NEWS: Georgia News Digest 05-21-08

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)

Elections
1. Georgian parliamentary elections: A glance
2. report: Assessments of election observers and media monitors: Pre-election findings and reports
3. Survey shows United National Movement with majority at end of parliamentary race
4. Well I think you meant this…. what opinion polls actually tell us
5. report: Civic knowledge and public interest low according to new survey about parliament
6. President Saakashvili’s pre-election address
7. Georgia holds parliamentary elections in a dangerous security environment
8. Elections in focus, but future as hazy as ever
9. Georgian democratic elections
10. video: Georgia’s election hots up
11. The ads choose Saakashvili: The United National Movement prepares to win the election
12. Parliamentary election to test Georgia’s democracy
13. Opposition sounds alarm over parliamentary elections
14. Georgian leader faces verdict on policy in vote for Parliament
15. A week before elections, tensions heating up
16. A clean vote on May 21?
17. Georgia holds tense parliamentary elections
18. West watches closely as strategically located Georgia votes in national elections
19. Georgia votes, opposition poised to cry foul
20. In search of a constructive opposition
21. Will parliamentary vote bring an end to polarized politics?
22. Plans for exit poll announced
23. Five members of GPB Board of Trustees against exit polls
24. Georgia’s major problem is absence of confidence among political parties: PACE Rapporteur
25. ODIHR spokesman talks about monitoring task ahead
26. Lithuanian observers arrive in Tbilisi
27. Speaker met with Peter Semneby
28. CEC voices restrictions
29. The authorities may falsify elections without any serious consequences
30. Chairman of the CEC and TV companies’ managers talked about the pre-electoral situation
31. Activists of pro-Kremlin youth movement to monitor Georgian parliamentary vote
32. Around 72 observers from CIS to monitor Georgian polls
33. Natelashvili lambastes foreign observers
34. CDA complains about violations
35. Public Defender appeals against imposing restrictions on availability of material recorded by surveillance cameras
36. CIS Committee Chair says progress in organizing elections in Georgia is obvious
37. Tbilisi mayor hopes elections will be conducted fairly
38. Opposition says riot police on alert in anticipation of rallies
39. Experts do not rule out falsification in Georgian parliament elections
40. Georgian authorities preparing crackdown against protesters
41. Georgia covered its head: The ruling party and the opposition prepare for the voting
42. Regional media to cover the parliamentary elections scheduled on May 21 coordinately
43. Majoritarian MP candidates’ claims against TV-companies
44. Activists of opposition, ruling party candidate had clash
45. Saakashvili: Georgia preparing for exemplary elections
46. Experts analyze how PR plays into Georgian political campaigning
47. Situation in Abkhazia worsens as parliamentary elections approach
48. Regional journalists as well are getting ready for the parliamentary elections
49. Tavisufali Sitkhva newspaper’s editorial office: Chairman of Poti’s DEC poses artificial barriers the newspaper
50. Two electoral subjects running in the upcoming elections held a protest action in front of the TBC Office
51. Industrialists dissatisfied with the Georgian televisions
52. Government’s and opposition’s recipes for economic welfare
53. Opposition fell short in seeking business support
54. National Movement acknowledged that it is not a party any more
55. Ex-TV anchor-turned-politician hopeful over his party’s success
56. Ruling party offers free ferrying of supporters to polling stations
57. Radical Democrats: “Our honor is maintained in refraining from cheap PR campaigns”
Russia-Georgia relations
58. Lavrov, Bagapsh discuss situation in Abkhaz conflict zone
59. Lavrov-Russia pledges to keep promises to Georgia
60. video: Georgia must not use force against breakaway republics: Russian FM
61. Russia fulfilling promises to Georgia - FM Lavrov
62. Commentary by the Russian MFA in connection with another Georgian provocation against peacekeepers
63. Karasin urges Tbilisi to comprehend Russia's peace efforts
64. Moscow says Zugdidi incident 'provocation'
65. Russia sees no new ideas in Georgia’s attitude to conflicts
66. Georgian plan to be coordinated: Abkhazia to get Moscow’s approval
67. Relations between Tbilisi, Moscow are witnessing severe crisis -Georgian diplomat
68. Nonpeaceful initiatives: Moscow gives military carte-blanche in Abkhazia
69. The Russia-Georgia tinderbox: Russian bullying and Georgian insensitivity heat conflict over Abkhazia.
70. Russian-Georgian relations and ways to settle the Georgian Abkhazian conflict
71. The strange compromise
72. Georgia-Russian relationship is on the agenda: Democratic and peaceful countries are not threat to Russia
73. Georgian envoy calls for dialogue with Russia to end disputes
74. Georgia-Russia tensions continue to simmer
75. Russian, Georgian leaders may meet in June-envoy
76. Who prepared Georgian army for war on Russia?
77. Georgia's leader vows to prevent Russia reviving the Soviet Union
78. Ethnic cleansing and honor
79. Saakashvili: Russia has aggressive intent
80. The Georgian revanche
81. Saakashvili accuses European leaders of appeasing Russia
82. Georgian provocations will not force Russian peacekeepers to abandon missions - Russian Foreign Ministry
83. Worst Georgian-Russian relations past - Georgian ambassador
84. Relations between Tbilisi, Moscow are witnessing severe crisis - Georgian diplomat
85. If you want peace, prepare for war
86. Georgia: No longer alone
87. Looking for future in the west, Georgia is under the threat in present
88. Another round of WTO negotiations starts in Geneva
89. Georgia to approve Russia's WTO bid on certain conditions
90. McCain is alone on Russia [excerpt]
Abkhazia
91. Georgia promises not to attack Abkhazia
92. New video ups ante in Abkhaz dispute
93. Optimism prevails in Tbilisi-controlled section of Abkhazia
94. Ukraine ready to take part in peacemaking operation in Abkhazia – Georgian deputy FM
95. Tensions heated for Abkhaz leader visit
96. Georgia brings foreign reporters in Kodori
97. Bagapsh denies alleged plan to settle Georgia-Abkhazia conflict
98. Abkhazia not Taiwan
99. Where does official Sukhumi stand on Abkhazia’s status?
100. Georgia brings foreign reporters in Kodori
101. Abkhazia's deep divide
102. In Russia’s backyard, where Putin is still plagued by rebels
103. Abkhazia: The frozen conflict that is thawing rapidly
104. Russian military hardware withdrawn from Abkhazia
105. Tolstoy letter from 1706 proves Abkhazian Georgian connection
106. EU opens door to unrecognized. Russia will have to realize is easier to settle frozen conflicts through joint efforts
107. UN ranges from earthquake sobriety to anti-abortion fundraiser to Georgian celebration [excerpt]
108. Conclusions in UN resolution ignore real facts – Sukhumi
South Ossetia
109. South Ossetia is a self-proclaimed independent country that is, in fact, neither
110. Report on Georgian man hurt by mine in S. Ossetia untrue – peacekeepers
111. N. Ossetia wants unification with S. Ossetia
Business and economics
112. Infrastructure and custom still a headache for Samtskhe-Javakheti
113. Samtskhe-Javakheti road rehabilitation is already started
114. Foreign debt increases as dollar falls: What does a strong lari mean?
115. Gas price swapped for investment projects?
116. Interest rates go up
117. Kutaisi to become next tourist attraction
118. Reforming Georgia’s healthcare system: Nothing to regret
119. Rakeen developing grand project for Vardzia Cave City: Radisson or Hilton may take management
120. Georgia nice place to do business - Israel Business Forum “We Build Together”
121. Court ruled that Joseph Kay is the manager of Badri Patarkatsishvili’s property
122. Prime Minister met with the entrepreneurs who were released cheap credits
123. UNDP’s helps assess perspectives of economic relations between Georgia and Armenia
124. Georgia among top three world’s pirates
Misc.
125. Chairman of the Gori City Council refuses having assaulted a journalist
126. Zugdidi court to hold a trial regarding the suit filed by Zaza Gorozia against a journalist
127. How orange networks work [excerpt]
128. Loss of Norashen to result in loss of Armenian community of Tbilisi
129. Bringing home the bacon: Creating a land fit for exiled Georgians to live in
130. Levan Berdzenishvili speech at TSU
131. Georgian National Museum to be restored
132. Perovskaya in translation
133. Cracks in the door: Georgians still enter the US
134. Kyiv, Tbilisi agree on Ukrainian tanks delivery to Georgia
135. Ukraine sells 20 T-72 tanks to Georgia

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