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EU Commissioner Urges Georgian Authorities to Strengthen Independent Judiciary

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EU Commissioner Urges Georgian Authorities to Strengthen Independent Judiciary facebook.com/ georgiatoday www.ggeorgiatodayeorgiatoday.ge IssueIssue no:no: 809809 • JANUARYJANUARY 15 - 18,18, 2016 • PUBLISHEDPUBLISH TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 THE RULES In this week’s issue... OF THE GAMEGAME The GeorgianGeorgian President pushespushes for #NBAVOTE cooperationcooperation andand transparencytransparency Zaza Pachulia PAGEPAGE 2 SPORTS PAGE 15 Two Blasts in Turkey, Terrorists Held Accountable NEWS PAGE 2 Gazprom Deal: Playing with Fire? POLITICS PAGE 3 The Anti-Turkish Coalition, Members: 1.5 POLITICS PAGE 4 EU Commissioner Urges Georgian Authorities Tech Park to Strengthen Independent Judiciary to Support New Ideas BY TAMAR SVANIDZE BUSINESS PAGE 5 ollowing his visit to Georgia, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muiznieks, released his report and highlighted that the country should continue strengthening Iago Bitarishvili’s Chinuri in its independence and the impartiality of judges. F“Judicial reforms have yielded some positive results in Wine List of London’s Ritz Georgia, in particular as concerns the reduced infl uence of the prosecutorial authorities, the increased transparency in the work of the High Council of Justice and an improved BUSINESS PAGE 7 juvenile justice system. However, long-standing structural problems still require serious attention, particularly with a view to upholding the independence and effective func- Gazprom? Who Cares! tioning of the judiciary,” Commissioner Muiznieks said in Council of Europe Commissioner for Human an address to the Prime Minister of Georgia. Rights, Nils Muiznieks Just Keep Us Warm! Continued on page 2 SOCIETY PAGE 9 From Georgian Folk to Zeppelin’s Kashmir: Giorgi Mikadze Astonishes the US CULTURE PAGE 11 Georgian Movies Being Screened at London Festival CULTURE PAGE 13 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS JANUARY 15 - 18, 2016 Two Blasts in Turkey, Terrorists Held Accountable “It is essential that all the actors of the electoral process - political parties, non-governmental organizations and Georgian society as a whole- agree on the rules of the game,” Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili declared Photo: Huffi ngton Post ist attack after the explosion in Istanbul. pate in foreign terrorist groups. Moreo- BY EKA KARSAULIDZE “We have determined that the perpe- ver, one of them had been previously trator of the attack is a foreigner who is announced in the Russian and interna- Agreeing the a member of Daesh,” declared Prime tional Wanted List. The other two left suicide bomber has been Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, using the Russia a few years ago with the intended held responsible for a blast Arabic acronym for IS. “Turkey won’t purpose of studying on the territory of in the Sultanahmet district backtrack in its struggle against Daesh Middle Eastern states,” reported Tass of Istanbul city center on by even one step … This terror organiza- Agency, referring to a source in the Rus- January 12. During the tion, the assailants and all of their con- sian competent authorities. Aexplosion, ten people were killed and nections will be found and they will While the Istanbul blast investigation Rules of the fi fteen injured, most of whom were for- receive the punishments they deserve,” was ongoing, the second blast hit south- eign tourists. The next night a car bomb he said. eastern Turkey on Wednesday night. was targeted at police headquarters near Turkish authorities reported that the The BBC, referring to local media, Diyarbakir, south-eastern Turkey, killing majority of the victims were German reported that a car bomb blast had hit a six people and injuring at least 39. nationals. Peru’s foreign ministry said police headquarters in Cinar district, According to Turkish authorities, the one Peruvian man was killed and a Peru- Diyarbakir province. The blast also dam- Game individual guilty of the Istanbul bomb- vian woman was among the 15 people aged nearby residential buildings, where ing was a man of Syrian origin born in who were wounded. a mother and baby were killed. Turkish 1988. The bomber was linked with the The Russian authorities have also con- offi cials blamed the blast on Kurdistan ship between institutions is necessary Islamic State (IS). Later, three Russian fi rmed that the Russian detainees are Worker’s Party (PKK) militants. BY STEVEN JONES for the state to function effectively; nationals were detained, also suspected among those associated with terrorists. At time of going to press, there is no therefore, “none of the parties could gain of links with IS. In total, Turkish author- “There is information that all three information that any organization has from the estrangement that has been ities arrested 60 suspects for the terror- detainees have relationships or partici- claimed responsibility for the blasts. he President of Georgia has around these past two years. The process said the State should ensure has not brought anything positive to any that voters should not have political actor. So, logically, it will no to choose between the bad longer continue this way,” Margvelashvili and the worse. stated. TAs Giorgi Margvelashvili stated on The President also commented on the Georgia Ranked Third in Free Gurjaani TV, the core issue for strength- upcoming parliamentary elections of ening democracy is not a change of gov- October 2016. He said the resignation of ernment but to move to a more open the fi rst and the second vice Prime Min- Trade Component electoral system. isters is part of a normal functioning of “Today, we no longer have a situation a government. “I do not know what the where the future of Georgian democracy reason was [for the former PM’s resig- BY ANA AKHALAIA is equal to a change in government,” the nation late December],” he said. “[but] President declared, adding that, however, the effective functioning of a state “it does not mean that we should not demands cooperation between consti- care about extending democratic tutional institutions, the President, the ccording to the Free Trade reforms.” Parliament and the Executive Govern- component of the Herit- According to Margvelashvili, discus- ment.” age Foundation’s Index sion about a change of authorities is not “We should not criticize the govern- of Economic Freedom underway as “we are talking about the ment for not wanting to lose. This is 2016, Georgia is ranked advancement of democracy.” He contin- normal. Any political party, whether in Athird. ued that the aim is not to improve any power or in opposition, aims at coming The report assesses countries on a political party and let another in, instead, to power or staying in power,” he said, 100 point system, where Georgia had that the recent data in terms of free ronment. “The aim is to ensure that voters do not adding, the important thing is how it 88.6, a score which hasn’t changed trade shows the countries with free In terms of free trade countries in have to choose between the bad and the happens. “It is essential that all the actors since last year. trade have a better record than coun- the region, Armenia is in 55th place worse.” of the electoral process - political par- The leaders of the rating are Hong tries where such practices do not exist. with 84.4 points, Russia has 72 points, The President hopes that communica- ties, non-governmental organizations Kong, Liechtenstein, Singapore, Macau, Studies show a strong connection while Azerbaijan has 75.8 points. tion with the new Prime Minister, Giorgi and Georgian society as a whole- agree Switzerland with 90 points. Swaziland between free trade and other positive The Index of Economic Freedom of Kvirikashvili, will be effective. on the rules of the game,” Margvelashvili has second place with 88.8 points. indicators, such as low level poverty, the World 2016 will be published in The President emphasized the relation- declared. The authors of the rating point out economic indicators and a clean envi- full within the next few days. EU Commissioner Urges Georgian Authorities to Strengthen Independent Judiciary Continued from page 1 Opposition, especially in regard to the would provide the Public Defender use of pre-trial detention measures with broader powers in combating The observations are based on the against them. discrimination, including in the private Commissioner’s latest visit to Georgia, “Resolute efforts are called for to sector,” he continued. held from the 9th to 13th November, increase the impartiality and account- Furthermore, the Commissioner urged which assessed the implementation of ability of the work of prosecutors and the Georgian authorities to improve the recommendations set out in his law enforcement offi cials,” the report their responses to hate crimes and hate 2014 report. stated, while recognizing that some speech, including such crimes on the Commissioner Muiznieks emphasized improvements in the selection, appoint- basis of sexual orientation and gender that shielding judges from internal and ment and dismissal procedures of the identity, and to ease tensions between external interference is a priority. Chief Prosecutor have occurred. majority and minority religious groups The Commissioner was informed of Commissioner Muiznieks urged the concerning issues related to religious specifi c cases of alleged pressure and Georgian authorities to make more properties and places of worship. This interference with the work of judges effective use of the existing anti-dis- can be achieved, he says, by the engage- of the Constitutional Court in relation crimination legislation and mecha- ment of the Georgian authorities in a to decisions they have taken. nisms. genuine dialogue with all religious He is particularly concerned about “They should speed up the adoption denominations and a tackling of the allegations of politically-motivated of the legislative amendments currently The observations are based on the Commissioner’s latest visit to Georgia, held from identifi ed issues following a human the 9th to 13th November, which assessed the implementation of the measures targeting members of the pending before the Parliament, as they recommendations set out in his 2014 report rights-based approach.
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