NEWS: Georgia News Digest 12-19-07

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. website: Georgia: Vote 2008
2. survey results: Presidential election and plebiscites
3. Sarishvili informed Boden about pretensions related to elections
4. TV warns of crisis if opposition candidate wins
5. Opposition voices new allegations against Saakashvili
6. Former security minister predicts end of Georgian authorities
7. Opposition trusts international election observers, MP
8. "Human Rights Center" to present account on events of November 07
9. Ombudsman: Use of rubber bullets illegal
10. Washington is watching
11. Burjanadze plays down failure to invite Russian observers
12. People in west Georgia forced to attend former president's rally – opposition
13. For a better future
14. NDI’ s recommendations to Georgian media ahead of elections
15. Adam Michnik’s group started its activities
16. TV debates to be held on Lagodekhi-based tv company LTV
17. Georgian presidential campaign broadcasts kick off
18. Newspaper protests over ‘anonymous tv owners’
19. TVs submit ownership papers
20. Media Council – Mze TV apportioned major airtime to presidential candidate Mikheil Saakashvili
21. GNCC no to sanction Rustavi 2, Mze and Imedi TV
22. Media coverage of election campaign balanced – watchdog
23. CEC issues tv monitoring results
24. Khidasheli demands respond to violations in electoral lists
25. Decision on issues related to plebiscite to be received on Tuesday
26. Government task force finds no fraud in voter rolls
27. Accusations of government intimidation against businesses as opposition struggle to find campaign funding
28. Will the snap presidential election in Georgia give a chance to the opposition?
29. Court orders CEC to open polling stations in Iraq, Kosovo
30. Tbilisi City Court complied with Saakashvili’s appeal
31. Court rules soldiers in Iraq, Kosovo can vote
32. CEC allows polling stations in Iraq, Kosovo
33. Salome Zurabishvili calls on Georgian citizens abroad to participate in presidential elections
34. Election headquarters of Saakashvili welcome court decision
35. Saakashvili to get involved in tv debates consequent to debates held among other presidential candidates
36. Saakashvili vows poverty/unemployment reduction if victorious
37. Video clip "Misha is cool!" Being filmed to support Mikheil Saakashvili
38. Saakashvili met voters in Samegrelo region
39. A Georgia without poverty, perhaps, but also plans without details
40. NGOs create "moral front" against former Georgian president
41. Saakashvili lays out priorities
42. Saakashvili ‘bets’ on Batumi in contest with Sochi
43. People are gathered near headquarters of Patarkatsishvili
44. Patarkatsishvili presents principle thesis of acting program
45. For tycoon's campaign, money does the talking
46. Patarkatsishvili headquarters accuse Georgian ruling party of racism
47. Patarkatsishvili pledges gel 1.5 bln of own money in assistance
48. Badri Patarkatsishvili’s program: Buying the election to buy Georgia
49. A chicken in every pot? Guria residents don’t think so
50. Majority of Parliament accused Patarkatsishvili on subornation of voters
51. Majority MPs negative on Georgian tycoon's election promises
52. People in line at presidential candidate's headquarters, expecting monetary aid
53. Natelashvili says Patarkatsishvili copied his election program
54. Natelashvili does not trust international observers
55. Shalva Natelashvili promises to give high salaries to teachers
56. Maisashvili challenges presidential candidates to TV debates
57. Gia Maisashvili challenges his competitors to televised debates
58. Gachechiladze meets ethnic minority groups
59. Levan Gachechiladze met population in Khashuri
60. Davit Gamkrelidze met voters in Bolnisi
61. Saakashvili lays out priorities
62. Attempt made to assault journalist Kosta Koshte in Tskhinvali
63. European Union is interested in increasing of its presence in South Caucasus
64. Separatist official denies Georgian reports of deadly blast in Abkhazia
65. Separatist official unhappy with number of Abkhaz passports
66. More Russian peacekeepers arrive in Abkhazia for rotation
67. Train carrying 500 Russian peacekeepers arrives in Abkhazia
68. Tbilisi names accusations of de facto regime of explosion in Tskhinvali absurd
69. Ministry denies involvement in car blast in separatist South Ossetia
70. One dies in Tskhinvali blast
71. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Refugees and Resettlement visited South Ossetia
72. Lomaia says interclan rivalry behind blast in breakaway region
73. South Ossetian separatists say Georgia threat to neighbouring countries
74. report: Civil Society on priorities of the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan for Georgia for 2007–2009
75. EU allocates 24-mln euro to Georgia as part of ENPI
76. Georgia ready for a Free Trade Agreement with the EU – says UNDP feasibility study
77. Georgi Baramidze signed new document on cooperation with European Union
78. Georgia to be discussed at session of CoE's Monitoring Committee
79. PACE monitoring committee to discuss Georgia
80. Eorsi to inform CoE committee about situation in Georgia
81. Georgia discredits BSEC
82. U.S. ambassador: I won't pretend there aren't any disappointments [excerpt]
83. National Security Council approves document drawing it closer to NATO
84. Russian opposition to Kosovo independence ‘perplexing’ [excerpt]
85. The Rose of Georgia is still vulnerable to Russia
86. Funding of social programs to increase by gel 400 mln - PM
87. Of governments, Interpol and wine: New prime minister
88. Lado Gurgenidze approves of a citrus processing enterprise
89. What will the government’s proposed social programs cost?
90. Working meeting on property legalization held with participation of Prime Minister
91. "Dignified Start" - A new dual initiative of the private sector and the government
92. The Patriarch’s new initiative
93. Patriarch urges for restoration of Georgian churches in Turkey
94. Dismissed personnel to receive assistance in business startup
95. Standard Bank struggling to avoid bankruptcy
96. Advertising market expands by USD 4m
97. Defending yourself before everyone else: When two wrongs don’t make a right
98. Georgian border sector a "threat"
99. Rakeen published Georgian projects
100. ‘My dog ate my paper’
101. GYLA demands fining of Tbilisi city administration and Ministry of Refugees and Resettlement
102. Bezhuashvili informed First Deputy Chairperson of Estonian Parliament about situation in Georgia
103. Azerbaijan and Georgia launch negotiations on supply of SOCAR gas in 2008
104. Belarus lifts ban on import of Georgian tangerines
105. The Government of Georgia and the World Bank sign an agreement for the second East-West highway improvment project

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