Author: Goga Akhalkatsi

Ukrainian citizens who were stranded in the buffer zone of the Lars checkpoint on the Russia-Georgia border since August 17 have been allowed to enter the territory of Georgia, the Georgian foreign office said on Sunday. In a statement, the Georgian foreign office noted the authorities had made a decision to allow the group into Georgian territory after the health condition of one of the individuals had worsened. [T]the Georgian side immediately informed the Ukrainian [diplomatic] mission in Georgia regarding the citizens of Ukraine at the border of Georgia, [with the Ukrainian office] explain[ing] that appropriate lengthy procedures were needed to…

SOFIA — At the beginning of July, Bulgaria’s former chief prosecutor, who rarely took questions while in office, turned to Facebook Live. As Ivan Geshev read awkwardly from the teleprompter, staring stiffly into the camera, he announced plans to establish a new movement, Justice for Bulgaria — the first step, some said, to him entering politics. Geshev, who once referred to himself once as “an instrument in the hands of God” and was dismissed as the top prosecutor in June, plodded through his speech, not referring to the years of protests and public outcry about his cozying up to oligarchs and corrupt politicians while in office, and…

Sweden will strengthen cooperation between authorities to prevent radicalisation and the spread of violent terrorism in response to the deteriorating security situation following several Quran burnings, Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer said at a press conference on Monday. The government has commissioned the Centre for Combating Violent Extremism and the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention to strengthen cooperation between authorities to prevent radicalisation and the spread of violent terrorism in response to increased security-related risks. “The assessment of the Swedish Security Service is that the threat will not diminish in a short time, but that we should rather assume that…

The first Radisson RED hotel in Eastern Europe has arrived in Tbilisi, Georgia. Situated in a 100-year-old former post office building on the iconic Davit Aghmashenebeli Avenue, Radisson RED Tbilisi blends culture, history, and contemporary design. The new Radisson RED Tbilisi’s magnificent home, a historic post office building, dates back to 1920s and features an imposing façade with wrought iron balconies and modern, black, Crittal-like windows. It is ideally located close to the many important cultural institutions in the city. It offers guests a unique opportunity to experience the city’s rich history, art, and gastronomy within the hotel itself, and…

The amount of fines issued for violation of parking rules in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi has increased by 308 percent year-on-year in the first seven months of 2023, local media outlet BPN has reported. The amount of fines for the violation has reached ₾9.37 million ($3.56mln), compared to ₾2.29 million ($0.87mln) for the same period in 2022. BPN also reported the amount of fines from violations of traffic regulations in general had also increased. Data of the Ministry of Finance showed almost ₾121 million ($45.92mln) was received in the budget from sanctions and fines between January-July, compared to…

Warsaw (21/08 – 60) The amount of Russian oil to be piped through Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan in 2023 has been reduced to 180,000 tons, reported by the Head of the Transportation Department of Kazakhstan’s Kaztransoil pipeline monopoly. In July, the company had announced an agreement to pump 300,000 tons of oil from Russia to Uzbekistan through Kazakhstan this year. Department Director, Abay Beisembaev commented that Kazakhstan had transported 48,500 tons of Russian oil to Uzbekistan in the first half of 2023 and a further 131,500 tons were planned in the second half of the year. No reason was given for…

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called out what he described as systematic corruption in the country’s medical exemptions from service in the armed forces, saying the system was subject to widespread bribe-taking and the flight of people overseas. Zelenskyy said that bribes of between $3,000 to $15,000 had been paid for medical exemptions from military duty. All cases of medical exemptions from service since the beginning of Russia’s war on Ukraine – where there are suspicions – will be investigated, Zelenskyy said in his evening video address to the nation on Wednesday. “It is necessary to check a significant number of decisions…

Paris, Auckland, Sydney (9/9 – 10) Disclaimer. This article may offend you. Well, tough luck, go and read the science section or volunteer for the Girl Scouts. This is men’s rugby. Redneck, muscles and unabashed violence. Not suitable for the “Woke Generation”. Swearing, alcohol consumption and “guy talk” included. Political correctness? Dumped in the Men’s Room with the rest of the waste. There was once a myth going that claimed that “All Blacks are unbeatable”. Like, “the Russians are invincible and can’t be beaten”, “Americans are the Gods of basketball” (but beaten by the darn Krauts, whoever would have imagined…),…

Brussels (07/09 – 14.29) Anies Baswedan has become the first Indonesian presidential candidate to make his vice-presidential nominee official by his selection the past weekend of Muhaimin Iskandar from the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Islamic mass movement. ALEXANDER R. ARIFIANTO argues that this nomination highlights the importance of NU’s support in next year’s presidential election. He believes both Ganjar Pranowo and Prabowo Subianto are likely to also consider nominating an NU-affiliated politician as running mate. Anies Baswedan has formally announced Muhaimin Iskandar, chairperson of the National Awakening Party (PKB) and a high-profile Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) politician, as his vice-presidential nominee. This…

The Georgian Government Administration on Wednesday highlighted the country’s constitution designated its foreign policy conduct to the Government, after it rejected requests by the office of President Salome Zourabichvili for approving her visits to a number of countries. The Administration said the President exercised “representative powers in foreign relations only with the consent of the Government”, in a comment that followed the Presidential office’s release on Wednesday of information about Zourabichvili’s upcoming visit to Germany. Noting her office had asked the Government to approve the visit on July 12, the Government Administration added it had “officially” rejected the request on…