TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian government has begun preparing for a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, even though the exact date of her visit is still unknown.
Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze on Sunday met with the German ambassador
In brief
Saakashvili given pre-trial detention in absentia
TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi City Court on Friday evening decided to issue a pre-trial detention order for ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, although he is not in Georgia at the moment.
After leaving office in November 2013, the former president has not been in Georgia.
Two Georgians detained by Russian soldiers
TBILISI, DFWatch–Russian soldiers have detained two Georgian citizens outside the village Kveshi, near Gori, which borders on the South Ossetian breakaway region.
According to Interpressnews, the detainees are Zakro Butkhuzi, from Kveshi, and his guest Buta
280 prisoners pardoned by president's commission
TBILISI, DFWatch–The president of Georgia on Thursday pardoned 280 prisoners.
According to the new head of the president’s pardon commission Zviad Koridze, eight of those pardoned are women and 10 minors.
The commission has reviewed 2,744 cases.
Pro-Israel demonstration in Tbilisi
TBILISI, DFWatch–A group of Georgians demonstrated in front of the old parliament in Tbilisi on Tuesday in support of Israel.
The rally was planned through Facebook and was joined by about 50 people. Representatives of the Jewish community in Georgia were present
Georgia on imported electricity while power lines being repaired
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia is now being supplied with electricity that is imported from neighboring countries, after three high-voltage power lines failed yesterday.
Director of the electricity system, Sulkhan Zumburidze, said Monday that the import from two
Two missing after flood in Vani, Georgia
TBILISI, DFWatch–Two women are missing after several villages were flooded Sunday in Vani, a town in the west of Georgia, after heavy rain.
Zaza Khurtsidze, head of Vani municipality, told Interpressnews that two women are missing. Three others went missing but
Electricity back online in Georgia after massive outage
TBILISI, DFWatch–Trains stopped and all but one national TV station went off air in Georgia Sunday evening as much of the country was in the dark for several hours.
Late in the night, power was restored in Tbilisi and all other regions, according to the Energy
90% of cars in Georgia are more than 10 years old
TBILISI, DFWatch–More than 90 percent of the cars people drive in Georgia are from before 2004, according to a new report by the Interior Ministry.
The report, which was published on Friday, deals with cars registered in Georgia, but also imported and re-exported
Three detained in Georgia for tax fraud with Iranian tar sand
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Finance Ministry’s investigative service on Thursday detained three persons for organized financial crime that caused the state a loss of 345,774 lari (USD 197,551).
In a statement, the investigative service says the three aimed at not paying