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New government has PR strategy problem

Analyst Badri Nachkebia said in an interview with Kvirisa Palitra that it should not be a miracle if investigation agencies have questions for the president in a democratic society. Giving examples of the US and Israel, Nachkebia said nothing has been damaged in those countries when their leaders were being interrogated.

Waiting for the final verdict concerning the case with Mayor of Tbilisi, Gigi Ugulava, he said he cannot call it political pressure. “Ugulava should not evaluate the situation in a hurry. The accusation is very serious and needs investigation,” the analyst said.

Nachkebia thinks that by announcing a protest rally on April 19, UNM is trying to tease law enforcement bodies and gain “dividends” for the upcoming presidential election, by playing like “the victims.”

The analyst does not exclude the idea that a parallel rally may also be organized by the people who protested in front of the National Library on February 8. “No one knows what will happen,” he said, adding that it is time to end dual governance in Georgia and avoid a civil confrontation.

He also added that the current government has problems with PR tools. “No relevant PR campaign is underway, when the UNM manages to keep public in constant stress and remain in the focus of attention,” Nachkebia stated.



Problems in Georgian psychiatric institutions

Netgazeti reports that the Georgian Public Defender’s Office published a report on the conditions of psychiatric clinics in the country. According to the ombudsman’s office, psychiatric institutions have insufficient infrastructure while the personnel mistreat the patients.

Representative of Public Defender’s Office Natia Imnadze said that often the patients are not allowed to call their family members and they lack the opportunity to walk in the fresh air, which according to the heads of the institutions, are caused by financial problems as the clinics do not have enough staff.

Director of the Bediani Psychiatric Center, Avtandil Vanadze, said the treatment of mentally ill people had not been the priority of any of the governments and the state always used to avoid the responsibility over this issue.

Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili asked the representatives of psychiatric clinics to exchange their own opinions after familiarization with his recommendations promising that he will bring their views to the attention of the Healthcare Ministry. Nanuashvili said this issue will become a priority for him.