Russia leads the list of most corrupt countries

CORRUPTION IN RUSSIA - Russia leads the list of the countries with highest index of corruption among the leading economics on the globe - the recent report made by the Transparency International has shown.

The international organization has carried out corruption level survey in 28 countries and scored 10 to the countries with the lowest level of corruption, while Russia was scored six and got the last position according to the index of corruption.

The survey shows that Russian companies pay largest bribes to work abroad. Dutch and Swiss companies were given highest scored for the lowest level of corruption. Belgian, German and Japanese companies got neutral scores in these ratings.

The FBI has released Russian spy scandal video

The FBI has released sensitive footage of Russian spies holding secret trysts, brush pasts and covert meetings in America. Report by Lindsay Brown.



The FBI has published the surveillance material as part of a Freedom of Information request.

FBI agents claim the 10 spies never passed to the Russians any sensitive intelligence. They lived in the U.S. as "illegals," that is, without diplomatic immunity.

Russian opposition leader Garry Kasparov slams Russia`s policy towards Georgia

WASHINGTON, USA - Russian opposition leader Garry Kasparov delivered a speech critisizing Russia at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC. The one-day conference, titled the Risks of the Reset: Why Washington Must Watch Its Step With Moscow, addressed issues of the US-Russian “Reset” in light of Vladimir Putin’s decision to return to the presidency in 2012.

"Despite heavy pressure from Putin’s Russia, Georgia has remained staunchly pro-democratic and pro-western, and yet it appears that getting Russia into the WTO is of greater importance to this US administration that protecting the rights and territory of an ally.

Georgia's ranking improved in World Bank business environment survey

Georgia has landed on the overall 16th position of the World Bank Doing Business 2012 survey, with its overall rating one place better higher than last year.

The survey gauges the ease of doing business in 183 economies in the world by measuring the capacities in 10 categories. It ranks the ease of doing business in these economies from 1 to 183. Higher ranking on the survey indicates that the environment surveyed is more conducive to starting and operating a business in the economy surveyed.

Georgia chalked up a "1" in the Registering Property category, a "4" in the Dealing With Construction Permits category, a "7" in the Starting a Business category and an "8" in the Getting Credit category for the country's 16th overall position among the 183 economies.

Compared with the 2011 edition of the World Bank survey, Georgia made improvement in eight of the 10 categories, such like Paying Taxes (by 20 places) and Getting Credit (by 13 places).

Georgia was low in the category of Resolving Insolvency where it scored a "109" out of 183, while dropped in the categories of Trading Across Borders (by 20 places) and Enforcing Contracts (by 1 place).

Source: China Daily

European Parliament calls on Russia to pull out its troops from Georgian regions

After two-day debates, European Parliament approved the draft resolution on the on the situation in Georgia at the session of the foreign relations committee today.

The main reporter at today`s session of the committee was Polish MP Kshishtof Lisek, who assessed the resolution as a revolutionary one.

In the draft resolution presence of the Russian troops in Georgia`s breakaway regions is assessed as the occupation of the territories of sovereign state; the MPs also focus on the refusal of Russia to fulfill the terms of international agreements in regards with the conflict regions; the reforms implemented by Georgian government and the Georgia-EU relations is also referred in the resolution.

The draft resolution will be adopted at the session of the European Parliament in November.

Georgian lawmakers have hailed the supportive resolution on Georgia adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday. `This is the demonstration of the firm position and yet another diplomatic pressure on Russia from European states,` - Georgian authorities have said.

The resolution, in which the word occupation is mentioned in regards with Georgia`s two breakaway regions for the first time, was adopted by the foreign affairs committee of the European Parliament. The resolution also calls on Russia to fulfill its obligations and pull out its troops from Georgian regions.

The document also hails the reforms implemented by Georgian government in recent years and the EU-Georgia relations. The resolution will be discussed and voted by the European Parliament in November.

WHY ABKHAZIA'S INDEPENDENCE IS A FAKE

While trying to enter Abkhazia, I was stopped by Russian military, who seem to be guarding the border of this tiny "independent nation". My camera was studied intensively and I was told not to take any pictures. I kept wondering what the Russian border guards are doing there. Here's what I found. By Robert Moore

What is Abkhazia historically?
Abkhazia is a small region on the East Coast of the Black Sea, in the Caucasus Region. The historical name of the region is Apkhazeti, Abkhazia is the name Russia gave it. Long before the Russian Empire ever set foot in the Caucasus region, Apkhazeti was part of Georgian culture and sphere of influence. For centuries it was part of a Georgian Kingdom, at other times Georgian noblemen ruled the region more or less independently. The inhabitants of Apkhazeti were ethnically mixed: many were Georgian (i.e. Kartvelian, this includes several ethnic subgroups), Greek, or of other origins such as Armenian or North Caucasian.

New Gas Dispute between Russia and Ukraine

The controversy about the cost of natural gas between the Ukraine and Russia continues, Russian media has reported the new details of the visit of Ukraine`s president to Moscow where he met with president Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin.

Reportedly, President Yanukovich voiced his ultimatum to the Russian leaders demanding the reduction of the natural gas tariff, otherwise, Ukraine`s president threatened to oust the Russian fleet from Sevastopol and to locate anti-missile systems in Ukraine.

In his turn, Putin proposed Ukraine`s leader to join the Customs Union as Ukraine was not invited to the European Union and that Europe would never oppose to the interests of Russia. Yanukovich rejected the offer of the Russian prime minister saying Russia might maintain the current tariff of gas, but it would lose Ukraine.

Nicola Sarkozy to visit Georgia on 7 October

TBILISI, GEORGIA - French President Nicola Sarkozy will visit Georgia on 7 October, the Embassy of France to Georgia says on its Facebook page . Nicola Sarkozy will deliver a speech to people in the Freedom’s Square at 17:30.

The French embassy in Tbilisi announced on its Facebook page on Friday, that President Sarkozy would be making a public speech on Freedom Square in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Any citizen can go to the Square and listen to Sarkozy’s speech. The Embassy of France asks Georgian citizens and French residents of Georgia to gather in the Freedom’s Square from 17:00.

Earlier, on October 2nd, there will be a concert of the Paris group Gotan Project, in the main hall of the Tbilisi Philharmonic theatre. They will be performing from their latest album Tango 3.0.

Russia manipulates Pacific Islands into recognizing occupied territories of Georgia

The tiny Pacific Republic of Tuvalu has become the sixth country to recognize Georgia`s occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russian media report.

The report has not been officially confirmed. Politicians in Tbilisi think the Kremlin is attempting to buy a vote of another tiny republic in return for its support.

Mikheil Saakashvili on upcoming UN General Assembly - © 2011 MSNBC

Prince of Monaco to visit Georgia on September 18

TBILISI, GEORGIA - Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is expected to arrive in Georgia on September 18, 2011. He is going to have a very busy program in the country.

Along with formal meetings, Prince of Monaco is expected to hold few informal meetings and get acquainted with Georgian culture and tradition.

Black Sea town of Batumi, mountainous Svaneti Region and Kakheti Region of Eastern Georgia will also host Albert II.

The prince, who is a five-time participant of the Olympics is also expected to arrive in the town of Bakuriani and commemorate Nodar Kumaritashvili, the Georgian luger who suffered a fatal crash during a training run for the 2010 Winter Olympics competition at the Whistler Sliding Centre in Vancouver, Canada on February 12, the opening day of the 2010 Games.

The prince is also expected to open a new office of the Olympic Committee in Tbilisi.

U.S. actor John Malkovich to visit Georgia for TIFT

Hollywood movie actor, producer, director and fashion designer John Gavin Malkovich arrives in Tbilisi today to take part in the Tbilisi International Festival of Theatre [TIFT}.

Malkovich will play the role in a comedy Hell Comedy or the Confessions of a Serial Killer with the musical background provided by the Vienna Academy Orchestra.

The Vienna Orchestra of 34 musicians is already in Tbilisi. The 25-day international festival will begin in the Rustaveli Theatre tomorrow.

Rugby World Cup 2011 has started

New Zealand, Eden Park - Rugby World Cup 2011 starts in New Zealand - world`s twenty strongest teams will fight for the champion`s title in the tournament - Georgian rugby players are among them.

The 2011 Rugby World Cup is the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board (IRB) selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005.

Georgians will play Scotland`s team trained by Richie Dixon on September 14th.

The first match is underway on the Eden Park Stadium currently - the national team of the host country plays vs. Tonga today.

The Georgia national rugby union team represents Georgia in rugby union. The team's nickname, The Lelos, comes from lelo burti, a traditional Georgian sport with strong similarities to rugby. Lelo has been adopted as the Georgian word for "try" (the highest-valued score in rugby). One standard cheer of Georgian rugby union fans is Lelo, Lelo, Sakartvelo (Try, Try, Georgia).

BORJOMI MINERAL WATER READY TO RESUME EXPORTS TO RUSSIA

The IDS Borjomi International has announced its readiness to resume exporting its products to Russia if the Russian and Georgian authorities reach an agreement, the company’s website said September 7.

“Negotiations with the authorities in Russia and Georgia are led by the company’s head office. Since 2006, company representatives have been in contact with the Russian authorities on returning Borjomi to the Russian market. A few applications have been filed to the Russian Federal Consumer Right Protection Service. Borjomi mineral water fully corresponds to all the regulations and standards of the EU, Georgia and Russia,” the statement said.

Maplecroft: Russia is not safe for investors

Russia is on the fourteenth position among the terrorism risk countries. The Latest Terrorism Risk Index (TRI), released by risk analysis and mapping firm Maplecroft, rates 20 countries and territories as ‘extreme risk,’ with Somalia (1), Pakistan (2), Iraq (3), Afghanistan (4) once again topping the ranking. The ‘extreme risk’ category also includes: South Sudan (5), Yemen (6), Palestinian Occupied Territories (7), DR Congo (8) Central African Republic (9), Colombia (10), Algeria (11), Thailand (12), Philippines (13), Russia (14), Sudan (15), Iran (16), Burundi (17), India (18), Nigeria (19) and Israel (20).

Analysts recommend travelers to abstain from travelling to these countries. The list includes 198 countries, where 13,492 tourists were killed in terror attacks in 2010. The least risky states are the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Georgian State Minister for Reintegration, Eka Tkeshelashvili said such ratings was not a surprise for her, because the country, where along with criminal situation, xenophobia and oppression of people on religious grounds is a serious trouble, cannot be safe.

Circassian Genocide Memorial to Be Built in Georgia

A monument commemorating the Circassian genocide will be erected May 21, 2012 in the Georgian coastal town of Anaklia, Georgian Minister of Diaspora Issues Papuna Davitaia said July 29.

He said that the competition for the best memorial project will be opened September 10, with the participation of Georgian and foreign sculptors.