Issue no: 1117 • JANUARY 18 - 21, 2019 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 In this week’s issue... Irakli Kobakhize: Russia Operates Military Bases in Occupied Regions NEWS PAGE 2 The Helter-Skelter of Politics POLITICS PAGE 5 Tbilisi City Hall Infrastructure ON THE CHURCH Plans for 2019 Many are still waiting for an offi cial Georgian POLITICS PAGE 6 response to the recent granting of Tomos to the FOCUS Ukrainian Orthodox Church PAGE 2, 4 Cleaning up Georgia: Consultations on Draft Technical Regulations for Explosion in Tbilisi Kills 4, Injures 8 Waste Management Held BY THEA MORRISON BUSINESS PAGE 7 Georgian our people have been killed, including a four-year-old girl, and eight others Flavors have been injured as a result of a gas explosion in a block of fl ats in the Didi from Dighomi district of Tbilisi. FThe explosion happened on the 6th fl oor due Helena to a gas leak. The injured have been hospitalized and the whole building has been evacuated. SOCIETY PAGE 8 Among the injured are six minors, two middle- aged women and a man. The Health Ministry says the lives of the injured children are not at risk. Georgian Photographer The Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze, declared 17 January a day of mourn- David Tabagari’s ing and said that fl ags on state buildings would fl y at half-mast. Alternative Tbilisi Bakhtadze and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze arrived on scene soon after the tragedy hap- pened. President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili went of Georgia following the deadly gas explosion “If your children are frightened and you are to Iashvili clinic to visit the injured children. She in Tbilisi. Deepest condolences to the loved unable to calm them down, we are ready to says their condition is stable and offered her ones of the victims, full and speedy recovery to entertain them, give them balloons and toys. We condolences to the families of the deceased. all the injured,” reads the message of the Lithu- will do our best to help them sleep calmly,” wrote The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, anian Diplomat. one man on Facebook. Linas Linkevicius, also offered his condolences Georgian citizens have been rallying support “We are open and ready to help all those who to the Georgian nation and the families of those for those affected, with food, water, accommo- need it after the explosion. You can stay here. affected by the gas explosion. dation, and gifts for the traumatized children We will provide free food and drink,” reads the “Our profound sympathies go out to the people being readily offered on social media. post of Café Apetito in Didi Dighomi. CULTURE PAGE 11 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS JANUARY 18 - 21, 2019 Anaklia Port to Receive over 233 mln Euro from EU he European Union has made European Transport Network’ will come uleti. Cost of project: €101 million; a decision to fi nancially sup- to 12.8 bln Euros. 5. Construction of new road Batumi port the Anaklia Deep Sea The European Commission stated that Bypass. Cost of project: €115 million; Port. In a document pub- the given investment package includes 6. Cargo terminal in Kutaisi Airport. lished by the European Com- the construction of a 4800 km highway, Cost of project: €61.5 million; Tmission regarding the development of development of the railway infrastruc- 7. Construction of the Chumateleti- the ‘Trans-European Transport Network’, ture, advancement of six port projects Argveti section of the East-West High- it is stated that 233 mln Euros have been and the equipping of 11 logistics centers. way. Cost of project: €1 billion; allocated for fi nancing the 2nd phase of Within the framework of the ‘Trans- 8. Rustavi - Red Bridge Highway. Cost the Anaklia Deep Sea Port. It is also noted European Transport Network,’ more than of project: €115 million; in the project that 1000 mln Euros have 10 projects are to be carried out in Geor- 9. Algeti - Sadakhlo Project. Cost of been assigned for the construction of the gia. A number of these are in pre-pro- project: €90 million; rail lines and highway leading to the duction phase and there are no fi nal 10. Sadakhlo Friendship Bridge. Cost Anaklia Deep Sea Port. agreements on their fi nancing as yet. of project: €6 million. Credit fi nancing will take place within 1. Road and rail to Anaklia Deep Sea The projects included in the invest- the new project of the European Union Port. Cost of project: €100 million; ment plan were identifi ed together with - ‘Trans-European Transport Network.’ 2. New Deep Sea Water Port in Anak- the Eastern Partnership countries and The initiative will sponsor major infra- lia (Phase 2). Cost of project: €233 mil- with the assistance of international fi nan- structure projects in the six countries lion; cial institutions. of the Eastern Partnership – Ukraine, 3. Grigoleti - Poti bridge. Cost of pro- The priority investments include both European Commissioner Johannes Plan is a joint commitment to deliver Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia and ject: €25 million short-term projects to be completed by Hahn stated that: “The completion of tangible results for citizens across the Azerbaijan. The total cost of the ‘Trans- 4. Construction of road Grigoleti-Kob- 2020 and long-term projects by 2030. the Indicative TEN-T Investment Action region.” Irakli Kobakhize: Russia Operates Military Bases in Occupied Regions tory and continues to push the occupa- The complex and delicate situation BY AMY JONES tion line forwards. makes international support and rela- There is international concern of human tions even more vital in Georgia. During rights abuses in the occupied zones in his visit, Kobakhidze participated in talks he Chairperson of the Par- Georgia. “Ethnic Georgians are deprived to discuss the improvement of the trade- liament of Georgia, Irakli of the possibility to receive an education economic, cultural and political ties Kobakhize, visited France in their native language; the population’s between France and Georgia. He high- with a delegation of law- right to movement is also restricted; lighted French-born Salome Zurabish- makers from 14 – 16 January. Georgian villages were intentionally vili’s election as the new president of TDuring his visit, he met with his French destroyed; people are being kidnaped, Georgia, hoping that the former diplomat counterparts, President of the French tortured and killed,” Kobakhidze said. will help to enhance ties between Geor- Senate Gérard Larcher and President of Despite this aggression, he said he gia and France. Georgia and France have the National Assembly Richard Ferrand, believes the Georgian government is a long-standing history of collaboration. among other offi cials. working towards a pragmatic and peace- In discussion with Gerard Larcher, Kob- The main issues discussed during his ful policy towards Russia based on akhidze mentioned Dimitri Amilakhvari, visit were the enhancement of the polit- democratic principles, in line with the a French military offi cer of Georgian ical, economic and cultural relations government’s desire to make Georgia a origin who played at important part in between Georgia and France, Georgia’s speech to the Foreign Affairs Committee Tskhinvali have in fact become the closed fully democratic state. Indeed, many the French resistance during the second integration into NATO and the EU and of the National Assembly heavily con- military bases of Russia, or service sta- Russian tourists still visit Georgia and world war. Moreover, former offi cials of the current situation in Abkhazia and demning the occupation of Abkhazia tions. The continuation of Russian aggres- the trade-economic and transport ties the First Democratic Republic of Geor- Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), the occupied and South Ossetia by Russia. sion concerns the Georgian government.” between the two countries have improved. gia lived in exile in France. Kobakhidze regions of Georgia. He told French lawmakers that “both Kobakhidze noted in his speech that Nonetheless, the political situation said he hopes that this collaborative On 16 January, Kobakhidze delivered a occupied regions of Georgia Abkhazia and Russia occupies 20% of Georgian terri- remains in a deadlock. legacy will continue to grow. Georgians Start Petition Asking for Recognition of Ukrainian Church the Patriarchate. BY THEA MORRISON “The Orthodox Church of Georgia should make a decision on this issue. You know that the government does not group of Georgians, refer- interfere with Church activities,” he said. ring to themselves as mem- The opposition parties think the gov- bers of the Georgian ernment should not wait for the decision Church, have started a peti- of the Church and should congratulate tion calling on the Patriar- Ukraine. Achate of Georgia to recognize the inde- Parliamentary Minority European pendence of the Ukrainian Church from Georgia member Giga Bokeria says the Moscow and to congratulate the friend- silence of Georgia is damaging the coun- state on its important achievement. try’s image in the international arena. “We remember the hard way the Geor- “This is a most important geopoliti- gian Church traveled when it was strug- cal event, not just a victory for the gling to gain autocephaly…We also Ukrainian people. Politicians should remember the joy we experienced when express their position on this issue. our autocephaly was restored and we The leaders of European Georgia very were given the Tomos from Constan- clearly congratulated the Ukrainian tinople. We believe that our moral obli- people on this victory, but we did not gation is to support the Ukrainian hear any congratulations from the gov- Church,” the petition on change.org Image source: change.org ernmental offi cials or GD members,” reads. he claimed. The authors of the petition hope that Church on receiving the Tomos and I Georgian Dream (GD) majority, said the congratulations but our country's Ukraine’s Church gained independence the position of the parish will be taken believe that Ukraine deserves an auto- there is a risk that if Georgia recognizes interests are of utmost importance to from Russia when World Patriarch Bar- into consideration at the next sitting of cephalous Church.