http://georgiatimes.info/GeorgiaTimes.infohttp://www.georgiatimes.info/pix/logo100en.gifhttp://georgiatimes.info/?lang=enhttp://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25952.htmlYesterday it was reported that eight political prisoners belonging to Georgian opposition were released. The leader of the «Alliance for Georgia» Irakly Alasania thinks that it is not due to the good will of the Georgian authorities but to the insistence of American politicians. At the same time human rights organizations demand the liberation of all political prisoners and threaten with more protest actions.Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:25:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/interview/25950.htmlThe foreign investor reproached the Georgian government for its inability to protect private property. On the background of endless groaning of functionaries on how Georgia needs investments the indifference to the situation of the Rustavi Metallurgical Plant is unclear. The director of the British company «Thames Steels» that used to own plant assets made a declaration on the violation of legal owners’ rights and on complicity of Georgian courts with criminal organizations.Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:23:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/analysis/25943.htmlThe Georgian politics has long been developing on the basis of paradoxes that generally lead to conflicts. At present, another turn of confrontation is coming against the background of political lull. Unlike in spring, the opposition is calling upon the ruling majority to get down to the negotiating table to reform the electoral code and is already accusing the authorities of developing another scheme of fixing the elections.Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:31:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25918.htmlWho is going to be the first to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia: Byelorussia or Peru? The delegation from Minsk has studied the situation in Tbilisi, Sukhum and Tskhinval to submit its conclusions to the parliament. At the same time, it became known that the opposition of Peru put forward a proposal to recognize the independence of the two Caucasian republics following the example of Nicaragua and Venezuela.Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:40:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/interview/25847.htmlThe long-suffering Imedi (Hope) TV channel is the center of attention again. Recently, Court of London delivered an expert report confirming the fact that Badri Patarkatsishvili’s will was composed after his death. As GeorgiaTimes correspondent found out, it does not mean that the media assets are now going to pass to the family of the decedent and that the channel will again become the voice of the opposition. It is Boris Berezovskiy who might become the new owner of the Georgian Hope.Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:18:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/analysis/25846.htmlSome Georgian teenagers will have to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Ossetian prison. Unless the international community that has stood up staunchly for them will receive a rebate. The unfairness of foreign politicians rouses indignation in Ossetian mothers. The youngest of the children kidnapped by Georgians a year ago was just 15 years old, but that crime did not draw any response of the UN, PACE and other structures of the kind. It seems that Western compassion is somewhat selective.Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:44:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25841.htmlWhile the Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili has left for Kiev to provide personal support to Viktor Jushchenko whose electorate loyalty level has faltered, his compatriot, the Georgian «thief-in-law» Paata Tchkhartishvili a.k.a. Prince has arrived in Ukraine to establish criminal contacts and redistribute the influence in the area of illegal hard drug circulation.Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:30:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25776.htmlThe Patriot’s Act, which has long been the subject of passionate discussions of the Georgian politicians will, perhaps, be legalized despite the protest expressed by radical opposition in October when the topic of “legalizing patriotism” was touched upon. By the way, the document “concerning patriotism” was initiated in the parliament by another oppositionist from the parliamentary minority. Our correspondent has found out what Tbilisi thinks about passing such a “patriotic” document.Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:31:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25759.htmlThe message sent by the Abkhaz Church to the Georgian and Russian “sisters” was ignored. The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) did not alter its position in respect of the territory of the Georgian patriarchy, while the Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) is contemplating upon an answer to such “nonsense”. Did the Abkhaz priests appeal for help in “restoring the canonical status of the Church in Abkhazia” in vain?Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:47:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/analysis/25740.htmlGeorgian parliamentarians cannot get through the history. The Parliament Committee for the Investigation of the Death of the First Georgian President Zviad Gamsakhurdia has come to a dead-lock right after starting its activity. A deputy of the party in power Bejan Khuridze said he would stop his work if the committee was not given the status of a court of inquiry. A son of the first president Konstantin Gamsakhurdia filed the same claim before.Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:33:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25739.htmlThough Georgian opposition leaders regularly speak of a need to restore contacts with Moscow, their main hopes are still linked with Washington. There is hardly a single person who would not have visited the Department of State for consultations. In spite of a quiet political autumn, the oppositionists are attacking their American friends with appeals to influence Saakashvili who has lost the image of a democrat. Will they hear the voice of Georgian politicians on the banks of the Potomak?Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:31:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/analysis/25669.htmlThe person suspected of a leakage of information about an unsuccessful provocative act made by the Georgian special services is facing a legal procedure. The point at issue is the staged shooting at Lekh Kachinski and Mikhail Saakashvili near the border of South Ossetia last November. The Prosecutor’s Office believes that the secret information was disclosed to the media by former Head of the Polish President’s Administration Peter Kovnatski (see photo).Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:42:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25661.htmlOn 18-20 November the Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili will make an official visit to Ukraine. The Georgian Stationery Office preferred not to make comments on the details of this visit, but the Ukrainian mass media turned out to be more informed on the program prepared for the dear Georgian guest.Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:27:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25639.htmlEvery day brings another scandal in Georgia. This time, it is the spinning-up story with the arrest of Tsotne, the son of the first Georgian President Zviad Gamsakhurdia. Following her son, his mother went on hunger strike, as well as their 60 supporters. GeorgiaTimes correspondent tried to find out the details of the whole affair from the first president’s wife Manana Archvadze-Gamsakhurdia and from the Georgian politicians and human rights defenders.Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:12:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/interview/25575.htmlThe Georgian authorities are demonstrating their “desire” to set up a dialogue with Russia by means of the people’s democracy. The country has denied entrance to the initiators of the historic and literature award Marina Guseva and Alexander Veligonenko, who were carrying a book about Commander Bagration and were going to take part in the presentation of the World Congress of Peoples of Georgia branch office. The GeorgiaTimes correspondent interviewed Marina Guseva (see photo).Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:27:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/analysis/25568.htmlThe story with the Georgian teenagers arrested by the law-enforcement authorities of South Ossetia is growing in details. As the GeorgiaTimes correspondent was told by the disgraced Georgian businessman with the Ossetian origin Gocha Dzasokhov, who is now heading the World Assembly of Peoples of Georgia, he started negotiating the matter with the South-Ossetian authorities.Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:44:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25552.htmlGeorgia is in the middle of a pre-election scandal. It’s not the parliamentary or presidential elections the opposition keeps pressing for. The storm is there for the municipal election that as politicians and experts believe will be epoch-making implying a revolution from the inside. But even here the opposition and authorities can’t reach consensus.Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:48:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25527.htmlThe NATO Parliamentary Assembly's 55th Session is taking place in Edinburgh bringing together some 340 parliamentarians from 28 member states of the North Atlantic Alliance. The session is organized as meetings of 5 specific committees that plan to discuss such issues as partnership with Russia, reinforcement of global nuclear non-proliferation in view of Teheran’s nuclear ambitions, developments in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Georgia’s and Ukraine’s chances to join NATO.Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:41:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25471.htmlMelpomene patronizes Georgia. It is enough to remember a galaxy of talented actors and film directors. But theatre has a soft corner in Georgian politicians' hearts, too. PR resources are the favourite weapon of the head of state and his opponents. So there is no danger of boredom for Georgians. The Maestro opposition channel is strengthening its positions. It has been headed by the ex Georgian ambassador in Russia Erosi Kitsmarishvili. The political show must go on.Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:43:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25470.htmlThe Geneva discussion participants will go on hanging about until the USA, the European Union and the NATO reconsiders their erroneous position consisting in the statement that nothing happened in August'2008... Until Tbilisi stops concealing itself under the cover of a victim, encouraged by its protectors.Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:42:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/interview/25463.htmlRepresentative of the Russian branch of the World Congress of Peoples of Georgia Alexander Kinteraya was not allowed to enter Georgia. He intended to open an organizational branch there. The reason for denial was not mentioned; however, it is the presidential ambitions of the Congress Head Alexander Ebralidze that could be the only obstacle.Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:39:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/analysis/25443.htmlPresident of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili is making his best to use the political lull to soften the current situation. The day before, he ordered the minister of education and minister of health to familiarize themselves with the parliamentary opposition's initiatives. As to the non-parliamentary opposition, its radical wing is about to start a new turn of struggle.Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:13:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25402.htmlAmerican business magazine Forbes has published the list of the most influential people of the world. Leaders of the two currently "reloading" states, Russia and the USA that used to be severe rivals in the past have got into the first trio: Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin occupies the third place, while the president of the USA is the leader of the rating. They are separated by President of P.R.C. Hu Jintao; he represents the country with the most dynamic economic development which is soon going to compete with the dollar.Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:00:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/interview/25385.htmlBecause of the crisis the Georgian government was forced to reconsider their attitude to taxes. Desire to make Georgia more investment-attractive was replaced by a trend to squeeze money from businesses. The latest victim of this policy is Kazbegi beer factory in Rustavi. And again rhetoric does not match deed - which is normal for Mikheil Saakashvili. Recently he spoke about improvement of tax environment.Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:27:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/analysis/25375.htmlThe recently started work of the committee for investigation of death of the first Georgian President Zviad Gamsakhurdia has stuck. One of its representatives stated that the committee should be granted the status of an investigative agency; otherwise, he will step down from office. The status would enable to interrogate the two former State Security Ministers Igor Giorgadze and Shota Kviraya.Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:55:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25369.htmlAgreeing to differ - this is a not pleasing result of the eighth round of Geneva talks. After they were over the UN, EU and OSCE mediators stated the discussions were going the right way and the situation in the region had stabilized. Russia and South Ossetia contradicted saying Georgia was preparing a new aggression. Tbilisi retaliated accusing Moscow of no progress in negotiations. So only UN, EU and OSCE monitors seem to be satisfied with the debates.Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:09:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25320.htmlA story with the fight, or rather, the U.S. marines beating the two Georgian youths, which has been much talked about in the media, has got an unexpected continuation.Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:35:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/analysis/25295.htmlGeorgia is known for its tendency to make public scandals. Another scandal was broken out against the background of political lull. This time, it was an informational scandal. Former Head of Adzharia Aslan Abashidze accused the Ukrainian media of provocation: they have published an interview that was never taken.Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:09:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/analysis/25290.htmlGeorgians are an artistic and inventive nation. This is hard to deny. But now this creative potential is not really in great demand. Creativity goes to politics where competition is high. Sometimes Europe and the USA are literally shocked by the "creativity" of Georgian politicians. Recently the Labor Party called on the UN to investigate the activities of the country's leader Mikheil Nikolayevich. GeorgiaTimes correspondent was trying to understand how real it is.Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:08:00 +0300http://www.georgiatimes.info/en/articles/25244.htmlMikheil Saakashvili took the teenager scandal to the international level. What's there to be done if the president wasn't able to take care of his poor young people and schoolchildren have to commit crimes in South Ossetia? At least he should appear interested. But why rage against Russia that is restoring order in Georgia's ex autonomy and the EU for "over-reserved" intercession?Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:59:00 +0300