This, of course, caused some questions. I had the opportunity to talk to various individuals on this issue. I can not say anything, as it is a court of very high reputation. We fully respect the European structures and therefore, we act as a worthy member of the Council of Europe and obey the decision," Chugoshvili said.

Economy Minister Giorgi Gakharia said that he could not understand why there were questions with regards to freedom of expression in a country where the registration of a TV channel was possible in 10 days and that the property rights might be endangered due to the suspension mechanism. (IPN)



Hungarian, Ukrainian foreign ministers coming to Georgia

The Georgian capital of Tbilisi is getting ready to host two high-profile guests this week, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin.

Szijjarto will arrive in Georgia on Thursday. While here, he will meet with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, several Cabinet Ministers and Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze.

During the visit, a grant program will be signed between the Hungarian Government and the Georgian Red Cross Organisation, providing financial aid for those affected by the flash flood of 2015 in Tbilisi.

Meanwhile, Klimkin will arrive in Georgia on Friday, meeting with senior Georgian officials as well as the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Ilia II.

He will travel to the occupation line as well, dividing the breakaway Tskhinvali region from the rest of Georgia.

Both officials will leave Georgia on Saturday, March 18. (Agenda.ge)