The News in Brief
Friday, January 29
Abkhazian refugees address leaders of Sokhumi regime
Internally displaced Abkhazians have sent a special appeal to the leaders of the Sokhumi regime. This will be handed over by Chairperson of the legal Abkhazian Autonomous Republic Gia Baramia at the Geneva talks.
The address states that the IDPs left Abkhazia before the so-called Presidential election there and came to Tbilisi. The IDPs state that they cannot be indifferent to the outrages of the Russian occupation regime in Abkhazia. The Abkhazian refugees consider that the Russians have conquered Abkhazian territory according to a plan elaborated long ago and are now trying to destroy the Abkhaz once and for all ‘with their filthy hands’.
"Our predecessors left us a wonderful language and traditions that we have to pass on to our future generations. But it is obvious that we won’t be able to do this if we don’t join our Georgian brothers, whose predecessors actively opposed the exodus of the Abkhaz (the Mohajir flight),’ the address reads.
The letter notes that the 1992-1993 conflict was inspired by the enemy and everyone knows that neither the Abkhaz nor the Georgians possessed a military arsenal of the scale used in that conflict. The authors of the appeal state that Russia provided both sides with weapons so that they would destroy each other.
"Abkhazia is occupied and militarised and under the full control of The Kremlin’s emissaries. We Abkhazians receive only one-sided information given by the Russian media, who are working for Russian special services. We live in Tbilisi today, where we have understood and felt what democracy is. There is no corruption here, the criminal world has been defeated and human rights are protected. The most important thing is that Georgians have no animosity towards Abkhaz, on the contrary, the desire for peace and a striving for reconciliation are felt, backed by the official position of the Government of Georgia,’ the Abkhaz refugees state.
The authors of the appeal consider that their compatriots living in Abkhazia won’t be afraid of tomorrow if the Georgians and Abkhaz reconcile, unite and live in a unified state. 11 people have signed the appeal.
12 Abkhazian families have left Abkhazia in recent months for various reasons. (Interpressnews)
Ilia the Second to return to Georgia for Great Fast
Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia Ilia the Second has left for Germany on a charter flight.
He made no comment regarding his departure.
Bishop Serafime of Borjomi and Bakuriani told journalists that the Patriarch will be medically examined in Germany. Ilia the Second visits a Munich clinic once a year for this purpose. The bishop noted that the Patriarch will stay about two weeks in the clinic and return to Georgia before the Great Fast, which starts on 15 February.
The Catholicos-Patriarch was seen off to Germany by ecclesiastics, ‘Chokhosnebi’ (people wearing national clothes - Chokha) and Parliament Vice-Speaker Rusudan Kervalishvili. The Catholicos-Patriarch is being accompanied by a 15-person delegation. (Interpressnews)
Mamia Tughushi, owner of Aversi Plus, murdered
Mamia Tughushi, owner of Aversi Plus, has been murdered on Tashkent Street.
The murder took place by the elevator of Tughushi’s house. 40-year-old Tughushi was killed by one bullet to the head. His valuables were taken.
There have been no comments from law enforcers so far. Neighbours say they did not hear any shooting. An investigation is under way.
Interpressnews was told by the Aversi company that Tughushi took medicines from the company to sell in his independent store at Vagzali Station. He had no other connection with the Aversi company. (Interpressnews)
Textbooks approval rules tighten
Following requests from teachers, parents and high school students, and on the initiative of the President of Georgia, the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia is introducing new technical and content standards for school textbooks. Experts are actively involved in this process.
Minister of Education Dimitri Shashkin has said that from 2011 a used textbooks market will be set up, which will resolve the problem of textbook purchase for high school students from socially vulnerable families. This market will also reduce the price of textbooks.
A need for enhancing the quality of Georgian ABC textbooks has been emphasised. Dimitri Shashkini has said that the specialists who approve the textbooks will actively work on this issue in order to convey the recommendations of the Minister to the relevant institutions concerning the return of adapted versions of the original Georgian ABC books to schools. (Rustavi 2)
Robbers kill two in Kutaisi
Two people were killed during a robbery in Kutaisi late on Wednesday night. On Ketevan Tsamebuli Street armed gunmen assaulted a family and shot a man and his wife, who resisted them. The couple were hospitalised but their injuries proved fatal.
All four people suspected of this murder were arrested yesterday. An investigation is in progress. The local police have not named the suspects. (Rustavi 2)
Internally displaced Abkhazians have sent a special appeal to the leaders of the Sokhumi regime. This will be handed over by Chairperson of the legal Abkhazian Autonomous Republic Gia Baramia at the Geneva talks.
The address states that the IDPs left Abkhazia before the so-called Presidential election there and came to Tbilisi. The IDPs state that they cannot be indifferent to the outrages of the Russian occupation regime in Abkhazia. The Abkhazian refugees consider that the Russians have conquered Abkhazian territory according to a plan elaborated long ago and are now trying to destroy the Abkhaz once and for all ‘with their filthy hands’.
"Our predecessors left us a wonderful language and traditions that we have to pass on to our future generations. But it is obvious that we won’t be able to do this if we don’t join our Georgian brothers, whose predecessors actively opposed the exodus of the Abkhaz (the Mohajir flight),’ the address reads.
The letter notes that the 1992-1993 conflict was inspired by the enemy and everyone knows that neither the Abkhaz nor the Georgians possessed a military arsenal of the scale used in that conflict. The authors of the appeal state that Russia provided both sides with weapons so that they would destroy each other.
"Abkhazia is occupied and militarised and under the full control of The Kremlin’s emissaries. We Abkhazians receive only one-sided information given by the Russian media, who are working for Russian special services. We live in Tbilisi today, where we have understood and felt what democracy is. There is no corruption here, the criminal world has been defeated and human rights are protected. The most important thing is that Georgians have no animosity towards Abkhaz, on the contrary, the desire for peace and a striving for reconciliation are felt, backed by the official position of the Government of Georgia,’ the Abkhaz refugees state.
The authors of the appeal consider that their compatriots living in Abkhazia won’t be afraid of tomorrow if the Georgians and Abkhaz reconcile, unite and live in a unified state. 11 people have signed the appeal.
12 Abkhazian families have left Abkhazia in recent months for various reasons. (Interpressnews)
Ilia the Second to return to Georgia for Great Fast
Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia Ilia the Second has left for Germany on a charter flight.
He made no comment regarding his departure.
Bishop Serafime of Borjomi and Bakuriani told journalists that the Patriarch will be medically examined in Germany. Ilia the Second visits a Munich clinic once a year for this purpose. The bishop noted that the Patriarch will stay about two weeks in the clinic and return to Georgia before the Great Fast, which starts on 15 February.
The Catholicos-Patriarch was seen off to Germany by ecclesiastics, ‘Chokhosnebi’ (people wearing national clothes - Chokha) and Parliament Vice-Speaker Rusudan Kervalishvili. The Catholicos-Patriarch is being accompanied by a 15-person delegation. (Interpressnews)
Mamia Tughushi, owner of Aversi Plus, murdered
Mamia Tughushi, owner of Aversi Plus, has been murdered on Tashkent Street.
The murder took place by the elevator of Tughushi’s house. 40-year-old Tughushi was killed by one bullet to the head. His valuables were taken.
There have been no comments from law enforcers so far. Neighbours say they did not hear any shooting. An investigation is under way.
Interpressnews was told by the Aversi company that Tughushi took medicines from the company to sell in his independent store at Vagzali Station. He had no other connection with the Aversi company. (Interpressnews)
Textbooks approval rules tighten
Following requests from teachers, parents and high school students, and on the initiative of the President of Georgia, the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia is introducing new technical and content standards for school textbooks. Experts are actively involved in this process.
Minister of Education Dimitri Shashkin has said that from 2011 a used textbooks market will be set up, which will resolve the problem of textbook purchase for high school students from socially vulnerable families. This market will also reduce the price of textbooks.
A need for enhancing the quality of Georgian ABC textbooks has been emphasised. Dimitri Shashkini has said that the specialists who approve the textbooks will actively work on this issue in order to convey the recommendations of the Minister to the relevant institutions concerning the return of adapted versions of the original Georgian ABC books to schools. (Rustavi 2)
Robbers kill two in Kutaisi
Two people were killed during a robbery in Kutaisi late on Wednesday night. On Ketevan Tsamebuli Street armed gunmen assaulted a family and shot a man and his wife, who resisted them. The couple were hospitalised but their injuries proved fatal.
All four people suspected of this murder were arrested yesterday. An investigation is in progress. The local police have not named the suspects. (Rustavi 2)