The News in Brief
Wednesday, February 18
Georgia-NATO Inter-Parliamentary Assembly held in Brussels
A Georgian Parliamentary delegation has left for Brussels to participate in the Georgia-NATO Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.
Two representatives from the ruling party and two from opposition parties are on their way to the capital of Belgium, where they will take part in the Assembly and meet representatives of the NATO Civil Office.
The Georgian side will also meet Michael Turner, the head of the United States delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
In addition, discussions will be held between the Georgia-NATO Inter-Parliamentary council members.
The Georgian delegation consists of members of ruling Georgian Dream coalition Irakli Sesiashvili and Tedo Japaridze and opposition members Irakli Chikovani and Giorgi Baramidze.
Baramidze represents United National Movement. Chikovani, who is a member of Free Democrats, noted the main topic on the agenda was the implementation process of the NATO-Georgia Substantial Package. (Agenda.ge)
Georgian MP from UNM Appointed as Ukraine’s Deputy Chief Prosecutor
Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Viktor Shokin, announced on February 16 about appointing a Georgian lawmaker from opposition UNM party, Davit Sakvarelidze, as his deputy.
Sakvarelidze, 33, was deputy chief prosecutor of Georgia in 2010-2012 and served as chief prosecutor in capital Tbilisi in 2009-2010.
In his new capacity as Ukraine’s deputy general prosecutor, Sakvarelidze will be in charge of staffing policy, reforms and issues related to EU integration, said Shokin, who was appointed as Ukraine’s general prosecutor on February 10.
Sakvarelidze has also applied for the post of head of Ukraine’s anti-corruption bureau; he is among 161 candidates seeking this post.
Sakvarelidze, who will lose his MP credential in Georgia as a result of becoming deputy general prosecutor in Ukraine, has joined a group of those former Georgian officials, who took posts in the Ukrainian government and Ukrainian President’s administration.
On February 13 Georgia’s ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, who chairs opposition UNM party and is wanted by the Georgian authorities, was appointed by Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko as his adviser and head of International Advisory Council on Reforms.
Georgia’s ex-healthcare minister Alexander Kvitashvili holds the same post in Ukraine and ex-deputy interior minister Eka Zguladze was appointed as Ukraine’s deputy interior minister. Gia Getsadze, who served on various high-ranking positions in Saakashvili’s administration till mid-2005, was appointed as Ukraine’s deputy justice minister; three other former Georgian officials have also joined the Ukrainian justice ministry. (Civil.ge)
Ministry of Internal Affairs announces about stolen 2.5 million dollars
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia announced that 2, 5 million USD had been stolen from United Water Supply Company. Reportedly the employee of the company- Zurab Nutsubidze and his wife- Tamar Pkhovelashvili are accused.
The Financial manager of the Company- Tamar Pkhovelashvili is wanted, her husband has been arrested, and he is accused of embezzling millions of GEL.
The Interior Ministry stated that Zurab Nutsubidze had been arrested on February 12, and charged on February 15. (Rustavi2)
MP: Appointment of Georgia’s former officials in Ukraine causes serious discomfort
The appointment of Georgia’s former officials to the government of Ukraine causes a serious discomfort, leader of the parliamentary majority, Davit Saganelidze said on Monday, while commenting on the statement of the Ukrainian Ambassador to Georgia, Vasil Tsibenko on the appointment of Georgia’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili as head of the Advisory International Council of Reforms of Ukraine.
“I am sorry that Mr. Ambassador does not make the right analysis. The presumption of innocence is one, but everyone has an obligation to answer questions, especially – the ex- President and other former officials”, Saganelidze said.
“Ukraine is a sovereign country and makes its decisions independently”, Tsibenko told journalists at the Foreign Ministry on Monday.
According to him, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko hopes that Saakashvili will use his experiences and help the country; “Poroshenko also hopes that Saakashvili’s appointment will not be perceived as a step taken against Georgia”, Tsibenko said.
As for the criminal cases launched against Saakashvili, Tsibenko said: “there is the presumption of innocence; therefore, Saakashvili is free to take part in the high-level international meetings and forums”. (Frontnews)
A Georgian Parliamentary delegation has left for Brussels to participate in the Georgia-NATO Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.
Two representatives from the ruling party and two from opposition parties are on their way to the capital of Belgium, where they will take part in the Assembly and meet representatives of the NATO Civil Office.
The Georgian side will also meet Michael Turner, the head of the United States delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
In addition, discussions will be held between the Georgia-NATO Inter-Parliamentary council members.
The Georgian delegation consists of members of ruling Georgian Dream coalition Irakli Sesiashvili and Tedo Japaridze and opposition members Irakli Chikovani and Giorgi Baramidze.
Baramidze represents United National Movement. Chikovani, who is a member of Free Democrats, noted the main topic on the agenda was the implementation process of the NATO-Georgia Substantial Package. (Agenda.ge)
Georgian MP from UNM Appointed as Ukraine’s Deputy Chief Prosecutor
Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Viktor Shokin, announced on February 16 about appointing a Georgian lawmaker from opposition UNM party, Davit Sakvarelidze, as his deputy.
Sakvarelidze, 33, was deputy chief prosecutor of Georgia in 2010-2012 and served as chief prosecutor in capital Tbilisi in 2009-2010.
In his new capacity as Ukraine’s deputy general prosecutor, Sakvarelidze will be in charge of staffing policy, reforms and issues related to EU integration, said Shokin, who was appointed as Ukraine’s general prosecutor on February 10.
Sakvarelidze has also applied for the post of head of Ukraine’s anti-corruption bureau; he is among 161 candidates seeking this post.
Sakvarelidze, who will lose his MP credential in Georgia as a result of becoming deputy general prosecutor in Ukraine, has joined a group of those former Georgian officials, who took posts in the Ukrainian government and Ukrainian President’s administration.
On February 13 Georgia’s ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, who chairs opposition UNM party and is wanted by the Georgian authorities, was appointed by Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko as his adviser and head of International Advisory Council on Reforms.
Georgia’s ex-healthcare minister Alexander Kvitashvili holds the same post in Ukraine and ex-deputy interior minister Eka Zguladze was appointed as Ukraine’s deputy interior minister. Gia Getsadze, who served on various high-ranking positions in Saakashvili’s administration till mid-2005, was appointed as Ukraine’s deputy justice minister; three other former Georgian officials have also joined the Ukrainian justice ministry. (Civil.ge)
Ministry of Internal Affairs announces about stolen 2.5 million dollars
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia announced that 2, 5 million USD had been stolen from United Water Supply Company. Reportedly the employee of the company- Zurab Nutsubidze and his wife- Tamar Pkhovelashvili are accused.
The Financial manager of the Company- Tamar Pkhovelashvili is wanted, her husband has been arrested, and he is accused of embezzling millions of GEL.
The Interior Ministry stated that Zurab Nutsubidze had been arrested on February 12, and charged on February 15. (Rustavi2)
MP: Appointment of Georgia’s former officials in Ukraine causes serious discomfort
The appointment of Georgia’s former officials to the government of Ukraine causes a serious discomfort, leader of the parliamentary majority, Davit Saganelidze said on Monday, while commenting on the statement of the Ukrainian Ambassador to Georgia, Vasil Tsibenko on the appointment of Georgia’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili as head of the Advisory International Council of Reforms of Ukraine.
“I am sorry that Mr. Ambassador does not make the right analysis. The presumption of innocence is one, but everyone has an obligation to answer questions, especially – the ex- President and other former officials”, Saganelidze said.
“Ukraine is a sovereign country and makes its decisions independently”, Tsibenko told journalists at the Foreign Ministry on Monday.
According to him, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko hopes that Saakashvili will use his experiences and help the country; “Poroshenko also hopes that Saakashvili’s appointment will not be perceived as a step taken against Georgia”, Tsibenko said.
As for the criminal cases launched against Saakashvili, Tsibenko said: “there is the presumption of innocence; therefore, Saakashvili is free to take part in the high-level international meetings and forums”. (Frontnews)