Georgian press digest: excerpts
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Subject: Georgian press digest: excerpts
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Georgian press digest: excerpts
ANNOTATED DAILY HEADLINES OF THE GEORGIAN PRESS
Compiled by the Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy and
Development (CIPDD)
Text: Tamara Shamil
English version: Guram Dumbadze
Editor: Emil Adelkhanov-Steinberg
January 22, 1999
1. SHARADZE WANTED TO HIT A JOURNALIST BECAUSE OF THE ETHNICITY ITEM
Guram Sharadze, the chairman of the parliamentary Migration Committee
and the initiator of the campaign against the recently adopted
amendments removing the ethnicity item from the Georgian citizen's ID,
organised a protest action yesterday, demanding to ban the broadcasts
of the Georgian branch of Radio Liberty. His anger was caused by a
radio review of Mr David Paichadze, who did not support his stand and
called it nationalistic. Mr Sharadze even wanted to beat the reporter
but missed and hit Mr Paichadze's colleague, Mrs Tamara Chikovani.
Geno Djokhadze. "Resonance" No. 17, January 22, p. 1
---------------------------
January 25, 1999
......................
2. TO THE PRESIDENT EDUARD SHEVARDNADZE OF GEORGIA AND THE GEORGIAN
PARLIAMENT!
The World Congress of the Georgians demands to restore the ethnicity
item in the citizen's ID, which, in their opinion, would help the
Georgians to "preserve the function of the historically indigenous
nation in Georgia" and "keep the dominant idea of the Georgian
culture" as well as to prevent a possible change of the country's
name.
"Akhali Taoba" No. 17, January 25, p. 5
3. TO THE PRESIDENT EDUARD SHEVARDNADZE OF GEORGIA AND THE GEORGIAN
PARLIAMENT!
Seventeen renowned Georgian writers and poets appeal the President to
restore the ethnicity item in the citizen's ID. Otherwise, in their
opinion, Georgia may lose its name, the country will be overwhelmed by
chaos, and the Georgian language will no longer be state language,
while the future generations will be in "a weaker position when
fighting for the existence of Georgia".
"Akhali Taoba" No. 17, January 25, p. 5
......................
5. ARDZINBA CHUCKED LIVIU BOTA OUT OF SUKHUMI
Liviu Bota, UN Secretary General's envoy to Georgia, and ambassadors
of some foreign countries discussed
repatriation of the Georgian IDPs to the Gali district of Abkhazia
with Vladislav Ardzinba, the Abkhaz leader, in Sukhumi on January 22.
According to the chairman of the Tbilisi-based Supreme Council of
Abkhazia, Mr Tamaz
Nadareishvili, the Abkhaz authorities flatly rejected their proposal
to carry out the repatriation without
violating the Georgian sovereignty (Sukhumi allows the refugees to get
back home only if they adopt the Abkhaz
citizenship).
Zviad Pochkhua. "Resonance" No. 20, January 25, p. 2
---------------------------
January 26, 1999
......................
2. BY INDICATING OUR ETHNICITY WE TURN GEORGIA INTO AN ETHNIC ZOO
The bulk of the Georgian society which raised against the recently
adopted law removing the ethnicity item from the Georgian citizens'
IDs still lacks skill and vision in managing public affairs, Justice
Minister Lado
Tchanturia says in his interview with the newspaper. Given the
negative public opinion, the law, in his words, will be revised, which
he can but regret, he says.
Nino Samkharadze. "Alia" No. 14, January 26-27, p. 2
......................
4. "GURAM SHARADZE MUST BE SUED", LEVAN RAMISHVILI SAYS. "PRO-WESTERN"
SHEVARDNADZE SUPPORTS GEORGIAN NATIONALISTS
At its yesterday press conference the NGO "Liberty Institute" censured
the chairman of the parliamentary Migration Committee Guram Sharadze's
campaign against the recently adopted law removing the ethnicity item
from the citizen's ID. Its director Levan Ramishvili says Mr Sharadze
must be charged with "persecution of criticism" and sued: he had
attempted to hit a reporter of the Tbilisi branch of Radio Liberty, Mr
David Paichadze, and demanded to ban its broadcasts after the radio
criticised his position in one of its programmes.
Revaz Narsia. "Resonance" No. 21, January 26, p. 2
---------------------------
January 27, 1999
......................
3. GURAM SHARADZE RUINING THE GEORGIAN STATE
The chairman of the parliamentary Migration Committee Guram Sharadze's
campaign to restore the ethnicity item in the citizen's IDs aims
against the Law on the Ownership of the Land, some people being flatly
against selling land to non-ethnic Georgians, Koba Davitashvili, a
lawyer and a member of the Tbilisi Sakrebulo (city council), argues.
In his opinion, a strong anti-reformist movement may emerge soon.
Eka Gabedadze. "Shvidi Dge" No. 10, January 27-28, p. 1
......................
5. THE RUSSIAN BASE SELLING ARMS TO ARMENIA
According to Georgian ambassador to Armenia Mr Nikoloz Nikolozishvili,
various goods, including arms, are being smuggled across the
Georgian-Armenian border in Samtskhe-Djavakheti. The Russian military
base in Akhalkalaki is said to be involved in the arms traffic.
Armenian authorities have not commented on his statement so far.
Prime-News agency. "Shvidi Dge" No. 10, January 27-28, p. 2
---------------------------
January 28, 1999
......................
4. THE RUSSIAN MILITARY EXERCISE CAUSED A PANIC IN BATUMI
The 12th Russian military base carried out a military exercise at the
Gonio firing ground near the Adjarian
capital. The howitzers were firing for more than an hour and scared
the Batumi-dwellers stiff.
Prime-News agency. "Akhali Taoba" No. 25, January 28, p. 2
5. GEORGIAN PRISONERS TO BE RELEASED FROM ABKHAZ JAILS
According to Vladimir Dobordjgenidze, deputy chairman of the State
Commission for the Missing in Abkhazia,
the ethnic Georgian prisoners are going to be transferred from Abkhaz
jails to Georgia. He also said 81 Georgian and 8 Abkhaz hostages had
been freed last year. 38 Georgian corpses were transferred to the
Georgian side and 14 Abkazian to the Abkhaz.
Prime-News agency. "Akhali Taoba" No. 25, January 28, p. 7
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