Day: December 13, 2023
President Salome Zurabishvili is readying to host the reception in connection with the upcoming European Council meeting that is set to take a final decision on granting the EU candidate status to Georgia. At a reception scheduled for December 13, President Zurabishvili is expected to deliver signatures to the petition – “Our Voice to Europe” to the EU Ambassador, symbolically reminding the EU that the vast majority of the Georgian public supports the country’s EU integration. As Civil.ge understands, former presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers, and the representatives of the Georgian Dream government are also invited to the reception.
In the meantime, the senior representatives of the ruling Georgian Dream party seem confident of the positive outcome of the European Council’s decision on Georgia. They are almost certain that disagreements over Ukraine will not affect Georgia’s EU candidacy and are planning celebrations, declining to attend the President’s reception.
Speaking at the presentation of a new education strategy, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili stressed that renewed goals of general education would be based on strengthening the national identity among adults, promoting the establishment of healthy values, patriotism, Georgian traditions, culture, and family values. PM Garibashvili also decried the almost two-decades-old education reforms of the United National Movement, claiming that UNM education reforms aimed to “change our national identity, our DNA, our Georgianness” and “trying to mold a new Georgian.”
At its December meeting, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe discussed the implementation of ECHR judgments by Georgia, among others, expressing concern about the failure of state authorities to protect against homophobic or religiously motivated attacks. The Committee also “noted with regret that the adopted National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights for 2022-2030 does not adequately address the needs of the LGBTI community, calling upon the authorities to ensure the enjoyment of the LGBTI community’s right to peaceful assembly.
The ruling Georgian Dream party whip, Mamuka Mdinaradze, said at a press briefing that a consensus on financing the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) had been reached. According to Mamuka Mdinaradze, the GPB budget will remain the same for the next two years, enabling the GPB to complete a new building and renew an entire infrastructure and equipment. From 2026, the annual budget of the Public Broadcaster “will depend on the total number of the employed in Georgia” and will be determined by multiplying the number of employed individuals in Georgia by 64.
The government approved Georgia’s Communication Strategy for 2024-2027. According to the official press release, the document aims to develop a unified vision of a proactive, coherent, and coordinated communication system between the government and the public. The new strategy also prioritizes the fight against disinformation and fake news, bolstering efforts to fight against disinformation and developing the capabilities of strategic communications units of state agencies. Yet, the government has not published its new communication strategy.
During the meeting with so-called MPs of occupied Abkhazia, de-facto president Aslan Bzhania spoke of foreign threats and the malign influence of the West, emphasizing the crucial importance of maintaining close ties with Russia. “The West, the USA, and European countries do not want to view Abkhazia as part of the world. They want our capital to be not in Sokhumi but in Tbilisi, and they are working on it systematically. This is because they want to demonstrate to the world that Russia’s recognition of our sovereignty means nothing,” Bzhania told the so-called legislators.
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The Daily Beat: 12 December
President Salome Zurabishvili is readying to host the reception in connection with the upcoming European Council meeting that is set to take a final decision on granting the EU candidate status to Georgia. At a reception scheduled for December 13, President Zurabishvili is expected to deliver signatures to the petition – “Our Voice to Europe” to the EU Ambassador, symbolically reminding the EU that the vast majority of the Georgian public supports the country’s EU integration. As Civil.ge understands, former presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers, and the representatives of the Georgian Dream government are also invited to the reception.
In the meantime, the senior representatives of the ruling Georgian Dream party seem confident of the positive outcome of the European Council’s decision on Georgia. They are almost certain that disagreements over Ukraine will not affect Georgia’s EU candidacy and are planning celebrations, declining to attend the President’s reception.
Speaking at the presentation of a new education strategy, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili stressed that renewed goals of general education would be based on strengthening the national identity among adults, promoting the establishment of healthy values, patriotism, Georgian traditions, culture, and family values. PM Garibashvili also decried the almost two-decades-old education reforms of the United National Movement, claiming that UNM education reforms aimed to “change our national identity, our DNA, our Georgianness” and “trying to mold a new Georgian.”
At its December meeting, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe discussed the implementation of ECHR judgments by Georgia, among others, expressing concern about the failure of state authorities to protect against homophobic or religiously motivated attacks. The Committee also “noted with regret that the adopted National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights for 2022-2030 does not adequately address the needs of the LGBTI community, calling upon the authorities to ensure the enjoyment of the LGBTI community’s right to peaceful assembly.
The ruling Georgian Dream party whip, Mamuka Mdinaradze, said at a press briefing that a consensus on financing the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) had been reached. According to Mamuka Mdinaradze, the GPB budget will remain the same for the next two years, enabling the GPB to complete a new building and renew an entire infrastructure and equipment. From 2026, the annual budget of the Public Broadcaster “will depend on the total number of the employed in Georgia” and will be determined by multiplying the number of employed individuals in Georgia by 64.
The government approved Georgia’s Communication Strategy for 2024-2027. According to the official press release, the document aims to develop a unified vision of a proactive, coherent, and coordinated communication system between the government and the public. The new strategy also prioritizes the fight against disinformation and fake news, bolstering efforts to fight against disinformation and developing the capabilities of strategic communications units of state agencies. Yet, the government has not published its new communication strategy.
During the meeting with so-called MPs of occupied Abkhazia, de-facto president Aslan Bzhania spoke of foreign threats and the malign influence of the West, emphasizing the crucial importance of maintaining close ties with Russia. “The West, the USA, and European countries do not want to view Abkhazia as part of the world. They want our capital to be not in Sokhumi but in Tbilisi, and they are working on it systematically. This is because they want to demonstrate to the world that Russia’s recognition of our sovereignty means nothing,” Bzhania told the so-called legislators.
Hanoi (Eurasia Media Network): In a significant development, China and Vietnam have identified substantial opportunities for collaboration on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as both nations seek to deepen their economic and strategic ties. The announcement came as part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Vietnam, underscoring the commitment to regional connectivity and shared economic development.
President Xi Jinping and Vietnamese President Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized the immense potential for cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. The leaders acknowledged the strategic significance of enhancing infrastructure connectivity, trade, and people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.
The Belt and Road Initiative presents a unique opportunity for China and Vietnam to strengthen economic ties and promote sustainable development as the cooperation under the BRI will not only benefit the two countries but also contribute to regional prosperity and stability.
The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, aims to foster infrastructure development and enhance connectivity along ancient trade routes. The initiative has since evolved into a global effort, with countries across Asia, Europe, and Africa participating in various projects to promote economic cooperation and cultural exchange.
As part of the discussions, China and Vietnam highlighted potential joint ventures in infrastructure projects, including transportation, energy, and telecommunications. The leaders expressed their commitment to fostering a conducive environment for investment and trade, facilitating the flow of goods and services between the two nations.
Vietnam welcomes the opportunity to work closely with China under the Belt and Road Initiative. This collaboration aligns with the shared vision for sustainable development and regional integration.
The announcement of expanded cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative signals a new chapter in the China-Vietnam relationship, emphasizing the potential for mutual benefit and shared prosperity.
The cooperative stance on the Belt and Road Initiative solidifies China and Vietnam’s commitment to building a community with a shared future and underscores the importance of regional collaboration in driving economic growth and stability.
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Armenia News – NEWS.am
Member of Congress Adam Schiff has led a letter to Comptroller Michael J. Hsu demanding accountability from Citibank for discriminating against Armenian customers.
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Citi deliberately targeted and denied Armenian American credit card applicants based on their surnames and city of residence over a six-year period. According to reports, from 2015 through 2021, Citi singled out credit card applicants with surnames that Citi employees associated with Armenian origin as well as applicants whose addresses were in or near Glendale, California, home to a large and vibrant Armenian community.
“Given the harm done to our constituency and the seriousness of these allegations, we request that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) investigate this lengthy and discriminatory lending practice at Citi and any other financial institutions that may have engaged in similar practices. As detailed in CFPB findings, Citi allegedly targeted applicants in the state of California whose last names ended in “-ian” and “-yan”— common components of surnames of Armenian origin,” the signatories said in the letter.
Citi’s practices included applying extra scrutiny to, negatively assessing, and denying credit card applications and credit line increases to consumers they identified as Armenian American. Of the most alarming allegations, some of the employees in question referred to these applicants as “Armenian bad guys” or the “Southern California Armenian Mafia.”
According to the CFPB, over this timeframe, Citi employees lied to consumers about the basis of their credit denials, providing false reasons why applicants were denied. Furthermore, supervisors conspired to hide the discrimination by instructing employees not to discuss the discriminatory practices in writing or on recorded phone lines.
“While disturbing in scope with nearly 600 consumers who were impacted, this revelation also repeats a toxic history of banks preventing equal and equitable access to credit, targeting and preventing specific communities from accessing credit and loans to purchase homes or build businesses. While the CFPB has ordered Citigroup to pay $24.5 million in fines and $1.4 million in direct restitution that will be given back to impacted consumers, we must make sure that there are sufficient regulatory tools in place that can prevent this kind of discrimination from happening again,” the letter reads.
“Citi is the fourth-largest bank by U.S. customer deposits, according to the Federal Reserve. As one of the largest banks in the nation, their institution plays a key role in determining which individuals and communities have access to economic opportunity. No American should fear that their access to financial services or financial stability will be impacted by their race, ethnicity, nation of origin, or any other protected trait and it is our job to continue to dismantle the ongoing patterns of discrimination in the financial sector, and across our broader society,” the lawmakers said.
Accordingly, they asked Comptroller Hsu to provide written answers to these questions.
- Has the OCC launched its own investigation into this case and considered taking
additional actions to hold Citi accountable? - Have any other financial institutions engaged in similar discriminatory actions against the
Armenian community or other ethnic communities? - Do any of the employees responsible for participating in this discriminatory practice still
hold employment with Citi and what disciplinary actions have taken place? - What actions has Citi taken to ensure this does not happen again?
- What additional regulatory tools are necessary to make sure this does not happen again at
Citi or any other institution? - What proactive steps has or will OCC take to investigate this instance or similar instances
of discrimination at other banking institutions under its jurisdiction?
We urge your office to investigate this situation further, including any other institutions that
engaged in similar behavior, to ensure they do not engage in further discriminatory practices, as
well as ensure impacted communities receive their compensation.