Question #1: Will Shevardnadze eliminate the independent media in Gruzya if they lampoon him in a new Gruzyan version of Kukli?

Question #2: Will the U.S. and Western European leaders condemn their sweetcheeks Eduard Shevardnadze now that he is cracking down on the independent media?

Question #3: Will the world's perfidious Jews and the WJC and the B'nai B'rith and Ehud Barak come to the defense of Aka Gogichaishvili?

Question #4: Will NATO and the WTO now withdraw membership consideration for Gruzya, seeing as how it is a totalitarian anti-press freedom state?

Question #5: Will the CIA begin supporting the opposition to Shevardnadze like they support Vuk Draskovic, Khattab, and Shamil Basayev?

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Sixty Minutes Plays With Fire 06/09/2000
By Givi Targamadze in Tbilisi

IWPR CAUCASUS REPORTING SERVICE, NO. 35
06/09/2000

Government attempts to gag a crusading TV programme spark widespread condemnation in Tbilisi. The president backs down. For the time being, at least.

After six years of relentlessly needling the authorities, Rustavi-2 finally committed the ultimate hubris. In the crusading 60 Minutes programme, anchorman Aka Gogichaishvili dared to point the finger of suspicion at the immediate family of President Eduard Shevardnadze himself. And the thunderclap of righteous indignation which rang out from the Georgian Olympus sent shockwaves through Tbilisi society.

The television channel was set up in 1994 by a group of young journalists in the industrial town of Rustavi. Its independent ideology soon assured Rustavi-2 a devoted audience and caused the
authorities growing concern. Eventually, in a throwback to the "good old days", the government simply revoked the station's licence and shut it down.

But the founders of Rustavi-2 fought against the ruling and, by 1996, it was back on the air, this time based in Tbilisi. In a few months, the station's Courier news programme had trounced
the state channel in the popularity ratings, pitting its fresh editorial stance against the stale party line of the official mouthpiece.

Again the government's patience was tried to breaking point. In the same year, the communications minister Fridon Injia pulled
the plug on Rustavi-2 sparking off a series of noisy scandals and protest meetings. In the end, the intervention of Western diplomats proved decisive and, eight months later, the courts
overturned the minister's decision, granting the upstart TV channel the right to broadcast again.

Since that time, Rustavi-2 has grown into the most popular station in the former Soviet republic and, since last autumn, 60 Minutes has become its flagship. The programme's host, Akaki Gogichaishvili, is an investigative journalist who devotes untiring efforts to exposing corruption in all areas of political and bureaucratic life. And, against the backdrop of economic crisis, it is undoubtedly the most compelling topic in Georgian society today.

The Rustavi-2 management has continued to take staggering risks through its commitment to 60 Minutes - dragging a rogue's gallery of politicians and businessman into the public spotlight. But when, at last, Gogichaishvili's paper trail led him to the President's family circle, the nation looked on with a sense of
pleasurable anticipation. People began to say that 60 Minutes had gone too far.

Gogichaishvili had launched an investigation into the three clans which run all large-scale business in Georgia. These cabals are headed by Shevardnadze's nephew, Nugzar Shevardnadze, his son-in-law, Gia Dzhokhtaberidze, and his daughter-in-law's father, Guram Akhvlediani. The TV host followed up widespread rumours of embezzlement, contract-fixing and colossal bribes.

When Shevardnadze's relatives started to be permanent fixtures on the programme, the president fought back. He announced that the allegations were "like splinters thrust into his heart" and accused Gogichaishvili of malicious intent.

Meanwhile, the ruling elite threw its weight firmly behind Shevardnadze, demanding that the 60 Minutes host be subjected to strict censorship. The interior ministry, the public prosecutor, the security ministry and the security chamber formed a joint committee to investigate the programme's activities and attempted to probe the channel's financial affairs.

Finally, the deputy public prosecutor, Anzor Baluashvili, summoned Aka Gogichaishvili, told him that he had overstepped the mark and advised him to close the programme down. Later that evening, Baluashvili told a close relative of Gogichaishvili that, unless the TV host left the country, he risked being "liquidated".

On the public stage, however, the authorities chose to attack the programme from a very different angle. They homed in on a 60 Minutes investigation into the financial dealings of the Writers' Union which is funded by the state. Here Gogichaishvili claimed that this Soviet dinosaur existed solely to misappropriate public funds and flatter the president's ego.

The government turned the attack on 60 Minutes into a defence of Georgian literature as a whole, declaring that the TV programme had set out to denigrate the nation's cultural heritage and
defame its literary icons.

Over 60 non-governmental organisations took part in the ensuing protest, picketing the state chancellery and the president's residence to demand a statement of intent. Strangely enough, the Georgian media itself played a cautious role in the proceedings, advocating the creation of a journalistic commission headed jointly by the president and Anzor Baluashvili.

Shevardnadze twice offered to meet with the leaders of the protest meeting but the demonstrators argued that the issue was of broad
public interest and the president should justify his actions to society as a whole rather than a few select representatives.

In the end, Shevardnadze made a sensational TV appearance and publicly proclaimed his commitment to freedom of speech and press independence. For 60 Minutes, at least, this constituted a stay of
execution -- until the next time that Aka Gogichaishvili chooses to beard the lion in his den. The battle was won, but the war is far from over. The sword of Damocles still hangs over Georgia's independent media.

Givi Targamadze is an independent journalist and a member of Tbilisi's Liberty Institute

U.S. Corporate Imperialism in the TransCaucasus.

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U.S. AES mulls buying Georgia's major gas network 06/15/2000

Reuters English News Service
06/15/2000

TBILISI, June 15 (Reuters) - AES Corp. plans to buy a 100 percent stake in Tbilgas, a state-owned natural gas network of captial Tbilisi, due to be sold off later this year, a spokeswoman for the U.S company's subsidiary said on Thursday.

"Tbilisi municipality (put in charge of Tbilgas privatisation) and our company have signed a memorandum, which envisages a possible purchase of Tbilgas by AES," Tinatin Stambolishvili of
AES-Telasi told Reuters.

She did not give any details of the document or future tender for the Tbilgas due to be announced later this year.

AES Corp. owns 75 percent of AES-Telasi, a Georgian-U.S. power distribution company. AES also owns two blocks in Tbilisi's major power station and several hydro-stations in Georgia.

Russia's Itera and Italy's Agas companies are among other possible bidders in the tender. Agas's experts arrived in Georgia on Thursday to study conditions of the future sale and a situation in Tbilgas, a Tbilgas spokesman said.

The Georgian government has failed to sell off Tbilgas in several previous tenders. Georgia offered Tbilgas to Itera for $8 million last December but the deal was not signed.

Itera has said it is still interested in buying Tbilgas.

In the former Soviet Union, Tbilgas supplied natural gas to about 30 percent of Georgia's population.

Requirement for admission to NATO and WTO: Applicant countries must be ruled by corrupt regimes like the US and Britain. Russia apparently is not corrupt enough to join either.

Right on Rooskies!!!!! Nuke that US/NATO butt!!!

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"Megacorruption" leading Georgia to economic "catastrophe" -Russian paper 06/14/2000

`Nezavisimaya Gazeta'
14 Jun 00

Corruption in Georgia "has reached such frightening proportions ... that the concept of megacorruption has crept into local use" and this is putting off creditors, according to a Russian
newspaper. Consequently, the country is in the throes of a "most serious financial and economic crisis" which this year could leave the government owing the population "as much money as
it can just about manage to collect over the whole year for the budget". Although the IMF has not yet refused to supply credits, the World Bank, acting on the IMF's recommendations, last year refused to finance certain programmes and "this year not a single cent has been received either", and its example has been followed
by "certain countries". They are insisting that the government take serious measures to combat corruption and smuggling - a most difficult task "since the people who are supposed to help
the president to combat corruption are ... themselves involved in corruption", the paper said. The following is the text of an article published in 'Nezavisimaya Gazeta' on 14th June:

Tbilisi - The well-known Swiss businessman Pierre Orlov, president of the International Chamber of Commerce of Georgia, stated that there are not as many casinos in the whole of Switzerland
as there are in Tbilisi's central districts. In spite of the paltry pensions and wages, which, moreover, have not been paid for months, there are Mercedes and Ford cars parked outside
the Tbilisi casinos almost round the clock waiting for their owners, who squander in one evening amounts that would be enough for ordinary mortals to live comfortably on for several
years. Furthermore, "a city of millionaires" with its villas, mansions, swimming pools, and so forth has appeared in a corner of Tbilisi. People who have built their happiness on the misfortune
of others believe that they are leading the most prestigious way of life.

However, in the circles of conscientious politicians (this group, thank God, is not always a contradiction in terms) it is thought that the owners of luxurious villas are worthy only of contempt and condemnation because the funds missing from the budget are the symbols and attributes of the prosperity of the nouveaux riches. At any rate, during the last few weeks Georgian economists have been occupied with establishing a sad fact: Georgia is today a country without a budget.

Roman Gotsiridze, head of the Georgian Parliament budget office, describes the current situation as the most serious financial and economic crisis. Outstanding debts have reached a critical mark. State liabilities in the form of urgent payments amount to around 300 million lari. This means, the head of the parliamentary office maintains, that, if the country completes the 2000 budget
with results similar to the previous year, the Georgian government will owe the population as much money as it can just about manage
to collect over the whole year for the budget. Suffice it to say that, in 1999, the state's revenues amounted to 650 million lari, but, at the same time, pension arrears alone exceeded 100
million lari. The same thing applies to wages, social benefits, including for refugees, and so forth.

In the prevailing situation the IMF has been forced to issue serious warnings. This organization's patience has reached its limits. Although many of Georgia's agreements with the IMF have not been fulfilled, the fund has not refused to fund the state budget. The IMF mission naturally noted that the government is either simply ignoring its obligations or is fulfilling them with violations and later than scheduled. This economic policy has revealed an inability to act under the conditions set and to resist the temptation of using the credits received for other
purposes. The IMF, alas, has become convinced that, in spite of the great efforts that have been shown, the country is gradually finding itself in an even more difficult situation, while the use of the financial aid should be assessed as ineffective, to put it mildly.

International financial organizations have provided Georgia with virtually no assistance during the last year. True, it was hoped that a programme connected with overcoming poverty and
developing industry would start to be implemented in 2000. But the IMF statement, which reflected the serious dissatisfaction of the Western partners, compels us to doubt that they are ready
to act with the same enthusiasm as before.

The same Gotsiridze believes that this will be a serious blow for Georgia. However, the West, of course, is not interested in weakening the country and complicating the situation
in the region. The words of Judy O'Connor, director of the World Bank department in Georgia, may have brought some moral relief. "Following the agreement with the IMF, the allocation of
credits for the power industry and structural reforms will become real," she stated. During her meeting with Georgian President Shevardnadze the guest spoke frankly about the need to seriously
combat corruption and smuggling. The president, for his part, admitted the presence of "contraband and other goods that are not being accounted for and corruption, which has penetrated
all spheres". He promised to take decisive measures aimed at implementing an anticorruption programme.

Local experts are alarmed by the West's assessments. Their line of reasoning is roughly as follows: the World Bank, on the IMF's recommendation, refused to finance certain programmes back in 1999, and the country received 60 million lari less into the budget than it was supposed to. This year not a single cent has been received either, even though previously there were plans to allocate 200 million lari to Georgia in the form of World Bank loans to assist particular programmes. The second in the series of
unpleasant facts is that certain countries planned to allocate a 88-million-lari grant to Georgia but this has not happened either.

Finding itself in the usual situation of waiting for aid, the state, after hearing the bitter truth, is, it seems, sobering up, shaking off the last vestiges of euphoria. Corruption has never
been taken into account by the international organizations when providing aid and has not served as a criterion for decisive assessments. But it has reached such frightening proportions
in Georgia that the concept of megacorruption has crept into local use.

Just 220 million lari have appeared in the budget over the last five months, but the annual plan is 977 million lari, including 103 million expected from privatization. However, in real terms
1.2bn lari are needed. Therefore, at least 105-110 million lari on average must enter the budget monthly in the remaining time period. Observers believe that it is unthinkable to reach this
target in the prevailing conditions: after all, the treasury has received just 45m lari monthly over the last five months. New Finance Minister Zurab Noghaideli is proposing a temporary
policy of reducing budget spending as a palliative. However, there is an alternative viewpoint. Some economists believe that
sequestration signifies a uniform reduction of all the items in the expenditure side [of the budget], but this cannot be done as yet because there are clearly priority spheres. The problem
is that a certain group of businessmen enjoy privileges and are exempt from paying taxes in full. However, the most advantageous conditions have been created for the most profitable sphere -the import of oil products.

Shevardnadze's determination to take tough measures to combat corruption was confirmed at the last session of the Security Council. The outcome of this session gave hope to Parliament
Chairman Zurab Zhvania, who is counting on real changes from now on. It was noted that it is too early to speak about a financial and economic catastrophe, but, unless they get down to business on time, it could soon happen. This is a delicate situation because some of the people who are supposed to help the president to combat corruption are, as many politicians believe,
themselves involved in corruption. This fact creates additional and extremely serious problems for the minister of tax revenue, Mikheil Machavariani, whom the president has reproached for not achieving results. In response, the minister stated in an interview with one of the TV channels that either one has to work or one has to bear responsibility, but to do both at the same time is impossible for him. Machavariani has so far released the leaders of the tax inspectorates of a number of cities and districts from their posts. The minister, who was general
secretary of the Union of Citizens of Georgia, has to break the chains of the mafioso conspiracy that is undermining the economy.

Martin Luther, the Father of Protestantism and after whom the Lutheran Church is named, said about the Jews:

"What are we to do with this rejected, damned people of the Jews?...I will give my honest advice. First, their synagogues or schools are to be set on fire and whatever will not burn, is to be covered and heaped over with earth, so that never again shall one find stone or cinder of them left. Secondly, their houses are likewise to be broken down and destroyed, for they do exactly the same in them as they also do in their schools. Therefore they may perhaps be allowed a roof or a stable over them, as the Gypsies are,
in order that they may know they are not the lords in our country as they boast to be... Thirdly, all their Prayer Books and Talmuds are
to be taken away from them, in which such idolatry, lies, curses and blasphemies are taught. Fourthly, their Rabbis are to be forbidden under pain of capital punishment to teach any more... Fifthly, the Jews are to be entirely denied legal protection when using the roads in the country, for they have no business to be in the country... Sixthly, usury is to be forbidden them, and all their cash and their
treasures of silver and gold are to be taken away from them and to be put aside to be preserved. And for this reason, all that they have (as was said above), they have stolen and robbed from us through their usury."

In his work, "About the Jews and Their Lies", edition 1543, Martin Luther addresses himself to the princes in these words: "Burn their synagogues. Forbid them all that I have mentioned
above. Force them to work and treat them with every kind of severity, as Moses did in the desert and slew three thousand.... If that is no use, we must drive them away like mad dogs, in order that we may not be partakers of their abominable blasphemy and of all their vices, and in order that we may not deserve the anger of God
and be damned with them. I have done my duty. Let everyone see how he does his. I am excused."

WHAT? THAT PORNELLO TURK ASSDANCER GOT DIKKPLUGGED BOTH SIDES AGAIN..LOL
YA FARTSNIFFING SHARK BREAKFAST!

ANTONIO:
you oughta be BANNED from here for 2 feet worth of cut/paste.
sad little man.

YEH ANTONIO

Seems like you had a most hectic Friday evening trying to gather all the info you so kindly shared with us today.

Perhaps you could you make it an even meter of postings by providing us with a bit more of your religious overviews? But hopefully, not of the cut and paste varity but rather from your own personal experiences. They are realy exciting.

Is the Queen of the house in? If anybody sees Queen ALLAM, could you let him know that I came across a farm in Zimbabwe that he can have for free. It comes equipted with a group of approx 178 local citizens who have been anxiously awaiting a new caucasian owner to hang.

IMPORTANT REQUEST

Guys, with the summer upon us I'm confronted with a serious matter that I hope can be resolved by you wonderful members of this board.

As I have previously mentioned Saturday night is generally bath night for us Europeans. Therefore, throughout the week of driving my dumptruck in the heat, I really sweat on my back, forearms and armpits and all the hairs start sticking together making for a very long week.

NOW FOR THE BIG QUESTION, GUYS SHOULD I SHAVE AND BE A PLAIN MARY...OR SHOULD I LEAVE IT ALONE AND STAY REALLY HAIRY? IT'S YOUR CALL, HELP

REMEMBER...YOUR VOTE COUNTS

Mary shave smooth is in.heheheehe

Good morning people,
Wow your all here on a Saturday. No life. It's 6:45am here I'm on my way to the gym and I just thought I'd check this out for the hell of it and you people are still going at it.
Mary,
A special good morning to you, I was thinking about you last night when I was watching National Geographic, those hairy little critters got me going!!!!!

Igor,
I thought shaving your little clam was normal, not in!

I'm off to the gym, be back in a couple of hours, write me something nice. Especially you little-australian, think of something intelligent not just an underscored two word one liner. Take care sweet cheeks?

Hey ANTONIO's latest posts were ACTUALLY interesting! Right on, man! And somewhat on topic - North Caucasus. ANYWAY, what, NO ONE got a good HASHISH story? MARY I KNOW you have at least one!

HASHISHU AKBAR! HASHISH IS GREAT!