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The News in Brief

Thursday, April 16
Report of explosive device in Isani–Samgori City Hall turns out to be false

Reports that there was an explosive device in the Isani- Samgori City Hall have turned out to be false. Dog handlers and mine clearance teams have completed their work and have found nothing.

City Hall staff have already returned to their desks. An investigation team is still working at the site however.

Temur Grigalashvili, the Governor of Isani-Samgori District, told Interpressnews that an unidentified person had called City Call saying it had been mined. (Interpressnews)



Romanian Rugby Federation fines Georgian players

The Romanian Rugby Federation has ruled on the incident which took place in Bucharest during the Dynamo-Paruli match on April 11. Three Georgian players were injured in a clash with Romanian players and the game was abandoned after six minutes.

The Federation has ruled that Paruli has lost the game and the club has had a Romanian Championship point deducted. Georgian player Bidzina Samkharadze has been banned for ten matches and fined $325. Another Georgian player, Giorgi Khositashvili, and six members of the Dynamo team will miss seven matches.

The Dynamo coach, who inspired the brawl, has escaped strict punishment. He was only warned over the incident. (Rustavi 2)



Matthew Bryza to visit Georgia

Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, will visit Georgia at the end of the week. This was announced after the meeting between Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, and Grigol Vashadze, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, in Washington. Bryza will familiarize himself with the ongoing political processes in Georgia.

“The visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia coincides with a period of great challenges for Georgia. Georgia represents a young democratic country where important political processes are in progress. USA will by all means deepen its relationship with Georgia and prolong its support for the country,” Hillary Clinton declared.

At the meeting in Washington the sides conferred about the ongoing processes in Georgia and the roles of the OSCE in the occupied territory and the international negotiations in Geneva. (Interpressnews)



Representative of Russian NGO visits Tbilisi

Varvara Pakhomeko from the Russian human rights NGO Memorial has arrived in Tbilisi after visiting Georgia`s breakaway region of Tskhinvali.

The Russian NGO is working on issues concerning the Georgia-Russia war and is trying to trace people declared missing. Pakhomenko says that innocent people detained as a result of the war, who may be among the missing, should be released as soon as possible. Pakhomenko has already met Georgian State Minister for Reintegration Temur Iakobashvili.

Memorial is the only organization in Russia which published unbiased material about the Georgian villages razed to the ground in the Tskhinvali region. (Rustavi 2)



General Director of Coca Cola Bottlers Georgia brutally assaulted

General Director of Coca Cola Bottlers Georgia Vakhtang Laghidze has been brutally beaten and had his car taken from him.

Laghidze’s wife Maka Tavamaishvili told Interpressnews that at 18;00 on 14 April, when he was returning from the protest action, about 12 people in 6 cars followed him. When he approached his house, on Chavchavadze Avenue, he was assaulted by those who had followed him.

Laghidze is in the Republican Hospital. An investigation is being conducted. (Rustavi 2)