EU representative meets opposition

EU Special Representative to South Caucasus Peter Semneby met with opposition presidential candidates at the Tbilisi Marriott hotel.

He said the EU would carefully observe the upcoming election as it is of “great importance for confirming further movement of Georgia along the way of democratic development.”

Georgia’s Way leader Salome Zourabichvili, Conservative leader Kakha Kukava, Republican leader Davit Usupashvili and Gia Maisashvili all attended the meeting.

Kukava told journalists that next week observers from the OSCE and EU would arrive in Georgia to monitor the situation in the run up to the election.

“Our aim is to inform them and give exhaustive evidence to these missions…regarding violations made by the government and CEC [Central Election Commission],” Kukava said. (Black Sea Press)



Georgians detained in Austria

Seven Georgian citizens have been arrested in Vienna on suspicion of theft. The detained, aged between 17 and 21, are accused of stealing EUR 32 000 worth of property from ten apartments.

Some of the stolen possessions were recovered during a house search when the group was arrested. The police are treating the case as organized crime. (Black Sea Press)



Georgia marks International Human Rights Day

Yesterday, December 10, Georgia marked the International Human Rights Day.

Human Rights Ombudsman Sozar Subari visited the village of Kurta in the South Ossetian conflict zone where he met schoolchildren to discuss human rights issues, while UNDP in collaboration with the Norwegian government organized a discussion on tolerance and ethnic minority rights.

Meanwhile the Georgian Young Lawyers Association launched a week of round tables and presentations to mark the event.

The political opposition took the opportunity to highlight the case of Irakli Batiashvili, a former opposition politician who received a seven-year prison sentence for lending “intellectual support” with a rebel warlord in 2006. However, the opposition argue that his arrest was politically motivated and claim he is a political prisoner. Yesterday, the youth wing of the New Rights party staged a protest outside Avchala jail, where Batiashvili is incarcerated.

New Rights leader Davit Gamkrelidze planned to visit Batiashvili in prison yesterday and Future party leader Gia Maisashvili was scheduled to discuss freedom of speech with a group of journalists. (Black Sea Press)



BSEC session to be held in Georgia

The 30th plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) will be held in Georgia on December 10–12.

According to the parliament press department the session will officially open on December 11, when acting president Nino Burjanadze and Ukrainian Foreign Minister and BSEC chairman Arseniy Yatsenyuk will deliver speeches.

A press conference is scheduled for December 12, before the summit participants depart for Bodbe monastery and the recently renovated Sighnaghi. (Prime News)



Renovated Akhmeteli metro station reopens

The Akhmeteli metro station, which has recently been renovated, reopened in Tbilisi yesterday. Three other stations have undergone refurbishment this year at a total cost of GEL 1.850 million.

Didube, Elektrodepo and Vagzlis Moedani stations are scheduled to be renovated next year. (Prime News)



Abkhaz government-in-exile supply refugees with electricity

Officials of the Tbilisi-back government-in-exile and the newly appointed Minister for Refugees and Resettlement Koba Subeliani were due to open a transformer to supply energy to 1500 refugees living in the Bakhtrioni hotel, Gldani district, on December 10.

The hotel has been without electricity for six months, according to the press department of the government-in-exile. (Prime News)



New jail opens

On December 10 a new jail in line with international standards opened in Tbilisi.

According to the press office of the penitentiary department, recommendations from the Council of Europe were taken into account during the planning and construction of the jail.

The complex, which is comprised of five cell blocks, a hospital and administrative building, has the capacity to hold 4000 prisoners.

The jail also has a kitchen and modern shower facilities, heating and ventilation systems, a library and shop.

2 500 prisoners have already been transferred to the facility from Prison No. 5. (Black Sea Press)