Press Scanner
Compiled by Sopo Datishvili
Thursday, January 29
Saakashvili will open spring session
Alia reports that President Saakashvili’s visit to Parliament will officially open its spring session. The visit will take place between February 10-14, and the President will report on last year’s political events, future plans and programmes.
Under Parliamentary regulations, the spring session should start on February 3 but the first week of business will be dedicated to Committee hearings. From February 10 full Parliament sittings will be renewed.
According to Parliament Chairman David Bakradze, Saakashvili will present economic plans and from the tribune of Parliament will speak about social issues, financial problems and employment perspectives.
Farmers in Akhmeta won’t lack irrigation water
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that it is planned to construct a new irrigation system in Akhmeta this year. This will provide a large part of this municipality with water, informs the Kakheti Information Centre.
The new irrigation system will be built beside the River Ilto. The Infrastructural Development Office of the Akhmeta region explains that work on the irrigation system will start in spring and some villages will be served by it this year.
Help for people damaged by the tornado
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that Kutaisi City Hall has started providing people with materials to mend their roofs with. A special commission has collected data about the effects of the recent tornado, and who is therefore eligible for this assistance.
200 houses in Kutaisi are now without roofs as a result of the strong wind. The people who live in them have been given roofing felt and other repair materials.
The local government will repair the roofs of 18 kindergartens and 14 schools from its budget. 850 families in the Imereti region have been affected by the natural calamity.
IDPs from Akhalgori will complain about Tserovani cottages
Rezonansi reports that IDPs living in Tserovani are going to complain to the Government about their living conditions. They say the cottages built in a short period of time by the Government are not fit to live in.
Despite of this, the Akhalgori Municipality categorically insists that they live in these cottages. According to the complainants officials from Akhalgori have locked their new shelters and they now live in Tbilisi.
Philharmonia not to reopen until September
24 Saati reports that opening of the state concert hall has been postponed until September 2009. The building was thought to be ready for opening at the beginning of the year but its owner International Events has appealed to the Ministry of Economics to postpone its opening.
The Ministry says that it took into consideration the world and Georgian economic situation and therefore granted this request. The fact that the Philharmonic Hall will reopen in September-October 2009 has been confirmed by its Director Gia Kereselidze.
Kereselidze said that the August 2008 war had forced serious alterations to be made in the construction work plans. The German company which was responsible for installing the main stage mechanism couldn’t come to Georgia in August because of the war. In all USD 9 million investments has been put into the reconstructions.
Kereselidze says that it is quite possible that the refurbishment cost will impact upon ticket prices and the terms of the building lease, although the terms of the lease aren’t known yet. Tbilisi concert hall will be managed by the International Event company for 49 years.
Alia reports that President Saakashvili’s visit to Parliament will officially open its spring session. The visit will take place between February 10-14, and the President will report on last year’s political events, future plans and programmes.
Under Parliamentary regulations, the spring session should start on February 3 but the first week of business will be dedicated to Committee hearings. From February 10 full Parliament sittings will be renewed.
According to Parliament Chairman David Bakradze, Saakashvili will present economic plans and from the tribune of Parliament will speak about social issues, financial problems and employment perspectives.
Farmers in Akhmeta won’t lack irrigation water
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that it is planned to construct a new irrigation system in Akhmeta this year. This will provide a large part of this municipality with water, informs the Kakheti Information Centre.
The new irrigation system will be built beside the River Ilto. The Infrastructural Development Office of the Akhmeta region explains that work on the irrigation system will start in spring and some villages will be served by it this year.
Help for people damaged by the tornado
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that Kutaisi City Hall has started providing people with materials to mend their roofs with. A special commission has collected data about the effects of the recent tornado, and who is therefore eligible for this assistance.
200 houses in Kutaisi are now without roofs as a result of the strong wind. The people who live in them have been given roofing felt and other repair materials.
The local government will repair the roofs of 18 kindergartens and 14 schools from its budget. 850 families in the Imereti region have been affected by the natural calamity.
IDPs from Akhalgori will complain about Tserovani cottages
Rezonansi reports that IDPs living in Tserovani are going to complain to the Government about their living conditions. They say the cottages built in a short period of time by the Government are not fit to live in.
Despite of this, the Akhalgori Municipality categorically insists that they live in these cottages. According to the complainants officials from Akhalgori have locked their new shelters and they now live in Tbilisi.
Philharmonia not to reopen until September
24 Saati reports that opening of the state concert hall has been postponed until September 2009. The building was thought to be ready for opening at the beginning of the year but its owner International Events has appealed to the Ministry of Economics to postpone its opening.
The Ministry says that it took into consideration the world and Georgian economic situation and therefore granted this request. The fact that the Philharmonic Hall will reopen in September-October 2009 has been confirmed by its Director Gia Kereselidze.
Kereselidze said that the August 2008 war had forced serious alterations to be made in the construction work plans. The German company which was responsible for installing the main stage mechanism couldn’t come to Georgia in August because of the war. In all USD 9 million investments has been put into the reconstructions.
Kereselidze says that it is quite possible that the refurbishment cost will impact upon ticket prices and the terms of the building lease, although the terms of the lease aren’t known yet. Tbilisi concert hall will be managed by the International Event company for 49 years.