NEWS: Georgia News Digest 12-10-07

A service of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

Attached PDF file easily navigable with Bookmarks pane
Archives and associated files at groups-beta.google.com/group/genews/files

1. CEC compiles voters’ list
2. CEC registers fifth presidential candidate
3. CEC canceled registration of initiative groups of six presidential candidates
4. CEC registers three opposition presidential candidates
5. Ballots to be issued in five languages
6. Georgia to open 40 polling stations in 31 states
7. 10 reasons why you should vote for....
8. Underdog presidential contenders 'debate' at public broadcaster
9. GPB commences pre-election debates between presidential candidates against georgian law on broadcasting
10. Burjanadze and envoys discussed issues about keeping order in regions during elections
11. Opposition warns of mass protests in case of vote fraud
12. United opposition accuses government of blackmail and repressions
13. Opposition youth stages protest in capital
14. Nine-party coalition campaigns in western Georgia
15. Burjanadze European rep discuss election, media
16. Gela Bezhuashvili met with Peter Semneby
17. Bezhuashvili briefed ambassadors about pre-election situation in Georgia
18. NATO, the beacon of democracy, political expediency and blowback
19. Continue to uphold free media, free elections, NATO tells Georgia
20. Democratic election key priority for Georgia - OSCE official
21. Election watchdog launches mission in Georgia
22. 23. PACE monitors lay out pre-election observations
24. CEC registers Saakashvili as 1st presidential runner
25. Saakashvili will be reelected on January 5: Opposition in disarray prepares for January 6 protest
26. Campaign season in full swing as Saakashvili declares war on unemployment
27. Mikheil Saakashvili visited renewed kindergarten in village Dighomi
28. Mikheil Saakashvili met population of Didi Lilo
29. Identity papers are taken away from power-wielding bodies' personnel
30. Labourists object to registration Saakashvili as presidential candidate
31. Calls for equal funding of presidential candidates - Labor Party
32. Labor Party slams businesses for financing only Saakashvili
33. “Labourists” to organize pre-election campaign abroad
34. Juridical service launched in election headquarters of “Labourists”
35. Presidential hopeful Gia Maisashvili met with lawyers
36. Maisashvili: A new politician with a new model
37. Targamadze evaluates Gachechiladze statement about financing as anomalous
38. Supporters of Levan Gachechiladze to organize rally in Lanchkhuti
39. Levan Gachechiladze met with voters in Zestaponi
40. Gamkrelidze visits Guria within pre-election campaign
41. Patarkatsishvili registered as presidential candidate
42. Tycoon registered as presidential candidate; five barred from race
43. Davit Usupashvili, Zviad Dzidziguri and Kakha Kukava met Patarkatsishvili
44. Opposition denies Patarkatsishvili's financing of another candidate
45. Georgian opposition talked strategy with fugitive tycoon in London
46. Opposition, ruling party spat over Patarkatsishvili’s ‘dirty money’
47. Opposition responds to accusations regarding use of tycoon's money
48. Pro-government MP says "dirty money" used against Georgia
49. Ruling party attacks opposition hopes for 'dirty money'
50. “Hope” returns to Georgians: government unfreezes Imedi TV assets and broadcasting license
51. Imedi returns to work, but faces an uncertain future
52. Imedi on air for election: director
53. OSCE media chief welcomes Imedi reopening
54. First sign of Imedi reopening
55. Imedi TV tests broadcast
56. Imedi TV to resume broadcasts in few days
57. Media behaviour note on Radio Imedi
58. video: Banned TV station back on air soon
59. Imedi TV equipment sustained considerable damage
60. Imedi TV requests compensation for damage and raiders be held responsible
61. Givi Targamadze doubtful about scale of damage inflicted on Imedi TV
62. Imedi” managed to restore signal
63. Ombudsman demands criminal inquiry into plundering of Imedi assets
64. Special forces raid caused damages of up to $3 Mln – Imedi
65. Imedi staff enter the channel's premises to appraise damage
66. Ruling party vows not to boycott Imedi
67. Rustavi 2 and Mze TV published political ad prices
68. USD 15,400 for 30-second political ad
69. Labor Party accuses Kavkasia TV of bias
70. Opposition party accuses private TV of partiality
71. Kakheti governor concerned about Radio Hereti
72. Targamadze assesses reinforcement of armed groupings in Abkhazia as dangerous process
73. Official Tbilisi objects to uncoordinated rotation of peacekeepers in Abkhazia
74. MP threatens Russia with war if Abkhaz, Ossetian independence recognized
75. MP warns of "armed conflict" with Russia
76. Gen Chaban lauds peacekeepers in Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone
77. Commander promises to protect separatists from Georgian aggression
78. Bezhuashvili calls on UN to react on situation in Abkhazia
79. Bagapsh denies allegations of state of emergency imposed in Abkhazia
80. Sergey Markov: OSCE and PACE furthered Abkhazia’s independence
81. Russian TV talk show agrees Kosovo’s independence will set a precedent
82. Georgia doesn't apologize for sending away 3 Russian diplomats-Lavrov
83. Russian elections and Kosovo independence ratchet up Abkhazia tension
84. TV aerials being spied in Tskhinvali
85. Rose Revolution legacy focus of Columbia University Conference
86. NATO on the agenda as Georgia’s high officials visit Brussels
87. List of 'willing' U.S. allies shrinks steadily in Iraq: Nations still there toil in relative obscurity [excerpt]
88. With businesses pressured, Georgia is no winner
89. EBRD promotes development of energy efficiency projects in Georgia
90. Can the blueberry save Georgian agriculture? American expert sees great potential in local berry industry
91. Tbilisi hosts Iran-Georgia confab
92. Some 2.8mln tons of oil transported via Georgia in October
93. HSBC - Two CEOs’ vision about Georgia
94. Republic of Georgia aims for U.S. wine market: Will rkatsiteli and saperavi be the new pinot grigio and malbec?
95. Education Ministry study results indicate decreased literacy rates
96. Transformation of branches of state institutes accomplished
97. Orphanages to be subordinated to Ministry of Healthcare
98. It is possible to legalize lands located in Tskneti and suburbs of Tbilisi
99. Refugees dreaming of home in Hotel Charm
100. Man shot in his car
101. Buried treasure: At the Sackler gallery, the gilded graves of a doomed nation

full digest: Georgia News Digest - Ansicht in Groups BetaNeu!

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