GEORGIA’S DOMESTIC DEBT EXCEEDS 1B LARI
At the same time, as it was noted at the session of the Extraordinary Commission on Financial Stabilization, not a single Tetri has been added to this sum for 2 months. The process of acknowledging the present indebtedness of 300 million Lari as the domestic debt will start in January 2001.
ERICSSON OFFERS EXPANSION OF THE OPTICAL-FIBRE CABLE LAYING PROJECT
In the letter, addressed to the President of Georgia, the regional executive director Holger Renkvist reports that while working on the project of the optic-fibre cable laying between Poti (Georgia) and Rize (Turkey) the alternative version has been found: the cable laying from Poti to Varna (Bulgaria) with a branch going to Odessa (Ukraine). Besides, Renkvist stresses that this version will significantly increase Georgia’s role as the information corridor in the global communication system.
PRESIDENT THINKS FARMERS SHOULD BE EXEMPTED FROM VAT
Eduard Shevardnadze declared at the government session today that because of the drought consequences farmers would be unable to pay this tax. “Lately unreasonable taxes have been imposed on the agriculture in Georgia, so I think that it is time to think about exempting farmers from VAT”, said the President.
DROUGHT IN GEORGIA RAISED SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN WATER-RESOURCES
As the President declared at the government session today, except of the EnguriHES the water level in other reservoirs have lowered very much. As water-resources present the main source for electricity production in the country, Eduard Shevardnadze called for the government members to assume all the essential measures for the sparing usage of water resources.
STATE COMMISSION ON INVESTIGATING SITUATION AROUND LLC QUARTZITE IS BEING CREATED
Eduard Shevardnadze made this announcement at the government session today. As he put it, “There are all the reasons to assume that a lot of gold extracted by the LLC Quartzite is being taken out of Georgia”.
PRESIDENT THINKS THAT GAMING-HOUSES ARE TO BE BANNED
“I am for banning the gaming-houses in Georgia”, said Eduard Shevardnadze at the government session today. He brought as an example such countries as Azerbaijan and Turkey, were there has been takes measure recently for banning casinos.
ZURAB ACHBA MURDERED IN SUKHUMI
The former deputy of the separatists’ parliament was shot dead by his own house from the car passing by on August 15. 49-year-old Zurab Achba, who was the vice-chairman of the leading organization of Abkhaz separatists Aidgilara in 1990-1992, had critical attitude to the policy of Vladislav Ardzinba.
PRESIDENT ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO MIGRANTS FROM AJARA
These people suffered from the natural disaster and according to the decision of the government, they were moved from Ajara to Kvemo Kartli. In his address to the government session today Eduard Shevardnadze, in the context of well-known events in Tsalka underlined that “these people must feel the support of the state”.