Press Scanner
Compiled by Liana Bezhanishvili
Thursday, February 11
Georgian linguists not being allowed to enter Saingilo
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that according to the Kakheti Information Centre a team of linguists from the Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University has not been allowed to enter Saingilo by the Azerbaijani authorities to study the dialect of the Georgians living there.
“We met the Education Minister of Azerbaijan and gave him detailed information about our project. We explained that it is supported by the Rustaveli Fund and Telavi State University. The project is not political. Georgia's Education and Foreign Affairs Ministries have also tried to resolve this issue but we are still not being allowed into Saingilo,” stated Rector of Telavi State University Giorgi Gotsiridze.
IDPs from Akhalgori say no one is helping them
Rezonansi writes that by the end of this month all IDPs will supposedly be granted status and given aid. However Akhalgori IDPs have gathered at Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation demanding this three times and this is the third time they have been told this. The IDPs are threatening to hold a permanent demonstration.
“Until now I have not been given IDP status and they have told me to leave Akhalgori to get it. They cannot understand that we have no homes there to live in. It is not their affair how I spend my own money, which does not come from the State budget but from a foreign country. I am only demanding the money due to me. How can the Ministry say that we are not IDPs? What are we then? According to this logic Akhalgori is not considered occupied territory. Can Subeliani [the Minister] get into Akhalgori?” stated an IDP.
“They promised us status 10 days ago, but as you can see nothing has happened. We demanded that put this promise in writing but they refused. The Ministry told us that we were standing here for nothing. You have homes in Akhalgori so go and live in them, they said. Now however they state that we will get our status in March. How can we trust them?!” said Tamar Mearakhishvili, an Akhalgori IDP.
“It is wrong to state that if people have houses in Akhalgori they cannot be IDPs. It is written in our law that Akhalgori is occupied territory. If someone stays in Akhalgori they are a hero and the State must give them compensation,” Republican Tina Khidasheli said.
The protestors eventually changed their minds about blocking off the road and hastened to the central office of the European Union. They wrote a statement for the Ambassador Per Eklund, Head of the European Commission Delegation to Georgia and asked him to help, saying that none of the Government departments were doing so.
Consequences of Ukrainian elections analysed
"Diplomatic relations with Ukraine will continue but they might cease on certain issues," expert on security issues Irakli Sesiashvili states in an interview with Akhali Taoba.
"Ukraine had been Georgia's biggest arms supplier, but will cease being so for a while at least. Yanukovich has stated that he will maintain balanced relations with Georgia, therefore upholding the position of the EU on the territorial integrity of Georgia, but it will also take into account the position of Russia, which is concerned about Ukraine supplying Georgia with arms. Yanukovich will therefore cease cooperation with Georgia in that field," Irakli Sesiashvili states.
"Furthermore, Georgia’s application to join NATO had been considered along with Ukraine's. It has not been considered separately because NATO wants to expand to particular regions, in this the Black Sea area, rather than just add individual states. Georgia alone does not fit into any enlargement perspective and the possibility of it joining NATO will reduce if Ukraine withdraws its application. NATO will express its position on this in near future," Sesiashvili adds.
"Our politicians will not go to Ukraine as frequently now. There might be problems in the bilateral business sphere. However, I remain hopeful that Ukraine and Ukrainians will always be our friends. We have had perfect relations at all times," Sesiashvili says.
Sakartvelos Respublika reports that according to the Kakheti Information Centre a team of linguists from the Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University has not been allowed to enter Saingilo by the Azerbaijani authorities to study the dialect of the Georgians living there.
“We met the Education Minister of Azerbaijan and gave him detailed information about our project. We explained that it is supported by the Rustaveli Fund and Telavi State University. The project is not political. Georgia's Education and Foreign Affairs Ministries have also tried to resolve this issue but we are still not being allowed into Saingilo,” stated Rector of Telavi State University Giorgi Gotsiridze.
IDPs from Akhalgori say no one is helping them
Rezonansi writes that by the end of this month all IDPs will supposedly be granted status and given aid. However Akhalgori IDPs have gathered at Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation demanding this three times and this is the third time they have been told this. The IDPs are threatening to hold a permanent demonstration.
“Until now I have not been given IDP status and they have told me to leave Akhalgori to get it. They cannot understand that we have no homes there to live in. It is not their affair how I spend my own money, which does not come from the State budget but from a foreign country. I am only demanding the money due to me. How can the Ministry say that we are not IDPs? What are we then? According to this logic Akhalgori is not considered occupied territory. Can Subeliani [the Minister] get into Akhalgori?” stated an IDP.
“They promised us status 10 days ago, but as you can see nothing has happened. We demanded that put this promise in writing but they refused. The Ministry told us that we were standing here for nothing. You have homes in Akhalgori so go and live in them, they said. Now however they state that we will get our status in March. How can we trust them?!” said Tamar Mearakhishvili, an Akhalgori IDP.
“It is wrong to state that if people have houses in Akhalgori they cannot be IDPs. It is written in our law that Akhalgori is occupied territory. If someone stays in Akhalgori they are a hero and the State must give them compensation,” Republican Tina Khidasheli said.
The protestors eventually changed their minds about blocking off the road and hastened to the central office of the European Union. They wrote a statement for the Ambassador Per Eklund, Head of the European Commission Delegation to Georgia and asked him to help, saying that none of the Government departments were doing so.
Consequences of Ukrainian elections analysed
"Diplomatic relations with Ukraine will continue but they might cease on certain issues," expert on security issues Irakli Sesiashvili states in an interview with Akhali Taoba.
"Ukraine had been Georgia's biggest arms supplier, but will cease being so for a while at least. Yanukovich has stated that he will maintain balanced relations with Georgia, therefore upholding the position of the EU on the territorial integrity of Georgia, but it will also take into account the position of Russia, which is concerned about Ukraine supplying Georgia with arms. Yanukovich will therefore cease cooperation with Georgia in that field," Irakli Sesiashvili states.
"Furthermore, Georgia’s application to join NATO had been considered along with Ukraine's. It has not been considered separately because NATO wants to expand to particular regions, in this the Black Sea area, rather than just add individual states. Georgia alone does not fit into any enlargement perspective and the possibility of it joining NATO will reduce if Ukraine withdraws its application. NATO will express its position on this in near future," Sesiashvili adds.
"Our politicians will not go to Ukraine as frequently now. There might be problems in the bilateral business sphere. However, I remain hopeful that Ukraine and Ukrainians will always be our friends. We have had perfect relations at all times," Sesiashvili says.