The News in Brief
Monday, September 3
Georgian Dream Snubs Planned TV Debates on Public Broadcaster
The format under which the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) will host TV debates ahead of the October 1 parliamentary elections is a “falsehood” and the Georgian Dream will not be part of it, Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leader of the major opposition coalition said on August 30.
GPB has invited ruling United National Movement (UNM) party; Georgian Dream; Christian-Democratic Movement and Labor Party for two rounds of debates on September 9 and September 18.
“The format of the debates offered by the public broadcaster is a falsehood and we will not be part of that,” Ivanishvili told journalists. “Of course it’s false when the CDM is represented as an opposition party. The CDM is Saakashvili’s tail; it’s an extension of the National Movement; the same applies with the Labor Party and the New Rights party.”
He reiterated that he wanted one-on-one televised debates with President Saakashvili, who is also the ruling UNM party’s chairman. As an alternative he also offered to go face to face with PM Vano Merabishvili together with several other leading ruling party and government figures.
The ruling party said Merabishvili, whom the UNM plans to nominate as its prime ministerial candidate after the elections, would participate in public broadcaster’s planned debates.
(Civil.ge)
Georgian PM inspects rehabilitation work in Surami
Georgian Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili inspected the construction and rehabilitation work of the water supply system in the resort of Surami in the Shida Kartli Region today.
The project is being carried out by the United Water Supply Company and it consists of the construction of a reservoir of 1,000 cubic meters and refurbishing the internal water supply system.
The work is expected to be finished in April 2012, after which Surami will be provided with drinking water during 24 hours.
About 70 locals are employed at the construction and rehabilitation work site.
When visiting the town, Vano Merabishvili stressed the significance of the government`s commitment to assist in providing all villages and towns throughout the country with 24-hour water supplies in 4 years.
(Rustavi 2)
US National-Democratic Institute to present first report of long-term monitoring mission on September 3
The US National-Democratic Institute will present the first report on the long-term monitoring mission tomorrow. The report covers the period from August 3-27.
According to NDI, the aim of the long-term monitoring mission in Georgia is to evaluate the election environment in the country ahead of the parliamentary elections.
The monitoring mission consists of three analysts that are monitoring the election environment and efforts of the election administration.
The NDI observers held meetings with representatives of the government, leaders of political parties, election administration, civil sector, media and international organizations.
The NDI international monitoring mission in Georgia is funded by the US Agency for International Development.
(IPN)
Process of Submitting Party Lists by Election Subjects at the CEC is finished
September 1, 18:00 was the deadline for submitting the party lists by election subjects at the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia. The CEC asks the candidates, whose positions are inconsistent with the status of candidate for the membership of the Parliament of Georgia, to resign or be dismissed from current positions no later than the 2nd day after submitting an application for the registration. Registration of party lists and candidates, nominated by election subjects will end on September 6, 2012. After the process is finished, the CEC of Georgia will publish the registered party lists and information on candidates registered at majoritarian election districts.17 election subjects will participate in the Elections of the Parliament of Georgia 2012.
(CEC)
Minister for Infrastructure Resigns to Run for MP
Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure, Ramaz Nikolaishvili, has resigned to run for an MP seat in the October 1 parliamentary election, the ministry said in a brief announcement on its website on Friday. Nikolaishvili will run as the ruling party’s majoritarian MP candidate in Ozurgeti's single-mandate constituencies in the Guria region; he served as governor of Guria region in 2008.
(Civil.ge)
The format under which the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) will host TV debates ahead of the October 1 parliamentary elections is a “falsehood” and the Georgian Dream will not be part of it, Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leader of the major opposition coalition said on August 30.
GPB has invited ruling United National Movement (UNM) party; Georgian Dream; Christian-Democratic Movement and Labor Party for two rounds of debates on September 9 and September 18.
“The format of the debates offered by the public broadcaster is a falsehood and we will not be part of that,” Ivanishvili told journalists. “Of course it’s false when the CDM is represented as an opposition party. The CDM is Saakashvili’s tail; it’s an extension of the National Movement; the same applies with the Labor Party and the New Rights party.”
He reiterated that he wanted one-on-one televised debates with President Saakashvili, who is also the ruling UNM party’s chairman. As an alternative he also offered to go face to face with PM Vano Merabishvili together with several other leading ruling party and government figures.
The ruling party said Merabishvili, whom the UNM plans to nominate as its prime ministerial candidate after the elections, would participate in public broadcaster’s planned debates.
(Civil.ge)
Georgian PM inspects rehabilitation work in Surami
Georgian Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili inspected the construction and rehabilitation work of the water supply system in the resort of Surami in the Shida Kartli Region today.
The project is being carried out by the United Water Supply Company and it consists of the construction of a reservoir of 1,000 cubic meters and refurbishing the internal water supply system.
The work is expected to be finished in April 2012, after which Surami will be provided with drinking water during 24 hours.
About 70 locals are employed at the construction and rehabilitation work site.
When visiting the town, Vano Merabishvili stressed the significance of the government`s commitment to assist in providing all villages and towns throughout the country with 24-hour water supplies in 4 years.
(Rustavi 2)
US National-Democratic Institute to present first report of long-term monitoring mission on September 3
The US National-Democratic Institute will present the first report on the long-term monitoring mission tomorrow. The report covers the period from August 3-27.
According to NDI, the aim of the long-term monitoring mission in Georgia is to evaluate the election environment in the country ahead of the parliamentary elections.
The monitoring mission consists of three analysts that are monitoring the election environment and efforts of the election administration.
The NDI observers held meetings with representatives of the government, leaders of political parties, election administration, civil sector, media and international organizations.
The NDI international monitoring mission in Georgia is funded by the US Agency for International Development.
(IPN)
Process of Submitting Party Lists by Election Subjects at the CEC is finished
September 1, 18:00 was the deadline for submitting the party lists by election subjects at the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia. The CEC asks the candidates, whose positions are inconsistent with the status of candidate for the membership of the Parliament of Georgia, to resign or be dismissed from current positions no later than the 2nd day after submitting an application for the registration. Registration of party lists and candidates, nominated by election subjects will end on September 6, 2012. After the process is finished, the CEC of Georgia will publish the registered party lists and information on candidates registered at majoritarian election districts.17 election subjects will participate in the Elections of the Parliament of Georgia 2012.
(CEC)
Minister for Infrastructure Resigns to Run for MP
Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure, Ramaz Nikolaishvili, has resigned to run for an MP seat in the October 1 parliamentary election, the ministry said in a brief announcement on its website on Friday. Nikolaishvili will run as the ruling party’s majoritarian MP candidate in Ozurgeti's single-mandate constituencies in the Guria region; he served as governor of Guria region in 2008.
(Civil.ge)