NEWS: Georgia News Digest 12-24-07

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. conference: Arnold. A Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies
2. Saakashvili still leads media organizations’ opinion polls
3. New Rights release election poll results
4. Opposition expects second round of polls
5. Imedi TV plans exit polls
6. Imedi poll on constitutional reform
7. According to survey of Ukrainian sociologists, Gachechiladze leads among presidential candidates
8. New protests - new standings
9. New poll suggests most Tbilisi residents support opposition candidates
10. Can Georgians expect a halt to creeping authoritarianism?
11. Minister slams timing of HRW report
12. report: OSCE interim report on election campaign
13. Watchdog debates on tv reporting
14. Hereti appeals against National Communications Regulation Committee
15. Some allege candidates are flaunting the rules in the fight for votes
16. The opposition has discovered specific inaccuracies on voter lists. The Central Electoral Commission is in no hurry to correct the errors
17. CEC bans photographing voting with mobile phones
18. CEC to open precincts in Kosovo, Iraq
19. Minister calls on candidates, voters for responsibility ahead of polls
20. Court rejects to ban Saakashvili, Patarkatsishvili from race
21. video: Call for tolerance in countdown to Georgian presidential election
22. Ballot papers printed
23. Ramaz Mitaishvili addressed Georgians in USA on the election opinion survey meeting
24. Georgian youth gears up for presidential elections
25. How to avoid political persecution after the election
26. The presidential candidates’ biggest achievements
27. With or without Russia? The Foreign policy priorities of the presidential candidates
28. Which candidate is winning in the war of words?
29. Which presidential candidate is supported by Irakli Okruashvili?
30. If I were president: student debates encourage critical thinking and leadership skills
31. Europe will exercise different approaches to Russian, Georgian elections – Kosachyov
32. Cal State University San Bernardino professor to serve as election observer in former Soviet Georgia
33. Worried about security, many Georgians support NATO integration
34. Georgia’s NATO perspectives uncertain as Bucharest summit draws nearer
35. EBRD says georgia's political turmoil won't scare off investors
36. Let’s say I am a bad politician - Vladimer Papava is leaving politics
37. Gogita Tsutskiridze: If we manage to reach public consensus we may find a way out of the crisis
38. Where are our 'cute' political generals?
39. A cheap credit or a cheap trick?
40. State budget misused?
41. Salford very confident in its case against Georgian Government's seizure of Standard Bank
42. Georgian prosecution accuses head of Patarkatsishvili’s election campaign headquarters in plot
43. Patarkatsishvili’s ally MP suspected of coup plot
44. Patarkatsishvili denies plotting coup
45. Patarkatsishvili no longer a suspect, Deputy Chief Prosecutor
46. Georgians put the squeeze on local tycoon: Business pressure mounts on a businessman and opposition leader accused of fomenting a coup
47. Opposition alienates from any attempted coup
48. Security Council discusses possible threats of state coup
49. Prosecutors: Opposition figure planning coup
50. Burjanadze’s televised statement on coup plot allegations
51. Zurabishvili doubts allegations against Valeri Gelbakhiani
52. Gelbakhiani’s meeting with Erekle Kodua aimed at his neutralization
53. Gelbakhiani suspected of attempting to overthrow authority with force
54. Sued MP gives explanations
55. According to evaluation of Natelashvili Gelbakhiani is politically oppressed
56. Natelashvili downplays allegations against Gelbakhiani
57. Video materials against Gelbakhiani not enough evidence for Katsitadze
58. Patarkatsishvili names video materials on Gelbakhiani’s meeting with Kodua provocation
59. Patarkatsishvili’s headquarters commented on video materials published by Prosecutor’s Office
60. Representatives of Patarkatsishvili’s headquarters do not exclude detention of Gelbakhiani
61. Evidence fabricated to arrest Patarkatsishvili
62. TV names man on Patarkatsishvili ‘murder plot tape’
63. Prosecutor says case against Patarkatsishvili suspended
64. Patarkatsishvili's staff says govt prepared his arrest
65. Authorities accused of devising treacherous scheme against Patarkatsishvili
66. Tycoon tells of plot to kill him in London
67. Patarkatsishvili faces campaign obstacles
68. Ruling party dismisses Patarkatsishvili ‘media hype’
69. The billionaire and the government, estranged
70. Patarkatsishvili launches tv ads
71. Tbilisi Mayor: Georgia should get rid of Patarkatsishvili’s plague
72. Patarkatsishvili promises $1 bln aid to Georgians if victorious
73. $1Bln offer in Georgia's campaign
74. Patarkatsishvili uses Western help to attain free election campaign
75. Patarkatsishvili to transfer his own money into state budget if elected
76. Theses of Badri Patarkatsishvili's presidential platform. 'Whatever they promise you, my contribution will nevertheless be twice as large
77. Dynamo Tbilisi denies being politically pressured because of belonging to Patarkatsishvili
78. Zhvania and Badri: Late Prime Minister’s brother throws his name behind Georgia’s richest candidate
79. Zhvania's brother explains why he sides with opposition
80. Sarishvili: NDI interested in surprising rise of number of voters
81. Sarishvili demands free airtime
82. Sarishvili aspiring to Georgia presidency for neutrality policy
83. Both Russia's, Georgia's mistakes to blame for bad relations –Sarishvili
84. Irina Sarishvili is meeting voters in secret. 'We are considered to be most disfavoured in political spectrum
85. Saakashvili met voters in Samtskhe-Javakheti region
86. Incumbent Mikheil Saakashvili met with voters in Tskaltubo and Samtredia
87. Saakashvili's gambit
88. ‘I will not attack opponents’ – Saakashvili
89. Saakashvili confirms plans to reshuffle team
90. Burjanadze hints at reshuffle of ‘political team’
91. Opponents accuse Saakashvili’s pre-election campaign of bribing voters
92. The devil you know: Russia prefers to deal with Saakashvili
93. Disabled veterans demonstrate outside Saakashvili office
94. Opposition accuses Saakashvili of illegal use of state funds
95. Ukrainian president sends birthday greetings to Georgian leader
96. Saakashvili denies US Democrats negative assessment on his activity
97. Saakashvili says he will address poverty, regain breakaway regions
98. Saakashvili election hq denies conspiracy against rival
99. Gurgenidze to visit Kakheti Region
100. Opposition marks Saakashvili's birthday with protests
101. Zurabishvili:”The authority will try everything to discredit opposition”
102. Movement “21st Century” and Georgian Academy support Natelashvili
103. Act of terror against Natelashvili reported
104. Gachechiladze seeks support of ethnic Azeri population
105. Leaders of United National Council met voters in Imereti region
106. Maisashvili met Dieter Boden
107. Gamkrelidze’s political ads bring up religion, property and human rights
108. Lavrov criticizes Georgian administration
109. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs meets with head of OSCE Mission to Georgia
110. Bagapsh, Kokoity discuss possible consequences of Kosovo independence
111. The real values in Kosovo
112. Former Georgian ambassador calls for direct dialogue between Tbilisi, Moscow
113. Constructive dialogue with RF helps resume Georgian wine export-PM
114. Creative intelligentsia urge Russia, Georgia to launch dialogue
115. Approaching Kosovo deadline ratchets tension in Abkhazia
116. Moscow does not want unilateral declaration of Abkhazia's, S. Ossetia's independence
117. Moscow asks Tbilisi, 'sponsors' to prevent use of force
118. PACE, Russia call for political settlement of frozen conflicts
119. Moscow does not want unilateral declaration of Abkhazia's, S. Ossetia's independence
120. American Senator called upon Russia to disown statement on Abkhazia and South Ossetia
121. Abkhazia waiting for decision on Kosovo to resolve Kodori problem
122. Georgia will spare no effort to convince EU of impossibility of Abkhazia’s independence
123. The Chechen bomb. Have the Russians deployed Zapad and Vostok on Georgian territory?
124. Rebels offer Georgia help to combat pro-Moscow Chechens
125. Russian, Chechen peacekeepers clash in Abkhazia
126. No Chechen subunits among Russian peacekeepers in Georgia
127. No Chechen units within peacekeeping forces in Abkhazia, S. Ossetia - Russian Ground Forces deputy commander
128. Russian peacekeepers complete rotation in Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone
129. Three Russian peacekeepers detained in Georgia
130. video: Arrested former peacekeepers 'were drunk'
131. Discharged Russian peacekeepers detained near Poti
132. Russians detained in Georgia are not peacekeepers – commander
133. Russia denies Georgian reports of clash between peacekeepers in Abkhazia
134. Abkhaz war veterans to set up Union of Veteran Volunteers
135. Abkhaz worried by language law: Concerns that a new law to promote the Abkhaz language may be counterproductive
136. Kokoity on Kosovo's independence
137. Kokoyty vows to seek international recognition
138. New Year’s presents for children living in the conflict zone
139. Autumn session of Georgian Parliament closed officially
140. Average level of prices decreased by 0,07%
141. Millennium Challenge Program finances three value-chains
142. UNDP, government discuss potential EU-Georgia free trade agreement
143. External debt to GDP ratio is reduced
144. Foreign direct investment in Georgia jumps 60% in Jan-Sept
145. Rakia sets aside $500m for bids
146. Nearly a million tourists visited Georgia in 2007, government says
147. Trial by jury: more democracy or a face-lift for the Georgian judiciary?
148. The greener the better
149. Strasburg Human Rights Court to consider appeal of Vazagashvili family
150. Second stage of Land Forces Junior Officers Training Course Charley completed
151. Yerevan: Baku–Akhalkalaki–Kars railway project politically motivated
152. Georgia opens bridge to Azerbaijan in Georgian Samtatskaro village
153. Sheikulislam Allahshukur Pashazade to pay 2-day visit to Georgia tomorrow
154. Ombudsman congratulates Muslim population of Georgia on Kurban Bairam holiday
155. According to these data there are 5.8 million men in Georgia
156. 30 years as Georgia’s spiritual leader
157. Pop star's concert has Tbilisi all shook up
158. Shanghai company to build Hyatt Park Tbilisi
159. Designers switch to retail market
160. Modelling business in Georgia
161. Health insurance the lead insuring package
162. Newspaper reports big rises in foreign trade
163. Fire destroyed homes in Avlarbari district
164. Rehabilitated Sighnaghi under threat of landslide
165. Decency died in the glen
166. Farmer's never-ending story
167. New year’s celebrations away from home

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