Press Digest 01.12.2014
“The Georgian Dream has really vast resources; its time is running out though and this makes us conclude that holding early elections is the country is mandatory”
Battle of the Key comes to an end – “they snoop into our private lives and they are simply inapt to drop this practice”
What is going on with Georgian Railways
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“The Georgian Dream has really vast resources; its time is running out though and this makes us conclude that holding early elections is the country is mandatory”
“We have put the Georgian Dream to the test and in this way have worked out whether it was ready to pass some fundamental reforms that are compulsory today as precisely these reforms are expected to set up institutional democracy in the country. This naturally suggests that the future development of democracy in Georgia will be more dependent on different institutions rather than any specific inpidual. Unfortunately, our government has failed its job by granting the right to covert surveillance to MIA, it has continued the process started under the Nationals,” declares expert Vakhtang Dzabiradze in his interview with the Kviris Palitra gazette.
“Even these ludicrous talks “we are good guys and we will never stoop to monitoring our people’s private conversations” strongly points to the country’s democratic immaturity. As you know, our future is in our hands; truly a lot depends on us and our desire to get our job done. We, the people, draft laws and establish different institutions. However, an acid test is ahead – let’s see whether after passing this legislation, the government will actually drop the practice of covertly monitoring the people’s private conversations. As you remember, the former government sold its eagerness to breach the people’s rights as an attempt to pursue the interests of its country and people. Today, we live in the 21st century and the state is an instrument thanks to which we can protect the people’s lives. Each and every government stubbornly maintaining that the people’s rights can be violated when it comes to the protection of national interest, trust me, is woefully mistaken,” contends Mr. Dzabiradze.
“A decision from the President to veto the bill was nothing surprising. As you know, he already used his right to veto the legislation. This step can be defined as political since the version of the bill suggested by him changed nothing substantial in the end. I have heard some statements from the MPs as well as the representatives of the majority regarding the President’s move to veto the bill, and frankly speaking, their snarky comments and caustic statements surprised me. While making similar announcements, we all must keep in mind that the President is a chief executive, who is absolutely entitled to make similar decisions,” claims the respondent.
"Davit Usupashvili has told us nothing new regarding the Ministry of Internal Affairs. There is not even a shadow of doubt that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Security Service must be two independent bodies which will function separately. I do hope that the present statesmen will pass rational reforms within MIA without endangering the interests of the country,” announces the expert.
To the question how long the coalition is expected to maintain its integrity, the respondent answers:
“In our day-to-day Georgia, the public’s disposition to the government has radically changed. The Georgian Dream has really vast resources; its time is running out though and this makes us conclude that holding early elections in the country is mandatory. I think that early parliamentary elections would provide a solution to a great deal of our problems and would bring about some positive changes in our people’s lives.
Battle of the Key comes to an end – “they snoop into our private lives and they are simply inapt to drop this practice”
“War over the surveillance bill has come to an end. The Parliament has overridden the President’s veto with 82 deputies for and 13 against. In the wake of this, the Beselia-Popkhadze-Sesiashvili bill has been passed and the President has also signed it. After biting remarks and an almost endless war of words, the authorities have enacted the bill under which they left one key to MIA and in this way granted it the right to covert surveillance; as for the second key, it was given to the Personal Data Protection Inspector, it will work only when the necessity of secretly monitoring the people’s private calls emerges,” reports the Rezonansi gazette.
“The President’s motivated remarks have fallen on deaf ears – only 9 deputies voted for his initiation while 77 went against it. As for Beselia-Popkhadze-Sesiashvili’s legislation, it has swept as many as 82 votes. Now, amendments are expected to be made to the Personal Data Protection bill as well as to the bill on Electronic Communications. The remarks from the President were shared by Free Democrats only; other parliamentary groups turned a deaf ear to his remarks. Even experts and the representatives of different NGOs claim that the President’s suggested version was not ideal; however, according to them, it was more refined than the already presented version. Although, their position has not influenced the final decision,” says the article.
“A veto is not a club to beat a man with whenever you want,” declared member of the Parliamentary majority, Davit Saganelidze, after the President’s veto was overridden. In his words, all members of the majority were present in the Parliament’s session hall since they comprehended their responsibility to the fullest. Mr. Saganelidze emphasized that the Parliament has an extremely short period of time to draft the so-called surveillance bill. Reportedly, out of 82 supporters, two nationals voted for overriding the President’s veto,” reads the paper.
“As political expert Khatuna Lagazidze maintains, their move to override the President’s veto was of much more paramount significance than passing the bill. This was a kind of test that clearly showed that they would do everything in their power to override Mr. Margvelashvili’s veto. By doing this, they have simply demonstrated that they pry into our private lives and they are simply inapt to drop this practice,” writes the author of the article.
“Do you know what the most important thing is today? This Government has come into power to return the people’s property and to give them back their rights, to bring some positive changes in their hardscrabble existence. Unfortunately, they have simply failed their job. By passing this bill, they have delivered their final word and showed their eagerness to involve themselves in an immensely ugly form of communication with their people. And do you know what the most woeful fact is today? As it appears, for them, the notion of security comprises only their own security and they don’t even care regarding the safety of their own people,” declares expert Lagazidze.
What is going on with Georgian Railways
"On Nov. 26 Georgia’s railway officials went on strike. The strikers urged the government to establish a new salary system and dismiss the heads of the railway department. As Georgia’s Railway Press Service informs, as many as 150 officials of our railway have announced strike thus far,” reports the Kviris Palitra gazette.
“The majority of the railway officials are fulfilling their responsibilities normally; however, the Trade Union has pressured them stand with the strikers. Those at the helm of the railway station have petitioned the railway officials to toe the line and hold back from joining the strikers. We call upon them to stop putting pressure on those people that are honestly accomplishing their entrusted obligations. The evidence proving that they are applying pressure on our officials is in our hands today. We are forced to safeguard our employees from aggression coming from the representatives of the trade Union,” claims Head of the Railway Press Service, Dachi Tsaguria.
“Allegations saying that the administration and former political prisoners are directing pressure against the strikers have nothing to do with the truth. This process has been organized beforehand and there is not even a shadow of doubt that the Trade Union Head, Irakli Petriashvili, stands behind all this. It’s obvious that Petriashvili and his attendants have attempted to manipulate the railway officials and have forced them to go on strike. These people are purposefully disseminating totally unfounded rumors as if we are going to reduce their salaries. To dissipate these ludicrous doubts, we can present our employees with official papers that will ensure them that this allegation does not ring true,” announces the respondent.
“As many as 13,000 people are employed by our railway today, and because nobody is perfect, we could also have made some mistakes; however, they are trying to paint the situation here with immensely dark colors. Actually, the railway functions well. We have already met the majority of our officials’ requirements. As an added plus, next year, they will get bonuses. We have also replaced those presiding over our railway,” says Mr. Tsaguria.
“The new leadership of the railway that lacked experience and was absolutely incompetent helped the Nationals in retaining their posts. Among those Nationals who have held high posts within this system are: Guramishvili, Nikolaishvili, Babunashvili, Koreli… Unlike Dachi Tsaguria, who has no idea what troubles our people face today, I am not fabricating myth or misrepresenting the truth. On the contrary, I’m giving you the names of specific inpiduals. Why would these people not have announced strike? Their salaries are being reduced. What can I explain to Tsaguria, to an illiterate man? One thing is clear – Georgia’s Trade Union will never allow some inpiduals to oppress their members! We are strongly determined to stand up for the rights of our representatives and we will definitely move heaven and earth to do our job well. These hapless people are working in totally unbearable conditions, in sweatshops. How can we prevent them from announcing strike when they are disgracefully exploited like slaves?” asks the respondent.
