Press Scanner
Compiled by Salome Modebadze
Thursday, December 4
Enthusiasm for helping refugees has faded
The Christian Democrats have called on Parliament to become more active in resolving the problems of refugees, Sakartvelos Respublika reports.
As member of the Christian Democratic Movement Magda Anikashvili stated, enthusiasm for helping refugees is not as great now as it was in the days immediately following the August events. She admitted that their welfare had not been given full attention.
Anikashvili stressed the problems of hygiene, medical aid and education in the compact settlements. According to the Deputy there are no water supplies, even a communal bath.
Maestro moves from entertainment to politics
Sakartvelos Respublika writes that Maestro TV will be able to broadcast social and political programmes from December 3. The TV Company only had a license to show entertainment and educational programmes before.
The company received the right to broadcast social and political programmes after a modification of its license. Maestro will now be able to hold discussions on any kind of issue on air without breaking the law.
Is Joseph Kay running away from Georgia?
Versia reports that there is a financial crisis at the Rustavi Metallurgy Factory. The staff have expressed their distress over the current situation at the factory.
The staff wonder why Joseph Kay was forced to take over the factory if he didn’t want to, and threaten to go on strike if the administration does not pay its liabilities. It appears that Kay is going to close the factory without caring for its employees’ fate.
According to the Fact Agency Joseph Kay is already preparing to leave the country. His relations with the Government have become so complicated that he has even sold his shares in Invest Bank and Dynamo Stadium.
It will be interesting to see who will become the owner of Imedi if the rumours of Kay’s departure prove true. The obvious way out of the situation will be to return Imedi to Badri Patarkatsishvili’s family. According to analysts Imedi’s former radicalism is a thing of the past and the company won’t be sharply oppositional even if it is at Ina Gudavadze [Patarkatsishvili’s wife]’s disposal.
Another pardon to be carried out by January
The Government plans to grant another mass pardon by the end of the year, Rezonansi reports. Members of the Pardon Commission suppose that the pardons will be carried out by Christmas or New Year. Although details haven’t yet been clarified, it is assumed that this pardon will be on the same scale as the one granted due to the August events.
Opposition MP Gia Tsagareishvili commented about this possibility.
“I can’t exactly say when, but supposedly this will happen by the end of the year. It is important to hold another Pardon Commission Meeting to discuss this issue. I don’t have any list yet and am just waiting for further information. The only thing I can say is that the pardons are genuinely intended to be carried out. It will be for the third time this year. I don’t remember any other such case of so many pardons being granted in a year. The non-Parliamentary opposition may laugh at us but this is a fact which can’t be denied.
I’ve been informed that the Ministry of Justice is working to put the Conditional Freedom Instrument into action. Such a code exists in Georgia but unfortunately its provisions have not been exercised during the last few years. If not, the Government will consider other ways of achieving its end. No one has mentioned this before, but those amnestied last time could have been freed even by November 23.
I hope the Public Defender will be able to present an account of our actions without political bias. A Public Defender should represent the interests of society as a whole, including Government and opposition bodies. I don’t think Subari is absolutely impartial but still I will support him if he still proposes his candidature for a second term.”
The Christian Democrats have called on Parliament to become more active in resolving the problems of refugees, Sakartvelos Respublika reports.
As member of the Christian Democratic Movement Magda Anikashvili stated, enthusiasm for helping refugees is not as great now as it was in the days immediately following the August events. She admitted that their welfare had not been given full attention.
Anikashvili stressed the problems of hygiene, medical aid and education in the compact settlements. According to the Deputy there are no water supplies, even a communal bath.
Maestro moves from entertainment to politics
Sakartvelos Respublika writes that Maestro TV will be able to broadcast social and political programmes from December 3. The TV Company only had a license to show entertainment and educational programmes before.
The company received the right to broadcast social and political programmes after a modification of its license. Maestro will now be able to hold discussions on any kind of issue on air without breaking the law.
Is Joseph Kay running away from Georgia?
Versia reports that there is a financial crisis at the Rustavi Metallurgy Factory. The staff have expressed their distress over the current situation at the factory.
The staff wonder why Joseph Kay was forced to take over the factory if he didn’t want to, and threaten to go on strike if the administration does not pay its liabilities. It appears that Kay is going to close the factory without caring for its employees’ fate.
According to the Fact Agency Joseph Kay is already preparing to leave the country. His relations with the Government have become so complicated that he has even sold his shares in Invest Bank and Dynamo Stadium.
It will be interesting to see who will become the owner of Imedi if the rumours of Kay’s departure prove true. The obvious way out of the situation will be to return Imedi to Badri Patarkatsishvili’s family. According to analysts Imedi’s former radicalism is a thing of the past and the company won’t be sharply oppositional even if it is at Ina Gudavadze [Patarkatsishvili’s wife]’s disposal.
Another pardon to be carried out by January
The Government plans to grant another mass pardon by the end of the year, Rezonansi reports. Members of the Pardon Commission suppose that the pardons will be carried out by Christmas or New Year. Although details haven’t yet been clarified, it is assumed that this pardon will be on the same scale as the one granted due to the August events.
Opposition MP Gia Tsagareishvili commented about this possibility.
“I can’t exactly say when, but supposedly this will happen by the end of the year. It is important to hold another Pardon Commission Meeting to discuss this issue. I don’t have any list yet and am just waiting for further information. The only thing I can say is that the pardons are genuinely intended to be carried out. It will be for the third time this year. I don’t remember any other such case of so many pardons being granted in a year. The non-Parliamentary opposition may laugh at us but this is a fact which can’t be denied.
I’ve been informed that the Ministry of Justice is working to put the Conditional Freedom Instrument into action. Such a code exists in Georgia but unfortunately its provisions have not been exercised during the last few years. If not, the Government will consider other ways of achieving its end. No one has mentioned this before, but those amnestied last time could have been freed even by November 23.
I hope the Public Defender will be able to present an account of our actions without political bias. A Public Defender should represent the interests of society as a whole, including Government and opposition bodies. I don’t think Subari is absolutely impartial but still I will support him if he still proposes his candidature for a second term.”