Press Digest 11.11.2014
“Let’s call a spade a spade – snap elections are mandatory”
Rehabilitation of the cities stalled in Georgia!
Actions of the Prosecutor’s Office have jeopardized our European future; we have not held the Government responsible for this though – Alexi Petriashvili
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“Let’s call a spade a spade – snap elections are mandatory”
"We seem committed to our Euro-Atlantic aspirations; however, when someone is detained allegations go instantly that our country has been run off the rails. Thus, does it not mean that our years-long vigorous exertion to move closer to the EU has not yielded any kind of positive consequences? Have you stolen anything? Than go and hold yourself accountable for your misdeed! This case has already enjoyed really big publicity, has it not? Now the people need answers to their questions. If you fail to do this, you will find yourself in really deep trouble,” claims member of the parliamentary majority, Soso Jachvliani, in his interview with the Alia gazette.
“Mr. Alasania took the floor and stated that Irakli Gharibashvili does not credit him, and the only body he trusts is the Prosecutor’s Office. As for Bidzina Ivanishvili, as you know Georgian’s have a bit different kind of approaches to this or that issue. For instance, you and I can engage ourselves in face-to-face conversations and try to work out everything but when it comes to the top officials, we must adopt a bit different approach. By stating that they don’t believe you, you are obviously doing to yourself nothing good. We can get that no one is infallible when it comes to trivial issues but the state affairs are a horse of entirely different color. If we are not guided by the maxim saying that “All is Equal before the Law”, we will never succeed in building a state,” stated Mr. Jachvliani.
“Alasania would have taken a rational step if he took the floor and appealed to everyone to clear up the obscurity surrounding the case by providing answers to all the emerged questions together. I can bring a myriad of examples when your entourage is trying to tarnish your reputation. Would it not be reasonable if in a similar case you will try to identify the names of those people who are attempting to drag your name through mud and give them their due? Don’t you know, my dear, that in each and every country around the world someone is imprisoned? Are all this countries changing their course by doing this? I don’t know to what they are pushing on us by making such ludicrous announcements. Do they want us to let criminals enjoy impunity and by doing this drag the country back to the dark ages? Must we not set order in our country once and for all? Must not each offender know that they will not prove able to get off scot free for their misdeeds?” asks the respondent?
“Incontrovertible is the fact that there is no room for not even a single National in the parliament today. This is my personal point of view and no one on earth can make me change my opinion or prevent me from stating this. All right, let us hold snap elections, why not? I have not reserved my post in the legislative body and I don’t really plan to be there until they carry me out. Nothing on earth is forever. Today you are MP tomorrow you can easily be driven out from the body. This is not a tragedy. Nothing can be kept under wraps for good. If nothing changes in our country for the better in the short run, we’d better call for early elections. Many of them may not like what I am saying now but if they think they will be comfortably nestled in the Parliament for ever, they are bitterly mistaken. Sooner or later, the elections will undoubtedly be conducted,” alleges the respondent.
Rehabilitation of the cities stalled in Georgia!
"The rehabilitation of different cities of Georgia has been suspended again. At this point in time, active rehabilitation work is underway only in the region of Tskhaltubo. Within the Municipal Development Fund, they have stated that from 2015, rehabilitation work on the cities will be launched in two regions; however, they’ve failed to specify which cities will be refurbished. The Business-Rezonansi took an interest in this issue and in order to cater to our curiosity, we urged the Municipal Development Fund to fill out our questionnaire; however, they have refused to answer the question as follows: “after power changed hands in Georgia, how many cities have been rehabilitated in the country,” reports the Rezonansi gazette.
“As they inform from the fund, rehabilitation work is planned to be carried out in the regions of Samtske-Javakheti and Mtskheta-Mtianeti; however, more accurate information has not been released regarding the issue yet. The Municipal Development Fund of Georgia plans to execute a third project of regional development the approximate cost of which is 75 million USD. World Bank is expected to channel as much as 60 million USD into the project; as for the state budget, 15 million GEL will be withdrawn from it for the same purpose. The rehabilitation work is set to be launched in 2015 and ended in 2020. Under the project, urban, communal and tourism infrastructure will be rehabilitated while our historical monuments popularized,” they state within the Municipal Fund.
“Let’s change the staple of the conversation and move back to the current developments. As it is known, after the elections, infrastructural work in Kvareli and Telavi has been halted despite the fact that World Bank has donated to us $100 million to follow through with what we have started. As the Ministry for Regional Development and Infrastructure informs, in Kvareli, they should have curbed a road to Ilia’s Lake. In spite of the fact that this section of road is not big, it has not been curbed thus far. The situation is similar in Telavi too,” reads the paper.
“As they maintain within the Municipal Development Foundation, in Telavi and Kvareli, the projects financed by World Bank were seen trough two years ago. As for Tskhaltubo, as per information from the Municipal Fund, the rehabilitation of two objects has been seen through within the rehabilitation of the resort. As per them, irrigation as well as sewer systems have already been renovated there… At this point, rehabilitation work is underway on as many as 7 locations simultaneously. Small tourism infrastructure is also planned to be built in the region by the end of the year,” concludes the author of the article.
Actions of the Prosecutor’s Office have jeopardized our European future; we have not held the Government responsible for this though – Alexi Petriashvili
"We are faced with a watershed moment in our country’s political life. A new era is coming in the lives of Free Democrats too. Our political force will seriously work to implement the democratic principles in the country; it will also actively work on economic and other key issues. At the congress, the core message delivered to the public was that we, Free Democrats, will win a thumping victory in the elections of 2016 and will come into power. We have always been for changing the government through elections” states former State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Alexi Petriashvili.
“In 2012, we gained a landslide victory through joint efforts and as a result of this we have been granted a chance to build a democratic state. We all know that unfortunately the malicious tactics of the vicious SU are still rooted in the country, and we are trying our best to eliminate this,” states Mr. Petriashvili.
"Our top priority and a long-cherished goal is integration within NATO and EU. We’ve strained to convey this paramount message to each and every citizen of Georgia. We have done this when in power; however, today we plan to redouble our efforts to deliver this message to our people,” says the respondent.
“I’d be better off not to bring concrete facts; however, it’s an actual fact that they are piling pressure on Free Democrats in all regions of Georgia. For instance, in the region of Guria, the security services openly urged the members of our party to abandon the body and join the coalition. In the wake of this, I was left with no other option but to call loudly to the government to avoid playing a vile game. And I hope that the PM and the Minister of Internal Affairs will regulate this process. As for our former team members, I cannot really accuse them of pressing us. We are still on friendly terms with these people,” maintains the former Minister.
“Let’s clear up this misunderstanding by giving pinpoint answers to all questions having surfaced recently. We have stated that the Euro-Atlantic course of the country has been endangered. However, we have not pinned blame on the acting authorities for this. We have simply declared that pressure is placed on the people that are actively working on the issues related to Georgia’s integration to the EU. Interpretations of these words are really not worth paying attention to,” concludes Alexi Petriashvili.
