FOREIGN MINSTER LEFT FOR FLORENCE YESTERDAY
Irakli Menagarishvili is participating in a 2-day session of the Euro-Atlantic Council and the Council of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership member-countries’ foreign ministers. It was informed earlier that the Deputy Minister Giorgi Burduli would head the Georgian delegation at this session, as the Minister’s visit to Italy was postponed because of the structural changes in the government.
CZECH REPUBLIC IS GOING TO CANCEL AGREEMENT WITH GEORGIA ON VISALESS ENTRY
After official introduction of the visa regime between the two countries, the Czech consulate in Tbilisi, which has started functioning today, will start issuing visas to the citizens of Armenia and Georgia. The Consulate will work on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
PUTIN CONGRATULATED SHEVARDNADZE ON INDEPENDENCE DAY
According to the press service of the Georgian President, the President of Russian writes in the telegram, received today, that he “is sure that the nations of Russia and Georgia will strengthen and redouble our great common property – friendship lasting for centuries, intellectual ties, close cooperation in the interests of the world, stability and prosperity in the Caucasus”.
FRONTIER DEPARTMENT DENYING RUSSIA’S ACCUSATIONS
The announcement made by the press service of the Department today refutes the information of the Russian agency ITAR-TASS on the detention of 16 Afghanistan and Pakistan citizens in the Alma-Ata airport by the Kazakhstan authorities. They were allegedly going to Chechnya via Georgia.
TAMAZ NADAREISHVILI ABDICATED AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE ABKHAZ AUTONOMY
Nadareishvili explained his today’s decision by the unsatisfactory pace of Abkhaz conflict settlement process. Besides, non-acknowledgement by the Georgian Parliament of the Georgian population genocide, conducted by separatists in Abkhazia, has prompted Nadareishvili’s protest.
THE 5TH CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CIRCASSIAN ASSOCIATION GOING TO BE HELD IN NALCHIK INSTEAD OF SUKHUMI
According to the Chairman of the Abkhaz regional branch of Association, the deputy of the separatist parliament of Abkhazia Yuri Argun, this kind of decision was conditioned by the tight regiment for crossing the border on the river Psou (the Abkhaz section of the Georgian-Russian border), which might cause difficulties to the representatives of foreign delegations. The congress is due to be held in June in Nalchik.
ARSENISHVILI THINKS THAT THE SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY IS WORSE THAN HE ASSUMED
This is the announcement made by the State Minister Giorgi Arsenishvili, who has been appointed on this post recently, during his meeting with the French and Turkish ambassadors. The ambassadors showed interest in the workable plan of the State Minister as well as in his priorities.
NONE OF GEORGIAN EMBASSIES WILL BE CLOSED ABROAD
This is the information delivered by the Foreign Minister Irakli Menagarishvili, noting that the diplomatic staff would be reduced only. He stressed that the financial problems were caused by the wrong distribution of budgetary funds.
TAX SERVICE DECIDED TO REGULATE THE ACCOUNTING OF REVENUES IN THE DISTRIBUTIVE TRADES AND SERVICE SPHERE
To that end, the Tax Department is preparing the draft decree of the President. We’ll remind to you that except of organization issues the decree will envisage preparation of proposals on making amendment to the Tax Code.
STATE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT MINISTRY INSISTING ON CARRYING THE LAW “ON BANKRUPTCY” INTO EFFECT
According to the Deputy State Property Management Minister Merab Gabunia, the amendments, leading to the effectiveness of the law, are to be made to it. He noted that the department on economic reforms and on the policy of the State Property Management Ministry jointly with the Barents Group has prepared proposals and submitted to the Parliament.
ANNUAL STATISTICS OF SOUTH CAUCASIAN COUNTRIES HAS BEEN PUBLISHED
The publication, containing 1994-1998 statistics, is the result of the joint efforts of the Georgian, Armenian and Azerbaijanian statists. The heads of the 3 countries’ statistic services attended the presentation of the annual statistic book, published thanks to the financial and technical support of the European Union’s program TACIS.