The News in Brief
Monday, June 1
1 June is Children’s Day
Today is International Children’s Day. Since yesterday various charity and entertainment events have been held to mark it. This evening well-known opera singer Paata Burchuladze, founder of the Iavnana charity fund, will hold a charity concert at Tbilisi Opera House in which world class performers will participate. The income it raises will be transferred to the fund.
(The Messenger)
Picasso exhibition opens in Sighnaghi
A Pablo Picasso exhibition opened at the Niko Pirosmani Museum on May 30. The town of Sighnaghi in the Kakheti Region is hosting it. Portraits of Jacqueline, Picasso’s last wife, are exhibited.
The 40 paintings, from the Zervos Museum in France, will be in Sighnaghi for a month, after which they will transfer to Tbilisi. The Picasso exhibition will finish its first trip to Georgia in the Batumi Museum in the Adjara Region.
Many art lovers arrived in Sighnaghi today. Representatives of e Georgian society and the Government visited the Pirosmani Museum to view Picasso’s late period works.
(Rustavi 2)
Ghlonti calls on locals to hold protest rallies if broadcasts are not restored in Rustavi
If Maestro TV broadcasts are not resumed in Rustavi Mamuka Ghlonti, General Director of the TV company, says they should hold protest rallies.
Ghlonti declared at a press conference held at the Maestro offices that the Georgian Government is putting pressure not only on Maestro but the media in general. He said journalists had been beaten up and terrorised and added that by cutting off Maestro broadcasts the Georgian Government has embarked on a new stage of this repression. He said Maestro is cut off in Akhmeta as well.
Ghlonti called for journalists to express solidarity and declared that Georgian journalists should unite against violence and hold protest rallies. Sozar Subari, Georgia’s Public Defender, called on international organisations to “respond actively” to the repression of journalists and media outlets.
(Interpressnews)
Russian journalist dies in Tskhinvali
Russian journalist Evgeni Lukinov died suddenly on Saturday morning in Tskhinvali, the so-called Minister of Press and Mass Communications of the puppet regime of Tskhinvali Irina Gagloeva has informed RIA Novosti.
“This morning this correspondent died suddenly and the relevant investigating bodies are working at the site,” Gagloeva stated. She noted that, most likely, the body of the journalist will be forwarded to Vladikavkaz for examination on Saturday.
The so-called head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Valery Valiev, has said that the reason for this sudden death, is most probably a heart attack.
(Interpressnews)
Georgian Diaspora celebrates 20th anniversary in St. Petersburg
Representatives of the Georgian Diaspora are preparing for their 20th anniversary celebration concert in St. Petersburg. Badri Kakabadze, the head of the Georgian Diaspora of Russia`s northern capital, has said that the concert has nothing to do with politics.
Kakabadze told Georgian journalists that he has not invited Aleksandre Ebralidze, the Chair of the World Congress of Georgians, who lives in St. Petersburg and intends to run for President of Georgia. His friend Vladimer Khomeriki, a businessman living in Moscow, has also not been invited. Badri Kakabadze also denies that he has invited another Georgian businessman, Mikheil Khubutia, the Chair of the Union of Georgians in Russia, who has been accused by the Georgian Government, of being an ally of the Russian authorities and conducting anti-Georgian propaganda in Russia.
(Rustavi 2)
Benetton Georgia reopens Tbilisi stores
After a three-day protest, Benetton stores have resumed working in Tbilisi. The Georgian office of Benetton adopted the decision after Benetton Turkey, the Turkish arm of Italy’s leading brand, reversed a previous decision to open a store in Sokhumi, the capital of Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia.
In a written statement on Thursday, Benetton Turkey said it wanted to “put an end to current or possible speculations due to the delicate situation in Georgia” and “decrease tension that would have nothing to do with a commercial firm.”
“Benetton Turkey lays great importance on the sustainability of its rising sales volume in Georgia,” the firm said. “When Benetton decided to open a store, in response to demand in Abkhazia, it operated in accordance with national and international law. This purely commercial decision had no intention to offend any party.”
Representatives of the Georgian office of the European brand are glad that their protest has achieved the correct result.
(Rustavi 2)
Today is International Children’s Day. Since yesterday various charity and entertainment events have been held to mark it. This evening well-known opera singer Paata Burchuladze, founder of the Iavnana charity fund, will hold a charity concert at Tbilisi Opera House in which world class performers will participate. The income it raises will be transferred to the fund.
(The Messenger)
Picasso exhibition opens in Sighnaghi
A Pablo Picasso exhibition opened at the Niko Pirosmani Museum on May 30. The town of Sighnaghi in the Kakheti Region is hosting it. Portraits of Jacqueline, Picasso’s last wife, are exhibited.
The 40 paintings, from the Zervos Museum in France, will be in Sighnaghi for a month, after which they will transfer to Tbilisi. The Picasso exhibition will finish its first trip to Georgia in the Batumi Museum in the Adjara Region.
Many art lovers arrived in Sighnaghi today. Representatives of e Georgian society and the Government visited the Pirosmani Museum to view Picasso’s late period works.
(Rustavi 2)
Ghlonti calls on locals to hold protest rallies if broadcasts are not restored in Rustavi
If Maestro TV broadcasts are not resumed in Rustavi Mamuka Ghlonti, General Director of the TV company, says they should hold protest rallies.
Ghlonti declared at a press conference held at the Maestro offices that the Georgian Government is putting pressure not only on Maestro but the media in general. He said journalists had been beaten up and terrorised and added that by cutting off Maestro broadcasts the Georgian Government has embarked on a new stage of this repression. He said Maestro is cut off in Akhmeta as well.
Ghlonti called for journalists to express solidarity and declared that Georgian journalists should unite against violence and hold protest rallies. Sozar Subari, Georgia’s Public Defender, called on international organisations to “respond actively” to the repression of journalists and media outlets.
(Interpressnews)
Russian journalist dies in Tskhinvali
Russian journalist Evgeni Lukinov died suddenly on Saturday morning in Tskhinvali, the so-called Minister of Press and Mass Communications of the puppet regime of Tskhinvali Irina Gagloeva has informed RIA Novosti.
“This morning this correspondent died suddenly and the relevant investigating bodies are working at the site,” Gagloeva stated. She noted that, most likely, the body of the journalist will be forwarded to Vladikavkaz for examination on Saturday.
The so-called head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Valery Valiev, has said that the reason for this sudden death, is most probably a heart attack.
(Interpressnews)
Georgian Diaspora celebrates 20th anniversary in St. Petersburg
Representatives of the Georgian Diaspora are preparing for their 20th anniversary celebration concert in St. Petersburg. Badri Kakabadze, the head of the Georgian Diaspora of Russia`s northern capital, has said that the concert has nothing to do with politics.
Kakabadze told Georgian journalists that he has not invited Aleksandre Ebralidze, the Chair of the World Congress of Georgians, who lives in St. Petersburg and intends to run for President of Georgia. His friend Vladimer Khomeriki, a businessman living in Moscow, has also not been invited. Badri Kakabadze also denies that he has invited another Georgian businessman, Mikheil Khubutia, the Chair of the Union of Georgians in Russia, who has been accused by the Georgian Government, of being an ally of the Russian authorities and conducting anti-Georgian propaganda in Russia.
(Rustavi 2)
Benetton Georgia reopens Tbilisi stores
After a three-day protest, Benetton stores have resumed working in Tbilisi. The Georgian office of Benetton adopted the decision after Benetton Turkey, the Turkish arm of Italy’s leading brand, reversed a previous decision to open a store in Sokhumi, the capital of Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia.
In a written statement on Thursday, Benetton Turkey said it wanted to “put an end to current or possible speculations due to the delicate situation in Georgia” and “decrease tension that would have nothing to do with a commercial firm.”
“Benetton Turkey lays great importance on the sustainability of its rising sales volume in Georgia,” the firm said. “When Benetton decided to open a store, in response to demand in Abkhazia, it operated in accordance with national and international law. This purely commercial decision had no intention to offend any party.”
Representatives of the Georgian office of the European brand are glad that their protest has achieved the correct result.
(Rustavi 2)