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New Electoral System Outlined. Number of parliamentary seats will go up to 190; 83 – majoritarian seats; 107 – proportional seats; GEL 1 mln for all the parties clearing 5% threshold; GEL 300,000 out of GEL 1m to be spent on TV ads; Liakhvi, Akhalgori constituencies to be scrapped; Tbilisi to have 15 single-mandate constituencies Voters list to be checked by opposition-chaired group; New Rights, CDM join the deal; Proposal was rejected by six opposition parties The ruling National Movement party signed a deal with several other parties, including with Christian-Democratic Movement (CDM) and New Rights Party, setting up electoral system for the next parliamentary elections in 2012.

The deal, rejected by six opposition parties, is based on proposals tabled by the ruling party on June 24; the final text of agreement, however, contains some amendments, including in regard to campaign funding scheme, and specifies some other provisions. Electoral System Voters List The commission's work will be funded from the state budget. Study Slams EU's Approach to Georgia Free Trade Talks.

EU should reshape its current “bad” approach towards free trade agreement with Georgia and open negotiations “without further delay” since Georgia has “more than satisfied” the relevant preconditions, a study released on March 1 by the Brussels-based think-tank Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) says. The 105-page study, conducted by researchers from CEPS; Paris-based Groupe d’Economie Mondiale and Tbilisi-based libertarian think-tank New Economic School-Georgia, says that the European Commission is insisting on “a hugely demanding set of preconditions” before agreeing to open negotiations with Georgia on deep and comprehensive free trade agreement (DCFTA).

Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister, Tornike Gordadze, complained recently that discussions on launch of DCFTA talks were “the most difficult” part of Association Agreement negotiations between Georgia and the EU. “One possible reason for such a motive is Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO),” the study reads. Fifteenth Round of Geneva Talks.

Non-use of force commitment will again top the agenda of Geneva talks, fifteenth round of which will be held on March 4. The issue of non-use of force commitment and its modalities has long been the major point of contention in the EU, OSCE and UN-mediated talks, involving negotiators from Tbilisi, Moscow, Washington, Sokhumi and Tskhinvali. The Georgian Foreign Ministry said on March 2, that at the fifteenth round of talks it would call on Russia to reciprocate Tbilisi’s non-use of force pledge, voiced by President Saakashvili in November and reiterated in written in letters to EU, OSCE, UN, NATO and the United States. “With this step Russia will demonstrate that its intentions towards Georgia are peaceful and no further military aggression is planned against its sovereign neighbor,” the Georgian Foreign Ministry said. “This time, we hope that Moscow will unlock the process and substantial discussions will take place on the modalities of return,” the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.

Burjanadze: Revolution Inevitable. OGFD Calls for Public Council to Monitor Police. Our Georgia-Free Democrats (OGFD) opposition party, led by Irakli Alasania, has called for setting up a public council at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) to provide democratic control of the police. Alasania said on March 3, that “de-politicization” of the police was one of the key issues for creating fair and democratic electoral environment. OGFD said in a statement that public council was needed in order to react and prevent cases of abuse of powers by the police, especially after last year’s amendments to the law on police introducing stop-and-frisk practice. OGFD has appealed to the Constitutional Court against the new practice, giving police officers right to stop a person on the street and to frisk the outer clothing if officer has “a reasonable suspicion” that criminal activity is afoot.

Georgian Party: 'Revolution Inevitable if Saakashvili Says No to Changes' Leaders of the opposition Georgian Party, launched in October and led by former public defender Sozar Subari, say that revolution will be inevitable in Georgia if President Saakashvili refuses to soften his grip on power. “Will we have to carry out a revolution or will we be able to carry out [changes] through elections? That is a question on which Saakashvili has to give an answer, meaning will Saakashvili give up [control over] justice system, media, political police and stop terrorizing business and will he set electoral environment free? If his answer is ‘No’, then only one mean becomes available for us – mounting political and people’s pressure on this regime in order to make it go as soon as possible,” Erosi Kitsmarishvili, the Georgian Party’s political secretary, told the party activists on March 1. In recent months the Georgian Party has been establishing its regional branches throughout the country.

Some Say Sochi Olympic Good for Conflict Resolution. The selection of Sochi as the host city for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, whilest sparking celebrations in Sochi, has left many in Tbilisi wondering on the implications for Abkhaz conflict resolution. Sochi is less than 40 kilometers from the breakaway region. Most observers and politicians have welcomed Sochi's victory, seeing in it positive implications for Georgia.

Just hours before the official announcement, President Saakashvili reiterated his "whole-hearted support" for the Russian Olympic bid. He said in an interview with Reuters on July 4 that the Olympic Games would help to promote stability, peace and understanding between the nations in the Caucasus. That sentiment was echoed by David Darchiashvili, executive director of the Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF). "I think it will have only positive results," he told the Georgian Public Broadcaster on July 5. Others, however, have been more cautious. Darchiashvili, however, rejected this line of thinking.

Georgian Minister Against Holding Olympics in Sochi. Giorgi Baramidze, Georgia’s deputy prime minister and state minister for Euro-Atlantic integration, said that he personally shares “sentiments” of a group of Georgian lawmakers who expressed their opposition to holding of Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, not far from Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia. A group of lawmakers from parliamentary committees on foreign affairs and compatriots living abroad, as well as the parliamentary commission on territorial integrity discussed the issue at a meeting on November 19. “The legislators consider that it is necessary to convince the international Olympic Committee, National Olympic Committees and the international community in the necessity of holding 2014 Winter Olympiad in a different country,” the Georgian legislative body’s press office said after the meeting.

“According to the Olympic Charter, it is impossible to hold Olympic Games on the territory where the genocide of a nation took place,” MP Tsiklauri said. Georgia and Russia do business despite tense relations. 14 July 2010Last updated at 00:24 By Konstantin Rozhnov Business reporter, BBC News Russia and Georgia may have severed diplomatic ties as a result of the armed conflict over South Ossetia in 2008, but when it comes to business dealings the two sides often choose a more pragmatic approach. Tension between Russia and Georgia culminated in a war in August 2008 Russia's ban on the imports of Georgian wines, introduced several years ago, and a lack of regular direct flights between the two countries have been well publicised.

However - despite many Georgians being sure that Moscow would use any opportunity, including business pressure, to significantly expand its influence in the region - many Russian companies have been operating in Georgia throughout this tense period. This forms the backdrop to a tense debate in the Georgian parliament about a proposal to re-write the list of state properties that cannot be sold. 'Politically motivated' Mrs Clinton visited Georgia last week Liberal market.

Conflicts/Geneva

Georgia Society. Russia’s Efforts to Buy French Warship Upset Georgia and Baltic. Medvedev on Ties with Georgia. Russia’s President, Dmitry Medvedev, reiterated on December 9, that he would not have any contacts with his Georgian counterpart, Mikheil Saakashvili and “with some others in leadership”; but also added that it was not a reason for putting off other decisions, including on reopening of border and resumption of direct flights. “I have numerously said that I am not going to have contacts with the current President and some others in [the Georgian] leadership; our ways have parted and our assessments of developments are absolutely different; I think that President Saakashvili bears direct legal responsibility for the committed crime, but it does not mean that we should postpone all other relations for a later time,” Medvedev told European and Asian Media Forum in Moscow.

“The possibility of conducting direct flights, and opening the Upper Larsi checkpoint – it is a normal topic for discussion and solution. Medvedev hopes Russia, Georgia will scrap visas | Top Russian ne. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday he hoped a time would come when Russia and Georgia would end mutual visa requirements. "We are currently moving toward a visa-free area with the European Union. I hope that this will happen in the very near future. I also hope that this time will come for Georgia and Russia," he told a European and Asian media forum hosted by RIA Novosti.

Medvedev said Russian-Georgian political links had been damaged through no fault of Moscow. "I have repeatedly said that I have no plans for contacts with the current president or other top officials [in Georgia]; our paths have diverged, and our views are too wide apart," he said. "I believe that President Saakashvili bears direct legal responsibility for the crime that was committed, but this does not mean that we must freeze all other relations. Our peoples have centuries-old friendship, a special history. " MOSCOW, December 9 (RIA Novosti) Commissioner Outlines EU Georgia Priorities.

‘Local elections test for Georgia’s commitments’ ‘Demonstrate strategic patience’ ‘Prepare actively for talks on association treaty’ EU is “deeply committed” to further assist Georgia in tackling its multiple challenges, but to succeed with this assistance, Georgia also “must deliver more” with its commitments, an outgoing EU Neighborhood Commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said on December 15. Speaking at the European Parliament on December 15, Ferrero-Waldner laid out those three priority areas in which, she said, Georgia had “to deliver more” – democratic reforms; demonstrating “strategic patience” towards its breakaway regions and preparation for new EU-Georgia Association Agreement. Democratic Reforms She told the European Parliamentarians that the first point was further democratic reforms, human rights and rule of law and in this respect she emphasized on local elections planned for May, 2010.

‘Strategic Patience’ ‘Prepare for Talks on Association Agreement’ Property Rights in Russian-Occupied Abkhazia: Now a Cause for Te. By Giorgi Kvelashvili On February 3, the Russian newspaper Moskovskij Komsomolets, which is close to Russia’s ruling circles, published an article with a rather loud title, “Abkhazia Gains Independence from…the Russian Federation”. The newspaper asserted that “in the new state [Abkhazia], the Russian-speaking population is deprived of basic rights” and “a scandal is brewing between Moscow and Sokhumi related to violations of the rights of the Russian citizens in Abkhazia” ( According to the information that became available to the newspaper, the violations are so serious and systematic that the foreign ministry of the Russian Federation “was forced to send a note to the Abkhaz leadership, in which it expressed grave concern over numerous instances of expropriation from Russian citizens of their property in Abkhazia.” Russia to grant Abkhazia $330 mln over 3 years | Top Russian new.

Russia will provide Abkhazia financial assistance worth over 10 billion rubles ($330 million) in the next three years, Russia's ambassador to the former Georgian republic said Thursday. Semyon Grigoryev said this year Abkhazia would receive about 1.9 billion rubles ($62 million). He stressed that Russia sought to boost Abkhazia's economy not only with financial assistance but also with Russian investment. "Needless to say, gratuitous Russian aid will keep Abkhazia's economic and social sphere going but their development should receive a real boost from serious Russian investment, primarily from large and medium-size companies," he said.

The envoy said investment activity would be facilitated by a bilateral cooperation agreement signed by the two countries in 2009. Georgia and Russia fought a five-day war in August 2008 over South Ossetia, which was attacked by Tbilisi in an attempt to bring it back under central control. SUKHUMI, January 28 (RIA Novosti) Route Between Russia and Georgia Is Reopened, Just Barely - NYTi.

The New York Times The land route between Georgia and Russia closed in 2008. When Georgia and Russia were trading partners, Chmi grew fat off traffic, and its families were in endless cheerful transit back and forth over the mountains. When the countries became enemies, the road closed, and Chmi starved. Weddings and funerals came and went a half-hour’s drive away, and relatives wept to each other over the phone, as if separated by an ocean.

On Monday, when Moscow and Tbilisi officially reopened the single land route between Russia and Georgia, it was hard to know which version of the future to expect. By early evening, no vehicles had crossed the border, said guards on the Russian side. Officials told Interfax that the new checkpoint could accommodate 7,000 travelers and 900 vehicles a day, reviving a trade route that was severed when Georgia and Russia went to war for a few days in August 2008. In late December, the Russian president, Dmitri A. “I came as a pioneer,” he said. Georgian Opposition Leader In Moscow For Talks - Radio Free Euro. TBILISI -- The leader of Georgia's opposition Democratic Movement-United Georgia party, Nino Burjanadze, has arrived in Moscow for talks with Russian officials, RFE/RL's Georgian Service reports.

Burjanadze, a former speaker of the Georgian parliament, did not say with whom she plans to meet. She told journalists at Tbilisi airport that she will engage in "big-time politics," adding that by this she means revolution. Ahead of her departure, she told RFE/RL's Georgian Service: "It's an invitation from the government of the Russian Federation, from the leading organs of Russia. I think I took a very correct step by deciding to go to Moscow, because I consider it important, in principle, to search for an outlet to get out of the dead-end situation in which Russian-Georgian relations are now. " Any visit to Moscow by a Georgian opposition leader is a sensitive issue in the wake of the military conflict between Russia and Georgia in August 2008. Burjanadze on Talks with Putin. Merabishvili on Elections, Opposition, Russia, Ukraine. Georgian opposition intends to create 'Georgian lobby' in Russia.

New Commander of Land Forces Appointed.