The News in Brief
Friday, August 3
Betkil Shukvani – I Decided to Return from the Olympics After Drunken Gia Udesiani wanted to meet me
Georgia’s Olympic Judo competitor Betkil Shukvani said at a press conference at the office of Kartuli Otsneba (Georgian Dream) yesterday that he encountered problems after declaring support to Bidzina Ivanishvili. “It was after I decided that I was going to the Olympics, they couldn’t change anything. On 22 July, I met with Bidzina Ivanishvili, took a picture with him, declared my support for him, that I had sympathies towards him and that I am with the Georgian nation,” the athlete said.
The information concerning his meeting with Ivanishvili spread via the media quickly. Shukvani stated that when they were leaving for the airport to head to London, members of the Georgian delegation addressed him with obscene words. “I was psychologically distracted. I tried to stay strong psychologically and I achieved this, I was in good shape,” Shukvani said.
The athlete spoke about the competition in the Olympics and said that he has been involved in athletics for 12 years and he doesn’t remember such reference.
Shukvani said he decided to leave the Olympic village and return to Georgia after he felt the threat and the drunken Udesiani wanted to meet him. “I was advised not to meet him and I left. One of my friends lives in Croatia and I asked him help in buying a ticket. He booked the ticket, told me the address where to arrive and I left,” Udesiani said. (IPN)
Must Carry to be Activated in Two-Days
Must carry rules must be activated in two-day’s time. The Georgian National Communication Commission explained the obligations to the cable broadcasters on Tuesday.
Head of the Legal Department of the commission, Kakhi Kurashvili, stated that the cable stations should provide subscribers with the signals of the channels that have a general broadcast license.
He said that the commission published factual and legal addresses of the cable broadcasts and TV Companies can address them with specific applications. Cable broadcasters have to satisfy the TV Company in three-day’s time and distribute the signal. If the cable company fails to carry the and broadcast the station, the TV companies can claim the fact at the National Communication Commission. “Sanctions are stringent. First will be a warning, then authorization will be totally seized,” Kakhi Kurashvili said. The Georgian President’s spokesperson Manana Manjgaladze made a statement about it on August 31. (IPN)
30 convicts freed under early release
Thirty convicts will be dismissed from prison under the early release legislation. The local councils of the Parole Commission discussed cases of about three-hundred prisoners and approved only thirty of them. The discussions are held verbally and convicts and their lawyers attended the discussions at the councils. The councils usually discuss prisoners’ applications on early release at the end of every month and the permanent commission of the Ministry of Legal Assistance and Corrections discuss the recommendations for confirmation once in three months. (Rustavi 2)
PM arrived in village Jikhaishi
The Prime Minister of Georgia arrived in the village of Jikhaishi, in the Samtredia region, to view a demonstration land area, which is being watered by a drop-irrigation system. Vano Merabishvili met with local farmers and talked with them about the meaning of product refining centers, which will be opened near such land areas soon. The Prime Minister said five-hundred similar agricultural enterprises would be opened in various regions of Georgia soon and they would facilitate growth of the harvest, which will be refined afterwards so that the product could be exported. Over 100 people are employed in this enterprise and the land area. Most of the employees are IDPs. (Rustavi 2)
“Cartu Bank” Submitted Application to Prosecutor’s Office Against Vladimer Ugulava
Cartu Bank submitted an application to the prosecutor’s office against Vladimer Ugulava, former interim head of the bank, the President of the bank, Nodar Javakhishvili told InterPressNews. He says that the bank demands a criminal case to be instituted against Ugulava and the advisor of the President of the National Bank Irakli Zarkua, as loan agreements in the amount of $50 million were illegally signed in the period of his management. Following the Cartu Bank statement, the interim administration that entered the bank, signed the agreements with four development companies on issuing the loan by violation of procedures. Cartu Bank was obliged to issue a $50 million loan to the 4 development companies by July 31. If the loan was not issued, the liquidity ratio would be violated and the interim administration of the national bank may enter Cartu Bank. (IPN)
Latvian corporal dies from heat stroke in Georgia
A Latvian corporal who was participating in exercises in Georgia died from overheating/heat stroke in the hospital. The Delf Agency reported that the Latvian Defense Ministry reported that the Corporal 1 Infantry Battalion of the Latvian National Armed Forces, Janis Vojtkevica, participated in Georgian military-mountainous training and his health deteriorated on July 25.
Vojtkevica was taken to the Gori military hospital first and on July 27, to Germany’s military hospital. However, doctors were unable to save him. The Latvian President and the Defense Ministry conveyed condolences to the family of the deceased. (IPN)
Georgia’s Olympic Judo competitor Betkil Shukvani said at a press conference at the office of Kartuli Otsneba (Georgian Dream) yesterday that he encountered problems after declaring support to Bidzina Ivanishvili. “It was after I decided that I was going to the Olympics, they couldn’t change anything. On 22 July, I met with Bidzina Ivanishvili, took a picture with him, declared my support for him, that I had sympathies towards him and that I am with the Georgian nation,” the athlete said.
The information concerning his meeting with Ivanishvili spread via the media quickly. Shukvani stated that when they were leaving for the airport to head to London, members of the Georgian delegation addressed him with obscene words. “I was psychologically distracted. I tried to stay strong psychologically and I achieved this, I was in good shape,” Shukvani said.
The athlete spoke about the competition in the Olympics and said that he has been involved in athletics for 12 years and he doesn’t remember such reference.
Shukvani said he decided to leave the Olympic village and return to Georgia after he felt the threat and the drunken Udesiani wanted to meet him. “I was advised not to meet him and I left. One of my friends lives in Croatia and I asked him help in buying a ticket. He booked the ticket, told me the address where to arrive and I left,” Udesiani said. (IPN)
Must Carry to be Activated in Two-Days
Must carry rules must be activated in two-day’s time. The Georgian National Communication Commission explained the obligations to the cable broadcasters on Tuesday.
Head of the Legal Department of the commission, Kakhi Kurashvili, stated that the cable stations should provide subscribers with the signals of the channels that have a general broadcast license.
He said that the commission published factual and legal addresses of the cable broadcasts and TV Companies can address them with specific applications. Cable broadcasters have to satisfy the TV Company in three-day’s time and distribute the signal. If the cable company fails to carry the and broadcast the station, the TV companies can claim the fact at the National Communication Commission. “Sanctions are stringent. First will be a warning, then authorization will be totally seized,” Kakhi Kurashvili said. The Georgian President’s spokesperson Manana Manjgaladze made a statement about it on August 31. (IPN)
30 convicts freed under early release
Thirty convicts will be dismissed from prison under the early release legislation. The local councils of the Parole Commission discussed cases of about three-hundred prisoners and approved only thirty of them. The discussions are held verbally and convicts and their lawyers attended the discussions at the councils. The councils usually discuss prisoners’ applications on early release at the end of every month and the permanent commission of the Ministry of Legal Assistance and Corrections discuss the recommendations for confirmation once in three months. (Rustavi 2)
PM arrived in village Jikhaishi
The Prime Minister of Georgia arrived in the village of Jikhaishi, in the Samtredia region, to view a demonstration land area, which is being watered by a drop-irrigation system. Vano Merabishvili met with local farmers and talked with them about the meaning of product refining centers, which will be opened near such land areas soon. The Prime Minister said five-hundred similar agricultural enterprises would be opened in various regions of Georgia soon and they would facilitate growth of the harvest, which will be refined afterwards so that the product could be exported. Over 100 people are employed in this enterprise and the land area. Most of the employees are IDPs. (Rustavi 2)
“Cartu Bank” Submitted Application to Prosecutor’s Office Against Vladimer Ugulava
Cartu Bank submitted an application to the prosecutor’s office against Vladimer Ugulava, former interim head of the bank, the President of the bank, Nodar Javakhishvili told InterPressNews. He says that the bank demands a criminal case to be instituted against Ugulava and the advisor of the President of the National Bank Irakli Zarkua, as loan agreements in the amount of $50 million were illegally signed in the period of his management. Following the Cartu Bank statement, the interim administration that entered the bank, signed the agreements with four development companies on issuing the loan by violation of procedures. Cartu Bank was obliged to issue a $50 million loan to the 4 development companies by July 31. If the loan was not issued, the liquidity ratio would be violated and the interim administration of the national bank may enter Cartu Bank. (IPN)
Latvian corporal dies from heat stroke in Georgia
A Latvian corporal who was participating in exercises in Georgia died from overheating/heat stroke in the hospital. The Delf Agency reported that the Latvian Defense Ministry reported that the Corporal 1 Infantry Battalion of the Latvian National Armed Forces, Janis Vojtkevica, participated in Georgian military-mountainous training and his health deteriorated on July 25.
Vojtkevica was taken to the Gori military hospital first and on July 27, to Germany’s military hospital. However, doctors were unable to save him. The Latvian President and the Defense Ministry conveyed condolences to the family of the deceased. (IPN)