The News in Brief
Thursday, March 5
Breakaway region leader discourages S. Ossetians from going to Georgian hospitals
Leader of breakaway South Ossetia, Leonid Tibilov, has again spoken out against breakaway region’s residents traveling to Georgia for receiving medical treatment.
Speaking at a meeting with members of his government, Tibilov said on March 2 that “in the overwhelming majority of cases there is no need whatsoever for patients to go to the neighboring country,” Tskhinvali-based RES news agency reported.
“We have to develop our own medical centers and attract specialists. We are already doing it actively – we are launching construction of a modern medical center with relevant equipment,” Tibilov said.
This is not the first time when the breakaway region’s leader raises the issue. In July, 2013 he called on his government to address, as he put it, increasing number of cases of South Ossetian patients going to hospitals in Georgia and recalled a government decree allowing this practice only in “exceptional cases” when a condition of a patient does not allow a lengthier travel to Russia’s North Ossetia.
In 2013 interview with the local newspaper, breakaway region’s healthcare minister, Grigory Kulidzhanov, said that in most of the cases patients “are ignoring” this decree of the government.
“Often people appeal [to the healthcare ministry] insisting on sending them to hospitals in Georgia, ignoring offered alternative to receive medical treatment on the territory of Russia,” Kulidzhanov told Respublika (Republic) newspaper in April, 2013. “Of course we can help a person when it is a life-and-death issue and we are doing it, turning a blind eye on political aspects, but in most of the cases requests for sending them to Georgia have no clear justification, meaning that similar treatment can also be provided on the territory of Russia, including in North Ossetia.” (Civil.ge)
New witness emerges in case of Erosi Kitsmarishvili
A new witness has emerged in the case of Erosi Kitsmarishvili.
“Viola Beloeva works as a stylist in a beauty salon located near Erosi Kitsmarishvili’s house. According to her, on July 15, a taxi stopped and several individuals got out of the car and entered the apartment block”, Head of the non-governmental organization “Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights” Nana Kakabadze said on Tuesday.
However, Beloeva denied the above-mentioned information. She accused Kakabadze of lying.
Erosi Kitsmarishvili, the founder of the Rustavi 2 channel, was found shot to death on July 15 in his car in a garage at the Tbilisi apartment block where he lived. Investigators said a gun found next to Kitsmarishvili's body belonged to him. His family and friends insist that he was not suicidal. Investigation is underway under article 115 (bringing to the point of suicide) of the Criminal Code of Georgia. (Frontnews)
City Hall will spend 5.6 million GEL on the construction of roads
According to the Mayor, the City Hall will spend 5.6 million GEL on the construction of roads.
As David Narmania said, in 2014-2015 a total of 9 million was allocated for street repairs. (Rustavi2)
According to Kakha Kozhoridze, hunger strike by life-term prisoners is over
As President’s Advisor for Human Rights and Justice Kakha Kozhoridze reports, life-term prisoners have ended their hunger strike.
Kakha Kozhoridze met with four lifers at Gldani prison #8 yesterday. As he told InterPressNews, the meeting’s purpose was to hear the prisoners’ demands.
According to him, the prisoners demand that the Law on Amnesty, adopted in December of 2012, to apply to them, as one of the law’s clauses claims that it applies to all prisoners. As Kozhoridze said, the court decisions on the issue diverge. Prisoners themselves claim this to be a violation of constitutional equality principles.
As Kozhoridze has reported, the life-term prisoners have no problems with the prison’s schedule or administration.
“As prisoners have told me, one of them was sentenced to life imprisonment for possession of slightly over 1g of a narcotic substance. I don’t think this is a fair sentence. There is also a man who is spending his 19th year in prison. From my point of view, there are particular cases that responsible agencies might want to consider,”- Kozhoridze said.
According to Kozhoridze, 36 life prisoners were on a hunger strike throughout the country since January 26, despite the governmental representatives urging them to desist. A while later, Kakha Kozhoridze was informed that the prisoners complied.
“I believe that the Pardon Commission will attentively discuss these cases,”- Kozhoridze said. (IPN)
Leader of breakaway South Ossetia, Leonid Tibilov, has again spoken out against breakaway region’s residents traveling to Georgia for receiving medical treatment.
Speaking at a meeting with members of his government, Tibilov said on March 2 that “in the overwhelming majority of cases there is no need whatsoever for patients to go to the neighboring country,” Tskhinvali-based RES news agency reported.
“We have to develop our own medical centers and attract specialists. We are already doing it actively – we are launching construction of a modern medical center with relevant equipment,” Tibilov said.
This is not the first time when the breakaway region’s leader raises the issue. In July, 2013 he called on his government to address, as he put it, increasing number of cases of South Ossetian patients going to hospitals in Georgia and recalled a government decree allowing this practice only in “exceptional cases” when a condition of a patient does not allow a lengthier travel to Russia’s North Ossetia.
In 2013 interview with the local newspaper, breakaway region’s healthcare minister, Grigory Kulidzhanov, said that in most of the cases patients “are ignoring” this decree of the government.
“Often people appeal [to the healthcare ministry] insisting on sending them to hospitals in Georgia, ignoring offered alternative to receive medical treatment on the territory of Russia,” Kulidzhanov told Respublika (Republic) newspaper in April, 2013. “Of course we can help a person when it is a life-and-death issue and we are doing it, turning a blind eye on political aspects, but in most of the cases requests for sending them to Georgia have no clear justification, meaning that similar treatment can also be provided on the territory of Russia, including in North Ossetia.” (Civil.ge)
New witness emerges in case of Erosi Kitsmarishvili
A new witness has emerged in the case of Erosi Kitsmarishvili.
“Viola Beloeva works as a stylist in a beauty salon located near Erosi Kitsmarishvili’s house. According to her, on July 15, a taxi stopped and several individuals got out of the car and entered the apartment block”, Head of the non-governmental organization “Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights” Nana Kakabadze said on Tuesday.
However, Beloeva denied the above-mentioned information. She accused Kakabadze of lying.
Erosi Kitsmarishvili, the founder of the Rustavi 2 channel, was found shot to death on July 15 in his car in a garage at the Tbilisi apartment block where he lived. Investigators said a gun found next to Kitsmarishvili's body belonged to him. His family and friends insist that he was not suicidal. Investigation is underway under article 115 (bringing to the point of suicide) of the Criminal Code of Georgia. (Frontnews)
City Hall will spend 5.6 million GEL on the construction of roads
According to the Mayor, the City Hall will spend 5.6 million GEL on the construction of roads.
As David Narmania said, in 2014-2015 a total of 9 million was allocated for street repairs. (Rustavi2)
According to Kakha Kozhoridze, hunger strike by life-term prisoners is over
As President’s Advisor for Human Rights and Justice Kakha Kozhoridze reports, life-term prisoners have ended their hunger strike.
Kakha Kozhoridze met with four lifers at Gldani prison #8 yesterday. As he told InterPressNews, the meeting’s purpose was to hear the prisoners’ demands.
According to him, the prisoners demand that the Law on Amnesty, adopted in December of 2012, to apply to them, as one of the law’s clauses claims that it applies to all prisoners. As Kozhoridze said, the court decisions on the issue diverge. Prisoners themselves claim this to be a violation of constitutional equality principles.
As Kozhoridze has reported, the life-term prisoners have no problems with the prison’s schedule or administration.
“As prisoners have told me, one of them was sentenced to life imprisonment for possession of slightly over 1g of a narcotic substance. I don’t think this is a fair sentence. There is also a man who is spending his 19th year in prison. From my point of view, there are particular cases that responsible agencies might want to consider,”- Kozhoridze said.
According to Kozhoridze, 36 life prisoners were on a hunger strike throughout the country since January 26, despite the governmental representatives urging them to desist. A while later, Kakha Kozhoridze was informed that the prisoners complied.
“I believe that the Pardon Commission will attentively discuss these cases,”- Kozhoridze said. (IPN)