The News in Brief
Friday, November 7
Germany takes steps to ratify EU-Georgia Association Agreement
The cabinet of the Federal Government of Germany has approved a number of bills that would lead to the ratification of European Union (EU) Association Agreements (AA) with Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.
AA deals emphasized the development of political, economic and cultural relations between the EU and these three states and the AA would contribute greatly to the development of democracy and the rule of law.
The Government of Germany’s approval of the bills will pave the way for the implementation with Germany of the EU’s AA deals with Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, stated the German Government on its official website.
Before the Association Agreements can come into force in full they must be ratified by all 28 EU member states. In Germany this requires a federal law, which must be approved by both the German Bundestag and the Bundesrat, the two chambers of parliament …, read the German Government’s website.
The German government will soon introduce the approved bills to the Parliament of Germany. Once this happens it is expected the German Parliament will ratify the EU-Georgia AA deal in the near future, and when it does, it will become the seventh EU member country to ratify the agreement, after Estonia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania.
AA deals were signed by Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova and EU representatives on June 27 in Brussels.
EU AA deals must be ratified by all 28 EU member countries before they can be fully implemented.
Meanwhile Germany has worked to foster strong relationships between EU countries and its nearest neighbors. In 2009 Germany and its European partners launched the Eastern Partnership (EaP) with its neighbors Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The EaP aimed to put relations between the EU and its immediate neighbors on new footing and strengthen links across the board. The EaP fostered political, economic and social relations with partner countries and supported EaP countries’ political and socioeconomic reforms, stated the German Government on its website. (Agenda.ge)
PM ready to declassify MoD officials case
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili is ready to declassify the case of the arrested high ranking officials of the Defence Ministry of Georgia, Deputy Prime Minister Kakha Kaladze told on Wednesday the Georgian Public Broadcaster.
“I do not want to violate presumption of innocence; however, I should stress that the Prosecutor’s Office has some serious questions regarding this case. We should wait for the results of the investigation. We have discussed this issue today and Gharibashvili asked the relevant agencies to conduct the investigation transparently. He agreed to declassify the documents; we want all questions surrounding the case to be answered as soon as possible, as the Defense Ministry is one of the strategically important ministries in Georgia”, Kaladze said. (Frontnews)
PM’s press-service refuses to provide information over MOD case
Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Gharibashvili does not know the MOD officials’ case materials, - the statement released by the PM’s press-service reads.
“Information claiming Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili knows the MOD officials’ case materials is not true. Public statements released by the Prosecutor’s Office are known to the PM. He also has additional information about the case but we would like to stress that the investigation materials are not available for anybody except those taking part in the case,’’- the statement says. Lawyers of the detainees of the ministry state that there are reasonable grounds had access to the information. (IPN)
Training on migrant smuggling held at MIA Academy
In the framework of the project “Enhancing Capabilities of Georgian Government in the field of Border and Migration Management” funded by the EU, training on smuggling of migrants was held at MIA Academy. Representatives of the MIA patrol Police, central criminal police, MIA Academy, migration department, border police and Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia participated in the training.
The project “Enhancing Capabilities of Georgian Government in the field of Border and Migration Management” is being implemented by International Organization for Migration (IOM) since 2014. Training was led by the expert from United Kingdom. (Ipn)
Georgia’s Ambassador to NATO resigns
According to Levan Dolidze, he has already informed the Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili about this.
"I had the conversation with the Prime Minister this morning, informing him that I intend to resign from my position. I want to tell my fellow citizens that I am fully aware of the responsibility taken by me before the country, since I represent not any political party, but Georgia to the North Atlantic Alliance. So, my decision will enter into force after I hold several important meetings in the near future,"- Dolidze said on the air of "Maestro-TV". (PIA.ge)
Zurab Abashidze, Konstantine Zaldastanishvili and Zviad Kvachantiradze are among the possible candidates
Several candidates are being discussed for the post of Georgia’s Foreign Minister
Georgian Ambassador to Austria Konstantine Zaldastanishvili; member of the parliamentary majority Zviad Kvachantiradze and Prime Minister's Special Representative for Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze are among the possible candidates for the above-mentioned post.
Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze resigned on Wednesday.
"Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration is the most important thing for me and my team," Maia Panjikidze said on Wednesday in brief remarks at a news conference at which she said four deputy foreign ministers were quitting with her. (Frontnews)
Alasania Rules Out Alliance with UNM
Irakli Alasania, ex-defense minister and leader of the Free Democrats, said on November 5 that his party, which has quit the ruling Georgian Dream coalition, “can in no way be in political alliance” with former ruling and now opposition UNM party. “We have fundamental differences over many issues, including about that situation in which the country was under their [UNM] rule,” Alasania said.
He also said the Free Democrats see possibility for cooperation with like-minded, liberal Republican Party, which remains within the Georgian Dream ruling coalition. (Civil.ge)
The cabinet of the Federal Government of Germany has approved a number of bills that would lead to the ratification of European Union (EU) Association Agreements (AA) with Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.
AA deals emphasized the development of political, economic and cultural relations between the EU and these three states and the AA would contribute greatly to the development of democracy and the rule of law.
The Government of Germany’s approval of the bills will pave the way for the implementation with Germany of the EU’s AA deals with Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, stated the German Government on its official website.
Before the Association Agreements can come into force in full they must be ratified by all 28 EU member states. In Germany this requires a federal law, which must be approved by both the German Bundestag and the Bundesrat, the two chambers of parliament …, read the German Government’s website.
The German government will soon introduce the approved bills to the Parliament of Germany. Once this happens it is expected the German Parliament will ratify the EU-Georgia AA deal in the near future, and when it does, it will become the seventh EU member country to ratify the agreement, after Estonia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania.
AA deals were signed by Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova and EU representatives on June 27 in Brussels.
EU AA deals must be ratified by all 28 EU member countries before they can be fully implemented.
Meanwhile Germany has worked to foster strong relationships between EU countries and its nearest neighbors. In 2009 Germany and its European partners launched the Eastern Partnership (EaP) with its neighbors Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The EaP aimed to put relations between the EU and its immediate neighbors on new footing and strengthen links across the board. The EaP fostered political, economic and social relations with partner countries and supported EaP countries’ political and socioeconomic reforms, stated the German Government on its website. (Agenda.ge)
PM ready to declassify MoD officials case
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili is ready to declassify the case of the arrested high ranking officials of the Defence Ministry of Georgia, Deputy Prime Minister Kakha Kaladze told on Wednesday the Georgian Public Broadcaster.
“I do not want to violate presumption of innocence; however, I should stress that the Prosecutor’s Office has some serious questions regarding this case. We should wait for the results of the investigation. We have discussed this issue today and Gharibashvili asked the relevant agencies to conduct the investigation transparently. He agreed to declassify the documents; we want all questions surrounding the case to be answered as soon as possible, as the Defense Ministry is one of the strategically important ministries in Georgia”, Kaladze said. (Frontnews)
PM’s press-service refuses to provide information over MOD case
Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Gharibashvili does not know the MOD officials’ case materials, - the statement released by the PM’s press-service reads.
“Information claiming Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili knows the MOD officials’ case materials is not true. Public statements released by the Prosecutor’s Office are known to the PM. He also has additional information about the case but we would like to stress that the investigation materials are not available for anybody except those taking part in the case,’’- the statement says. Lawyers of the detainees of the ministry state that there are reasonable grounds had access to the information. (IPN)
Training on migrant smuggling held at MIA Academy
In the framework of the project “Enhancing Capabilities of Georgian Government in the field of Border and Migration Management” funded by the EU, training on smuggling of migrants was held at MIA Academy. Representatives of the MIA patrol Police, central criminal police, MIA Academy, migration department, border police and Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia participated in the training.
The project “Enhancing Capabilities of Georgian Government in the field of Border and Migration Management” is being implemented by International Organization for Migration (IOM) since 2014. Training was led by the expert from United Kingdom. (Ipn)
Georgia’s Ambassador to NATO resigns
According to Levan Dolidze, he has already informed the Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili about this.
"I had the conversation with the Prime Minister this morning, informing him that I intend to resign from my position. I want to tell my fellow citizens that I am fully aware of the responsibility taken by me before the country, since I represent not any political party, but Georgia to the North Atlantic Alliance. So, my decision will enter into force after I hold several important meetings in the near future,"- Dolidze said on the air of "Maestro-TV". (PIA.ge)
Zurab Abashidze, Konstantine Zaldastanishvili and Zviad Kvachantiradze are among the possible candidates
Several candidates are being discussed for the post of Georgia’s Foreign Minister
Georgian Ambassador to Austria Konstantine Zaldastanishvili; member of the parliamentary majority Zviad Kvachantiradze and Prime Minister's Special Representative for Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze are among the possible candidates for the above-mentioned post.
Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze resigned on Wednesday.
"Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration is the most important thing for me and my team," Maia Panjikidze said on Wednesday in brief remarks at a news conference at which she said four deputy foreign ministers were quitting with her. (Frontnews)
Alasania Rules Out Alliance with UNM
Irakli Alasania, ex-defense minister and leader of the Free Democrats, said on November 5 that his party, which has quit the ruling Georgian Dream coalition, “can in no way be in political alliance” with former ruling and now opposition UNM party. “We have fundamental differences over many issues, including about that situation in which the country was under their [UNM] rule,” Alasania said.
He also said the Free Democrats see possibility for cooperation with like-minded, liberal Republican Party, which remains within the Georgian Dream ruling coalition. (Civil.ge)