The News in Brief
Thursday, September 24
Constitutional Commission head accuses media of inaccuracy
The Chair of the State Constitutional Commission Avtandil Demetrashvili says that it has not made any decision to turn Georgia into a Parliamentary republic, as has been reported.
Demetrashvili held a news conference yesterday and quoted a news agency report which said this. Demetrashvili said that the report was either an attempt to mislead the public or a product of incompetent reporting. He added that no model had yet been agreed by the Commission. (Rustavi 2)
First candidate for President of Georgian Football Federation submitted
Zviad Sitchinava’s candidature for the Presidency of the Georgian Football Federation (GFF) has been submitted to it. Sitchinava has already prepared a plan for running the Federation and leading Georgian football out of crisis.
If elected President, Sitchinava intends to pay special attention to the development of the football infrastructure, the improvement of existing stadium facilities and the construction of new ones, the organisation of children’s and other internal championships and the training of doctors, referees and coaches. The candidate says the national football team and its development will however remain his first priority. (Rustavi 2)
Torrential rain leaves Sepiashvili family homeless
Torrential rain has left the family of Elguja Sepiashvli in the village of Leliani, in the Lagodekhi region, homeless. However injuries are not reported.
The flooding River Alazani washed away Sepiashvili’s house yesterday morning. Lagodekhi’s life guard service and representatives of the local government are at the scene.
Chair of the Lagodekhi City Council Giorgi Tsverava has stated that the Government will help the family. (Rustavi 2)
Three pupils fall from second floor of school in Kobuleti
Three second-year pupils have fallen from the second floor of the school in the village of Khutsubani, in the Kobuleti region. One was sitting on the windowsill playing with two others when he leaned back and failed to keep his balance. He dragged the two others with him as they tried to hold on to him.
All the pupils were hospitalised. One has a broken jaw, another concussion. The third did not have serious injuries and was discharged after examination. (Rustavi 2)
Financial Police to be restored
The Financial Police force, which was abolished two years ago, will be restored under another name. The Government of Georgia has prepared the relevant draft law and submitted it to Parliament for consideration.
The draft law says that the new body will be called the Investigation Office of the Finance Ministry and will have a special task unit with the licence to use firearms.
Parliamentary Committees will begin discussing the draft law next week but the Minister of Finance will introduce it to lawmakers prior to this. (Rustavi 2)
Heavy rain and hail damage Akhaltsikhe region
Non-stop rain and hail has inflicted serious damage on the Akhaltsikhe region, where people say they have been left without food they had stored for the winter. The disaster has also destroyed agricultural land and flooded the ground floors and basements of houses. Some complain that the rain leaked into the houses through the roofs and damaged domestic appliances.
The local administration is assessing the damage. They say it exceeds one million GEL. (Rustavi 2)
‘Report to the People’ held in Zugdidi
The Georgian Government continues to report its progress to the people of various regions of Georgia. Members of the Cabinet arrived in Zugdidi yesterday and outlined the progress they were making and their achievements and plans to residents.
Representatives of different Ministries organised stalls which displayed the work carried out by the Government over the last year in the central streets of the city. Locals received answers to their questions directly from the Ministers concerned.
The Report to the People has already been held in Tbilisi, Rustavi and Telavi. Prime Minister Nika Gilauri had previously announced that the Government would hold similar exhibitions periodically if the citizens of Georgia found them interesting. (Rustavi 2)
The Chair of the State Constitutional Commission Avtandil Demetrashvili says that it has not made any decision to turn Georgia into a Parliamentary republic, as has been reported.
Demetrashvili held a news conference yesterday and quoted a news agency report which said this. Demetrashvili said that the report was either an attempt to mislead the public or a product of incompetent reporting. He added that no model had yet been agreed by the Commission. (Rustavi 2)
First candidate for President of Georgian Football Federation submitted
Zviad Sitchinava’s candidature for the Presidency of the Georgian Football Federation (GFF) has been submitted to it. Sitchinava has already prepared a plan for running the Federation and leading Georgian football out of crisis.
If elected President, Sitchinava intends to pay special attention to the development of the football infrastructure, the improvement of existing stadium facilities and the construction of new ones, the organisation of children’s and other internal championships and the training of doctors, referees and coaches. The candidate says the national football team and its development will however remain his first priority. (Rustavi 2)
Torrential rain leaves Sepiashvili family homeless
Torrential rain has left the family of Elguja Sepiashvli in the village of Leliani, in the Lagodekhi region, homeless. However injuries are not reported.
The flooding River Alazani washed away Sepiashvili’s house yesterday morning. Lagodekhi’s life guard service and representatives of the local government are at the scene.
Chair of the Lagodekhi City Council Giorgi Tsverava has stated that the Government will help the family. (Rustavi 2)
Three pupils fall from second floor of school in Kobuleti
Three second-year pupils have fallen from the second floor of the school in the village of Khutsubani, in the Kobuleti region. One was sitting on the windowsill playing with two others when he leaned back and failed to keep his balance. He dragged the two others with him as they tried to hold on to him.
All the pupils were hospitalised. One has a broken jaw, another concussion. The third did not have serious injuries and was discharged after examination. (Rustavi 2)
Financial Police to be restored
The Financial Police force, which was abolished two years ago, will be restored under another name. The Government of Georgia has prepared the relevant draft law and submitted it to Parliament for consideration.
The draft law says that the new body will be called the Investigation Office of the Finance Ministry and will have a special task unit with the licence to use firearms.
Parliamentary Committees will begin discussing the draft law next week but the Minister of Finance will introduce it to lawmakers prior to this. (Rustavi 2)
Heavy rain and hail damage Akhaltsikhe region
Non-stop rain and hail has inflicted serious damage on the Akhaltsikhe region, where people say they have been left without food they had stored for the winter. The disaster has also destroyed agricultural land and flooded the ground floors and basements of houses. Some complain that the rain leaked into the houses through the roofs and damaged domestic appliances.
The local administration is assessing the damage. They say it exceeds one million GEL. (Rustavi 2)
‘Report to the People’ held in Zugdidi
The Georgian Government continues to report its progress to the people of various regions of Georgia. Members of the Cabinet arrived in Zugdidi yesterday and outlined the progress they were making and their achievements and plans to residents.
Representatives of different Ministries organised stalls which displayed the work carried out by the Government over the last year in the central streets of the city. Locals received answers to their questions directly from the Ministers concerned.
The Report to the People has already been held in Tbilisi, Rustavi and Telavi. Prime Minister Nika Gilauri had previously announced that the Government would hold similar exhibitions periodically if the citizens of Georgia found them interesting. (Rustavi 2)