The News in Brief
Tuesday, August 14
Prime Minister reshuffles Cabinet
Prime Minister of Georgia Vano Merabishvili announced a cabinet reshuffle during the session of the government held in the town of Ozurgeti yesterday. Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Aleksandre Khetaguri has been appointed the Minister of Finance. Vakhtang Balavadze has replaced Khetaguri, who chaired the ministry of energy since 2007. As for the former finance minister, the prime minister said that Dimitri Gvindadze will be appointed to a new position in two-days, after the government returns from Guria. (Rustavi 2)
Rustavi Mayor's Office: If Georgian Dream holds a rally on the Square of Shartava, the organizers will be held responsible
“If the Georgian Dream holds a rally on the Square of Shartava, the responsibility for this rally will be imposed on the organizers,” said spokesperson of the Rustavi Mayor's Office, Nino Kordzaia. According to her, the Rustavi mayor's office will recommend that Kartuli Otsneba hold the election rally on August 19 in the area adjacent to the administrative building of the metallurgical works. At the same time, Kordzaia noted that the local government can only recommend the area for the rally. Kartuli Otsneba appealed to the Rustavi Mayor's Office three times concerning the venue of the rally, but all the proposals were rejected. Despite this, yesterday, representatives of Kartuli Otsneba declared that the election rally will be held in Rustavi on August 19, at 19:00 on Shartava Square. (IPN)
Labour Party accuses Ivanishvili of supporting Saakashvili in 2003
The Labour Party of Georgia has accused leader of the Georgian Dream Coalition Bidzina Ivanishvili of supporting Mikheil Saakashvili in his native village during 2003 elections. Kakha Dzagania of the Labour Party was briefed in this regard today and presented the summarizing documents of the ballot count of the 2003 elections in the village of Chorvila, where Saakashvili enjoyed 100% support of voters. Labour Party leaders say Ivanishvili has been supporting and funding Saakashvili always. Asserting the current dispute between them is just a farce. (Rustavi 2)
PM gives instruction to Health Ministry staff
The Prime Minister of Georgia has given instructions to the staff of the Ministry of Health and Social Care to provide full and unlimited service to the citizens of Georgia insured by the government. From September 1, 2012, the number of citizens insured by the government will increase by 900,000 persons and simultaneously, the number of the patients and visitors to hospitals will also grow. The prime minister and health minister held meetings with the staff of several hospitals yesterday. The minister instructed the health ministry staff to work in the state of emergency and mobilize the additional resources to provide excellent service to the insured citizens of Georgia and guarantee unobstructed work of the health ministry hotline. (Rustavi 2)
New Rights present their election program
Wealthy Families in Cities and Villages - this is the election motto of the New Rights Party of Georgia. The party’s leaders presented their election program yesterday. They worked on the 110 page document for a whole year and they say the needs of families of all categories are included in it. The key priorities of the party’s election program are: employment, the development of small business, health and education sectors and agriculture. Party leaders say that every village should have their small enterprises. The program includes a detailed budget for the implementation of these priorities. The document has been posted on the official website of the party www.nrp.ge (Rustavi 2)
Davitaia leaves for Strasburg
Leader of the political party We, Ourselves, Paata Davitaia has left for Strasburg to hold negotiations with the members of the European Democrats faction of the European Parliament.
Davitaia told journalists before the departure that he was going to discuss the intensive involvement of international observers in the process of election monitoring. The members of the European Democrats will observe parliamentary elections in Georgia along with other monitors from various countries. (Rustavi 2)
One died, two were injured in a road accident in Telavi
One man was killed and two were injured in a road accident, which occurred in the city of Telavi on Sunday night. Reportedly, a Niva type vehicle first crashed into a pedestrian on the airport highway and then crashed into a truck. The pedestrian, Abram Koliev, 50, died in the accident. Two young men sitting in the Niva vehicle were seriously injured. They were hospitalized at the Telavi clinic, but afterwards, were transferred to the capital. (Rustavi 2)
Prime Minister of Georgia Vano Merabishvili announced a cabinet reshuffle during the session of the government held in the town of Ozurgeti yesterday. Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Aleksandre Khetaguri has been appointed the Minister of Finance. Vakhtang Balavadze has replaced Khetaguri, who chaired the ministry of energy since 2007. As for the former finance minister, the prime minister said that Dimitri Gvindadze will be appointed to a new position in two-days, after the government returns from Guria. (Rustavi 2)
Rustavi Mayor's Office: If Georgian Dream holds a rally on the Square of Shartava, the organizers will be held responsible
“If the Georgian Dream holds a rally on the Square of Shartava, the responsibility for this rally will be imposed on the organizers,” said spokesperson of the Rustavi Mayor's Office, Nino Kordzaia. According to her, the Rustavi mayor's office will recommend that Kartuli Otsneba hold the election rally on August 19 in the area adjacent to the administrative building of the metallurgical works. At the same time, Kordzaia noted that the local government can only recommend the area for the rally. Kartuli Otsneba appealed to the Rustavi Mayor's Office three times concerning the venue of the rally, but all the proposals were rejected. Despite this, yesterday, representatives of Kartuli Otsneba declared that the election rally will be held in Rustavi on August 19, at 19:00 on Shartava Square. (IPN)
Labour Party accuses Ivanishvili of supporting Saakashvili in 2003
The Labour Party of Georgia has accused leader of the Georgian Dream Coalition Bidzina Ivanishvili of supporting Mikheil Saakashvili in his native village during 2003 elections. Kakha Dzagania of the Labour Party was briefed in this regard today and presented the summarizing documents of the ballot count of the 2003 elections in the village of Chorvila, where Saakashvili enjoyed 100% support of voters. Labour Party leaders say Ivanishvili has been supporting and funding Saakashvili always. Asserting the current dispute between them is just a farce. (Rustavi 2)
PM gives instruction to Health Ministry staff
The Prime Minister of Georgia has given instructions to the staff of the Ministry of Health and Social Care to provide full and unlimited service to the citizens of Georgia insured by the government. From September 1, 2012, the number of citizens insured by the government will increase by 900,000 persons and simultaneously, the number of the patients and visitors to hospitals will also grow. The prime minister and health minister held meetings with the staff of several hospitals yesterday. The minister instructed the health ministry staff to work in the state of emergency and mobilize the additional resources to provide excellent service to the insured citizens of Georgia and guarantee unobstructed work of the health ministry hotline. (Rustavi 2)
New Rights present their election program
Wealthy Families in Cities and Villages - this is the election motto of the New Rights Party of Georgia. The party’s leaders presented their election program yesterday. They worked on the 110 page document for a whole year and they say the needs of families of all categories are included in it. The key priorities of the party’s election program are: employment, the development of small business, health and education sectors and agriculture. Party leaders say that every village should have their small enterprises. The program includes a detailed budget for the implementation of these priorities. The document has been posted on the official website of the party www.nrp.ge (Rustavi 2)
Davitaia leaves for Strasburg
Leader of the political party We, Ourselves, Paata Davitaia has left for Strasburg to hold negotiations with the members of the European Democrats faction of the European Parliament.
Davitaia told journalists before the departure that he was going to discuss the intensive involvement of international observers in the process of election monitoring. The members of the European Democrats will observe parliamentary elections in Georgia along with other monitors from various countries. (Rustavi 2)
One died, two were injured in a road accident in Telavi
One man was killed and two were injured in a road accident, which occurred in the city of Telavi on Sunday night. Reportedly, a Niva type vehicle first crashed into a pedestrian on the airport highway and then crashed into a truck. The pedestrian, Abram Koliev, 50, died in the accident. Two young men sitting in the Niva vehicle were seriously injured. They were hospitalized at the Telavi clinic, but afterwards, were transferred to the capital. (Rustavi 2)