Category: News

Armenian government approves agreement between telecom companies
Prime-TASS news agency, Moscow
19 Nov 04
Yerevan, 19 November: The Armenian government has approved an amicable
agreement between the Greek company Hellenic Telecommunications
Organization (OTE) and the Armenian national telecom company ArmenTel,
the press relations department of the government said on Friday
[19 November].
The government has also decided to make amendments to ArmenTel’s
licence, which deprives the company of the exclusive right to provide
GSM, mobile satellite and mobile radio communication services, the
press service said.
However, the company will keep its monopoly on IP telephony voice
transmission services, the press service added.
In 1997, the Greek company Hellenic Telecommunications Organization
paid 142.47m US dollars to gain control of a 90-per-cent stake in
ArmenTel. It bought a 41-per-cent stake from the Armenian government
and a 49-per-cent stake from Trans-World Telecom.
According to the agreement between OTE and the Armenian government,
ArmenTel was granted the right to its monopoly for 15 years, but in
September 2003 the government initiated a procedure to amend ArmenTel’s
licence due to the allegedly low-quality services it provided.

ARMENIAN PILOTS LIKELY TO FACE A 26-YEAR IMPRISONMENT
A1 Plus | 23:10:52 | 19-11-2004 | Social |
In Malabo, capital of Equatorial Guinea, a lawsuit against those
accused of a coup attempt is still going on. Six Armenian pilots who
took flights to this country according to an agreement with a German
company are among those charged.
At the hearing on Nov 18 a verdict, according to which if convicted,
the pilots would face up to 26 years in jail, was read.
For the rest of the defendants the sentence is ranging from 42 to
102 years. The South African leader of the coup and his loyalists
will face death penalty.
The attorney of Armenian pilots Mbombo Nvo has denied all the
allegations considering them groundless and absurd and has declared
that in the case of an unjust decision he would fight till the very
end even appeal to international judicial institutions.
The final verdict will be delivered on Nov 26. The report from Armenian
foreign ministry says that Armenian pilots are in no way involved in
the activities against the authorities and have absolutely nothing
to do with Equatorial Guinea.
The trial was resumed at a short session on Nov 16. The key suspect
completely denied his previous testimonies saying they had been
extracted under threat of torture and death. He also denies his
complicity in the coup plot and said he hadn’t been involved in
any deals.
–Boundary_(ID_gmDl6SCAhcytw8gWh2iiMg)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SADOYAN URGES TO START LEGAL BATTLE AGAINST ARMENTEL
A1 Plus | 19:21:15 | 19-11-2004 | Social |
MP from the opposition Arhsak Sadoyan intends to send GRECO
international organization engaged in anticorruption activity a
30-point motion containing evidence of a shady deal between Armenian
government and ArmenTel company and bribery.
A group is already created for that.
The MP calls on the heads of almost 250 enterprises providing IP
telephony to file a suit against the government.
Sadoyan is convinced that as a result of the agreement reached
that dark way ArmenTel and the government will find themselves in
disadvantageous situation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ROBERT KOCHARYAN, TIGRAN KARAPETYAN NAMED AS MOST PROMINENT PERSONS OF
YEAR IN ARMENIA
A1 Plus | 15:39:30 | 19-11-2004 | Social |
Vox Populi center conducted recently a telephone survey in Yerevan to
know the most important person and the most remarkable event in Armenia
and entire world of this year. As many as 964 Yerevan residents were
questioned about that.
64,8% of respondents found it difficult to answer the question about
the most remarkable event in Armenia, though following events were
mentioned:
Opposition-staged rallies – 7,7%
Peace maintenance – 6,7%
Jehovah Witnesses sect registration – 5,3%
Ongoing emigration – 4,6%
Samvel Babayan release from jail – 1,2%
Other answers – 9,6%
35% of respondents said the most important event in the world is
American presidential elections. The others mentioned war in Iraq,
terrorist act in Beslan and Yasser Arafat’s death.
24% said they saw not a single “person of the year” in Armenia while
12,9% named Tigran Karapetyan, 11,4% – said it was Armenian president
Robert Kocharyan.
PM Andranik Margaryan was mentioned by 10,9%, National Assembly
speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan by 9,4% and defense minister Serge
Sargssyan by 6,8%.
What about “the world person of the year”, 33% said it was the U.S.
president Bush, after him Vladimir Putin and then Yasser Arafat,
Mikhail Saakashvili and even Bin Laden.
–Boundary_(ID_KP9mwB8D2hi5hFstyZYf9Q)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EACH SECOND GENERATION DIASPORA ARMENIAN CONCERNED ABOUT ARTSAKH
Azg/arm
20 Nov 04
In 1999, on instruction of late Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsian,
Sevak Artsruni undertook drawing of a plan of re-inhabiting Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh.
The plan today is being implemented in Karabakh.
In November of 2002 Yerkir organization of repatriation and settlement
was created uniting 5 NGOs from Armenia, Karabakh and Diaspora.
“Many Diaspora Armenians keep in their hearts this small piece of
their lost fatherland, and those ideas form their identity. Each
second generation Armenian feels pain for its fatherland. In order to
enable them to put their strivings in practice we need to form a solid
field for cooperation that will pursue no political or economic aims”,
Artsruni says.
Yerkir Union has implemented 10 programs with overall cost of $700
thousand during last two years. Artsruni points out to the foundation
of the village of Knaravan in the region of Nor Shahumian and calls
it a unique example of Diaspora-Armenia cooperation.
Artsruni thinks that re-inhabiting is a social science and puts:
“If it is carried out by non-professionals it may even harm the
state”. More than half of Armeniaâ~@~Ys and Karabakhâ~@~Ys population
is concentrated in Yerevan and in the regions of Ararat Valley which
cannot be justified militarily and from the aspect of stateâ~@~Ys
security. In fact, Armenia today has practically no back areas,
there are no inner territories.
In accordance with the program of inhabiting Armenia and Artsakh,
population of Artsakh should reach 300 thousand by 2012. But
the pace of the program shows that it is losing its meaning and
falling apart. Artsruni thinks that politics must be kept out of
the process. “Re-inhabiting is a service to the fatherland, and not
a chance to get political dividends. But we take this rivalry very
easy because we understand the Diaspora stands aloof from intrigues
and truly cares for Armenia”, he says.
“Yerkir is not simply rising money but trying to turn interested
organizations into partners”, he says and adds that implementation
of every program is posted on the web page enabling a donor to watch
how his money is distributed.
Yerkir Union implemented re-inhabitation of Norashen village in
the region of Hadrut with the support of French offshoot of the
AGBU. Recently a delegation headed by initiators and supporters
of the program Levon Kebabjian and Ara Aharonian visited Norashen
to see what is done there. Success of the program encouraged them,
and they decided to support in inhabiting processes.
“I am very glad for AGBUâ~@~Ys decision. First programs of the AGBU
implemented in Soviet Armenia including drying of swamps, building
settlements and bridges. AGBU may put into action the plans of Poghos
Nubar”, Artsruni says.
President of Yerkir Union thinks that the Diaspora should be directly
involved in Armenia and Karabakh and implement its goals through
NGOs. That would be a good way of keeping any project concerning
re-settlement far from political speculations. “We want AGBU to keep
to our strategic policy of 2000”.
Besides inhabiting Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, Yerkir Union watches
over the economic state of the population. For that purpose we have
launched a new program of Yerkir Fund which is looking for donors in
Diaspora and the donor provides the family with credit for purchasing
livestock, provides with fruit-trees and seed. The debtor returns the
credit not to the creditor but to Yerkir thus filling up the gaps. “We
will also use this money for inhabiting purposes. For instance, there
are families in Qashatakh who are unable to stay there any longer and
we use the money to support them instead of bringing new families”
Artsruni says.
By Tatoul Hakobian
–Boundary_(ID_7nUbS3zT6Ht+DqfXJpGyvA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE ULP OPPOSES POLICY CONDUCTED BY COALITION
Azg/arm
20 Nov 04
The United Labor Party is no radical opposition and doesnâ~@~Yt accept
the policy conducted by the radical opposition. The ULP opposes the
policy of the coalition. At the same time, the party is very consistent
in its activities and will never give up its commitments. Thus, the
ULP has no oppositional attitude and status regarding RA President
Robert Kocharian, as in 2003, the party considered the program of
Robert Kocharian the closest to its ideas among the other candidates
in the presidential elections.
Criticizing the coalition, it will try to avert any slight violation
of the program, as in case Robert Kocharian fails to carry out its
program, the ULP will have to share responsibility for that. At
present, the ULP is studying the activities of the executive power
during 2004 and makes a final conclusion about the bill on “RA State
Budget in 2005.” This conclusion will be represented at the parliament
soon. Gourgen Arsenian, leader of the ULP faction, emphasized the
importance of managing the expenses and not the results. Thus, the
executive power should know the benefits gained from each allocation.
Arsenian promised to represent data concerning the activities of
all spheres in RA, i.e. they will point out concrete spheres where
resources were wasted.
Gourgen Arsenian, the guest of the National Press Club, answering the
questions of journalists, touched upon the discussion of important
issues with RA President in various formats. He said that they resemble
clashes of the views and they can be decisive very frequently. For
example, the fate of the law “On Higher and Post-Graduate Education”
was decided during the discussion with RA President, instead of being
considered at the Parliament.
Arsenian evaluated “the people suffering from revolutionary nonsense”
as “agents of the foreign special services” and emphasized that
at present, in Armenia the political power and the responsibility
the political parties share is growing. The aim of the process is to
maintain the political power and to secure its consistency by political
elections only. According to Gourgen Arsenian, the ULP doesnâ~@~Yt
strive for any executive power, including the post of RA President,
as it is carrying out the duty of the publicâ~@~Ys service. According
to the ULP, the most acceptable candidate for RA President will be
the person accepted by the people who carry the power.
According to him, the struggle for power carried out otherwise
resembles a childish way like “Let me play a bit,” that is a quite
dangerous phenomenon for Armenia.
By Nana Petrosian
–Boundary_(ID_TfAN+TiYxO8ahniMlARucQ)–

Site says police, army may remain mainly neutral in Ukrainian election
Glavred, Kiev
16 Nov 04
It is by no means certain that the army, security service and police
force, (referred to collectively as the “armed services”) will actually
carry out the orders reportedly given to them to do everything
possible to secure the victory of the establishment candidate in
Sunday’s presidential election, a Ukrainian web site has said. It
said some senior officers want Yanukovych to win, while others are
not very concerned as they will be dismissed anyway. This indifference
extends downwards, resulting at best in a patchy response to partisan
orders, it said. The net result may be that the armed services will
prove to be largely neutral, it concluded. The following is the text
of the article by Viktor Shlynchak posted on the opposition-leaning
Ukrainian web site Glavred on 16 November under the title “Powerless?”;
subheadings have been inserted editorially:
The situation in the Ukrainian armed forces, the SBU Security
Service of Ukraine and the Interior Ministry shows that today the
lower subdivisions of the armed-service departments are minded to
“wait and see which way the wind blows” and to refrain from taking
radical action against the opposition – until the terrain has been
finally reconnoitred. In other words, until the winner has been
declared. Armed services’ loyalties are uncertain
We have reported on more than one occasion that something akin
to an internal revolt is simmering deep inside the armed-service
departments. We have also reported that each of the teams of the
presidential candidates has tried all means of gaining the support
of the armed services – both public means and those that are behind
the scenes. Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko has read out appeals
to law-enforcement officers.
Prime Minister and establishment candidate Viktor Yanukovych has
promised district police inspectors a pay rise and a “topping up” of
their length of service. Yushchenko has had meetings with the heads
of the armed-service departments and appealed to their consciences.
Yanukovych has brought pressure to bear through administrative
methods, strengthening Kiev with military units. Neither Yushchenko
nor Yanukovych is convinced that, in a state of emergency, he will
have the support of the armed services, just as neither is convinced
that he will not be betrayed at the very last moment. Yushchenko has
nothing in particular to hope for, whereas for Yanukovych it may mean
unconditional surrender.
Defence minister’s indifference prompts army neutrality
At the moment, Yanukovych can only rely on the Defence
Ministry. Oleksandr Kuzmuk, a member of the establishment candidate’s
team who has just taken over the ministry after heading it previously,
has a pretty good idea of what is what in the institution entrusted to
him. However, sources inside the ministry say that Kuzmuk, appointed
two months ago, spends most of his time on preserving his influence
in the ministry after the election, whatever the final outcome
is. This process includes the gradual placing of “his own people”,
the formation of a balance among the generals and also the commonplace
accumulation of money in the accounts of commercial bodies that work
with the Defence Ministry.
We shall not represent this claim as being the truth, but rumours to
the effect that Kuzmuk is least of all concerned about the election
have long and persistently been in circulation. Kuzmuk’s closest
associates are not certain that, even if Yanukovych comes to power,
Gen Kuzmuk will remain in his post, since the post has reportedly
been promised to a USDPU United Social Democratic Party of Ukraine
protege. Hence his attitude towards his area of responsibility.
Kuzmuk’s mood inevitably affects not only the calculations
being made by the generals, but also the views of lower-ranking
officers. Campaigning for Yanukovych in the army boils down to a
reminder that Yushchenko “took benefits away”, while Yanukovych has
promised to restore them. However, even those for whom this argument
seemed previously to be the most convincing are not very sure that
the income part of family budgets in the army will increase. That
is why they still retain a relatively neutral attitude towards the
two candidates. Commanders of units are, of course, able to bypass
the law on elections and to control the course of the voting at the
polling stations within military units, yet the degree of loyalty
to the current authorities in the armed forces does not allow one to
say that it is very high.
Quite interesting processes are also taking place in the army itself,
and they are setting the other armed services against Kuzmuk. The
present defence minister’s attempts to attach to the Defence
Ministry the SBU’s department of military counterintelligence (the
DVKR), which has been resurrected, in the full sense of the term,
would seem to be prompted by dissatisfaction with the keenness of
the counterintelligence officers and by reluctance to contemplate
an independent body that has every opportunity to monitor the
army. Incidentally, so far, this body has already “dug up” a mass of
material on the abuses, intrigues and unscrupulousness of top officers
in the Defence Ministry. The “bargaining” over such matters is not
only becoming a stumbling block between the armed services, but is
also generating tension between individual subunits, including those
that are to ensure order on polling day, 21 November, and possibly
after the result has been announced.
SBU also standing on the sidelines
The SBU is also avoiding active participation in the elections in the
run-up to the second round. The available data suggest that the secret
service has withdrawn from playing an active role in the election,
and extensive reports from the “electoral fields” have stopped
thudding on to the desks of senior state officials. Operational
information from the regions, particularly those in the west, has
also dried up. Can these developments be logged as achievements by
the opposition candidate’s team? That is dubious. It is more likely
that SBU chief Ihor Smeshko stood up to the president and defended his
right to take no part in electoral games, regardless of the dismissal
looming over him, for which forces close to the Party of Regions led by
Yanukovych are pressing. After the election, Smeshko will, in any case,
have to collect his belongings and go. If Yanukovych comes to power,
Smeshko will probably be replaced by his former first deputy in the
SBU, Yuriy Zemlyanskyy, whom Smeshko himself fired not so long ago
on 20 August , incidentally. Zemlyanskyy not only hails from Donetsk
Region like Yanukovych , but he is also one of the people through whom
Yanukovych resolved the lion’s share of his affairs in Kiev while he
was still governor of Donetsk Region .
The fact, however, that Zemlyanskyy spent a lengthy period inside
the building in Volodymyrska Street, Kiev – SBU headquarters does
not mean that his authority is very strong and firm. He has far more
enemies than friends in the head office. Members of the secret service
themselves say that people in the building remember Volodymyr Radchenko
(now secretary of the National Security and Defence Council) more than
Gen Zemlyanskyy, even though Radchenko moved to other work before he
did. Volodymyr Satsyuk, the man in the SBU with responsibility for the
elections, has recently lost any special interest in these measures,
evidently because he has not found anything in a Yanukovych victory
that would be at all beneficial to himself.
Police also wobble
The only question now unanswered is how the police will behave if the
crunch comes. The obsessive determination of Interior Minister Mykola
Bilokon during the presidential campaign would be surprising if one
did not know what specifically Yanukovych had promised the general in
his office. He is said to have promised a great deal. Much depends,
however, not so much on Bilokon himself as on how he is perceived
by the actual Interior Ministry staff. There are constant whispers
in the central directorate about the blackmail and threats that are
levelled against the relatives of internal affairs officers who,
in the opinion of the minister’s associates, are lukewarm in helping
“Yanukovych’s headquarters carry out election work”. It is also known
that some of the ministry’s orders are given verbally, so as to avoid
liability if Yushchenko wins. A resolution to that effect was adopted
the week before last. Most orders are now conveyed using the secure
communications systems.
The fact that information leaks about the actions of senior police
officers surface in the media proves that there is a certain number
of staff in the law-enforcement agencies who are willing to engage in
dialogue with the opposition candidate’s headquarters. It is rumoured
that among such people is former Interior Minister Yuriy Kravchenko,
who occasionally meets representatives of Yushchenko’s headquarters
and offers them help. It is hard to judge how honest that desire is. It
should also be recalled that the text of an appeal to speaker Volodymyr
Lytvyn from law-enforcement officers in the Kharkiv area was published
not so long ago by Vecherniye Vesti on 10 November . The letter
referred to falsification of the election and how Interior Ministry
staff were involved in this. Admittedly, Deputy Interior Minister
Mykhaylo Korniyenko said later, in a Glavred interview, that “the
letter is an election stunt” and does not actually exist. According
to our information, the police “whistleblowers” immediately decided
to hold a news conference, but cancelled it at the last moment.
Another report appeared on Internet sites later, saying that Deputy
Minister Mykola Lyubar had instructed his subordinates in the office
of the governor of Cherkasy Region: “if Yanukovych doesn’t get 50 per
cent of votes, it is essential to put into effect the plan to disrupt
the election so that they are deemed to be invalid”. Can this statement
be regarded as a verbal order? In view of the minister’s directive,
it probably can.
Twilight of Kuchma era recalls Ceausescu scenario
However, the main question remains open: how are such initiatives seen
locally? Our information suggests that responses vary quite a lot. Even
the actual posing of the question means that the authorities, who
wanted to look “as strong as never before” and whose administrative
resources relied primarily on the armed services, are starting to
lose their power as the end of the election draws near.
The present situation in Ukraine reminds one of Romania in the
final hours of Ceausescu, when all the armed services turned against
him towards the end of the uprising. It reminds one of Russia, when
Yeltsin’s words were stronger than the tanks. It reminds one of Armenia
and the Georgia of recent times. And, even if, in some unexpected
circumstances, Kuzmuk, Smeshko and Bilokon repeat the words of the
Romanian general Vasile Milea the defence minister, who refused to
carry out Ceausescu’s orders: “I looked in all the service regulations
and could not find anywhere a paragraph that said that the people’s
army should fire on the people… ellipsis as published “, events
will not, we hope, lead to shooting in Ukraine. We very much hope not.

AsiaNews.it, Italy
Nov 19 2004
Call to Christians: Pilgrims, come to the Holy Land

Representatives of all Churches: “The West, driven by secularism, is
forgetting Christians”.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews) — “A call to all people of faith: Visit the
Holy Land”. This is the title of a document signed by
representatives of different Christian denominations in Jerusalem
this week, to encourage Christians around the world to resume visits
to the Holy Sites.
On Monday, November 13, the Custodian of the Holy Land, Father
Pierbattista Pizzaballa, papal representative Archbishop Pietro
Sambi, and representatives of the Greek and Russian Orthodox,
Armenian and Protestant Churches signed a joint statement urging
Christians of the world to visit the Holy Land and, thus, contribute
to preventing the exodus of Christians from these areas. It is the
first time that Christians jointly sign a document of this kind.
“There are many things that divide Christians, but there are many
more that unite us. The Holy Land is one of these,” Fr. Pizzaballa
said, echoing Pope John XXIII’s famous phrase.
Archbishop Sambi referred to pilgrimages to the Holy Sites as times
of “joy and spiritual enrichment”, saying that they offer both
spiritual and material encouragement to the small Christian
communities there. Many Christian Palestinians in fact make a living
thanks to religious tourism to the Holy Sites. Furthermore, pilgrims
can create “an atmosphere of peace” that can contribute to “defusing
the ever-tense political situation between Israelis and
Palestinians.”
The document bemoans the flight of Christians from the Holy Land.
Today they make up only 1.6% of the population. “Along with the
Christian exodus the Christian vision of man regarding the respect
for the human person and human life is also disappearing, in a region
in which these values are in open decline”, the document states. It
also laments the inaction of “governments of the Christian West”,
which, “driven by a false vision of religious freedom and perhaps by
an exacerbated secularism,” forget to help Christians and come to the
aid of Palestinians for merely ideological and political motives.
Speaking in support of the document, Israel’s Minister of Tourism,
Gideon Ezra, provided figures on the decline of Christian pilgrimages
to the Holy Land. This decline has been the result of security
problems related to the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.
In 2000, Christians made up 60% of the 2.6 million tourists in
Israel. In 2004, the percentage fell to 29. (LF)

Glasgow Evening Times, UK
Nov 19 2004
Armenia seeks help of Scots

SCOTLAND’S prized reputation for financial prudence is helping the
former Soviet state of Armenia to rebuild its economy.
The Caucasus republic expects to have its accountancy profession
rubber-stamped by international governing bodies in the next two
years, after seeking the help of the world’s oldest accountancy body.
The 150-year-old Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland is
helping hundreds of young Armenian students through professional
exams.
It is part of an international effort to encourage investment in the
country and secure its membership of the respected International
Federation of Accountants.
Armenia’s best known exports are its cognac, a favourite tipple of
Stalin and Sir Winston Churchill, and cut diamonds.
But the economy has depended heavily on foreign aid since
independence from Russia in 1991 forced it to rebuild its formerly
Soviet-funded power industry.
Neil Wallace, head of international services for ICAS, has been
leading the project from Armenian capital Yerevan and is now seeing
Japanese, Korean, German and French investors looking for business.
He said: “It sounds a bit pie-in-the-sky to say you can help people
become rich, but it does happen.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Messenger, Georgia
Nov 19 2004
Minister in electric seat
Former minister downplays attacks as wintertime pressure
By Christina Tashkevich
This Wednesday turned out to be a very hard day for the Minister of
Energy Nika Gilauri. First he listened to sharp criticism from the
Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania at the government session and then he
was grilled in debates with majoritarian MPs at Parliament.
The majoritarians, representing almost all of Georgia’s regions,
gathered at a meeting of the sectoral economy committee of Parliament
on Wednesday to listen to Gilauri’s speech.
The majority of MPs criticized the minister and even threatened him
with dismissal. “We can seriously influence this sphere,” claimed
leader of Conservatives Zviad Dzidziguri during discussion.
“For example, if there is no [electricity] in a week, let’s raise the
issue of Gilauri’s dismissal,” said Dzidziguri. At the end of the
meeting majoritarian MPs gave Gilauri a 10-day deadline to schedule
regular electric supplies in the regions.
In Gilauri’s defense, the former minister of energy Mamuka
Nikolaishvili told reporters that the Minister of Energy and the
Ministry always is under attack in winter, “because it is hard to
satisfy everybody when you have a deficit in the energy system.”
He pointed out there should be “certain fairness in distributing the
existing, small electricity resources that Georgia has.” He added
further support for the ministry, saying, “I know that the ministry
seriously works on this task.”
Meanwhile Tbilisi may have fewer or even no problems with electricity
this winter. Wednesday evening Telasi started importing 100 megawatts
of electricity from Russia through the Kavkasioni high transmission
line.
In addition Georgia will be getting 100 megawatts of imports from
Armenia. “With imports of 200 megawatts, I think the winter should go
by without problems,” said the General Director of Telasi Dangiras
Mikalajunas on Wednesday.
Meanwhile Gilauri himself commented to journalists after the meeting
with MPs that he “never promised there will be a 24-hour electricity
supply.” The minister says the problems in the sector are very
difficult but added they “can be resolved.”
Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, who a week ago also threatened Gilauri
with the axe if electricity supplies were not well managed, again
expressed his dissatisfaction with the electricity supply problems at
the Wednesday government session. He demanded from Gilauri a complete
countrywide energy schedule within one week, saying that he wanted to
know exactly which regions would receive electricity at what time.
“Not only Minister Gilauri but every government member must be
involved in the process of regulating this system,” Zhvania said.
“There are many problems connected with electricity in all regions of
Georgia, and only in some big cities can it be said that the
situation has improved, although I must admit that in Kutaisi the
situation is much better, and the same can be said about Zugdidi. But
in Mtskheta and Mtskheta-Tianeti as a whole nothing has changed.
Nothing has changed besides the demonstrations and my effort to
regulate the schedule there,’ stated the prime minister.