Monthly Archives: July 2022

The Vice Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Avtandil Enukidze held a meeting with the President of the International Ice Hockey Federation Luke Tardif and the President of the National Ice Hockey Federation of Georgia Zakaria Khechuashvili in the highest legislative body of the country.

On July 13, within the framework of the visit of Luke Tardif, the president of the International Ice Hockey Federation, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth of Georgia and the International Ice Hockey Federation, which provides for the construction of an ice rink in Georgia.

The memorandum was signed by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth of Georgia, Thea Tsulukiani, and the President of the International Ice Hockey Federation, Luc Tardif.

The Vice-Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Avtandil Enukidze, as the Vice-President of the National Ice Hockey Federation of Georgia, thanked the President of the International Ice Hockey Federation, Luke Tardif, for his visit and the support he showed to Georgia in terms of the development of this specific sport.

"The activity of the president of the International Hockey Federation is evaluated at a very high level, because we are not a country where this sport is very developed. Therefore, his attention is a great honor for us and we thank him very much for it. As the deputy chairman of the parliament, as a Georgian and as the vice-president of the hockey federation, I thank Luke Tardif for everything", Avtandil Enukidze said at the meeting.

"As for the statement of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth of Georgia Thea Tsulukiani that the development of ice hockey in Georgia is very important, she is also the Vice Prime Minister of Georgia and she had the mandate to make this statement from the Prime Minister of the country. The development of all kinds of sports in Georgia is paid a lot of attention today. I personally had a conversation with the Prime Minister, and in fact it has been decided that ice hockey fields will be built in our country, and you will be able to stay informed about all this during the working process. All the more, you offered to stand by us here, and once again I thank you very much for that", said Avtandil Enukidze.

On his part, the president of the International Ice Hockey Federation, Luke Tardiff, noted at the meeting that he came to Georgia 10 years ago to take the first steps, and started playing at the World Championship in Georgia.

"After 10 years, I saw a lot of progress and changes, which I am very happy about. During these 10 years, systemic changes have been made, a system of this type of sport has been created, which did not exist before," Luke Tardiff said at the meeting.

According to Luke Tardif, he sees that Georgians have the character needed for strength and team sports and believes that Georgia will be as successful in hockey as it is in rugby or basketball.

"I am glad that the hockey ice rink will be built in Georgia. Now Georgia needs to start the second stage in terms of hockey development. A new generation must begin to grow, and infrastructure needs to be created for this. I would like Georgia to play in the top division after some years. There will be youth teams, women's teams... I think that the Georgian government has a very good concept, in particular, the palaces of many types of sports will be gathered in one area, including the ice rink. The projects that I heard in Batumi, Tbilisi, Bakuriani, this will be the beginning of a leap to the second stage, which Georgia needs, and I will help you in every possible way to implement all this", said the president of the International Federation.

According to him, it is quite realistic that in 2-3 years, when the construction of the infrastructure is completed, the World Ice Hockey Championship will be held in Georgia, because Georgia has a good experience of holding world-class championships.

📌 Chairman of the parliamentary political group "European Socialists" Fridon Injia took part in the first meeting of the judicial reform working group in the Parliament under the leadership of the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili.

🔹️ The meeting of the judicial reform working group will be held periodically and it is one of the parts of the process initiated by the ruling party within the framework of the implementation of the 12-point recommendations of the European Commission.

🔹️ At the meeting, the chairman of "European Socialists" once again stated his position on why Georgia could not receive the status of a candidate for EU membership.

As Friedon Injia pointed out, "This is a political decision made in Europe or America, more so in America, because America is financing the second power with 88 million USD and the main ruling power is oppressed."

🔹️ "As for these 12 points themselves... even if we fulfill them, if you hope that we will fulfill them, first of all - it is unfulfillable, and we will be given some non-existent, fabricated status, do not hope for that, I did not come with this hope either. I will participate in the work of the working group, because it is my duty as a deputy elected by the people, I must participate in the discussion of all laws," Fridon Injia said at the meeting.

🔹️ According to the chairman of the political group, from the recommendation presented by the European Union, "the depolarization clause was invented just for Georgia". The deputy believes that non-governmental organizations of Georgia, which are financed with 88 million dollars and actually perform the function of political parties, play the biggest role in this process.

🔹️ "I think the point of depolarization is invented for Georgia, because there is an opposition position in every state, but no one has raised this issue at such a level. It is 88 mln. Don't give to the people who stood here and fought the ruling party and the government, or give the same amount to other political forces and the polarization will automatically be eliminated. They are not non-governmental, they are political parties. Stop funding, and if they stop funding, there will be no more polarization, or the ruling party will hand over power to the "famous" "Sirshvilia" and there will be no polarization," said Fridon Injia.

🔹️ According to the chairman of the "European Socialists" political group, it would be self-deception that by fulfilling the 12-point recommendation of the European Union, Georgia will receive the candidate status, because it is clear to everyone that this is a political decision. Therefore, it is better for the government to act based on the interests of the country, especially when Georgia is a member country of the European Union and everything that the state should do is written in this agreement.

"Let us not deceive ourselves that by doing this we will be given the status of giving nothing." Let us continue our work, everything we have to do is written in the association agreement", Fridon Injia added.

🔹️ As for the judicial reform, according to the chairman of the political group, in relation to this issue, "there must be a strategy, what the court should be, and the tactic is to adopt the necessary laws".

"In the process of implementing the judicial reform, mechanisms should be established and considered, which excludes the appointment of such people in the judicial system who do not deserve to be in this position due to their erudition, experience and other qualities. The main thing is that the judge there is of the highest level. Also, another important factor is the delay in court proceedings, which should be eliminated. Trials should not be delayed, neither in the constitutional court nor in the court of any other instance", said Fridon Injia.