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Issue no: 865
• JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
• PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY
PRICE: GEL 2.50
In this week’s issue...
Scientist Study Confirms
Georgian Writing Dates Back
nearly 3,000 Years
NEWS PAGE 2
Letting Off an
Old (Alleged)
Terrorist
POLITICS PAGE 5
Lavrov Says Georgia Must
Make First Move to
Re-establish Relations with
Russia
FOCUS
ON PROGRESS
Peter Szijjarto, Minister
of Foreign Affairs of
Hungary and Mikheil
Janelidze, Georgian
Foreign Affairs Minister
Ministers meet ambassadors and
businessmen to exchange experience
and achievements
PAGE 3
Poll Shows Georgia’s Decided Voters
Satisfied with Country’s Current Direction
POLITICS PAGE 8
Georgian Citizens Slam Road
Quality in Highland Areas
SOCIETY PAGE 10
First Georgian Artist Signs
Contract with Yamaha
BY EKA KARSAULIDZE
T
he National Democratic Institute
(NDI) published a report on
Wednesday that showed the public’s attitude towards the ruling
Georgian Dream coalition’s policies has improved in recent months.
Georgians are more positive about their personal situation, with 17 percent saying that
their households are better off, up from 10
percent in the March poll, while 19 percent
reported that the living conditions in their
community have improved, up 10 points from
August 2015.
Continued on page 2
CULTURE PAGE 16
Rio 2016: It’s all
in the Muscle,
Not the Dress
ZURAB KURTSIKIDZE / EPA
SPORTS PAGE 19
2
NEWS
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
Scientist Study Confirms
Georgian Writing Dates
Back nearly 3,000 Years
Ministry of Culture
U
S Based radiocarbon dating laboratory Beta Analytic has confirmed
that a fragment of unidentified Georgian writing found at Grakliani Hill,
near the main highway, in 2015, in
fact dates back 2700 years.
This new unique discovery suggests that an alphabet was used on the territory of Georgia 2700 years
ago, far earlier than previously thought.
Scientists claim that this is the oldest script to be
discovered in the whole Caucasus region.
Last year, an archaeological expedition from the
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU)
discovered a one line inscription of as yet unknown
Georgian writing on the altar pedestal of a 7th century BC temple dedicated to a fertility goddess at
Grakliani Hill, in the eastern Kaspi region.
Head of the Institute of Archaeology of Georgia’s
State University, Vakhtang Licheli, said with this
"significant discovery”, Georgia steps up among
the elite civilizations that used written languages
thousands of years ago.
“We sent the three samples to Beta Analytic laboratory in Miami and a few days ago received a
sensational result. They confirmed that those findings date back to the 11th or 10th century BC,” he
said.
"The writings on the two altars of the temple are
really well preserved. On the one altar several letters are carved in clay while the second altar’s
pedestal is wholly covered with writings,” Licheli
said.
The TSU professor believes that the inscription
is so important it goes beyond the limits of Georgian science and will be the subject of an international study. "The new discovery will change the
particular stage of the history of the world’s manuscripts,” he said.
Glakliani Hill is believed to be the only monument to reveal almost all layers of human development, a non–stop 300,000 year chain from the Stone
Age onward.
Until now, the Bolnisi inscriptions were believed
to be the oldest Georgian language inscriptions,
written in the Georgian Asomtavruli script on the
Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral, a basilica located in Bolnisi
Municipality, Georgia. The inscriptions were dated
494 AD. This meant among the world’s 14 writing
systems, Georgian was ranked as the fifth oldest
script.
The new discovery should change the world ranking, as the Grakliani writing is now the third oldest
writing system following on from the 3,500-yearold Chinese hieroglyphs and Cuneiform script.
Poll Shows Georgia’s
Decided Voters Satisfied with
Country’s Current Direction
Continued from page 1
Georgians’ also had a more favorable opinion of
the government’s handling of foreign, economic and
media freedom policy, with 42 percent of respondents saying they had a positive view of each, which
represents a 5 percent increase from March.
The numbers continue to show, however, that a
majority of Georgians (66 percent) believe the
country is experiencing little change or is moving
in the wrong direction.
The survey found that only 25 percent of respondents believe the country is going in the right direction. The NDI noted that this continues the trend
of a steady decline since 2012, but said the most
recent numbers are a slight improvement over their
last poll in March.
The NDI’s poll went on to show that a large number of voters remain politically undecided over
who they will vote for in the upcoming October
parliamentary elections.
Laura Thornton, a senior NDI director, said the
views of those who have already decided are on
average 10 percent more positive than those who
remain undecided.
“Those who are decided about how they will vote
in October are more likely to believe that the country is going in the right direction. They believe the
government is making decisions that matter to
them and that the living conditions in their community have improved. This is in sharp contrast
to those who are undecided. They rank the Georgian Dream’s performance on jobs, poverty, prices,
governance reforms and crime far less favorably
than the decided voters,” stated the NDI.
The research also showed that Georgia’s ethnic
minorities and rural populations held decidedly
differing opinions compared to the rest of Georgian
society.
While the majority of the country’s population
support European Union and Euro-Atlantic integration (72 percent) and NATO membership (64
percent), Georgia’s ethnic minorities and rural
population largely rejected the nation’s stated foreign policy platforms and, instead, called for close
and more comprehensive ties with Russia over the
West.
Thornton said they found a link between those
who support pro-Russian policies with those residents who receive their news from Russian media
sources.
“It is important that those who advocate closer
ties with the EU target the more sceptical rural and
ethnic populations using the Russian language as
a tool. For those who wish to counter pro-Russian
messages, particular attention must be directed
towards the remaining undecided voters,” said
Thornton.
NEWS
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
3
Georgia’s Ambassadors Meet to
Discuss Foreign Policy Challenges
BY EKA KARSAULIDZE
T
he heads of Georgia’s Diplomatic Missions abroad
gathered in Tbilisi for an
annual meeting running
from Wednesday to July
29 to discuss the foreign policy developments of the past year.
In his opening statements at the
forum, Foreign Affairs Minister Mikheil
Janelidze said Georgia’s main diplomacy aims are maintaining the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Euro-Atlantic integration and
strengthening regional ties, as well as
supporting and protecting Georgian
citizens abroad.
He added that guaranteeing the safety
of Georgian citizens has come to the
forefront of Tbilisi’s diplomatic mission
tasks as the number of deadly terrorist
attacks around the world has grown
significantly in the last year.
“Georgia’s diplomatic missions will
try to find ways of dealing with the current global challenges,” said Janelidze.
Georgian Prime Minister of Georgia,
Giorgi Kvirikashvili, said the Association Agreement with the European
Union, which came into force on July
1, was the country’s single-most important foreign policy development in 2015.
Kvirikashvili said, however, that the
process of European integration could
not be completed without visa liberalization that would allow Georgian
passport holders to travel to the EU
visa-free for up to 90 days.
“We hope that a final decision on the
visa-free travel regime to the EU for
Georgian citizens is just a matter of
time and that a decision will be made
soon,” he said.
With regards to relations with Russia,
Kvirikashvili said, “When 20 percent of
our country remains occupied, of course
it is impossible to talk about any progress and achievements regarding relations with them (Moscow). However,
as a result of our pragmatic policy
towards Russia, we have been able to
establish the type of dialogue that avoids
war and armed confrontations.”
The PM took the time to thank Georgia’s ambassadors and diplomats, highlighting that they play a major role in
the country’s ability to develop its economy peacefully and to implement impor-
tant democratic and economic reforms.
The first days of the Ambassadorial
were marked by meetings of Georgia’s
ministers with ambassadors to discuss
refugees, conflict regions, protection of
human rights, recent reforms and the
country's course of development. “It is
for the ambassadors to choose which
information they will spread abroad but
we have a lot of innovations and achievements that should be made known to
the wider public,” said Minister of Cor-
rections, Kakha Kakhishvili.
One of the working sessions was
devoted to cultural diplomacy, which
was named one of the priorities of the
Georgian government. Economic diplomacy and the external image of the
country were also discussed. For the
first time ambassadors had the opportunity to meet with representatives of
about 20 business associations and
unions where they learned about current reforms and plans of the ministries,
support of the business and private sector, and about lobbying business abroad.
“We believe that contact between our
diplomats and businessmen is very
important, and in the framework of our
forum, they were given the opportunity
to talk face-to-face about attracting
investment, business development,
privileges for Georgian business, and
more,” said Minister Janelidze.
The guests of honor of the ambassadorial side were the representatives of
the ministries of foreign affairs of India
and Hungary, who spoke about the foreign policy of their countries, cooperation with Georgia and experiences.
The first annual meeting of Georgia’s
diplomatic corps was held in 1995 and
presided over by then-Foreign Minister
Irakli Menagarishvili, who brought
Georgian and foreign diplomats together
at the State Chancellery in Tbilisi to
discuss plans for developing the country, regional relations and future prospects.
4
POLITICS
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
Turkey Expert: No
Good Way Out
Source www.mirror.co.uk / Getty
BY NANA SAJAIA, VOICE OF
AMERICA GEORGIAN SERVICE
States, needs NATO; it needs a Western
anchor more now than ever due to the
nature of the threats that Turkey is facing
with its own internal problems.
T
he President of Turkey,
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has
declared a State of Emergency for three months and
suspended the European
Convention on Human Rights in the
wake of the recent coup. To discuss the
implications of Turkey’s foreign policy
dynamics, we spoke to Sinan Ciddi,
Director of the Institute for Turkish
Studies at Georgetown University.
300 PEOPLE KILLED, MORE
THAN 1,400 INJURED
AND 6,000 ARRESTED.
WHAT HAPPENED?
What happened in Turkey is very disconcerting. From the standpoint of an
actual coup d'etat, it was a failure; we
did not see an immediate collapse of the
Turkish State or the Turkish government.
But now that the plotters have been
arrested, alleged conspirators been taken
into custody or fired from their positions
of employment, what we are seeing is a
large crackdown in society- what I am
starting to call the “civilian coup.”
THE TURKISH PRESIDENT
BLAMES HIS FORMER ALLY,
PENNSYLVANIA-BASED
FETHULLAH GULEN, AND HIS
HIZMET MOVEMENT. HOW
SERIOUS IS ERDOGAN’S
FOLLOWING THE ERDOGAN
GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE
TO THE FAILED COUP, BOTH
THE US AND THE EU WARNED
AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS
ABUSE. HOW DO YOU
THINK THIS WILL EFFECT
ERDOGAN’S NEXT MOVES?
Sinan Ciddi, Director of the Institute for Turkish Studies at Georgetown University
EXTRADITION REQUEST?
Erdogan is blaming Gulen for being singularly responsible for spearheading this
coup. He would like the United States
to extradite Gulen to Turkish custody.
But the onus is on Turkey to prove to
the Justice Department here in Washington that Gulen was behind the plot;
something the Turks have not been able
to do in any meaningful way that the
Justice Department would consider evidence, and until that happens, the US is
highly unlikely to expedite him.
CALLING ON THE US, PRESIDENT
ERDOGAN ALSO SAID, “IF WE
ARE STRATEGIC PARTNERS OR
MODEL PARTNERS, DO WHAT
IS NECESSARY." IS TURKEY
CONFRONTING THE US AND, IF
SO, WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS
OF FUTURE PARTNERSHIP?
Turkish-US relations have been getting
increasingly more difficult since the
Gezzi protest of 2013. I do not think relations will ease when Turkish authorities
realize that just because they want the
extradition, the US will be disinclined
to comply.
TURKEY BLOCKED US ACCESS
TO THE INCIRLIK MILITARY
BASE. SHOULD WE EXPECT THE
LEVERAGE BATTLE TO GO ON?
The relationship between Turkey and the
US seems to be evolving to the notion of
quid pro quo, a very transactional relationship. For American policymakers and
military officials prosecuting the war
against the Islamic State, there is a big
question mark – is Turkey still considered
a reliable partner? Turkey is not in a position to say “if you don’t hand over Gulen,
we will keep you out of Incirlik.” Once
Turkey does that, there might be a point
of no return. Turkey needs the United
US Secretary John Kerry said Turkey
has to maintain its democratic standards
to remain in NATO although there is no
mechanism for forcing countries to leave.
There is no easy answer on how Turkey
will continue to behave within the NATO
structure.
The leverage the EU and US has has
never been lower vis-a-vis Turkey. The
possibility of reinstating the death penalty right now is a real possibility. The
country has not entertained this idea for
a long time. A pro-Erdogan vigilante
mob really wants the execution of wouldbe coup makers. I cannot see anything
that the EU or the US can do because
EU prospects have never been lower for
Turkey. If Erdogan wants to reinstate the
death penalty, it will happen.
WHAT KIND OF TURKEY
COMES OUT OF ALL THIS?
I find it increasingly difficult to find a
positive outcome from this. The failed
coup attempt was positive to the extent
that the democratically elected government of the country was not overthrown.
But now the same government is utilizing this for vetting out all suspected and
actual dissidents. If you’re asking what
the next project for Turkey is, it’s the
promulgation of Erdogan as unquestioned
leader of Turkey. No transparency, no
accountability: his word becomes a law.
That’s what I’m afraid of.
SOME SAY THIS IS TURKEY’S
“ISLAMIC REVOLUTION.”DO
YOU AGREE? IS
SECULARISM AT RISK?
Removing secularism is likely to be a
very divisive move. Yes, there are people
who do not appreciate or welcome any
notion of secularity in Turkey, but there
are also large groups of people who count
on that, who believe that it is a founding
cornerstone of Turkey. The removal of
secularism will pit very different camps
of people against each other; it will exuberate tensions among different sects;
it will also pit religious people against
secular people. We already started to
see vigilante squads picking out people
drinking in bars and pubs. The question
is if law enforcement is going to prevent
vigilantism against different ways of life.
I don’t have a clear answer. Only a good
sense of secularism has been able to
prevent that in the past.
For the Georgian version of this interview, go
to: http://www.amerikiskhma.com/a/
interview-with-sinan-ciddi/3430504.html
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POLITICS
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
5
Letting Off an Old (Alleged) Terrorist
OP-ED BY ZAZA JGARKAVA
T
wo months left until the
elections on October 8, and
the political temperature
is already approaching its
climax. The main oppositional power, the United National Movement (UNM) has made new compromising materials public, putting pressure
on the judges of the Constitutional Court,
the Minister of Defense, the family members of the President... Georgian Dream
is also getting ready to make its vital
shot and has announced the release of
a partly fictional-partly documentary 24
episode series about the nine years of
the UNM in power. Despite this war of
compromising materials, the main preelectoral events are still taking place
outside the country.
Last week Russian media revealed that
former chief of the Georgian National
Security, Igor Giorgadze, was no longer
in the Wanted List of Interpol and that
charges against him had been dropped
(for organizing a terroristic attack against
President Eduard Shevardnadze 20 years
ago, after which he fled from Tbilisi to
find shelter in Moscow). In order to
check the veracity of this announcement,
Georgian media organized a live studio
interview with Giorgadze, who not only
confirmed it, but also announced his
return to Tbilisi in the near future. “I am
waiting for a positive decision from the
Court, after which I will arrive the same
day in Tbilisi,” said the ex-Security Chief.
On July 7th, the process of Igor Giorgadze was quietly resumed in the Court
with a discussion of withdrawing Giorgadze’s guilty sentence for organizing a
terroristic attack. Such synchronization
of events and the efficiency of the Georgian Court is truly amazing, considering
the case of Rustavi 2 was dragged on for
so long by the Supreme Court and that
the very same court is now working so
quickly on a law suit filed by a fugitive
alleged terrorist.
Notably, Giorgadze is backed by a
political organization: Justice in Georgia,
which was banned during Saakashvili’s
presidency but renewed work in the
period of Georgian Dream’s government.
The information about the consolidation
of pro-Russian powers around this political organization has been spread and
the MPs who left the GD are among
them. The Chairman of the Budget and
Finance Committee of Parliament, Tamaz
Mechiauri, recently visited Russia and
talked publicly about the renewal of
diplomatic relations with the country.
Mechiauri does not hide the establishment of a pro-Russian political organization and his wish to cooperate with
all organizations of that direction.
Although the return of Igor Giorgadze
to Georgia is not excluded by Georgian
political analysts, they cannot see his
place in Georgian politics. As a political
figure, Giorgadze is regarded as a used
card by Zaal Anjaparidze, “Even in the
event of the court acquitting him, I do
not think he will be able to gain any significant political or public support given
today’s environment. If there is any kind
of interest towards him, it is only due to
the train of his past that follows him. By
2020 I guess even this small interest
won’t exist anymore.”
About the same idea was voiced by the
political expert Gia Khukhashvili, who
does not exclude Giorgadze’s return to
Georgia.
Despite such forecasts, the process is
proceeding in the City Court and the next
session is already scheduled. Moscow
does not hide that it is time Georgia took
counter steps for Georgian-Russian relations to return to the former riverbed.
Last week’s announcement from Minister
of Interior of Russia Sergey Lavrov confirms this further. Both this announcement and the activities of Giorgadze
clearly show that Georgia will once again
have to respond to the old issue of “Russia or the West?” But before that, Georgia
remains the one place in the world where
Igor Giorgadze is charged of terrorism
and threatened with conviction. The only
question is – for how long?
"Panjikidze’s Reform" - a Step
Backwards in Georgian Diplomacy?
BY DAVIT ABASHIDZE
F
ollowing the elections the Georgian
Dream party is going to rectify the case
that was “messed up” by Maia Panjikidze, confirmed when one of the leaders of the ruling party, Gia Volsky, said
that the topic remained on the agenda and the
discrimination of a number of diplomats will end
after October 8. We refer to more than 20 of our
friends working in Georgia, including the Honorary Consul from an EU member country who,
since 2014, have been unsuccessfully trying to
protect their dignity and rights. Let’s look at who
they are and what mission the honorary consuls
have.
The Honorary Consul is not in the Government
Service but performs certain consular functions
at the decision of the sending State. An Honorary Consul may be appointed whether a citizen
of the sending or receiving State.
Clause 96 of the Georgian Law says of Georgian
consular offices: “A person can take on the role
of Honorary Consul if he/she: a) Has the social
status and personal qualities necessary to fulfill
consular functions; b) Has merit before Georgia
for his work; c) Is willing and able to work for
national interests.”
The Vienna Convention was adopted in 1963,
in which clauses 58 and 67, with a few exceptions,
granted the same privileges and immunities to
Honorary Consuls and Consuls in Government
Service. Also adopted in the Vienna Convention
on April 24, 1963, Honorary Consuls are equalled
with Career Diplomats. Georgia acceded to the
Vienna Convention in 1993.
As such, the country’s resident businessmen are
appointed as Honorary Consuls because they
regulate the business relationship between two
countries, aiming to attract investment and improve
the business environment.
Honorary Consuls do not receive salaries from
the receiving State budget, nor from the sending
Georgian Honorary Consuls continue to enjoy
diplomatic privileges in other countries
State, carrying out diplomatic activities at their
own expense. In return, they enjoy diplomatic
privileges, such as, for example, diplomatic immunity.
The institution of Honorary Consul is recognized
globally, but Georgia being the distinct country it
is, tends to taint even diplomacy with personal
attitudes. When Maia Panjikidze headed the main
embassy of Georgia, she is said to have completely
ignored international regulations and, due to a
personal confrontation with one of the foreign
Honorary Consuls, made a “reform" related to the
Honorary Consuls on August 20, 2014. Consequently,
about 20 friends of Georgia, among them the Honorary Consul from an EU member country, were
unilaterally deprived of diplomatic privileges with-
out any consultation or explanation, something
akin to a diplomatic scandal which would never
have been allowed elsewhere. As such, all Honorary Consuls acting in Georgia have been paralyzed
the last two years, meaning they can no longer
establish communication with state agencies, the
Diplomatic Corps, and international organizations;
they can't enjoy diplomatic mail, they can't help
their fellow citizens, and are restricted in the information they can receive and provide. This situation
is incomprehensible for sending States, because,
after all, the principle of proportionality has been
violated as Georgian Honorary Consuls continue
to enjoy diplomatic privileges in other countries
despite the fact that Maia Panjikidze claimed they
do not.
While looking into the situation, we spoke with
several diplomats. They were unable to explain
Panjikidze’s decision, but noted that even Mikhail
Saakashvili would not have made such a “stupid
move” before the elections, even when he was
fighting against Bidzina Ivanishvili and deprived
him of his citizenship. At the time Ivanishvili was
the San Marino Honorary Consul and Saakashvili
could have then limited the authority of the Honorary Consuls but chose not to incite such international scandal. Yet Panjikidze, it seems, was more
“daring” in this respect.
Certain people in diplomatic circles think that
nobody in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cares
about the decision of the ex-Minister and that they
are doing nothing to improve at least the subsequent diplomatic embarrassment, seeing her resignation as sufficient. The Foreign Relations Committee intervened and sent a letter to the Foreign
Ministry to try and clarify why Honorary Consuls
are deprived of their authority, but the legislative
body receive a senseless reply, with the Deputy
Foreign Minister, Khatuna Tortladze, explaining
vaguely the reasons for Panjikidze's decision.
Despite this, the Honorary Consuls made no
unnecessary noise and asked their sending States
to simply clarify the situation, not wanting problems on the Georgian international arena, especially
with the country waiting for a visa-liberalization.
However, as foreign diplomats say, “the reform
of Panjikidze” is truly incomprehensible in its
essence. Honorary Consuls and their sending
countries are still waiting patiently for the restoration of their rights, watching carefully the development of the situation and only limiting themselves to diplomatic comments on the topic.
“Honorary Consuls did nothing to aggravate the
situation in our sending States even if Panjikidze
deserved it. We respect the diplomatic image of
Georgia and prefer to wait. Fortunately, the authorities in the Ministry are changed and I hope, after
the Honorary Consuls next appeal, the new minister, who is an experienced diplomat, will take
an adequate decision regarding the Honorary
Consuls,” said Consuls Associations President,
Elene Lezhava.
When Mikhail Janelidze was appointed as the
Minister, the parliamentary majority leader, Zviad
Kvachantiradze, appealed him from the public
podium and advised him to at the very least review
Panjikidze’s policy.
“As a result of a very rigid policy that our government's first Minister of Foreign Affairs introduced, the Honorary Consuls were restricted.
Such an attitude was absolutely unacceptable to
our Committee. Our attitude was expressed to
those involved but we held back from turning it
into a full blown conflict, not wanting to exacerbate the issue. I would urge you, Minister Janelidze,
to take particular interest in this issue and should
you require our consultation, we stand ready to
help you,” Kvachantiradze said.
As mentioned above, Georgian Dreamer, Gia
Volsky said that this issue has not been removed
from the agenda and that it will be more actively
focused upon after the up-coming elections. We
hope that “Panjikidze’s reform” will be corrected
in the autumn and the Honorary Consuls will
again be able to use their rights and obligations
properly.
Otherwise, our country, which is waiting for
visa-liberalization in autumn, will be unable to
avoid an international diplomatic scandal, sure
to negatively affect our European image.
POLITICS
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
7
Initiative Group ‘Together’ Launches
Active Network for the ‘Scattered
Generation’ of Abkhazians
BY STEVEN JONES
O
n July 15, more than 100
people assembled at the
National Library of Georgia to form a network
focused on solving the
issues related to occupied Abkhazia. The
idea, created by initiative group 'Together'
aims at bringing motivated, successful
and future-oriented people together to
push issues connected to Abkhazia and
its occupation more broadly within
Georgia and abroad.
The gathering, entitled ‘Abkhazia Unites
Us,’ involved a wide variety of people
from different fields
including Arts, Academia, Business and
NGOs. The event organizers declared that despite
a myriad of setbacks and lifelong
obstacles, Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) from Abkhazia, especially the youth, have achieved remarkable successes in Georgia and beyond.
“At the same time, full-fledged integration in many environments has shown
a reverse effect, with the issue of Abkhazia becoming unintentionally overshadowed,” they stated.
Nino Akhalaia, one organizer of the
event and coming from Abkhazia’s Gali
district, told GEORGIA TODAY that she
hopes the majority of IDPs will be
keen to contribute to raising
the Abkhazia topic more at any
level. “What we see is that
these tremendously
valuable people have
been scattered throughout Georgia and the
world and we need
to unite them to
create real power
at the grassroots level,” she said.
Zviad Adzinbaia, a young researcher
who was a co-host of the gathering, told
us that it is of utmost importance to have
the existing intellectual power united for
the benefit of Abkhazia and to work
towards the final restoration of Georgia’s
territorial integrity. “People frequently
say that the majority has forgotten our
beautiful region [Abkhazia] and there are
no real prospects of its reintegration,” he
said. “But that’s wrong- each of us needs
to take a share in the work at hand.” Adzinbaia was a two-year old when he and
his family were forced out of their home
in Mukhuri, a village in Abkhazia.
‘Abkhazia Unites Us’ invited guests
who believe that Abkhazia is not a lost
territory and, regardless of the current
frozen state of the conflict, are optimistic toward Georgia’s eventual territorial
unity. The assembly plans to contribute
to creating a network of people in the
‘scattered generation’ who can each play
an existential role in developing novel
approaches and searching for alternative
ways to solving the current problems.
The event’s official part was concluded
by the signing of a 12-point Symbolic
Convention by all the attendees who
agreed on doing their own part for Abkhazia in the future.
The initiative group ‘Together’ is to be
transformed into an association and
plans to expand in terms of its members
and activities.
Immediately following the collapse of
the Soviet Union, Russian-backed rebels
in Abkhazia broke away from Georgia.
Moscow occupied and effectively annexed
the area, as it did Georgia’s other breakaway region South Ossetia, later, in 2008.
Moscow recognized both regions as
independent states following the 2008
war, yet international law and the United
Nations continue to state that the regions
remain part of Georgia.
8
POLITICS
Lavrov Says Georgia
Must Make First Move
to Re-establish Relations
with Russia
BY TAMAR SVANIDZE
R
ussia’s Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov last week said
Georgia should be the first
to make a move towards reestablishing diplomatic ties
between the two countries as Georgia
was first responsible for cutting formal
relations between Moscow and Tbilisi.
During a speech at an annual youth
forum on the Klyazma River in Russia’s
central Vladimir Region, 200 kilometers
from Moscow, Lavrov said bilateral relations between Russia and Georgia had
improved considerably since the ruling
Georgian Dream coalition came to power
in 2012 after defeating former President
Mikheil Saakashvili’s stridently proWestern government.
"The Georgian leadership (unilaterally)
severed diplomatic ties with Russia under
Saakashvili’s presidency. This situation
can only be improved by a restoration
of diplomatic relations initiated by the
Georgian side,” Lavrov said. "I am confident that we will resolve all problems.
Even now, there is a lot more common
sense in their approach to our relations,"
he said.
Georgian officials have long said that
formal relations would remain frozen as
long as Russia continues to recognize
the separatist governments of Georgia’s
two breakaway regions Abkhazia and
South Ossetia.
Relations between the two countries
plummeted to an all-time low in August
2008 when Russian tanks rolled into the
heart of Georgia after Saakashvili ordered
a disastrous attack on the South Ossetian
separatist capital Tskhinvali. The ensuing five-day killed hundreds and left
thousands driven from their homes as
Russia’s invasion force came within an
hour’s drive of Tbilisi.
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
BUSINESS
The First Impressions of
Green Budapest Residents
C
onstruction company
MAQRO Construction has
begun the process of handing over apartments in the
11,700 sq. meter Green
Budapest residential complex to their
new owners in preparation for the final
handover in September.
The European standard apartments
are fully renovated, complete with bathrooms and kitchen furniture and stand
in buildings constructed using ecologically clean materials.
The first phase of checking flats began
in May within the framework of which
the residents visited and assessed their
apartments, clearly expressing their
satisfaction in how MAQRO Construction had fulfilled its obligations.
“What I saw was far more than I
expected. I’m very satisfied with the
implemented works and I would like to
thank each member of the company,”
resident Nino Bendeliani said.
“I’m very grateful to your company
for such high-quality construction. I’m
very satisfied with all personnel for
their warm and attentive attitude. You
What I saw was
far more than I
expected- Green
Budapest Resident
have really qualified staff. I’d like to
thank you again and wish you every
success for the future of this project,”
resident Maia Kelbakiani said.
The second phase of Green Budapest
will begin in August. Company representatives say the residents will be allowed
to bring furniture into their flats and
choose the design to their own taste, while
in September, they will be able to move
into the complex and start living there.
“I joined the Customer Service Department several months ago from the sales
team,” Green Budapest Customer Service Manager, Giorgi Zghenti, told us.
“I’m happy to hear the consumers’
assessments. MAQRO Construction’s
aim is for each of the consumers to be
satisfied with the quality of the apartments and to see our pledge fulfilled.
We can say we have achieved this goal.”
As well as apartments of European
standard renovation, Green Budapest
offers high-profile infrastructure, a green
zone, basketball area, external and internal fitness, childcare center and parking
lots to its consumers.
MAQRO Construction continues conducting distinguished projects and making its consumers happy, meeting their
expectations for over and over again.
https://greenbudapest.ge/ka/testimonials
ADVERTISING
SOCIETY
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
Natural Gas Consumption up
by 19%, Georgia Looking for
Supplies Further South
BY DIMITRI DOLABERIDZE
T
he Iran-Armenia gas pipeline was inaugurated in
2007 with a capacity of 2.3
billion cubic meters per
year. The latest agreement
provides that within 20 years, Iran will
supply Armenia with 36 billion cubic
meters with a possible increase of the
contract period by five years and the
total volume of deliveries to 47 billion.
Georgian Energy Minister, Kakha
Kaladze, at the beginning of the year
stated that Georgia is experiencing a
shortage of gas and plans to increase
purchases of natural gas. He said
the Georgian authorities are considering new energy sources, and
have therefore been negotiating
with the gas companies of other
countries.
Negotiations on additional
gas volumes were carried
out with both the Russian
giant Gazprom and with
Azerbaijan.
“Georgia does not exclude
the beginning of purchases
of natural gas from Iran, if
Tehran offers a competitive
price,” stated Kaladze.
Iranian Ambassador to Georgia, Abbas
Talebi-Far, mid-February confirmed that
the technical capability to supply natural gas from Iran “needs some work.”
The Ambassador noted that in May
2015, Tehran held a meeting of the
Georgian-Iranian intergovernmental
commission, in which Iranian and Georgian companies signed an agreement to
develop a project on the feasibility of
transporting Iranian gas to Europe
through Georgia.
“After sanctions against Iran were lifted,
there was a good prospect for bilateral
cooperation,” the Ambassador said.
Currently, the main importer of gas to
Georgia is Azerbaijan, which in early
March agreed to increase the volume of
deliveries.
Kaladze declared that given the increase
in gas consumption in Georgia, the
Ministry of Energy is still actively
negotiating with both Azerbaijan
and Iran but that the proposal of
the Azerbaijani state company
SOCAR had proved profitable.
The sides have already signed
amendments to the 2011 memorandum, according to which
gas deliveries to Georgia
will increase, and prices
will fall.
Georgia has not bought
Russian gas since 2007,
though Georgia receives
10 percent of the total
volume of supplies of Russian gas to Armenia as a
transit fee.
The growth of gas consumption
in Georgia in the past two years may
result in a shortage of natural gas. From
2012 to date the gas demand has increased
by almost 38 percent. Compared to 2014,
consumption of natural gas increased
by 19 percent.
9
ADAMI Media Prize
Calls Journalists from
Eastern Europe to Apply
Source: internationaljournalism280.com
F
ilmmakers and Journalists
from the EU’s Eastern Partnership countries are currently in the process of applying for the ADAMI Media
Prize, a prestigious award that promotes
minorities, migration and cultural diversity in Eastern Europe.
Filmmakers, journalists, TV stations,
and residents of Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine
are welcome to apply for the award.
ADAMI will hand out prizes in six
different categories including NonFiction & Documentaries; Fiction &
Entertainment; News & Short non-fiction; Young ADAMI; Websites; and
Online Videos.
The organizers were quick to stress
that the ADAMI prize builds bridges
between different media players in the
international market and promotes wellcrafted works of journalists and filmmakers.
“ADAMI increases media interest as
it promotes cultural diversity and encourages networking between managers and
filmmakers in Eastern Europe and the
Caucasus,” the organizers said.
The ADAMI Media Prize made its
debut last year and was awarded to journalists and filmmakers in five categories.
Georgia’s Giorgi Tskhvediani’s documentary Niko’s Way won the ADAMI
Media Prize in the non-fiction category.
Chai Khana and Jumpstart Georgia also
won the ADAMI Online Prize for Web
Pages.
A Georgian-Azeri stand-up comedian
was also honored with a special mention.
Submissions are due on October 10.
10
SOCIETY
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
Georgian Citizens
Slam Road Quality in
Highland Areas
Rafal Nycz/REX Shutterstock
BY TAMAR SVANIDZE
G
eorgian research company
ACT has carried out a survey through which it found
that a majority of Georgia’s
heavily criticize the poor
quality of roads and infrastructure in the
country’s high-altitude mountainous
regions.
The finding were released Wednesday
by the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), Swiss Cooperation
Office (SCO) for the South Caucasus and
Austrian Development Cooperation
(ADC) and carried out by the Georgian
research company ACT in late 2015.
According the survey, the vast majority of Georgia’s highland population (up
to 83 percent) said local roads are in an
unusable condition. Respondents pointed
to the lack of traffic lights, street illumination and numbering on houses and
dwellings as major contributors to the
overall situation.
Rural residents say roads go unrepaired
for years or are repaved by unskilled
laborers using such low quality materials that problems reappear almost immediately.
“The roads are damaged. You can drive
fine on the road during the day, and find
it completely destroyed by evening. They
take too much time to fix them. Why are
they digging, if they can’t fix it?” a resident of Georgia’s western city Zugdidi
said without disclosing their identity.
“If you call a taxi, it might not show
up. That’s how bad the roads are here.
They avoid coming to us,” an unnamed
Gori resident told researchers.
The report’s findings, however, showed
that since 2013 access roads to mountainous settlements, as well as connections to the nearest highways, have
improved significantly in remote areas.
The frequency of public transport and
its affordability was also given a passing
mark by more highland inhabitants, who
added that the situation had marginally
improved since 2013.
According to the results of the survey,
the condition of local roads is the worst
in Georgia’s Samtskhe-Javakheti region,
which is mostly inhabited by ethnic
minorities, including Armenians and
Azeris.
87 per cent of respondents from that
region said the condition was “bad” in
2013, while 71 per cent of local respondents said the situation was poor or
remained unchanged in 2015.
The situation in terms of traffic signs,
house numbers, traffic lights and street
illumination was the best in Tbilisi.
To carry our the survey, researchers
interviewed 3,800 citizens over the age
of 18 from across Georgia in November
2015.
The research is part of a wider program
supported by the UNDP, Swiss Cooperation Office (SCO) for the South Caucasus and Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) to assist self-governance
reform in Georgia.
Infographic: UNDP
GEORGIA TODAY
SOCIETY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
Year of Rustaveli: Meet One
Man behind the Re-Publishing
of the Chechen Translation of
Rustaveli Epic Poem
TBILISI-BATUMI
BATUMI-TBILISI
KUTAISI AIRPORT
TBILISI CENTRAL
BATUMI CENTRAL
09:00, 12:00, 20:00, 01:00 09:00, 12:00, 19:00, 01:00
2 Station Square
TAMAR MEPE AVE.
595 99 00 00
Chechen Abdullah Haji
Kindarov (Center) in the
house of the Russian Union
of Writers in Grozny
his year is the UNESCO-declared Year
of Rustaveli and many exciting events
are on-going throughout the year to
celebrate the fact, and not only in
Georgia. The re-publishing of the
translation of Shota Rustaveli’s epic poem ‘The
Knight in the Panther’s Skin’ into Chechen was
made possible by, amongst others, Chechen Abdullah Haji Kindarov, Member of the Russian Union
of Writers. GEORGIA TODAY spoke to him about
it.
"Arsen," "Dragonfly," and others, memorizing the
dialogues of heroes and singing their songs.
We read the Russian translation the great poem
of Shota Rustaveli 'The Knight in the Panther's
Skin', memorized large chunks of it and recited
them to our peers.
We learned the names of many Georgian writers
and poets, especially A. Kazbegi, V. Pshavela and
other classics, who even mentioned the word
‘Chechen’ in their works. In conditions of severe
regime, when for us "special settlers" our Chechen
song and music could not be heard on the radio or
stage, to read in the press at least the word ‘Chechen,’
warmed our souls, keeping our hearts in touch with
their native land.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND
YOUR CONNECTION TO GEORGIA
WHAT ARE THE LINKS BETWEEN
THE TWO COUNTRIES?
I occupy a very modest place in this life. But I can
say I have dedicated myself in deep respect and
reverence, to Georgia and the Georgian people.
Why? The rich history of the land, dating from the
depths of centuries; the unique, ancient but always
up-to-the times culture; the freedom-loving, proud
and wise people who gave the world many outstanding public figures. Moreover, we are close
neighbors with ancient strong ties, similar historical destinies. Without our people, majestic Caucasus could not be imagined.
I belong to the generation of Chechens who were,
with cruel perfidy, deprived a childhood, deprived
a statehood, and were expelled from their native
land. We were doomed to a hungry and powerless
existence for 13 years, but people survived thanks
to a deep hope for the mercy of the God, and thanks,
too, to their steadfastness and cohesion - qualities
inherent in Caucasians.
I will say without pathos: for us, while away from
home, almost the only bright beam warming the
soul and heart was the Georgian culture, occasionally coming to us in the form of songs on the radio,
movies, and books. When we were students we
reviewed many times the films "Giorgi Saakadze,"
We have a lot of similarities in culture and communication in everyday life.
For one, the great contribution of the Georgian
creative intelligentsia, especially in our choreography and theater.
From the very first days of the birth of the ChechenIngush Drama in 1934, it was actively helped by the
Georgian Theater of Shota Rustaveli, headed by S.
Akhmeteli. Young director Archil Ckhartishvili was
sent to the same theater in Grozny, where he staged
performances of plays by Georgian and Chechen
playwrights.
In the 1930s, composer G.H. Mepurnov worked
very productively in the country – he was Georgian
by nationality. In 1936, he created the first ChechenIngush professional orchestra of folk instruments,
composing and recording original local national
music.
For a long time, and with great dedication, Otar
Mundzhishvili, a lecturer at the School of Culture
and Education, worked as director in various ensembles.
And the translation and publishing of Rustaveli’s
poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" into the
Chechen language.
BY DIMITRI DOLABERIDZE
T
11
UNESCO DECLARED 2016 THE YEAR
OF RUSTAVELI. TELL US ABOUT THAT
TRANSLATION INTO CHECHEN
Let's start with the fact that the poem is an outstanding work of world literature for all times and
nations. It is fabulously rich in content and presentation, and is original in its artistic image of
motives and actions of characters that move the
most beautiful impulses- doing good, serving faithful friendship and love. The hero triumphs over
evil, hostility and greed in humans.
We wanted our modern youth to be acquainted
with Eastern wisdom in the Chechen languageconvinced that this would help to enrich their
www.eurobus.ge
horizons, literary and artistic taste, in-depth knowledge of the native language, and would strengthen
friendship with the Georgian people.
The author of the translation, Nurdin Dzhamaldinovich Muzaev, was the son of rural mullahs
and graduated the Moscow Institute of Journalism. In 1941 he went to the War, fighting at Stalingrad, where he was wounded and sent to the
reserves in Kirgistan. There, he learned to teach
and after returning home, he enrolled at the
Chechen State University, graduating with a PhD
in philology. Author of more than 30 books, he
translated works of A. Pushkin, M. Lermontov,
and V. Mayakovsky from Russian into Chechen.
He was a member of the Writers' Union from
1934.
N.D. Muzaev began translating "The Knight in
the Panther's Skin" in the 1920s, when he was very
young. In 1969, a complete translation was published in Grozny. Luckily, his daughter found copies of the magazine in which had been issued, in
small editions, the full text of the translation. We
republished and distributed it to all 700 libraries
of the Republic, in the first place to every school
in Chechnya. Presently, every library holds three
copies of the book of the poem of the great Georgian writer!
We are very proud that it happened in this anniversary year.
WILL YOU BE VISITING GEORGIA SOON?
At my age, I think it would be imprudent and arrogant to build any big plans for the future. However,
if circumstances allow, a visit to Georgia would
make me extremely happy.
12
SOCIETY
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
P4RT1C1P8!: Svaneti
is this typical of the people here, whose
couple of hundred ancient stone watchtowers are often close enough to spit at
or stone one another from?
Anyway, Etseri, the only Etseri in Georgia using the non-aspirated "ts", is a
translation, not of anything in Georgian
or Svan, or at least not only, but (also)
of the Hebrew word for "help". It's even
in the Old Testament of the Bible. This
was an exciting discovery, one which I
repeat to anyone who will listen. We do
need each other, especially when we are
neighbors, family, friends, living in one
community, including the odd foreigner
like me. My wife and I have been welcomed with open arms, a good deal of
settling-in help, and not a little surprise
that we would choose to live here, when
Svans dream of Tbilisi or even Toronto.
I dream, on the other hand, of my fellow villagers rolling up their sleeves,
banishing cynicism, and taking the chance
which is actually offered them: to have
and use a say in how a good chunk of
their local budget is spent. To monitor
it from start to finish, then re-iterate,
noting past mistakes and improving the
process each time, not giving up in disgust but using the little failures to build
successes. This is my challenge to YOU.
Are you up to it?
BY TONY HANMER
I
have now been to several village
meetings in Etseri, Upper Svaneti,
my home since mid-2012, and am
getting a feel for how these things
work at this smallest level of local
government. The gatherings have all
been about politics before elections, or
about local planning and budgeting to
the tune of some tens of thousands of
Georgian Lari (at a rate of USD 1 = 1.3 to
2.3 GEL in the period noted). I was just
an observing resident, and although my
grasp of Svan is rather basic, my Georgian is much better. And in any case,
with both languages being used, the
general tone of each meeting, the body
language, facial expressions and vocal
expressions, spoke volumes. We have a
long way to go to reach agreement on
anything.
Recently, I have been investigating
this thing called participatory democracy, specifically the budgeting side of
it, because this has been an important
part of some of the village meetings.
We have this much money allotted to
us for the year for infrastructure improvement, broken down to X amount for
this hamlet, Y for that, and so on. Ideas,
people?
Once, half-present, they could be distracted and persuaded to look up from
their cell phones or stop their innumerable extraneous conversations, the
"debates" began. But these almost
instantly degenerated into an airing of
past grievances carefully nurtured, and
petty squabbles about the topic. There
was no politeness shown to whoever
was speaking, and it all had to be said at
the same time, over the top of one another.
Volume, rather than logic or sense, won
out; but the hearts were lost in any case.
Nothing was resolved, except that I
expected to stay away in future, which
for me was really an expression of hopelessness. What might I miss? Only this?
Not much, then, and save myself the 1
km walk down and back up, and the
frustration. I hated to think like this, but
my inner optimist was facing severe
challenge from the reality corner of the
ring.
Participatory budgeting is being done
all over the world, most successfully in
Brazil, where it originated in the 1980s,
in Canada, India, parts of Europe, and
America. On scales huge to tiny, people
are being enabled to get involved in how
some of their municipal funds are spent,
sometimes to the tune of tens of millions
of US dollars or Euros. Why not us, too?
The rich and the poor are doing it. We
don't lack the technological knowhow
or infrastructure; more the mutual trust,
the conception that we need to put away
those old hurts and move on for the
greater good. Must we be so public with
our inter-family grievances, anyway? Or
Tony Hanmer has lived in Georgia since
1999, in Svaneti since 2007, and been a
weekly writer for GT since early 2011. He
runs the “Svaneti Renaissance” Facebook
group, now with over 1300 members, at
www.facebook.com/groups/SvanetiRenaissance/
He and his wife also run their own guest house
in Etseri:
www.facebook.com/hanmer.house.svaneti
Georgia welcomes European
standard two-floor Stadler Kiss train
Mamuka Bakhtadze
General Director Georgian Railway
For the summer season JS Georgian Railway prepared a special surprise for its passengers with two-floor European standard Stadler Kiss
model electro trains beginning to run in the direction of the Black Sea
resort cities from the end of July.
The four new trains from the Swiss company Stadler Bussnang AG are
equipped with ultra-modern security systems that comply with international standards.
The 400-seat trains fully fit the current sizes of the Georgian railway,
with the width of the railway 1520 mm. Each electric train is 101.7 m long,
3400 mm wide, and 5240 mm high.
Georgian Railway worked together with Deutsche Bahn experts and
German specialists on the technical parameters.
The Stadler Kiss model train takes into consideration the needs of
people with limited abilities who will have lifts in the train and easyaccess toilets. Bathrooms onboard also offer changing tables for parents
with babies. Train crews serving onboard have been through special
re-training courses abroad.
The first new train entered Georgia at the beginning of July and successfully ran its first trip to Batumi. It will run to and from the Black Sea
cities non-stop and will stop only at seaside resorts Batumi, Kobuleti
and Ureki.
The Stadler Kiss train meets the requirements of Europe’s highest
standards. The same model of train operates in Switzerland, Belgium,
Germany, Austria and other countries throughout Europe.
14
SOCIETY
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
Self-Esteem from a
Scalpel: Ogden on the
Georgian McNose
Source: www.animalpicturesociety.com
OP-ED BY TIM OGDEN
A
s anyone familiar with Georgia will
know, Georgians are a proud folk, and
their pride in the beauty of their
homeland is closely followed by pride
of the beauty of the Georgian people
themselves.
On the whole, it is easier to make a case for this
for Georgian women, since many of them could
grace the cover of Vogue, but the number of photoshoot-calibre men seems to be far fewer (not, of
course, that I am any great judge, since I am neither
a female nor gay, but I've noticed that Brad Pitt and
Tom Hiddleston don't have bellies like boulders).
They make up for this by claiming to be amongst
the greatest lovers in the world, though how they
came to that conclusion when most of them lose
their virginity to prostitutes, and sex before marriage is still prevalent in the social circles that these
sorts of low-brow boasts originate from, is still
beyond me.
However, that's beside the point. I wholeheartedly agree that a high percentage of Georgian
females are stunning, but of these a vast majority
also seem to be clever, driven and have a sense of
humour; I'm lucky enough to be married to such
a one.
Yet over the last few years, I have noticed a worrying trend gradually emerging.
Georgians can be sensitive about the size of their
noses, especially when it draws comparisons to
Armenians. I have seen some Georgians who have
noses like battleships, but the three young women
I know who have had plastic surgery to reduce the
size of their honkers had absolutely no need of it
whatsoever. All three were very attractive before
they felt the need to replace their nose with a snout.
Ethics of vanity and plastic surgery aside (though
I for one believe that breast reduction should be
made illegal as an inhumane act), what I find utterly
ridiculous is that all three girls now have noses that
look exactly the same. Surely the point of plastic
surgery is to improve one's appearance and make
something unique, but instead these girls are just
drawing attention to the fact that they have been
under the knife because they had a big nose...which
in their case was not even true.
My wife is a doctor, and claims that plastic sur-
gery is still in its infancy in Georgia, which is why
the McNoses all come out looking the same, and
so I'd like to see more efforts to dissuade young
women from having such a pointless operation in
the future. After all, these three girls are surely not
alone in having a McNose when there was no real
need for one; one of the three told me she was having her nose done due to respiratory issues, but
seeing as she posts ten thousand selfies a day on
Instagram and seemed to breathe through her nose
just fine before the operation, I take leave to doubt
it.
Yet I suppose it's also a form of rebellion, especially given the social taboos that still exist around
sex and all things fun. 'Improving' the nose is a
rather clever way of trying to go against domineering families; after all, what parent will deny their
child the right to happiness? Besides which, seeing
as parents and children always seem to be arguing
about something or other, if a good, virtuous Georgian girl does decide to revolt, I'm sure mama and
deda would rather it took the form of an elective
operation than a one-night stand.
Self-esteem from a scalpel is a Hollywood phenomenon, and it is understandable (if not excusable) why ageing starlets bankrupt themselves to
look ten years younger and secure another lead
role in order to repeat the process. This is hardly
the same situation in Georgia, with young women
seemingly getting McNoses due to social pressures.
Despite the fact that the three girls I know are so
vain they would cause a peacock to roll its eyes,
and undoubtedly had their operations due to their
own conceit, I'm sure there are many young women
who would succumb to peer pressure and waste
money on an operation to rearrange their own face
without need.
I personally believe that more social freedom
could go some way to solving this issue. It is surely
a problem that women are pushed to aim for an
ideal which is only attainable under a knife (and
which will leave them looking the same as everyone else)...but even worse, they do not seem to
have even realised that this is no ideal at all. Perhaps a more liberal mind set will persuade young
Georgians to learn to better appreciate what they
were born with; I say this as someone who is no
Adonis, but whose wife is beautiful enough (but
much too clever) for the catwalk.
A curious new trend, wouldn't you say? I could
go on, but the word count has guillotined my insight.
GEORGIA TODAY
SOCIETY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
The agreement was signed
between Hungarian Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Peter Szijjarto,
and Ryan Arner, Director of the
School of Tomorrow
Hungary to Help
Renovate Flood-Affected
‘School of Tomorrow’
BY MAKA LOMADZE
O
n July 27, at Radisson Blu Iveria, an
agreement of financial assistance was
signed between the Hungarian government and ‘School of Tomorrow,’
whose building was totally destroyed
by the flood in June 2015. The school is currently
functioning in a temporary building. To mark the
occasion, His Excellency Mr. Peter Szijjarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, paid a special
visit to Tbilisi.
“Today is an important day,” Davit Narmania,
Tbilisi Mayor stated. “I would like to express my
sincere gratitude to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
of Hungary, the Ambassador of Hungary and all
the personnel who have taken part in this rehabilitation agreement in which Tbilisi City Hall is
also taking part. We thank the Georgian Ministry
of Education, our Embassy in Hungary, the Red
Cross, and all those who have contributed.”
Deputy Minister of Education and Science of
Georgia, Giorgi Sharvashidze, also thanked the
Hungarian side for its commitment to the contribution. “For two years, we have been running
exchange programs with universities in Hungary.
This will intensify not only educational but also
economical connections within the years to come.
Scientific contacts will also grow as, in April, Georgia joined the European mega-project ‘Horizon
2020.’”
Minister Szijjarto spoke of the deep shock of the
Hungarian people when they witnessed the devastation of the flood, which received wide coverage
in foreign media. “We hope that the School of
Tomorrow, which saw the destruction of its building last year, thankfully with no lives lost, will be
able to resume function in a renovated building by
the end of next year. We decided to provide Tbilisi
with the modest financial support of 50,000 Euros
out of which 2/3 went to the International Red
Cross and 1/3 went to the reconstruction of School
of Tomorrow.”
The first diplomat of Hungary added that the
school’s mission is to train the best citizens for
Georgia. “It is in the interest of Georgia to be able
to keep the best brains in order to make a contribution to the development of the country. How is
Hungary supporting this process? Fifty Georgian
university students have been provided with full
state scholarships in Hungary for one year. We
hope that soon the students of School of Tomorrow will get the same opportunity and after a year,
will return from Hungary and use their knowledge
for Georgia’s development. We consider Georgia
a strategic partner in the Caucasian region, a guarantor of stability. You can count on our continued
support in this respect.”
The agreement was signed between Minister
Szijjarto and Ryan Arner, Director of the School of
Tomorrow. Reportedly, the school will have a renovated building by the end of 2017, which will be
located near Lisi Lake.
Established in 1992, the School of Tomorrow has
been eagerly involved in boosting the general education level in Georgia. The school’s main aim is
to tailor learning processes to each of their student’s
needs and help them to develop and thrive individually. The institution’s learning agenda is specifically adjusted so that the involvement of the
teacher is minimal and the students’ creative juices
are allowed to flow to the maximum possible. Following years of continuously educating highly successful graduates, the School of Tomorrow received
international accreditation just a month before the
June 13 disaster struck.
The remains of the original school building following the June 2015 flood
Contact: www.edelbrand.ge
Phone: 599 461908
15
16
CULTURE
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
A Look Back:
Ms. Lauryn
Hill at the
Black Sea
Jazz Festival
BY MAKHO JIGHAURISHVILI
T
he 10th and so far the biggest Black Sea Jazz Festival
held this year within the
Check in Georgia project
has come to a close. On
July 17th the Batumi Tennis Club hosted
Ms. Lauryn Hill’s concert, with audiences seeing the singer and her 17 member band performing new and famous
old hits from various albums.
ROUTING
TBILISI - ISTANBUL ATATURK AIRPORT
ISTANBUL ATATURK AIRPORT - TBILISI
TBILISI - ISTANBUL SABIHA GOKCEN AIRPORT
ISTANBUL SABIHA GOKCEN AIRPORT - TBILISI
BATUMI - ISTANBUL
ISTANBUL - BATUMI
Born on May 26th, 1976 the American
singer, composer, rapper, producer and
actress is more famous for being the
member of the Fugees band. She had a
significant impact on the development
of modern music. Her first solo album
Miseducation was released in 1998, won
five Grammys and sold in the millions.
Songs Doo Wop and To Zion are especially popular globally.
The most large-scale Black Sea Jazz
Festival opened in Batumi on July 15th
with the project QUINCY JONES &
THE GLOBAL GUMBO ALL STARS
FLIGHT NUMBER
TK 379
TK 387
TK 383
TK 386
TK 382
TK 378
TK 381
TK 381
TK 380
TK 391
TK 393
TK 390
TK 392
WEEK DAYS
EVERYDAY
EVERYDAY
1/2/4/5/6/7
3
EVERYDAY
1/2/4/6/7
1/3/4/5/7
1/2/4/6/7
1/3/4/5/7
DEPARTURE
ARRIVAL
02:35
06:35
22:55
01:40
18:10
21:15
04:25
05:05
19:40
10:35
20:15
06:25
16:20
04:05
08:05
00:30+1
04:55
21:30
00:30+1
05:50
06:30
22:55
11:40
21:20
09:20
19:20
The 10th Black
Sea Jazz Festival
was the biggest
so far
10 Galaktion Street
(feat. Richard Bona, Alfredo Rodriguez, Jacob Collier) created by one of
the most influential Jazz musicians of
the 20th century, Quincy Jones, who
has received 27 Grammys. The film
Miles Ahead was premiered on July
16th, followed by the Miles Electric
Band concert. The festival closed on
July 24th.
The tenth edition of the festival hosted
world renowned artists and lasted for
ten days. Performing artists were
QUINCY JONES & THE GLOBAL
GUMBO ALL STARS, JAMIE CULLUM,
MACY GREY, THE PRODIGY, Ms.
Lauryn Hill, MILES ELECTRIC BAND,
NIK WEST and Chris Brown. Within
the festival guests could also attend the
MACY GRAY DJ SET at Club Take Five,
as well as concerts by NIK WEST, DJ
LOGIC & Friends, Georgian singer
SALIO and others.
Locals and tourists also had the opportunity to attend the BRASS BAND concerts, which were held for free on the
Batumi Boulevard and international and
Georgian Jazz bands which performed
near the Batumi Colonnades.
Tel: (995 32) 2 45 08 08
E-mail: [email protected]
CULTURE
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
17
First Georgian Artist
Signs Contract with
Yamaha
FOR SALE: BMW – 321 model
Date of issue 1936
BY EKA KARSAULIDZE
G
iorgi Mikadze Jazz pianist
has become the first Georgian artist to sign a cont ra c t w i t h g l o b a l ly
renowned musical instrument company Yamaha and is now one
of 40 Yamaha artists, a list which includes
Alicia Keys, Chick Corea, Jamie Cullum,
Keiko Matsui, and Danilo Perez.
Music critics and professional musicians named Giorgi Mikadze a universal artist who is unafraid to experiment
in every genre and style, deeply explore
and create something new. The pianist
is constantly seeking new and innovative projects, in which jazz, classical
music, hip-hop and other genres meet
Georgian folklore.
After earning Bachelor degrees in
Classical Music, Composition and Performance from the Tbilisi State Conservatoire in Georgia, Mikadze is continuing his education at the Berkley
College of Music in Boston. Moreover,
earlier this year he became first Georgian artist to get a Master's Degree in
Jazz Arts from New York's prestigious
Manhattan School of Music.
Mikadze impressed music professionals in the United States with his collaborative projects with the School- two
works featuring a fusion of Georgian
folk music with African and classical
music genres, as well as a combination
of rap performance with classical symphony instruments.
“I realize that now is not the best time
commercially speaking for jazz or classical music. The most popular genre
worldwide today is Hip-Hop. Pure jazz
is outdated now, and if you’re a contemporary musician, you have to accept the
reality that jazz is developing and is
often expressed in different genres,”
Mikadze told GEORGIA TODAY in an
exclusive interview earlier this year.
“Musical information is what counts
most for a musician to grow. I listen and
listen endlessly. You have to know all
the latest achievements in all genres. If
you ask me how many hours I practice
a day, I would say not many. In the past,
I would practice the piano 10 hours a
day, but nowadays I listen more than I
play.”
His work- whether listening and learn-
ing or creating, is endless. Over the past
two years, the pianist has performed
with his band, the Giorgi Mikadze Group,
at concerts in New York and Los Angeles and at the Black Sea Jazz Festival in
Batumi, Georgia. The young artist has
also performed with symphony orchestras in Berkley and in his hometown
Tbilisi, while he also served as Musical
Director for Berkley’s tribute to famous
American composer and producer,
Quincy Jones.
Mikadze told reporters he was already
working with Yamaha on a number of
projects within the cooperation agreement, however now he was also honored
to be one of its artists. The contract
with the company was signed last week
and negotiations about future joint projects have already begun.
Yamaha Corporation is a Japanese
multinational corporation with a wide
range of products and services, established in 1887 as a piano and reed organ
manufacturer which is, to date, still
one of the company’s main areas.
Yamaha is also famous for its cooperation with dozens of well-known
international musicians all around the
world.
PRICE 10.000 USD
CONTACT PERSON 557 12 38 90
18
CULTURE
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
WHAT’S ON IN TBILISI
THEATER
MOVEMENT THEATER
Address: 182, Aghmashenebeli Ave.,
Mushthaid park
Telephone: 599 555 260
July 29
RECITATIVE IN THE CITY
Directed by Kakha Bakuradze
Start time: 21:00
Free Entry
July 30, 31
PERFORMANCE
"SILENCE, REHEARSAL"
Directed by Kakha Bakuradze
Start time: 20:00
Ticket: From 15 GEL
CINEMA
AMIRANI CINEMA
Address: 36 Kostava St.
Telephone: 2 99 99 55
www.kinoafisha.ge
Every Wednesday ticket price: 5 Lari
July 29 – August 6
CAFÉ SOCIETY
Directed by Woody Allen
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen
Stewart, Steve Carell
Language: English
Start time: 20:00
Language: Russian
Start time: 19:45, 22:00
Ticket: 13-14 GEL
STAR TREK BEYOND
Directed by Justin Lin
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Cast: Anton Yelchin, Zoe Saldana,
Idris Elba
Language: Russian
Start time: 17:00
Ticket: 10-11 GEL
ME BEFORE YOU
Directed by Thea Sharrock
Genre: Drama, Romance
Cast: Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin,
Janet McTeer
Language: Russian
Start time: 14:30
Ticket: 9-10 GEL
GHOSTBUSTERS
Directed by Paul Feig
Genre: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen
Wiig, Kate McKinnon
Language: Russian
Start time: 12:00, 17:15, 22:00
Ticket: 8-14 GEL
THE NEON DEMON
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Cast: Elle Fanning, Christina
Hendricks, Keanu Reeves
Language: Russian
Start time: 19:30, 22:15
Ticket: 13-14 GEL
RUSTAVELI CINEMA
Address: 5 Rustaveli Ave.
Telephone: 2 55 50 00
www.kinoafisha.ge
Every Wednesday ticket: 5 GEL
July 29 – August 6
EQUALS
Directed by Drake Doremus
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Vernetta
Lopez, Scott Lawrence
Language: Russian
Start time: 22:15
Ticket: 8-14 GEL
SADAKO VS KAYAKO
Directed by Kôji Shiraishi
Genre: Horror
Cast: Mizuki Yamamoto, Tina
Tamashiro, Aimi Satsukawa
Language: Russian
Start time: 15:00
Ticket: 9-10 GEL
THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR
Directed by James DeMonaco
Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Cast: Frank Grillo, Elizabeth
Mitchell, Mykelti Williamson
Language: Russian
Start time: 17:40, 20:00, 22:35
Ticket: 8-14 GEL
GHOSTBUSTERS
(Info Above)
Start time: 14:30, 17:15, 20:00, 22:30
Ticket: 9-14 GEL
STAR TREK BEYOND
(Info Above)
Start time: 17:30
Ticket: 11-12 GEL
MUSEUM
GEORGIAN NATIONAL
MUSEUM
SIMON JANASHIA MUSEUM
Address: 4 Rustaveli Ave.
Telephone: 2 99 80 22, 2 93 48 21
www.museum.ge
PERMANENT EXHIBITION:
GEORGIAN ARCHAEOLOGY
FROM 8TH MILLENNIUM B.C.
TO 4TH CENTURY A.D
THE CAUCASUS NATURAL
HISTORY MUSEUM
COLLECTION RENEWED
EXHIBITION
EXHIBITION OF GEORGIAN
WEAPONRY
NUMISMATIC TREASURY
The exhibition showcases a long
history of money circulation on the
territory of modern Georgia from
the 6th century BC. to 1834.
June 11 – March 11 (2017)
Georgian National Museum and
Korneli Kekelidze National Center
of Manuscripts present
THE EXHIBITION “MEDIEVAL
TREASURY”
June 16 – December 16
THE EXHIBITION “NEW
DISCOVERIES - GEORGIAN
ARCHAEOLOGY”
MUSEUM OF SOVIET
OCCUPATION
Address: 3 Sh. Rustaveli Ave.
PERMANENT EXHIBITION
IOSEB GRISHASHVILI
TBILISI HISTORY MUSEUM
- KARVASLA
Address: 8 Sioni St.
Telephone: 2 98 22 81
July 6 – August 30
EXHIBITION “QUARTER OF THE
DAY” BY TAMAR MELIKISHVILI
The exhibition showcases 70
paintings depicting people united
by emotions: passion, melancholy,
alienation, and mystery.
SHALVA AMIRANASHVILI
MUSEUM OF ART
Address: 1 Lado Gudiashvili St.
Telephone: 2 99 99 09
www.museum.ge
May 18 – September 11
AVANT-GARDE 1900-1937
July 16-30
THE EXHIBITION "UNROLLING
THE UNIVERSE" BY GEORGIAN
ARTIST IRINA GABIANI
SHALVA AMIRANASHVILI
MUSEUM OF ART
Address: 1 Lado Gudiashvili St.
Telephone: 2 99 99 09
www.museum.ge
July 16-30
EXHIBITION "UNROLLING THE
UNIVERSE" BY IRINA GABIANI
GALLERY
THE NATIONAL GALLERY
Address: 11 Rustaveli Ave.
www.museum.ge
PERMANENT EXHIBITION
Niko Pirosmanashvili, David
Kakabadze, Lado Gudiashvili and
sculptor Iakob Nikoladze
June 24, 2016 – June 24, 2017
NIKO PIROSMANASHVILI’S
WORKS “YARD CLEANER” AND
“EAGLE SEIZING A HARE”
August 5-25
TEMO JAVAKHI'S
RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION
GENERATOR 9.8
Address: 29 Atoneli Str.
Telephone: 557 22 99 98
July 25 – August 1
Akaki Gachechiladze’s Personal
Exhibition
GARDEN HALL
Address: 73 Agmashenebeli Ave.
July 30
JAPANESE SUMMER FESTIVAL
"NATSU MATSURI"
Hall Events:
Cosplay Contest
Japanese dance performance
Japanese Calligraphy - Shodo
Origami
Art Corners: Kvachi, Ülker Samxalova
Handmade Pillows by Tamta
Japanese Visual Kei performer:
Sana Live concert
Educational Program corners:
Japanese Language and Culture
Center
Exchange program - Chikyujin
Garden Events,
Food Stalls:
Yakitori, Taiyaki, Takoyaki,
Matcha - Green tea ice cream,
Cold drinks
Start time: 12:00 – 20:00
Ticket price: 15 GEL
MUSIC
TBILISI OPEN AIR
Address: Tbilisi Hippodrome
Ticket: Single Day Ticket – 50 GEL,
3-day pass - 120 GEL
Open: July 29 at 15:00 to July 31 at
23:59
July 29
MAIN STAGE:
AIR / Skye and Ross from
Morcheeba / Motorama
Kung Fu Junkie / Dihaj / Bedford Falls
NIGHT STAGE:
Adriatique / Nikakoi / Vako K
Lasha Craft / Saphileaum
PIRATE BAY STAGE
PSart / Dj Fog / Aardvarkk / Pogo
Amrit Pavan / Katana / Marcuss
Saba / Meno Project Pheodal
July 30
MAIN STAGE:
UNKLE / Steve Vai / Young
Georgian Lolitaz
Backwarmer / Scarlet. / Lelocity
LTFR Stage:
Rejjie Snow / @Luna 999 / Cutkill
& Shining
Sabanadze / Tareshi / Exit
NIGHT STAGE:
Moodymann / Betoko
Henning Baer / Vako T / TU JI
PIRATE BAY STAGE
Clarity / Subex / Bero / Vinda Folio
Dima Dadiani / Ciga / Mangiphera
July 31
MAIN STAGE:
Damien Rice / Tricky presents
Skilled Mechanics
Blue Foundation / Erekle Deisadze
& Vinda Folio
Robi Kukhianidze & Ketato /
Quartet Diminished
LTFR Stag:
MAO / Friendly Mosquito / Kordz
MAMM / Eko
NIGHT STAGE:
Dense & Pika / The Forest / Natalie
Tba Beridze
PIRATE BAY STAGE:
Vazhmarr / Beveluke / Black Dub
Odyssey
Cobert / Teko / Liza Rivs & Breloka / Uru
BATUMI
BATUMI TENNIS CLUB
Address: Batumi Boulevard
August 2
BAND PIZZA CONCERT
Start time: 20:00
Ticket: 35-70 GEL
August 2
BRAZILIAN NIGHT
To support Georgian Sportsmen
Start time: 21:00
Ticket: 20-50 GEL
August 6
ELECTRONIC BAND
THE QEMISTS CONCERT
Start time: 20:00
Ticket: 20-40 GEL
SPORTS
GEORGIA TODAY
JULY 29 - AUGUST 1, 2016
19
Rio 2016: It’s all in the Muscle,
Not the Dress
Source: www.contentdope.com
BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE
T
he Olympic countdown is
nearing opening day and
the world’s excitement is
slipping into the highest
gear. Rio-2016 will soon be
flashing its rings and banners all over
the planet, and the Olympic Fire will
once again light up the globe. The Rio
Olympic Village has already been inaugurated, in whch 18 thousand athletes
will be residing, served by a 13 thousandstrong team of personnel and with a
giant eatery capable of accommodating
five thousand at a time.
The Georgian national team is ready
to take off and join the best, the strongest and the healthiest on earth. This time,
Georgia will have 39 athletes in 13 different sports to compete in the Games
between August 5 and 21, and nine among
them are women. It is said that these
figures set a record in Georgia’s history
of Olympic endeavors. To cover the
games, 17 Georgian journalists were
accredited in Rio. The Georgian national
Olympic Committee hosted a special
press conference, led by its President,
who highlighted the “complicated and
important mission of winning as many
medals as possible in Rio” ahead for the
Georgian Olympic team. The launching
ceremony took place in the Olympic
Park in Tbilisi, attended by President
and Premier of the country, where the
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athletes were sworn in and applauded
by the attending crowd. The solemn
oath-taking was followed by the melody
of Georgia’s national anthem.
Georgia’s Olympic basket already contains 37 gold, 28 silver and 52 bronze
medals which is quite a harvest for a
small nation like Georgia. Our niche in
the world Olympic movement has clearly
become conspicuous, and the opportunities are growing with every new Olympic Games. Suffice to say that our capital city hosted the 2015 European Youth
Olympic Festival and coped with the
mission perfectly well.
Rio’s famous Maracanã Stadium will
soon see the fruits of the joint four-year
sporting efforts of Georgia’s athletes and
coaches, supported by numerous organ-
Journalists:
Tony Hanmer, Tamar Svanidze,
Zviad Adzinbaia, Beqa
Kirtava, Meri Taliashvili, Eka
Karsaulidze, Zaza Jgarkava,
Maka Bibilashvili, Karen
Tovmasyan, Dimitri
Dolaberidze, Maka
Lomadze, Tim Ogden,
Ana Akhalaia, Robert Isaf,
Joseph Larsen, Will Cathcart,
Vazha Tavberidze, Nugzar B.
Ruhadze
izations. Putting it straight, I don’t exactly
believe in a famous Olympic adage which
says that it is the fact of participation in
the games that counts rather than victory.
I personally believe that “participation is
good but winning is better,” as Leri Khabelov, the GNOC President and himself
Photographer:
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Layout:
Misha Mchedlishvili
Webmaster:
Sergey Gevenov
Circulation Managers:
David Kerdikashvili,
David Djandjgava
many-time World and the Olympic Champion, once noted. I couldn’t agree more.
And did you hear the talk about the
Georgian athletes’ ceremonial Olympic
costumes? Some liked the design of the
uniforms and some simply hate it. Well,
tastes differ and I am afraid it would be
utterly impossible to live up to everybody’s expectations. One might say that
the costumes could have been in better
taste, but right now, I would not make a
big deal out of it, and would not have
our ladies and gentlemen of sports getting nervous and frustrated because of
varied public opinion. After all, the dress
will not compete in the games to win a
medal- it is the athletic talent and degree
of training that does the job. Right now,
I would rather go for courage and muscle than the ceremonial apparel. We can
try better next time, can’t we? Let us now
focus on the glitter of gold which we
need so much to decorate our sportive
Georgian chests with. The design of
clothing will soon be forgotten, but the
tune of the anthem played to the fact of
another Olympic triumph will stay in
the global remembrance forever.
This way or that, our boys and girls are
ready and poised, and they have all
received the blessing of Georgia’s Patriarch. Anything to help, even a costume
in controversial taste, because the desire
to compensate for the failed attire with
a medal might also be a strong incentive
for winning a contest.
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