The News in Brief
Wednesday, January 24
Irakli Kobakhidze Concludes Visit to Uzbekistan
Georgian Parliamentary Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze paid a two-day official visit to Uzbekistan on January 21-22 and held meetings with the country’s leadership.
On January 22, Kobakhidze met with Speakers of the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of Uzbekistani Parliament, Nuriddinjon Ismailov and Nigmatilla Yuldashev, respectively.
Later on the same day, the Georgian Parliamentary Chairman held talks with PM of Uzbekistan, Abdulla Aripov and discussed the issues of trade and economic cooperation, including the Silk Road project. The issue of launching direct air flights between the two countries was also discussed.
During the visit Irakli Kobakhidze also met with Chair of the State Committee for Tourism Development, Aziz Abdukhakimov and members of the State Committee for Investments.
The Memorandum of Cooperation between the Parliaments of Georgia and Uzbekistan was also signed.
“We believe that we enjoy the greatest perspective for economic cooperation and we will actively discuss it with the Government of Georgia,” Kobakhidze said, adding that the memorandum “will serve the good beginning of the new stage of our relations.”
Irakli Kobakhidze led the Georgian parliamentary delegation consisting of five lawmakers. (Civil.ge)
Georgian opera singer to perform in breakaway Abkhazia
Georgian opera singer Giorgi Todua will hold a concert in the breakaway region Abkhazia on Wednesday, for the first time after the bloody war in 1991-92, which killed tens and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
The concert will be held in the culture center in Gali.
Todua, a baritone and soloist at the young talent academy at world famous Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, says all seats have already been reserved.
“As I learned, free places are not already in the Culture House,” Giorgi Todua told DFWatch, adding that he is bearing all expenses himself because of the locals’ dire economic condition and decided to offer free admittance.
The concert is dedicated to the memory of Giorgi’s late father who died in 2010 at the age of 42 and was buried in Gali, his hometown, in accordance with his last will.
“His dream was to return to Abkhazia… also he dreamed of us holding a performance here,” Giorgi’s sister Teona Todua said. “Unfortunately, I can’t come but Giorgi will [come] and hold a concert by the name “Dad, We Came Back.”
Giorgi says that he has wanted to hold a performance in Gali, but refrained as he didn’t want to have a text mentioning “Republic of Abkhazia” on the poster. When this problem was overcome, he immediately scheduled the concert.
“This was one of the main reasons why I did not perform a concert. Now the obstacle is overcome and I agreed. The text written on the poster reads “Mariinsky Theater soloist Giorgi Todua, pianist Alexander Tikhomirov. The Gali District Culture House” and there is no reference to the Republic, “- Giorgi Todua said.
Giorgi, 30, was born in Rustavi, near Tbilisi but raised in Gali where he lived with his family. After the Abkhazian war, the family relocated to St Petersburg. He then returned to Georgia for a while and studied under Nodar Andghuladze at Vano Sarajishvili Conservatory in Tbilisi. However, soon he returned to St Petersburg where he enrolled at the Young Talents Academy of the Mariinsky Theater where he remains until now. (DF watch)
Mayor of Grozny might enter Georgia as a tourist - Giorgi Gakharia
According to the Minister of Internal Affairs Giorgi Gakharia, Muslim Khuchiev, the mayor of Grozny, might enter Georgia as a tourist. As Gakharia told reporters, Khuchiev had not been on any prohibiting entry list.
As for the journalist's question of the fact that the mayor of Grozny, according to the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of August War, was guilty of the August war, Gakharia said he had learned this information for the first time and would definitely check it.
"I hear this information from you for the first time. We will verify this information. This person has not been put on any list. Accordingly, I presume he might arrive here as a tourist," said Gakharia.
The mayor of the city of Grozny was shown at one of the hotels in Batumi by Rustavi 2 TV. According to the TV channel, Muslim Khuchiyev had meetings in Tbilisi and Batumi. (IPN)
Georgian Parliamentary Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze paid a two-day official visit to Uzbekistan on January 21-22 and held meetings with the country’s leadership.
On January 22, Kobakhidze met with Speakers of the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of Uzbekistani Parliament, Nuriddinjon Ismailov and Nigmatilla Yuldashev, respectively.
Later on the same day, the Georgian Parliamentary Chairman held talks with PM of Uzbekistan, Abdulla Aripov and discussed the issues of trade and economic cooperation, including the Silk Road project. The issue of launching direct air flights between the two countries was also discussed.
During the visit Irakli Kobakhidze also met with Chair of the State Committee for Tourism Development, Aziz Abdukhakimov and members of the State Committee for Investments.
The Memorandum of Cooperation between the Parliaments of Georgia and Uzbekistan was also signed.
“We believe that we enjoy the greatest perspective for economic cooperation and we will actively discuss it with the Government of Georgia,” Kobakhidze said, adding that the memorandum “will serve the good beginning of the new stage of our relations.”
Irakli Kobakhidze led the Georgian parliamentary delegation consisting of five lawmakers. (Civil.ge)
Georgian opera singer to perform in breakaway Abkhazia
Georgian opera singer Giorgi Todua will hold a concert in the breakaway region Abkhazia on Wednesday, for the first time after the bloody war in 1991-92, which killed tens and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
The concert will be held in the culture center in Gali.
Todua, a baritone and soloist at the young talent academy at world famous Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, says all seats have already been reserved.
“As I learned, free places are not already in the Culture House,” Giorgi Todua told DFWatch, adding that he is bearing all expenses himself because of the locals’ dire economic condition and decided to offer free admittance.
The concert is dedicated to the memory of Giorgi’s late father who died in 2010 at the age of 42 and was buried in Gali, his hometown, in accordance with his last will.
“His dream was to return to Abkhazia… also he dreamed of us holding a performance here,” Giorgi’s sister Teona Todua said. “Unfortunately, I can’t come but Giorgi will [come] and hold a concert by the name “Dad, We Came Back.”
Giorgi says that he has wanted to hold a performance in Gali, but refrained as he didn’t want to have a text mentioning “Republic of Abkhazia” on the poster. When this problem was overcome, he immediately scheduled the concert.
“This was one of the main reasons why I did not perform a concert. Now the obstacle is overcome and I agreed. The text written on the poster reads “Mariinsky Theater soloist Giorgi Todua, pianist Alexander Tikhomirov. The Gali District Culture House” and there is no reference to the Republic, “- Giorgi Todua said.
Giorgi, 30, was born in Rustavi, near Tbilisi but raised in Gali where he lived with his family. After the Abkhazian war, the family relocated to St Petersburg. He then returned to Georgia for a while and studied under Nodar Andghuladze at Vano Sarajishvili Conservatory in Tbilisi. However, soon he returned to St Petersburg where he enrolled at the Young Talents Academy of the Mariinsky Theater where he remains until now. (DF watch)
Mayor of Grozny might enter Georgia as a tourist - Giorgi Gakharia
According to the Minister of Internal Affairs Giorgi Gakharia, Muslim Khuchiev, the mayor of Grozny, might enter Georgia as a tourist. As Gakharia told reporters, Khuchiev had not been on any prohibiting entry list.
As for the journalist's question of the fact that the mayor of Grozny, according to the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of August War, was guilty of the August war, Gakharia said he had learned this information for the first time and would definitely check it.
"I hear this information from you for the first time. We will verify this information. This person has not been put on any list. Accordingly, I presume he might arrive here as a tourist," said Gakharia.
The mayor of the city of Grozny was shown at one of the hotels in Batumi by Rustavi 2 TV. According to the TV channel, Muslim Khuchiyev had meetings in Tbilisi and Batumi. (IPN)