In relation to the information disseminated via mass media, we would like to inform you, that the Counterterrorism Center of the State Security Service detained a citizen of the Russian Federation on charges of purchase and storage of forged documents envisaged by article 362, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

The accused individual – V.B. has been detained in the framework of an investigation of a criminal case launched into the fact of preparation of murder by contract, which has been carried out by the State Security Service on the basis of respective operational information.

Throughout the process of investigation of the mentioned criminal case, in order to obtain evidence and attach it to the case in line with criminal procedure, on the basis of judge’s orders, numerous overt and covert investigative activities have been carried out; furthermore, operational control over V.B and his contacts have been continuously underway, due to which, a crime committed by V.B., in particular, the fact of purchase and usage of the forged documents by V.B. has been outlined. On the basis of authentic and consolidated evidence obtained by the investigation, the investigative authority took a decision to detain V.B., as a result of which the exposed individual on the one hand has been brought to justice and at the same time a graver crime has been prevented.

It is worth mentioning that intensive investigative activities are ongoing into the case on the very stage, numerous forensic examinations are scheduled, additional information is requested within the framework of international cooperation, through Interpol channels, witnesses are being interviewed.

On the basis of the above-mentioned, State Security Service of Georgia calls on every person, including a party of the criminal case, refrain from disseminating of any clarified or unclarified information so that the investigation is not obstructed, dissemination of significant and/or fake information is prevented, that eventually will damage a major public interest – to establish an objective truth in relation to the case.

Press release of the State Security Service

Georgia has declared the state of emergency starting today till April 21 in connection with the situation over the novel coronavirus in the country – Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced.

Prime Minister has already applied to President. Declaration of state of emergency requires approval of the parliament, which will hold the extraordinary sitting later this afternoon.

Georgia confirmed three new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) bringing the total number of the infected individuals to 47 – reads the information posted on the special web-page stopcov.ge created by the government of Georgia.

According to the latest data, 1966 remain under quarantine, while 251 under hospital supervision. Only one patient recovered from the virus.

https://1tv.ge/en/news/state-of-emergency-declared-in-georgia/

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will pay his first official visit to Georgia today.

As Georgia’s Foreign Ministry informs, withinthe frameworks of the visit, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of China will hold a meeting with his Georgian counterpart Davit Zalkaliani.

At the meeting, the Foreign Ministers of the two countries will discuss a wide range of bilateral cooperation issues, including in the direction of trade-economic relations; They will also focus on the development of cooperation within the Global Initiative of the Belt and the Road. The sides will talk about the cooperation within the framework of international organizations.

During his official visit to Georgia, Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet with President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili and Prime Minister of Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze.

 

http://mfa.gov.ge/News/saqartvelos-pirveli-oficialuri-vizitit-chinetis-sa.aspx?CatID=5

"Foreign media has released the photos of cartridges of firearms, used in the course of a terrorist attack that took place in New Zealand. Symbols and inscriptions in various languages, including Georgian are inscribed on them. The State Security Service of Georgia has already established cooperation with the strategic partners, in order to receive information on the individuals detained, as well as the weapons seized in the course of the terrorist attack. 
The State Security Service of Georgia expresses its condolences to the people of New Zealand over a terrorist attack," reads the statement.

The attacks in two mosques of New Zealand has killed at least 40. Four people are believed to be in custody, including three men and one woman. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said they were not on terror watch lists. Daily Mail has released photos, one of which shows the shooter's weapons marked with the names of other people who, according to the edition, have carried out attacks. The names are written in various languages, including Georgian. In particular, the weapons are marked in Georgian with the names of Davit Aghmashenebeli and Davit Soslani.

https://ssg.gov.ge/en/news/452/saxelmtsifo-usafrtxoebis-samsaxuris-gancxadeba

On Friday 22 February, EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell travelled to the North of the Kakheti region of Georgia. Together with Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, he met with a group of schoolteachers and principals who had visited Brussels on a recent study trip.

The Ambassador and the State Minister visited a state school in Birkiani and engaged in a lively conversation with both teachers and local schoolchildren. Later in the day, the 20 teachers who travelled to Brussels recently shared not only their impressions of Europe, but also some delicious traditional food from the local area of Pankisi.

“Earlier this month, teachers from Pankisi travelled to the European Union. Today the European Union visited Pankisi,” Ambassador Hartzell said. “I am truly grateful for the warm hospitality that I encountered here, and I am convinced that the teachers will spread their newly gained knowledge about the EU among their students and communities.”

During the visit to Pankisi, Ambassador Hartzell and State Minister Tsikhelashvili sat down together with representatives of local authorities, the Council of Elders and the Women's Council to discuss current issues in the Pankisi community.

In conjunction with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) nationalization process in Turkmenistan, the United Nations Development Programme and the State Bank for Economic Affairs (TFEB) are working to improve the access of Turkmenistan to international financing and to improve its capacity to deliver and manage such financing streams effectively.

As part of the joint initiative, on June 20, 2018, UNDP and TFEB held International Financing for Development Conference “Partnership for Development Financing at the Heart of the Great Silk Road”that brought together over 150 partners from ministries and state agencies, international financial institutions that have an interest in the country, private entities and commercial banks who are potential investors in the country, as well as development experts from UNDP and other international organizations.

One of the purposes of the event is to create a joint understanding of the country’s sustainable development priorities, the related financing needs and the various options that exist for mobilizing such resources, especially from international financial institutions and private capital.

As part of the Financing for Development Conference, participants considered some specific ongoing development and infrastructure projects in Turkmenistan, such as construction of the TAPI gas pipeline, which contribute to the sustainable development of the region of Central Asia and South Asia.

The participants of the conference noted with satisfaction the successes of Turkmenistan in nationalizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as the establishment of a national coordination mechanism for the implementation, monitoring and reporting of the SDGs, including the decision to submit the first voluntary national review on the SDG implementation at the High-level Political Forum in 2019.

“Getting financing right will be critical to meet the SDGs by 2030. While there is no shortage of resources in the global economy, we need partnerships, sound planning, leadership and some creative ideas of looking at financing streams for development,” stated RastislavVrbensky, UNDP Deputy Regional Director for Europe and the CIS at the conference.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan S. Berdimuhamedov noted in his speech that "the achievement of the goals of sustainable development is an ambitious task and requires cohesion and concrete joint actions. Partnership in this direction is very important. "

"Following strict adherence to the international obligations assumed, we declare with full responsibility our continued commitment to the widest and most active cooperation with Member States and international organizations, financial institutions, specialized agencies and United Nations structures," the Deputy Minister stressed.

The conference participants welcomed Turkmenistan's efforts to improve the public finance system and stressed the importance of fiscal regulation to improve the mobilization of domestic financial resources.

The sessions aimed to shed the light on government’s views on the issue of private sector development and diversification, and its priorities and measures for encouraging bilateral state and private investments for achieving Sustainable development agenda 2030.

As a result of the conference, the Final Document was adopted and a package of bilateral documents was signed.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov congratulated the winners of the Best Youth Works contest timed to the Day of Science.
Modernization of national economy, establishment of modern industrial facilities making wide variety of competitive production, which is on high demand on local and foreign markets, realization of the projects of global importance achieve high results in social and economic development of the state. The reforms improving the basis of economic growth are successfully implemented, which is stipulated by the core objectives in science and technologies, the message of the Head of Turkmen State says.
National science system, which priority directions are studied by scientific and research facilities and universities, was modernized as well as the structure of profile institutes was improved for the short period. In this context, scientific and innovative activities supporting the development of society are developed, scientific and technological achievements are gradually implemented, all conditions for mastering of new knowledge about the nature, environment and human being are made. All of these enhance the training and formation of young generation of high-class specialists who devoted themselves to science and creativity.
Creative initiatives and scientific studies made by our youth deserve the highest appraisal in acceleration of the rates of scientific, technical, technological and innovative progress.
Filling the ranks of young scientists, engineers, technologists and specialists who presented multifaceted and substantial scientific studies in such priority subjects as Nano, chemical and computer technologies, development of new materials, energy sphere, biotechnologies, molecular biology, agriculture, ecology and genetics, information and communication systems, health protection and production of medicine and drugs, innovative economy and humanitarian sciences at the contest organized by the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan with the Central Council of Magtumguly Youth Organization are important step toward the bringing creative potential of our society to new level.
Turkmen land was the place where science and education, culture and art were reigning for thousands of years. Great sons of Turkmen nation formed scientific schools of the East and the West by their first priceless discoveries and numerous inventions in astronomy, chemistry, physics, mathematics, geometry, medicine, music art, history and literature and linguistics in such cities as Merv, Nisa, Urgench, Abiverd and Serakhs.
In XXI, our main goal is to improve the position of Turkmenistan located along the Silk Road as one of the most developed and strong states in the world. For achievement of this target, Turkmen people who paid special attention to science and education from ancient times expects new discoveries from young generations aimed at the improvement of the world prestige and glory of our state.
Our youth, our future has to make deserving contribution to the great achievements for prosperity and progress of the country by their knowledge, love of native land and people, - the message highlights.

“Our state economic policy is fully supported by the International Monetary Fund,” - the First Vice Prime Minister of Georgia, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Dimitry Kumsishvili stated at today’s press conference.

Dimitry Kumsishvili highlighted that the board of the International Monetary Fund made a decision to approve the first assessment of Georgia and support the economic policy of our country. Besides, the Minister added that the program of the International Monetary Fund itself is built on the 4-point plan thus supporting the development plan of the Government of Georgia.

As Dimitry Kumsishvili commented, the survey of the International Monetary Fund confirms that Georgia will keep up the economic growth under the conditions of the fall of inflation from the following year.

“It is obvious that Georgia’s foreign position will be improved. The annual budget envisages both fiscal consolidation, as well as all budget parameters for macroeconomic growth,”- the First Vice Minister noted.

Two new factories will be established under the Produce in Georgia state program.
To launch a non-noble metal producing factory in Kutaisi, the state will allocate land to the investor who will additionally enjoy every mechanism under the program, including subsidized loans and bank loan cosigning.
Some 1,360,000 GEL will be invested and 60 people will be employed at different stages of the project.
A metal production plat will be established in Tbilisi, with 4,000,000 GEL in investments and 30 people employed at the initial stage.
At today's Government meeting, the Prime Minister also spoke of the Gemuani fruit processing plant that opened yesterday in Zugdidi with support offered under the United Agro Project state program. The plant employs an innovative processing technology that allows for keeping 98% of the vitamins and microelements after treatment.
"It is a unique method that enables us to process both top and relatively low quality fruits subsequently to be sold as dried products. The plant's products for the next year are practically preordered by Near eastern countries, the UAE, and several European countries," the Prime Minister said and congratulated the Ministry of Agriculture on the implementation of this important project.
Giorgi Kvirikashvili also believes that it is beneficial to adopt this technology in other regions as well.
Overall, 851,024 USD was invested in the plant, of which 250,000 USD as a grant and 484,512 USD as an affordable agro credit.
The state also allocated immovable property to the plant, including an abandoned production facility that has been renovated to meet modern standards. The enterprise directly employs 35 workers, with 150 farmers contracted to supply products.
"This means that, besides 35 families of those employed directly, additional 150 households have a source of income, given that each farmer equals one household, though there may be more. Thus, this enterprise gives good return on investment," Giorgi Kvirikashvili emphasized.
According to the Prime Minister, the public is often unaware of the many good endeavors accomplished under the Produce in Georgia program, which is why he instructed the Cabinet members to inform the country's rural population about these success stories during their visits to the regions.

The SCC Working Group on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, Judicial Authority, Preamble and the General and Transitional Provisions of the Constitution held the second round meeting. The SCC Chair, Irakli Kobakhidze introduced the brief summary of the previous meetings and the regulation of the agenda. “The First Working Group of the State Constitutional Commission started the second round meetings two weeks ago. The group considered the Chapter I of the Constitution and the Chapter II on Human Rights up to the Article 20 inclusive. Today, we resume consideration with the Article 21 on property rights”. The group started consideration of the alternative drafts and the Article 21. The Commission members will in details consider the Chapter II Articles on fundamental human rights, property rights, labor rights, rights on education, freedom of expression and equality issues.