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MFA Zalkaliani at the NATO Summit 2019 POLITICS PAGE 6 “In Honorem” of Phd

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Issue no: 1209 • DECEMBER 6 - 9, 2019 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 In this week’s issue... ICC: Georgia-Russia War Investigation May Conclude in 2020 NEWS PAGE 3 Georgian Politicians Slam Nino Burjanadze for Visiting Moscow POLITICS PAGE 4 Former President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan Charged with Corruption POLITICS PAGE 4 US State Department Offi cials, Senators Make Supportive Statements on Image source: archive.gov.ge/ Georgia ON REDJEB JORDANIA The son of the fi rst Georgian FOCUS President nears his centenary year PAGE 11 "Keep Georgia on Your Mind": MFA Zalkaliani at the NATO Summit 2019 POLITICS PAGE 6 “In Honorem” of PhD. BY NINI DAKHUNDARIDZE Professor & Academician Roin Metreveli he United Kingdom hosted NATO 7 Heads of State and Government in SOCIETY PAGE London on 3-4 December. David Zalkaliani, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, made a speech Cold Storage: Etseri, Svaneti Tduring a session dedicated to safety in the ter- SOCIETY PAGE 8 ritories of the Baltic and Black seas. While highlighting the importance and chal- lenges to stability in the Black Sea region, Zal- Zaza Burchuladze Receives kaliani underlined Russia’s destructive policies and the outcomes of occupation, spotlighting Berlin City Scholarship for the Vazha Gaprindashvili case as a “humanitar- ian catastrophe.” Literary Merit “The human rights and security situation on the ground remains extremely diffi cult. People are CULTURE PAGE 9 being persecuted and illegally detained. Renowned Georgian doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili remains in illegal custody. We have already consolidated the Image source: MFA Georgia international community over this fact and con- integration with NATO is aimed at ensuring the ful aspirant country with all practical instru- Special Offer for readers tinue to do so. We are faced with a humanitarian country’s security and its democratic develop- ments for membership and is actively moving catastrophe,” Minister Zalkaliani said. ment, rather than being directed against any ahead towards the time when a political decision of Georgia Today Speaking about Georgia’s integration with third party. He told the high-ranking attendees on its membership is taken. NATO, the Minister underscored that Georgia’s of the NATO Summit that Georgia is a success- Continued on page 2 -15% off all Diet Plans! PAGE 7 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS DECEMBER 6 - 9, 2019 Large-scale Demonstrations Planned in Regions of Georgia BY ANA DUMDADZE he united opposition plans to launch large-scale dem- onstrations throughout the country, under the slogan 'All against One.' TThe representatives of the opposition parties claim that they, along with civil activists, will start marching on Rustaveli Street in Kutaisi and fi nish with a rally a fully proportional electoral system Parliament on the proportional elections, at Kutaisi City Hall on December 6. from 2020 instead of 2024. and some are pushing for snap elections. They agreed that the demonstrations The demonstrators accuse the current The united opposition has proposed will be held in all major cities of Georgia. state leadership of "breaking its promise its own model to Parliament for a new Tourist Visits to Georgia In addition, a large-scale rally is planned and cheating people" as the ruling party electoral system. in Georgia's capital Tbilisi for December agreed to conduct the 2020 parliamentary The draft law, developed by 30 opposi- 9. The protests in the country were elections using a fully proportional elec- tion forces, implies holding the 2020 sparked after the rejection of an election toral system during the internationally parliamentary elections through a mixed Reach Historic High in bill, proposed by the ruling Georgian renowned June protests in Tbilisi. Pro- electoral system. The new bill has already Dream party, offering the transition to testers demand the second hearing in been registered in the Parliament. January-November 2019 OECD Student Assessment: Georgia 70th among 79 Countries Armenia – 1,230,834 (5.9% increase) BY ANA DUMBADZE Turkey – 1,075,812 (4.3% increase) ranking presents results of tests on about Kazakhstan (387) and Panama (377), with BY ANA DUMBADZE The countries most international visits 600,000 students aged 15 in 79 states the top-ranked Chinese provinces of were carried out from in November 2019: across the world. Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang n January-November 2019, visits Armenia - 116,712 visits (+18.1%) Published every three years, the report at 555. of international travelers coming Azerbaijan - 114,657 visits (+8.15%) he latest international stu- follows a series of tests that students sit Ranking in mathematics saw Georgia to Georgia reached a historic high Russia - 82,029 visits (+10.9%) dent assessment from the in volunteering countries or regions to at 398 points compared to China's four of 8,690,352, which is 7.2% more Turkey - 81,736 visits (+25.3%) Organisation for Economic identify their knowledge and skills in regions at 591 and the bottom-ranked compared to the same period of International visitors in November Co-operation and Develop- reading, mathematics and science. The Philippines at 353. In science, the national Ilast year, reports the Georgian National came mostly from Kazakhstan (169.3%), ment has placed Georgia test aims to identify what knowledge the score was 383, in contrast to the OECD Tourism Administration. Kyrgyzstan (134.8%), China (52.6%), Tin the 70th place among 79 countries, students have as well as how they can average of 489. The countries most international visits Saudi Arabia (46%), and Israel (36.3%). ranking alongside Kazakhstan and Pan- use it for comprehension or fi nding solu- The scores show a decrease for Geor- were carried out from in the fi rst 11 An increase in international visitors ama. tions to scientifi c challenges. gian students since the previous PISA months of 2019: from EU countries was seen from Italy The result is found in the 2018 Pro- The national average score for Geor- report in 2015, where the country score Russia – 1,406,255 (4.9% increase) (84.8%), Poland (80.4%), France (35.5%), gramme for International Student Assess- gian students in reading was identifi ed was 411, 401 and 404 in the three catego- Azerbaijan – 1,404,028 (7% increase) German (35.4%) and Latvia (26.6%). ment (PISA). Released on Tuesday, the at 380, placing the country between ries respectively. Opposition Registers Bill on Change of Electoral System parliamentary elections through a mixed cies," said Sergi Kapanadze, a member of BY ANA DUMBADZE electoral system. the European Georgia party. “The opposition parties have submitted The bill was initiated by the National a draft law to Parliament, which suggests Movement and European Georgia par- he united opposition has the so-called German model. This is a liamentary factions. registered a new bill in Par- project aimed at reforming the electoral The representatives of the opposition par- liament regarding the system. It involves the German principle, ties claim that there is complete consensus demanded change to the which means that all parties will get seats on the opposition wing regarding the bill, electoral system. in the parliament according to the pro- so now the ruling party Georgian Dream TThe draft law, developed by 30 opposi- portional vote results and it also involves must fi nd a solution "If they want to fi nd a tion forces, implies holding the 2020 multi-mandate majoritarian constituen- way out of this very acute political crisis.” "Keep Georgia on Your Mind": MFA Zalkaliani at the NATO Summit 2019 Continued from page 1 try for its ultimate membership. The Minister ended his speech with a “The Bucharest Summit decision clearly musical reference: “Keep Georgia on indicated that Georgia will become a your mind,” Zalkaliani urged the attend- member of NATO. All documents and ees of the summit, connecting the coun- declarations adopted following the try to Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Bucharest Summit reaffi rm support for Gorrell’s 1930 hit song. The closing of Georgia’s membership of NATO. We are his remarks was greeted with applause. fully aware of the existing situation and December 4 marked the second of the the fact that a political decision has not NATO 2019 Summits in London, the yet been taken. However, we are effec- highlight of which, for Georgia, was the UK’s fi rm support for Georgia, describ- State on the recent developments in Presidency, Christopher Pincher highly tively implementing all practical instru- Minister Zalkaliani’s meeting with UK ing the country as a successful aspirant Georgia’s occupied regions, highlighting appraised Georgia’s priorities and wished ments that lead us to membership. Geor- Foreign and Commonwealth Offi ce Min- and a valuable, reliable partner for NATO. the illegal detention of Vazha Gaprin- the country success in its capacity as gia is already acting as an ally. We are ister of State for Europe and the Amer- The parties highlighted the importance dashvili. He made sure to underline that Chair of the international organization. doing our utmost to bring the country icas, Christopher Pincher. of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement the international partners must keep The leaders of 29 countries gathered to the moment when it is ready for mem- The parties welcomed the Georgian between Georgia and Great Britain, which raising the issue of the occupation of the in London at the NATO summit on bership. Georgia’s contribution to NATO Foreign Minister’s visit to London and will be put to work following Brexit. The Georgian territories and the dire human- December 3-4, marking the organiza- needs to be reciprocated by NATO,” his participation in high-level events on agreement is yet another indication that itarian situation on the ground in all tion’s 70th anniversary.
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