The News in Brief
Monday, December 3
Georgia Wins Second Place in 2012 Junior Eurovision Song Contest
Georgia’s the FUNKIDS took second place with 103 points in the 2012 Junior Eurovision song contest. Ukraine, represented by Anastasiya Petryk, won the 2012 Junior Eurovision Song Contest. She had 138 points with her song “Nebo”. Armenia with team Chompas came in third place with 98 points. The jurors gave 12 scores to the Georgian team. The producer of the FUNKIDS is Giga Kukhianidze. The text of the song was written by Nana Tsintsadze along with the kids. 12 countries took part in the 2012 Junior Eurovision Song Contest in the HMH Arena in Amsterdam. Georgia won the Junior Eurovision song contest twice and it was the 6th time Georgia has been a participant. Public Broadcasting aired the contest live from Amsterdam.
(IPN)
Opposition demands independent audit of Tbilisi budget
Opposition factions of the Tbilisi City Assembly are demanding the conduction of an alternative audit of the Tbilisi budget for 2012 by an independent auditing company with a good reputation and with no political interests. They assert that the group who did the state audit, which is currently inspecting the budget, is staffed with the members of the United National Movement and therefore, they declare mistrust to their work. Members of the Christian Democrats and Liberty Party briefed in this regards late November and called on their colleagues from the UNM to agree with them and invite an independent audit to the assembly to inspect the capital’s budget. Zaza Gabunia of the CDM says it is the best way to get answers on the questions which are put around the Tbilisi budget. The chairperson of the fiscal-budgetary committee of the assembly, Tamaz Shoshiashvili, downplays the demand of the opposition factions, saying that the inspection is currently being carried out by several controller bodies of the government and such a demand is an attempt of discrediting state audit.
(Rustavi 2)
Former head of Tbilisi Patrol Police released on bail
The family of Zurab Mikadze, the former head of the Tbilisi patrol police who was detained on charges in the murder of 19-year-old Buta Robakidze a few days ago, has paid the Gel 16,000 bail, on which Mikadze was released in accordance with the court’s ruling.
Family members met Zurab Mikadze when he left the prison #8 in the Gldani district of Tbilisi.
Buta Robakidze’s family objected to the city court`s ruling regarding Zurab Mikadze release on bail.
The prosecutor’s office said a few days ago that they re-investigated the case on behalf of the demands of the deceased young man’s murder, which took place at the Didube pantheon on November 24, 2004.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the interior ministry reported then that patrol police officers were trying to detain members of an armed group when they killed one of them. The investigation asserted that Buta Robakidze and several persons accompanying them had various firearms in the car. Buta Robakidze`s family objected to that version. They said the evidence was falsified, as the 19-year-old man had no firearms with him. Reportedly, Zurab Mikadze, with other persons, for purpose of forging evidences, brought firearms and weapons to the crime scene. The chief prosecutor said that others participating in the crime may be sued as well.
The chief prosecutor said at a press conference that former high ranking officials of the interior ministry, which include Data Akhalaia, Soso Topuridze, Geronti Alania and Oleg Melnikov, will be charged with torture, illegal imprisonment and abuse of authority.
Mr. Kbilashvili said that on 18 November 2012, an investigation was launched in incident of beating workers of the Mtatsminda-Krtsanisi police department.
The prosecutor said several persons currently out of the country now will be charged in the nearest future.
(Rustavi 2)
Grigori Karasin – When we Know how to Act, I don’t Rule out Expanding Contacts with Georgia
Moscow has not ruled out expanding relations with Georgia, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia told Interfax news. “First of all, we already had contacts with some representatives of the new government during the Geneva discussions. We’ll observe the development of the events in Tbilisi, as we know that the situation is not so calm there. When we know how to act, I don’t rule out expanding our contact, though this issue is not on the agenda,” Karasin said.
(IPN)
Georgia’s the FUNKIDS took second place with 103 points in the 2012 Junior Eurovision song contest. Ukraine, represented by Anastasiya Petryk, won the 2012 Junior Eurovision Song Contest. She had 138 points with her song “Nebo”. Armenia with team Chompas came in third place with 98 points. The jurors gave 12 scores to the Georgian team. The producer of the FUNKIDS is Giga Kukhianidze. The text of the song was written by Nana Tsintsadze along with the kids. 12 countries took part in the 2012 Junior Eurovision Song Contest in the HMH Arena in Amsterdam. Georgia won the Junior Eurovision song contest twice and it was the 6th time Georgia has been a participant. Public Broadcasting aired the contest live from Amsterdam.
(IPN)
Opposition demands independent audit of Tbilisi budget
Opposition factions of the Tbilisi City Assembly are demanding the conduction of an alternative audit of the Tbilisi budget for 2012 by an independent auditing company with a good reputation and with no political interests. They assert that the group who did the state audit, which is currently inspecting the budget, is staffed with the members of the United National Movement and therefore, they declare mistrust to their work. Members of the Christian Democrats and Liberty Party briefed in this regards late November and called on their colleagues from the UNM to agree with them and invite an independent audit to the assembly to inspect the capital’s budget. Zaza Gabunia of the CDM says it is the best way to get answers on the questions which are put around the Tbilisi budget. The chairperson of the fiscal-budgetary committee of the assembly, Tamaz Shoshiashvili, downplays the demand of the opposition factions, saying that the inspection is currently being carried out by several controller bodies of the government and such a demand is an attempt of discrediting state audit.
(Rustavi 2)
Former head of Tbilisi Patrol Police released on bail
The family of Zurab Mikadze, the former head of the Tbilisi patrol police who was detained on charges in the murder of 19-year-old Buta Robakidze a few days ago, has paid the Gel 16,000 bail, on which Mikadze was released in accordance with the court’s ruling.
Family members met Zurab Mikadze when he left the prison #8 in the Gldani district of Tbilisi.
Buta Robakidze’s family objected to the city court`s ruling regarding Zurab Mikadze release on bail.
The prosecutor’s office said a few days ago that they re-investigated the case on behalf of the demands of the deceased young man’s murder, which took place at the Didube pantheon on November 24, 2004.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the interior ministry reported then that patrol police officers were trying to detain members of an armed group when they killed one of them. The investigation asserted that Buta Robakidze and several persons accompanying them had various firearms in the car. Buta Robakidze`s family objected to that version. They said the evidence was falsified, as the 19-year-old man had no firearms with him. Reportedly, Zurab Mikadze, with other persons, for purpose of forging evidences, brought firearms and weapons to the crime scene. The chief prosecutor said that others participating in the crime may be sued as well.
The chief prosecutor said at a press conference that former high ranking officials of the interior ministry, which include Data Akhalaia, Soso Topuridze, Geronti Alania and Oleg Melnikov, will be charged with torture, illegal imprisonment and abuse of authority.
Mr. Kbilashvili said that on 18 November 2012, an investigation was launched in incident of beating workers of the Mtatsminda-Krtsanisi police department.
The prosecutor said several persons currently out of the country now will be charged in the nearest future.
(Rustavi 2)
Grigori Karasin – When we Know how to Act, I don’t Rule out Expanding Contacts with Georgia
Moscow has not ruled out expanding relations with Georgia, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia told Interfax news. “First of all, we already had contacts with some representatives of the new government during the Geneva discussions. We’ll observe the development of the events in Tbilisi, as we know that the situation is not so calm there. When we know how to act, I don’t rule out expanding our contact, though this issue is not on the agenda,” Karasin said.
(IPN)