The News in Brief
Friday, August 2
Secret recordings of citizens' private lives to be destroyed by August 15th
The secret recordings of citizens' private lives will be destroyed by August 15th, government official Lasha Tughushi has announced.
According to Tughushi, an agreement has been reached with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Chief Prosecutor that most sensitive, difficult and compromising documents will be destroyed within the next two weeks.
"There is a great archive of illegal records in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The commission should devise rules about the treatment of these materials." Tughushi explained. (Front News)
The village of Kardzmani faces isolation
Residents of the village of Kardzmani near the border of the occupied region of South Ossetia are concerned about being taking over by Russian soldiers. The Russian soldiers stationed in South Ossetia have erected a check-point at the entrance of the village. According to villagers, Russian soldiers have announced that from September 18th travel to and from the village will be restricted. (Rustavi 2)
Inmates of Ksani prison stop hunger strike
Ten inmates of Ksani prison have announced the end of their 10-day hunger strike. They are demanding that the State Parole Commission review their cases for early release.
The chairperson of the parliamentary human rights committee Eka Beselia met with the protesting prisoners and pledged to mediate with the parole commission.
Beselia later went to Prison #17 in Rustavi, where thirty-one prisoners are also refusing to take food in protest. The prisoners declared mistrust of the parole commission and demanded revision of their cases. (Rustavi 2)
Tethys Petroleum intends to work in Georgia
Georgian Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri met with the president and members of Tethys Petroleum on Wednesday.
Tethys expressed a desire to begin work in Georgia, the Ministry of Finance told Trend. Khaduri told them about the investment and business environment in Georgia. Tethys Petroleum owns major assets in the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The company is listed on stock exchanges in London and Toronto. (Trend)
National banks of Georgia and China to sign swap agreement
The president of the National Bank of Georgia (NBG), Giorgi Kadagidze, received a delegation of the People's Bank of China on Wednesday. The guests became acquainted with the functioning of the Georgian securities market and its investment opportunities.
The Chinese side expressed its readiness to sign an agreement on lari/yuan currency swaps between NBG and the People's Bank of China.
The guests also became acquainted with the Georgian bank sector and the supervisory policy of the NBG.
The president of the People's Bank of China will visit Georgia in September.
The signing of a cooperation agreement between the People's Bank of China and the NBG will be held as part of the agreement on currency swaps. (Trend)
SOCAR enters Georgian co-investment fund
SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan) has entered Georgia's co-investment fund which was established by Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. The co-investment fund has already attracted $6 billion and will begin activity in the autumn of 2013. The resources of various companies and foreign investors are being accumulated in the fund.
Currently, the Fund includes "Dhabi group", "RAKIA", SOCAR, Batumi terminal, "KazTransOil", "Celik Holding", Milestone International Holdings Group Limited, as well as money from Bidzina Ivanishvili and the members of the family of the late billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili.
"The Fund will invest in spheres such as energy, infrastructure, industry, agriculture and tourism. The Fund will operate as follows: it will invest in one facility, will manage it for some time, and then transfer it to a private company," the co-investment fund reported.
The idea of establishing this fund was announced by Bidzina Ivanishvili a few months ago. One of the goals of the fund is the financing of various individual investment projects. (Trend)
Lenka Zviadadze wins the Slavianski Bazaar contest
Young Georgian performer Lenka Zviadadze has won the Slavianski Bazaar children’s talent contest in Belarus. Zviadadze performed two compositions at the competition: one Georgian and one in English. She has become familiar to Georgian audiences since her appearance on the TV show Project Talent. Zviadadze has also appeared in the musical play Veris Ubnis Melodiebi (Vera District Melodies). (Georgian News)
Batumi Dolphinarium - amazing show and “summer surprise” for visitors
The Batumi Dolphinarium presented its new interactive show, with up to thirty performance numbers by dolphins. The climax of the show is provided by a "summer surprise" in which dolphins soak the audience.
The eight dolphins performing at the Dolphinarium are named Monica, Flippery, Zoro, Maia, Tsitsi, Kay, Nini and Kviria.
The show is at 2 pm, 5 pm and 9 pm all week except Monday.
The Dolphinarium reopened on May 6, 2011 after a twenty-year closure. (Georgian News)
The secret recordings of citizens' private lives will be destroyed by August 15th, government official Lasha Tughushi has announced.
According to Tughushi, an agreement has been reached with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Chief Prosecutor that most sensitive, difficult and compromising documents will be destroyed within the next two weeks.
"There is a great archive of illegal records in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The commission should devise rules about the treatment of these materials." Tughushi explained. (Front News)
The village of Kardzmani faces isolation
Residents of the village of Kardzmani near the border of the occupied region of South Ossetia are concerned about being taking over by Russian soldiers. The Russian soldiers stationed in South Ossetia have erected a check-point at the entrance of the village. According to villagers, Russian soldiers have announced that from September 18th travel to and from the village will be restricted. (Rustavi 2)
Inmates of Ksani prison stop hunger strike
Ten inmates of Ksani prison have announced the end of their 10-day hunger strike. They are demanding that the State Parole Commission review their cases for early release.
The chairperson of the parliamentary human rights committee Eka Beselia met with the protesting prisoners and pledged to mediate with the parole commission.
Beselia later went to Prison #17 in Rustavi, where thirty-one prisoners are also refusing to take food in protest. The prisoners declared mistrust of the parole commission and demanded revision of their cases. (Rustavi 2)
Tethys Petroleum intends to work in Georgia
Georgian Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri met with the president and members of Tethys Petroleum on Wednesday.
Tethys expressed a desire to begin work in Georgia, the Ministry of Finance told Trend. Khaduri told them about the investment and business environment in Georgia. Tethys Petroleum owns major assets in the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The company is listed on stock exchanges in London and Toronto. (Trend)
National banks of Georgia and China to sign swap agreement
The president of the National Bank of Georgia (NBG), Giorgi Kadagidze, received a delegation of the People's Bank of China on Wednesday. The guests became acquainted with the functioning of the Georgian securities market and its investment opportunities.
The Chinese side expressed its readiness to sign an agreement on lari/yuan currency swaps between NBG and the People's Bank of China.
The guests also became acquainted with the Georgian bank sector and the supervisory policy of the NBG.
The president of the People's Bank of China will visit Georgia in September.
The signing of a cooperation agreement between the People's Bank of China and the NBG will be held as part of the agreement on currency swaps. (Trend)
SOCAR enters Georgian co-investment fund
SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan) has entered Georgia's co-investment fund which was established by Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. The co-investment fund has already attracted $6 billion and will begin activity in the autumn of 2013. The resources of various companies and foreign investors are being accumulated in the fund.
Currently, the Fund includes "Dhabi group", "RAKIA", SOCAR, Batumi terminal, "KazTransOil", "Celik Holding", Milestone International Holdings Group Limited, as well as money from Bidzina Ivanishvili and the members of the family of the late billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili.
"The Fund will invest in spheres such as energy, infrastructure, industry, agriculture and tourism. The Fund will operate as follows: it will invest in one facility, will manage it for some time, and then transfer it to a private company," the co-investment fund reported.
The idea of establishing this fund was announced by Bidzina Ivanishvili a few months ago. One of the goals of the fund is the financing of various individual investment projects. (Trend)
Lenka Zviadadze wins the Slavianski Bazaar contest
Young Georgian performer Lenka Zviadadze has won the Slavianski Bazaar children’s talent contest in Belarus. Zviadadze performed two compositions at the competition: one Georgian and one in English. She has become familiar to Georgian audiences since her appearance on the TV show Project Talent. Zviadadze has also appeared in the musical play Veris Ubnis Melodiebi (Vera District Melodies). (Georgian News)
Batumi Dolphinarium - amazing show and “summer surprise” for visitors
The Batumi Dolphinarium presented its new interactive show, with up to thirty performance numbers by dolphins. The climax of the show is provided by a "summer surprise" in which dolphins soak the audience.
The eight dolphins performing at the Dolphinarium are named Monica, Flippery, Zoro, Maia, Tsitsi, Kay, Nini and Kviria.
The show is at 2 pm, 5 pm and 9 pm all week except Monday.
The Dolphinarium reopened on May 6, 2011 after a twenty-year closure. (Georgian News)