Press Digest 03.02.2014
Restoration of Justice started with mass arrests
Pensions devalued by 13 percent in last two months
Ossetian army is becoming a security service for Russian occupation
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Restoration of Justice started with mass arrests
“Some human right protectors think that the government has taken to restoring justice, while others claim that the Interior Minister’s move to unleash massive arrests in the country has nothing to do with the restoration of justice,”- reports the Rezonansi newspaper.
“Yesterday, the Prosecutor’s Office declared Zurab Vazagashvili’s and Alexandre Khubulov’s case solved, arresting 11 former high-ranking officials. After the investigation was finished and more than 150 witnesses were questioned, it was established that the two were killed in an armed attack. This attack, once labeled as successful special operation was led by Irakli Pirtskalava, former head of the Central Criminal Police Department of MIA.
The Prosecutor’s Office apprehended 11 inpiduals now accused of falsifying evidence as well as illegally arresting and killing civilians. The detainees are: former secretary of the CCPD of MIA Irakli Pirtskalava, former deputy head of the Investigative Department of the CCPD Giorgi Tsaadze, former investigator of the CCPD of MIA Levan Beridze, former head of MIA special forces Kakhaber Nakani and his secretary Giorgi Gulbiani as well as special forces operatives Iason Miladze, Alexandre Tsamakuridze, Zurab Jokhadze, Davit Alelishvili, Soso Chakvetaia and Alexandre Sanikidze,” - says the article.
The investigation is in progress according to articles 109 and 349, which calls for a prison term of 10 years to life.
After this, the Prime Minister released a statement saying that all high-profile cases have, in fact, been solved.
“We have only several cases left to solve; Vazagashvili’s was one of them. Unfortunately, we have inherited a terrible legacy; however, we have always sorely felt the necessity of solving these cases. Investigations are underway into other high profile cases, which will also be solved soon,”- declared the Prime Minister.
We would like to remind our readers that a couple of days before the arrests, ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili stated in an interview that the process of restoring justice would start in February; he said nothing regarding the pending arrests, but his statement did raise suspicions; many were sure that mass arrests would be unleashed in the country soon.
Although some experts claim that these arrests have nothing to do with righting wrongs, since justice remains in the same crippled condition.
Pensions devalued by 13 percent in last two months
"Reportedly, pensions set to begin a scheduled 6.6 percent increase in September have already lost 13 percent of their value.
The socially disadvantaged, including pensioners, have already sorely felt the repercussions of the devaluation of our national currency,”- reports the Rezonansi publication.
“According to official data, if compared to previous years, in 2014 inflation in Georgia increased by not more than 2 percent; however, as statistical experts claim, food and medication prices have increased by around 15 percent, finally resulting in devaluation of pensions,”- says the article.
“If this tendency is maintained, pensioners as well as people with fixed salaries might soon find themselves in a very bad situation. As you know, Georgia’s economy is entirely dependent on external factors and volatility of the GEL results in price increases,”- maintains statistical expert Soso Archvadze.
“A couple of days ago, the government published a list showing the increasing strength of the dollar against other national currencies. As the survey showed, in a year, the USD strengthened against the Euro by 20 percent and the GEL by 12 percent.
Unfortunately, our MPs have not mentioned that import carries vital significance for Georgia while developed countries it is less significant, which is why a 12 percent drop for the GEL has a far more negative influence on Georgians than the 20 percent for the Euro on Europeans.
It is Undeniable that a weakened GEL drives a poor and destitute country like Georgia into crisis”- concludes the author of the article.
Ossetian army is becoming a security service for Russian occupation
"Moscow is drafting an agreement on Alliance and Integration with the region of Tskhinvali. Preparation of the document has already come to an end, and in February, they plan to discuss the document, propose amendments and sign it.
Leaders of the separatist region of Tskhinvali stated that the Russian-Abkhazian agreement of 2014 was not enough to cultivate their relations with Russia.
Those at the helm of the region decided to subordinate police and security agencies to the Internal Ministry as well as Federal Security Division of the South Ossetia-Alania Republic, while the so-called Ossetian army detachments will be directed to the 4th military base of the Russian occupation forces,”- reports military-analytical journal Arsenali.
The so-called Ossetian army is fully dependent on Russia and carefully follows its leaders’ directives. In August 2008, at the behest of Russian Defense Ministry, the Ossetian military sparked a war with Georgia; however, their army was a mere thousand soldiers.
Back then, the soldiers and local separatists who were short on food, protested against then-leader Kokoiti. In November of 2012, Russian occupation forces recruited volunteers with military experience and without previous convictions into the Ossetian battalion. In April 2013, soldiers who were selected for the Ossetian battalion took the oath and were sent to Russian army training centers after undergoing a 3-month preparation course,”- says the article.
“The purpose of this battalion is still unknown; however, the agreement guarantees that this idea will soon yield results. It is a bit difficult to foresee if this battalion will enhance Russia’s military capabilities; however, under any circumstances, the Ossetian battalion will result in the expansion of Tskhinvali’s military base, from which they can easily create three or four tactical groups strongly expected to become involved with objectives such as controlling and blocking traffic at railway trunk lines linking Tbilisi to West Georgia, taking action to create a safe corridor towards the region of Samtskhe-Javaketi, taking over Georgia’s vital strategic military objects and finally attacking our country,”- concludes the author of the article.
