NEWS: Georgia News Digest 04-11-08

A service of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

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Archives and associated files at groups.google.com/group/genewsfiles (from February 2008) and groups.google.com/group/genews (before February 2008)

1. CEC elaborated new electoral plan
2. Election fraud, worst scenario for Georgia
3. Public Defender drawn up statement of case of law violations for Chairman Of CEC
4. In parliamentary elections, it’s 3 against 8 against one
5. Gigi Tsereteli: Our electoral program will become very popular with the public!
6. Pre-election shenanigans in Gori
7. Gigi Ugulava presented ones more candidates for majoritarian MP of Krtsanisi
8. Ruling party presented Petre Tsiskarishvili as candidate for majoritarian MP in Akhmeta region
9. Ruling party launches TV ads
10. GPB offers political parties conditions of relations under special memorandum
11. Electoral block “United Opposition – National Council – New Rights” is demanding the increase of PBC air-time
12. OSCE deploys election observer mission
13. OSCE Chair says to re-energize efforts over ‘frozen conflict’
14. OSCE sends observer mission to Georgia ahead of May parliamentary poll
15. OSCE/ODIHR EOM to monitor leading televisions and print editions in pre-election period
16. Poland ups ante over Georgia, Ukraine MAP
17. Kaczynski denies linking EU-Russia talks with NATO
18. video: Poland backtracks over veto threat
19. Kaczynski denies his statement
20. Kaczynski does not intend to lift veto on EU partnership talks with Russia
21. Russian MPs say Poland's veto - problem for EU
22. MP welcomes NATO, Polish reaction to statement by Lavrov
23. Georgian Minister hails Polish President’s statement
24. Speaker thanks Polish president for linking NATO, Russia-EU talks
25. Minister hails Poland's continued veto of Russia-EU talks
26. Russian press on Lavrov on NATO
Gazeta (daily, owned by metals magnate Vladimir Lisin) www.gzt.ru: "Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said thatRussia would do anything not to let Ukraine and Georgia join NATO.
"The authorities are not trying to deceive anyone; they sincerely believe their own claims about [Russia's]global significance. Failures have become so common that they are not afraid to place any stakes.
"Georgia and Ukraine will join NATO, but [Russia's] relations with either of them will not worsen, simplybecause Russia has nearly run out of aces.
"[from an article by Vadim Dubnov entitled "Last ace"]
Nezavisimaya Gazeta (heavyweight centrist daily) www.ng.ru: "Russia-Georgia relations are strained again...
"Tbilisi regards this [Lavrov's] statement not only as interference into internal affairs, but also as adirect threat.
"[quoting Vladimir Zharikhin, deputy director of the CIS Countries Institute:] "The majority of the population inUkraine do not accept the idea of the NATO membership and this is one of the most stable sentiments of the last years.
Russia should also work in this direction and propagate negative consequences of joining NATO...
"[from an article by Yuriy Simonyan entitled "Tbilisi hears Lavrov's threat"]

27. NATO demands explanations on Lavrov’s statement
28. Georgia set to become NATO member despite Russia's opposition – MP
29. Bush woos Europe [excerpt]
30. Redrawing the MAP in Europe
31. A mockery of enlargement
32. 'Hey guys, let's be friends [excerpt]
33. Moscow, Tbilisi, spar over NATO accession
34. NATO leaders promote their interests to the detriment of consensus"
35. NATO moved eastward, upping the ante yet again with Russia
36. Neocon NATO delusions
37. Putin’s “near abroad” is “NATO’s east” as disagreements continue [excerpt]
38. Give Russian NGO a taste of its own medicine [excerpt]
39. Russian-Georgian relations are plummeting again
40. Russian-Georgian relations turn sour
41. MEP report seeks to put brake on further EU enlargement [excerpt]
42. Russia says agreement needed on peacekeepers' status in Abkhazia
43. Abkhazian side is responsible for returning refugees!
44. Abkhazia bread price to be doubled
45. Abkhazia-real politics or populist rhetoric
46. New proposals on Georgia/Abkhazia should lead to accord – FM
47. Minister says holiday-making not safe in Abkhazia
48. "Kosovo... will speed up the recognition of our independence"- Sergei Shamba
49. Pro-Georgian South Ossetian administration official quits, joins opposition
50. Pro-Georgian South Ossetian official says ambitions behind minister's departure
51. Georgia behind Azerbaijan and Armenia in GDP growth
52. SOCAR Energy Georgia to increase investments to Georgia up to $480 million
53. Gurgenidze to leave for Bahrain to participate in “Krans Montana Forum”
54. MOJ registered all statutory acts submitted
55. Iulon Gagoshidze to visit Turkey
56. Georgia and Latvia sign agreement on cooperation in medical sphere
57. Georgia joins International Convention Against Torture
58. Assistant Secretary of State got acquainted with the work of regional radio station
59. Labourists once again object to taxes on cell-phones
60. Tbilisi has new head architect
61. Water rights: Gori district ready to fight “Mtkvari M”
62. Property rights: Kutaisi City Hall “wants its cake and to eat it too!”
63. Cut-off of electricity for eco-migrants and IDPs
64. Imedi TV to be on air by end-April - director-general
65. Battle of wills over Georgian billionaire's estate
66. Priest wounded in Zestafoni region
67. List of applicants to be announced on April 10
The list of university hopefuls taking the 2007 National Exams will be published today on the National Assessment and Examination Center’s website, www.naec.ge, Rezonansi reports.Students will be able to check their registration against the list.
Early numbers show about 24 200 students signed up for this year’s National Exams, which determine university entrance and state scholarships. There are spaces for 15 778 undergraduate students.
The exams begin in July.

68. New water reservoir to open in Shindisi
69. Teachers are terrorized, disobedient ones fired
70. City Hall takes longer for registering private property
71. Missing soldier: AWOL or dead
72. Hunger strikes highlight mounting civic despair [excerpt]
73. April 9, a day of two meanings
74. Georgia commemorates April 9 tragedy

Jonathan Kulick, Ph.D., Director of Studies, Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, 3a Chitadze, Tbilisi 0108, Georgia (Republic), jonathan.kulick@gfsis.org, office: +995 32 47 35 55, mobile: +995 95 33 33 40, USA voicemail: 310.928.6814