ANALYSIS OF THE SOCIO-POLITICAL SITUATION of THE Mountainous region OF THE AND MUNICIPALITIES

2019 POLICY PAPER

Analysis of the Socio-Political Situation of the Mountainous Region of the Guria and Khulo Municipalities

POLICY PAPER

2019 Editor: EKATERINE METREVELI

Researchers:

ZURAB BATIASHVILI

ALEXANDER KVAKHADZE

Concealer: RUSUDAN MARGISHVILI

All rights reserved and belong to the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies.

This material has been funded by UK aid from the UK government; however the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government›s official policies.

© 2019 Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies ISBN 978-9941-8-1871-4 ANALYSIS OF THE SOCIO-POLITICAL SITUATION OF THE MOUNTAINOUS REGION OF THE GURIA AND KHULO MUNICIPALITIES

| ABSTRACT

The purpose of the present study is to analyze the social and economic problems in the and the mountainous region of Guria and identify ways to solve them. It is noteworthy that both the internal socio- economic challenges and the current geopolitical reality are greatly influencing the region. The paper examines the challenges facing the region in the fields of religion, political engagement, education and socio-economic development. The combination of these problems to some extent impedes the region’s progress and its full integration into ’s social and political space. The work has been produced under the auspices of the United Kingdom Good Governance Fund and the British Good Governance Fund in the framework of the Rondeli Foundation’s project entitled Promoting Participation and Engagement in Local Governance in the Mountainous region of Guria and .

| INTRODUCTION

The Khulo municipality and the mountainous region of Guria are among the most diverse and economically viable strategic regions of Georgia, although less studied and their economic potential under-utilized. Moreover, the mainstream media is actually paying less attention to these regions. Our present study area includes the Khulo municipality, the borough of Nasakirali ( municipality) and the village of Zoti ( municipality). The Khulo municipality is located in the distant eastern part of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara. The municipality is connected by road to the municipality and also by road through the Goderdzi Pass - to the municipality. The Khulo municipality is connected to the with walking trails which are used extensively by the population of highland villages involved in animal husbandry. According to the 2014 census, the population of the Khulo municipality is 23,327.1 The populated areas of the Khulo municipality are located in four valleys: Adjaristskali, Diakonidzeebistskali, Skhalta and Gorjomi. The Khulo municipality comprises 79 settlements which are united in 13 administrative units: Khulo

1 National Statistics Office of Georgia, census data. Accessible: https://www.geostat.ge/ka/modules/ categories/124/methodologia-mosakhleobis-aghtsera-da-demografia/method

1 town, Ghorjomi, Agara, Satsikhuri, Didachara, Riketi, Dioknisi, Dekanashvili, Vashlovani, Skhalta, Pushrukauli, Khikhadziri and Tkilvana.2 The village of Zoti is located in the upper reaches of the Gubazeuli River. The rural population in 2014 was 893 and in 2002 – 1,175.3 The majority of the population is from the Gorjomi gorge situated in the Khulo municipality. Nasakirali town is located on the Guria side in the . Most of the Nasakirali population is also from Upper Adjara. Nasakirali has a population of 2,898 people.4 In addition, a small number of Russians, , Yazidis, Azeris and up to 30 families of Muslim Meskhetians live in Nasakirali. The majority of the population in these areas is Sunni Muslim although there are also a small number of Orthodox Christians. Most of the population is ethnic Georgian.

| REGIONAL CONTEXT

The local and geopolitical developments in the region greatly influence the mountainous region of Guria and Upper Adjara. It should also be noted that the oil pipelines passing through the Guria region and the Supsa terminal had no impact on the mountainous region of the region. Moreover, at present the Guria region is one of the poorest parts of Georgia by per capita GDP.5 The disproportionate development of the Adjara region should also be mentioned. It is attributed to the concentration of economic resources in coastal Adjara while its highland area receives less attention. All of this increases unemployment and migration both inside and outside the country. The neighboring Republic of Turkey is of great importance for the population of Adjara and Guria. Due to the difficult social situation in the region, thousands of inhabitants of these areas are engaged in seasonal work in the east of Turkey. Such economic ties are compounded by the desire of religious groups in the neighboring country to closely cooperate with Muslim clerics in Guria and Adjara. Although people from different denominations have been living together in the region for years, at times disagreements arise and this plays a negative role. Sensitive issues such as delaying the construction of the mosque or mounting a pig’s head on the Muslim madrassa have been skillfully used to deepen religious hatred in Georgia by Russian propaganda media, so- called “trolls” and fake news pages.

2 Resolution of the Khulo Municipality Council N29. 2014 November 7. Accessible: https://matsne.gov.ge/ ka/document/view/2572894?publication=0 3 National Statistics Office of Georgia, census data. Available: https://www.geostat.ge/ka/modules/ categories/124/methodologia-mosakhleobis-aghtsera-da-demografia/method 4 National Statistics Office of Georgia, census data. Available: https://www.geostat.ge/ka/modules/ categories/124/methodologia-mosakhleobis-aghtsera-da-demografia/method 5 National Statistics Office of Georgia, Gross Regional Product Statistics of Georgian Regions. Available: https://www.geostat.ge/index.php/ka/modules/categories/93/regionuli-statistika

2 The Syrian conflict has also had some impact on the region. For the first time in the history of Georgia, the inhabitants of Adjara and Guria openly appeared in the global jihad. To be sure, this was not a mass issue; however, even this slight mobilization clearly points to the cluster of social, political and integration problems in the region. Against the background of the dynamic developments in the region, Georgia must have a deeper understanding of the situation in the strategic Upper Adjara and the mountainous region of Guria and develop an action plan for the region. The present study aims to facilitate precisely this.

| METHODOLOGY

For research purposes, we have selected Nasakirali town in the Ozurgeti municipality, the village of Zoti in the Chokhatauri municipality and the entire Khulo municipality. In the framework of the study we had eight visits to various settlements in Zoti, Nasakirali and the Khulo municipality. We also held two roundtables in . During these events, we spoke to the following categories of people: central and local government officials, city council members, village/ town appointees and their representatives, Muslim and Orthodox clergy, school principals and teachers, farmers and rural residents. In addition, we were introduced to different existing development strategies of the Guria and Khulo municipalities. We have also studied media publications that relate to these regions. We became acquainted with the research on the issues of interest to our region or community and talked to the stakeholders involved as well as to representatives of various central or regional governments.

The present work is descriptive in nature. Following the introductory section, we will discuss the various problems in the region. Sections are devoted to religion and radicalization, politics and civil society, socio-economic condition and education. At the end of the paper, taking into account the available information, we have developed recommendations for the authorities, religious organizations, NGOs and the media.

| KEY PLAYERS IN THE REGION

Governmental Branches - Central Government, Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara and the Supreme Council, Guria Governorate, city halls and assemblies of municipalities and representatives of the territorial bodies play a major role in our research. These agencies undertake budgeting and execution, implementation of various infrastructure projects, the resolution of economic and social issues and other statutory powers. It is noteworthy that municipal

3 assemblies are made up through mixed, proportional and majoritarian principals. The Khulo Municipality Council is staffed entirely by local staff. As for Nasakirali and Zoti, these territorial authorities are represented by one majoritarian MP in Ozurgeti and at Chokhatauri City Hall. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Regional Offices of SSA (State Security Agency), whose job practices do not differ across other regions, are outstanding from the law enforcement agencies operating in the region. There is a regional unit of the SSA Counter-Terrorism Department in Guria and Adjara which is tasked with combating potential terrorist organizations in the region. Since the Khulo municipality and the village of Zoti have a highland settlement status, the Regional and Mountain Development Department of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure is responsible for the development of infrastructure projects in these regions. The region also has representation in the legislative body. The majoritarian MPs from Keda, Shuakhevi and Khulo as well as the Ozurgeti-Chokhatauri constituencies are represented in the Parliament of Georgia. Although the majoritarian MP is not the executive branch, it is still considered to be a very influential figure in the municipality – this kind of trend is generally observed throughout the country. Religious Organizations - The largest religious organization in the region is the Muslim Mufti of Western Georgia which is responsible for both the Muslims living in western Georgia (mainly in Guria and Adjara) and the Adjarian eco- migrants living in eastern Georgia (Samtskhe-Javakheti, , ). The second largest congregation is the eparchy of Skhalta, which is part of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and includes Orthodox Christians and churches and monasteries in the municipalities of Keda, Shuakhevi and Khulo. In addition, the State Agency for Religious Affairs, which communicates with Muslim clergy in the Khulo municipality and the mountainous region of Guria, is also worth noting. Civil Sector - Many organizations in Khulo and Highland Guria have implemented important projects or research studies. A study conducted by the Media Development Foundation on the need, communication and sources of information for Muslim youth is noteworthy.6 Caucasian House has also done a great job in studying the integration of the Muslim population.7 The Georgian Center for Strategy and Development’s research on countering radicalization and violent extremism in Georgia, where the Khulo municipality has an important place, is also outstanding.8 Many projects in the region have been implemented with the support of the American donor organization, PH International. Currently, EMC is conducting research on the political representation and education of Islam in Upper Adjara. 6 Research on the needs, communication and information sources of Muslim youth. Available: http:// mdfgeorgia.ge/uploads/library/81/file/muslimi_axalgazrdebis_saWiroebebis,_komunikaciisa_da_ informaciis_wyaroebis_kvleva.pdf 7 Islam in Georgia, Politics and Integration. Available: http://caucasianhouse.ge/wp-content/ uploads/2017/05/Islam-GE-web-2.pdf 8 G. Goguadze G. Gobronidze L. Dolidze and G. Modebadze. (2018), Improving the Mechanisms for Combating Radicalization and Violent Extremism in Georgia. Available: http://gcsd.org.ge/ge/publications/show/15 4 Adjara TV of the Public Broadcaster, which periodically covers the news in the Khulo municipality, is distinguished from the media. This channel’s TV series, One Day in the Village, which combines documentary films about Adjara and Adjarian eco-migrant villages, played a major role in popularizing the villages of the Khulo municipality.9 In addition, materials about the region are periodically published by Batumelebi and Guria News.

| Current State Strategy Review

To date, many strategies have been developed for the Guria and Adjara regions. A fairly extensive document is the Guria Regional Development Strategy for 2014-2021, although it only partially deals with both Zoti and Nasakirali. Specifically, it mentions the importance of the Zoti HPP.10 There is also a fragmented mention of the Nasakirali Balneological Resort, although the plan for its further development is not present in the document.11 Zoti is also insufficiently highlighted in the Guria Tourism Development Strategy which mentions only two cultural heritage sites in this rural area.12 Relatively more attention is paid to the tourism potential of Nasakirali. One of the points of the strategy is to prepare a project proposal for the Nasakirali General Development Plan as well as to upgrade the resort infrastructure and its branding.13 A similar strategic development document exists for the Autonomous Republic of Adjara. The SWOT analysis of the strategy identifies the poor state of the Goderdzi Pass Road and the municipality’s potential in terms of livestock and hydropower resources as a weakness of the region.14 A more extensive document is the Tourism Development Plan in the Khulo Municipality which details the current situation and elaborates an action plan.15 With the EU’s support, the Khulo Local Development Strategy for 2018-22 was also created which, besides tourism, focuses on agriculture, utilities, health, education, environment and other areas.16

9 One Day in the Village. Available: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUfj3fno3Edrr_N9YBGfeCw/videos 10 Guria Development Strategy, p. 9. Available: http://guria.gov.ge/geo/static/167 11 Ibid., p. 18. 12 Guria Tourism Development Strategy, p. 7. Available: http://ozurgeti.mun.gov.ge/pictures/STRATEGY_ FINAL.pdf 13 Guria Tourism Development Strategy, pp. 28, 43. Available: http://ozurgeti.mun.gov.ge/pictures/ STRATEGY_FINAL.pdf 14 Strategic Development Plan for the Autonomous Republic of Adjara 2016-2021, p. 50. Available: http:// adjara.gov.ge/uploads/Docs/acdb5711834a4d0e86f1f4f04e46.pdf 15 Tourism Development Plan in Khulo Municipality. Available: http://www.khulolag.ge/res/docs/6969%E 1%83%AE%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A1%E1%83%9B%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9 C%E1%83%98%E1%83%AA%E1%83%98%E1%83%9E%E1%83%90%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%8 3%A2%E1%83%94%E1%83%A2%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A3%E1%83%A0%E 1%83%98%E1%83%96%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%9 C%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83 %98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%92%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%9B%E1%83%90.pdf 16 Khulo Local Development Strategy, available: http://enpard.ge/ge/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Local- Development-Strategy-of-Khulo_final-20.07.2018_GEO-final.pdf

5 The Action Plans of 2019-2023 and the 2019-2020 development strategies of the highland settlements are also important in the context of mountainous settlements.

| RELIGION AND RADICALIZATION

The involvement of several residents from the Upper Adjara and Guria highland villages have been reported in the active phase of the Syrian conflict. The most famous case is the video of the Islamic State fighters circulated in Georgian in 2015 where four residents of these regions were depicted.17 The Syrian conflict is the first case of and Adjarian eco-migrants participating in the global jihad. The media reported eight fighters from Adjara and Adjarian eco-migrant families going to Syria, some of whom are from Zoti, Nasakirali and the Khulo municipality.18 Earlier, in 2013, the MIA detained Temur Bakhuntaridze, a native of Nasakirali and an active follower of Salafism, who had previously attracted the attention of law enforcement agencies.19 In addition, SSA conducted a special operation in Adjara and Nasakirali in 2015 in which four people were arrested for possible links to the Islamic State.20 Despite these facts, there are no mass radicalization hotspots in the Khulo municipality and Guria which is also confirmed by the study conducted by the Center for Strategy and Development of Georgia.21 It is noteworthy that there are Salafists; that is, proponents of fundamental Islam, in the region. However, it is a mistake to say that all Salafists are prone to radicalization and jihad. According to Shiraz Maher, a well-known scholar of Islam and radicalization, there are many factions among the Salafis, only a small fraction of whom rely on violent methods.22 According to one of our respondents, Salafism was first introduced to the region by some residents of the mountainous region of Guria after studying in Uzbekistan in the 1990s. Most of the Salafis nowadays live scattered, mostly in urban areas, in or around Batumi. However, according to our respondent, they

17 Tabula (2015). Nakaidze on ISIS Video: This is one of the most serious threats. Available: http://www. tabula.ge/ge/story/102181-nakaidze-isis-is-videoze-es-ert-erti-kvelaze-seriozuli-safrtxis-shemcvelia 18 The names of Adjara native or eco-migrant fighters known from the open source are: Ali (Levan) Nakaidze (Zoti), Tamaz Chaghalidze (Zoti), Robiko Paksadze, Mamuka Antadze, Khvicha Gobadze (Didachara, Khulo / ), Murman Paichadze (Tsalka), Badri Iremadze (Khulo), Ruslan Shavadze (Adjara). Their names are mentioned in the publication: Bennett Clifford (2018) “Georgian foreign fighter deaths in Syria and Iraq: what can they tell us about foreign fighter mobilization and recruitment?,” Caucasus Survey, 6:1, 62-80; About Ruslan Shavadze see, State Security Service (2018) “Ruslan Shavadze Convicted of Terrorism Promotion Arrested”. Available: https://ssg.gov.ge/news/392/ terorizmis-xelshetsyobis-saqmeze-msjavrdebuli-ruslan-shavadze-dakavebulia 19 Kviris Palitra (2013). Rezo Tsulukidze: “Both me and Piruzi are ordinary Muslims, not Wahhabis.” Available: https:// www.kvirispalitra.ge/politic/18715.html?start=36 ; 20 Ambebi (2015). “Lasha Gobadze, detained by the SUS, is a relative of one of the authors of the video spread on behalf of the Islamic State.” Available: https://www.ambebi.ge/article/148684-sus-is-mier-dakavebuli-lasha-gobaze-islamuri- saxelmcipos-saxelit-gavrcelebuli-videomukaris-ert-erti-avtoris-natesavia/ 21 G. Goguadze, G. Gobronidze, L. Dolidze and G. Modebadze. (2018), Improving the Mechanisms for Combating Radicalization and Violent Extremism in Georgia, p. 12-13. Available: http://gcsd.org.ge/ge/publications/show/15 22 Shiraz Maher (2016). Salafi Jihadism: The History of an Idea. Hurst. Publ. 6 also live in the fourth district of Nasakirali.23 According to him, the Salafis do not go to the Nasakirali mosque, do not recognize the village imam and pray in private homes. Nevertheless, they were able to find common ground with their non-Salafi neighbors and there is almost no dispute on the confessional grounds at Nasakirali. Unlike Nasakirali, one of the imams in Batumi told us that he was actively trying to integrate into the Salafi mosque in Batumi in order to prevent their alienation and further radicalization.24 In addition to the religious and ideological component, access to information, simplified communication and territorial proximity to the conflict zone can be identified as contributing factors of migration to Syria. The Islamic State has been able to launch various propaganda type social media platforms in various languages, including Georgian. In addition, the visa-free regime with the Republic of Turkey made transit easier. Various social media platforms have enabled persons located in Syria to continue communication with those who remained in their homeland. The third factor that contributes to mobilization is the dire socio-economic situation we will discuss in a separate section. Lastly, in recent years unhealthy processes related to the Muslim community have been solely playing into the hands of radical organizations. Conflicts on religious grounds in Nigvziani,25 Chela, Mokheshi,26 Samtatskaro,27 the Muslim boarding house in Kobuleti28 and the passive position of the authorities in connection with these events are actively used in the propaganda of foreign forces and underground organizations. As mentioned above, the Salafis are an absolute minority among the Muslims of Adjara and Guria. The overwhelming majority of Adjarian Muslims are adherents of the Hanafi school of Sunni Islam. Muslim muftis of western Georgia and their respective representatives in the regions uphold the same denomination. To date, there are 49 mosques in the Khulo municipality. Within the framework of the study, we met with representatives of the Khulo municipality Mufti and the imams of the Zoti and Nasakirali mosques. It is noteworthy that Khulo’s Muslim clergy are distinguished by their activity. They are active in both republican matters (for example, the construction of a second mosque in Batumi, the maintenance of historic mosques in Samtskhe-Javakheti) and issues of local importance related to Islam.

23 Respondent N13. Muslim clergyman, Batumi / Nasakiral, 10.06.2019 24 Respondent N13. Muslim clergyman, Batumi / Nasakiral, 10.06.2019 25 EMC (2014) A brief description of the situation of Muslims in Guria. Available: https://emc.org.ge/ka/products/ guriashi-muslimta-mdgomareobis-mokle-aghtsera 26 Human Rights Ge (2014). Chela and Mokhe, two dangerous hotspots of religious strife. Available: http://www. humanrights.ge/index.php?a=main&pid=18032&lang=geo 27 Tabula (2013). “The wife of a Muslim clergyman was beaten in Samtatskaro.” Available: http://www.tabula.ge/ge/ story/72504-samtatskaroshi-muslimi-sasuliero-piris-meughle-scemes 28 Civil.ge (2014). “A pig head was mounted on the door of a planned Muslim boarding house in Kobuleti.” Available: https://old.civil.ge/geo/article.php?id=28672

7 Among the most pressing issues, our respondents from Khulo named: 1. Disproportionate allocation of budgetary funds between the confessions. According to one clergyman, the number of Muslims in the Khulo municipality is over 90% but the eparchy of Skhalta receives much more budgetary funds. This view is supported by the EMC study which states that the total area of ​​property transferred to the Patriarchate for worship is much larger than the analogous property transferred to the Mufti.29 2. Islamic boarding school licensing rules have been tightened, leaving many similar institutions out of the operation. 3. Lack of Islamic higher education which leads to the outflow of youth to foreign countries where there is a risk of further radicalization. 4. Inadequate communication with the state agencies. Respondents said that in many cases representatives of the Muslim community are unable to address a specific problem due to their lack of knowledge of bureaucratic barriers and procedures. For their part, representatives of the State Agency for Religious Affairs cited the lack of a law on religion as the main problem. They said that such a law would regulate the registration of religious organizations, the management of worship sites and other important issues.30 Religious activism is less common in Zoti and Nasakirali, although there are also some problems. For example, the mosque in Nasakirali still has a cadastral registration problem. In addition, the Nasakirali imam has to work seasonally in Turkey, on tea plantations, and the congregation remains without an imam. Both in Zoti and the Khulo municipality, everyone mentions old wooden mosques included in the list of cultural heritage sites which are decorated with unique ornaments and much of their original appearance has not been restored. They are not included in the tourist routes of the region either. The peaceful coexistence of the Christian and the Muslim community in Nasakirali can be assessed as a positive precedent. According to our respondent, the Muslim community is actively helping Christian villagers to build a church. Moreover, there is a charity practice established at the Nasakirali Mosque which provides assistance to socially vulnerable people, regardless of their religious beliefs.

29 EMC (2017). Real estate transferred for construction of Patriarchate buildings in Adjara. Available: https://emc.org.ge/ka/products/acharashi-sapatriarkostvis-sakulto-nagebobebis-msheneblobistvis- gadatsemuli-udzravi-konebebi 30 Respondent N21, Representative of the State Agency for Religious Affairs, Tbilisi, 20.20.2019

8 | POLITICS AND CIVIL SOCIETY

In the mountainous region of Guria and Adjara, despite the distance from the center, quite active and dynamic political processes are ongoing. Nasakirali, in comparison with other neighboring villages, is distinguished by its political activity. This settlement has repeatedly come under the spotlight of the general national media. The 2016 snap elections in Nasakirali were won by Beso Katamadze - the majoritarian candidate of the opposition United National Movement. He, to this date, as a majoritarian MP represents Nasakirali in the Ozurgeti municipality. Katamadze also won the 2017 local elections. It is noteworthy that Beso Katamadze gathered around a team of local youth and through various peaceful means, including through protests, is able to lobby the issues of Nasakirali in Ozurgeti municipal structures. Unlike Nasakirali, the village of Zoti is not politically active. For the past ten years, the ruling party has always won in the village. Ushangi Artmeladze, a representative of the , represents the village of Zoti in the Chokhatauri municipality. No opposition party is particularly active in Zoti. Similar trends are also evident in the Khulo municipality where the ruling party wins all of the elections. However, from year to year, the rivalry between the ruling and opposition parties is increasing as is evident from the election results. Some of the problems related to politics in Khulo and the mountainous region of Adjara include: 1. Active use of administrative resources in the election process; 2. The vicious practice of using both Orthodox and Muslim clergy in elections; 3. So-called collective voting practices (e.g., a dignitary of a village provides a certain number of votes for a particular party); 4. Lack of local independent media outlets in the mountainous region of Guria and Adjara; 5. Shortage of representatives of Zoti, Nasakirali and other Adjarian migrant villages in the public services of the Chokhatauri and Ozurgeti municipalities. The non-governmental sector is also poorly represented in the region. The overwhelming majority of NGOs with projects in the region work from Tbilisi and only visit the region during a specific event. There is no strong NGO focused on local problems in the region. The lack of a strong local independent media is also problematic. The newspaper Khulo newspaper is published in the Khulo municipality, although it is not very popular and is not even available on the internet. As for Public Broadcaster’s Adjara TV, it mainly covers national or Batumi events. The example of the Kakheti Information Center, Mtis Ambebi, Radio FM and Samtskhis Karibche shows that these media outlets contributed significantly to the activation of events in Kakheti, -Mtianeti and Samtskhe-Javakheti, respectively, and the development of the civil sector.

9 | SOCIO-ECONOMIC SITUATION

As in the rest of Guria, the main source of income for Nasakirali during the Soviet period was tea production. In addition, because of the chloride-sodium natural healing water available in the village, there was a balneological resort there.31 After the collapse of the Soviet Union, tea production was destroyed and the resort was abandoned with its infrastructure destroyed and today it is in a depreciated condition. After the destruction of tea production, locals began to cultivate alternative crops - hazelnuts and tangerines - which are their main sources of income. In addition, ten tons of oranges, one ton of lemons and small quantities of tea are produced each year in the village. In recent years, as in the rest of the Guria region, the spread of the Asian marmorated stink bug (Parosana) has become a pressing problem for Nasakirali farmers. This pest insect has destroyed much of their crops. For example, last year locals harvested 400 tons of tangerines, 40% of which were spoiled by the bug. Hazelnut plantations have also been damaged which is the second largest agricultural sector for Nasakirali. The marmorated stink bug also destroyed a small number of persimmon and fruit gardens along with a nut crop. The farmers here also spoke to us about the ineffective fight against Parosana. In particular, they believe that the authorities have poisoned the territory vis-à- vis Parosana but due to inaccurate dosing, the cucumber harvest, tomatoes, corn and beans being cultivated by the population have also been destroyed. The quality of the pesticides is also problematic. According to farmers, due to lack of proper controls, private companies are selling low-quality or expired poisonous chemicals. For example, one farmer, on his own initiative, imported poisonous chemicals from Turkey which, unlike the local product, worked effectively against Parosana. The second agriculture related problem that concerns Nasakirali is the harvest delivery-selling. Tangerines are mainly purchased by the processing plant in Kobuleti, although at a very low price. Speaking to us, farmers in Nasakirali said that 1 kilogram of Parosana spoiled tangerines were sold for 10 tetri and the rest – healthy ones for 50 tetri. Resellers are active during a harvest, they are either paying 50 tetri per kilogram or trading it for potatoes and apples. Citrus fruits grown in Nasakirali are sold in different regions of Georgia. Some of the products are exported, mainly to Armenia and Azerbaijan. The third problematic issue in Nasakirali is the issue of land registration. Many farmers who have been cultivating the land for many years and grow different crops there are unable to register these lands that remain on the balance of the Ministry of Economy. All this hinders the concentration of land and impedes investment. It is noteworthy that the farmers’ cooperatives did not gain much footing in Nasakirali.

31 Guria Development Strategy, p. 11. Available: http://guria.gov.ge/geo/static/167

10 Due to the existing difficult economic situation, migration from Nasakirali has increased with the main focus being seasonal work in the Turkish Republic where most of the men from settlement are working on tea and hazelnut plantations. The average pay for these jobs is 170 Turkish Liras per day (approx. US $32) which, despite the harsh conditions, significantly exceeds the average income in Georgia. Migration to Turkey has not been hampered by the depreciation of the Turkish lira as despite the reduced income, the majority of the population has no alternative. Those who go to work in Turkey are mostly unofficially employed. Moreover, there are also frequent cases of juveniles going for seasonal work. In recent years, a new direction of emigration to Poland has emerged where people from Nasakirali work in various industries. Migration to Batumi is noteworthy from among the local migration. According to the Nasakirali High School principal, a record number of pupils moved to various schools in Batumi in 2018-2019. Unlike Nasakirali, livestock is the main source of income for the population of the village of Zoti. This means that most of the residents are able to feed themselves and sell surplus produced in Chokhatauri grocery stores. However, the cattle breeds in the village, in terms of productivity and milking, are significantly lower quality than the European ones. Corn and potatoes are also grown in Zoti and beekeeping is also widespread. Currently, the road issue is the most important for the village of Zoti. The 8-kilometer section of the Kvabgha-Zoti road is made of soil and it is difficult to travel on it. Often, in bad weather, this road becomes impassable. Periodically, various media outlets report the discovery of gold reserves in Zoti. For this purpose, the Georgian Resource Company was granted a license for 40 years in 2012 on the area of Zoti but active exploration and extraction has not yet begun.32 The population is negatively evaluating the prospect of gold mining in the village and fears that, like the town of , the village will experience an increase in lead and other heavy metals which in turn will increase the number of oncological diseases. There is a different attitude towards the construction of the Zoti HPP with a capacity of 46 MW and an investment of USD 60 million.33 Locals say that the investor had already purchased the land surrounding the planned HPP area but construction work had not yet started and no public discussion of the HPP had taken place.34 Like Nasakirali, the village of Zoti also faces the challenge of seasonal job outflow to Turkey. Zoti, due to climatic conditions, has not encountered the problem of Parosana.

32 Guria News (2012). “Zotians do not believe the Governor’s words.” Available: http://www.gurianews. com/article/mtavari/mtavari-tema/3647 33 Commersant (2018). “The construction of the Zoti HPP is planned for spring 2019.” Available: https:// commersant.ge/ge/post/zoti-hesis-msheneblobis-dawyeba-2019-wlis-gazafxulze-igegmeba 34 Respondent N3. School teacher. Village of Zoti, 10.01.2019

11 According to locals, the economic development of the village of Zoti is possible through tourism. Many look forward to the development of the Bakhmaro tourism zone in the Chokhatauri municipality. So far, there are no hotels or guest houses in the village that could accommodate tourists. Locals find the nature of the area promising and attractive to tourists; in particular, the historic wooden mosque, the healing mountain waters and the cottages on the mountain grazers which they believe are as good as Bakhmaro and Beshumi. The Khulo municipality, due to its scale, contains more complex and intricate economic problems. First of all, the outflow of the population from the municipality should be noted. According to the 2014 census, the population of the Khulo municipality was 23,327. This figure is almost 10 thousand lower than the number of the 2002 census where the population of the same territorial entity was 33,430 people.35 Migration is both economic and ecological in nature. The population is migrating to Batumi. Like Zoti and Nasakirali, they go to Turkey for seasonal work, albeit to a lesser extent. During the period of independent Georgia, due to the frequent natural cataclysms, thousands of Khulo residents migrated to different regions of Georgia, mainly to the Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka municipalities. The exiles still maintain close contact with relatives living in Khulo. Khulo natives are also widely represented in the suburbs of Batumi in sporadic settlements in the so-called Dream City. One of the problems is also the existing legislation where most of the taxes collected in the municipality go to the central budget. For example, according to one of the civil servant respondents, the Khulo municipality collects more taxes than the neighboring . However, the budgets of both municipalities receive roughly equal subsidies from the central budget which deprives the local government of the incentive to attract additional investment. This opinion is supported by the Droa study which shows the percentage of funds the different municipalities of Adjara receive from 19% of VAT.36 The main area of agriculture in Khulo is animal husbandry with an average annual cow milking capacity of 900 liters. Residents sell milk to a milk processing plant in the village of Riketi but many are not happy with the price.37 Due to the climatic conditions of the Khulo municipality, potatoes are an important product. However, it was brought to our attention that the selling of potatoes is problematic. The trade is mainly conducted through intermediaries and resellers who buy the product for 40-45 tetri per kilogram from the local population and then sell it for 70-80 tetri in Batumi markets.38

35 National Statistics Office of Georgia. Census data is available: https://www.geostat.ge/ka/modules/ categories/124/methodologia-mosakhleobis-aghtsera-da-demografia/method 36 Droa (2019). “How much will Adjara municipalities get from 19% of VAT in 2020?” Available: http:// droa.ge/?p=56012 37 Respondent N12, resident of the village of Didachara, 15.02.2019 38 Respondent N10, Public Official, Khulo municipality, 11.01.2019 12 Due to the climate characteristic of the highland region, Khulo is unusable for growing citrus and other subtropical crops. Due to the highlands, the region had no problems with Parosana. In the villages of the municipality, the population produces various fruits – sour plums, plums, pears, apples. Here, however, also the realization problem arises. During the Soviet era, the Khulo municipality grew and sold large amounts of tobacco. For example, one village in Didachara supplied up to 120 tons of tobacco per year. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the tobacco industry has virtually collapsed and the Khulo municipality now only uses tobacco for personal consumption.39 Tourism is one of the most important sources of income for the population of the Khulo municipality. The Goderdzi ski resort, which opened in 2015, deserves special attention. It is visited by an average of 20,000 tourists annually.40 Several hotels are being built at the resort while cable car routes have already been constructed. However, the main problem remains the road which is still in poor condition. Beshumi, a place near the Goderdzi resort, with its summer cottages located in the subalpine zone, is popular among tourists during the summer season. There are many guesthouses open between Khulo and Goderdzi resorts but the issue of internet connection with the owners of these guesthouses remains a problem - many have not registered their own guesthouses on online hotel platforms such as Booking.com or Airbnb and this makes communication with tourists difficult.41 This is exacerbated by a poor knowledge of foreign languages, especially English, which creates additional barriers for potential tourists. In recent years a green lake has emerged on the Adjara tourist route which is very popular among local and foreign visitors. The road to the lake is currently under construction. Tourists also often use the cable car located in Khulo town. The issue of the Khulo-Adigeni road passing through the Goderdzi Ridge is very acute in the Khulo municipality. Currently, the road is in poor condition and it is virtually impossible to travel on it during bad weather. If the road were to be repaired, the journey between Khulo and Tbilisi would be reduced by a few hours. Using this new road, some of the future transit cargo from Armenia will also pass through the Khulo municipality which will have a positive impact on the local economy. Moreover, the Goderdzi Ridge is important for the Khulo municipality population in order to maintain relations with their resettled eco- migrant relatives in Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka. Several HPPs are being built in the Khulo municipality. However, unlike other regions of Georgia, these constructions did not cause protest in Khulo.

39 Respondent No. 12, resident of the village of Didachari, 15.02.2019 40 Khulo Municipality, Goderdzi Resort. Available: http://khulo.ge/ge/tourism/kurorti-goderdzi 41 Respondent N10 Public Official, Khulo municipality, 11.01.2019

13 It is noteworthy that the Khulo municipality has minimal economic ties with Tbilisi. For example, there is no Khulo-Tbilisi intercity bus or mini-bus and departure from Khulo to Tbilisi is only possible via Batumi. However, as a consequence of the large number of eco-migrants, there is a regular mini-bus service to Khulo- Batumi, Khulo- and Khulo-Tsalka.42

| EDUCATION DOMAIN

A major problem in the education sector in Nasakirali for decades has been the decrepit school building where even entering and moving around is dangerous. The school building is so old and depreciated that its reconstruction is no longer possible. One of the main achievements of our project is that practical steps were taken as a result of the project roundtable - after a dialogue between the locals and the authorities, the government decided to build a new school for 600 pupils in Nasakirali.43 The outflow of pupils from settlement’s school remains a separate problem. Nearly 300 children have been pulled out by the Muslim schools from foreign countries in recent years. At this time, about 40 school-age students have been transferred to religious schools. The involvement of minors in seasonal work in Turkey is also problematic. According to our respondents, juveniles in some families are also sent to Turkey to work in order to repay bank debts and they miss school and, consequently, do not receive an education.44 The issue of tobacco and marijuana consumption by juveniles in Nasakirali is also alarming. The overwhelming majority of underage boys in our program consume tobacco products. In addition, after the legalization of marijuana in Georgia, there has been an increase in its consumption by juveniles. According to one respondent, sometimes it is even used in the back yard of the school. There has also been a problem with the popularization of criminal mentality in the Guria region in recent years which, in some ways, has also affected the Nasakirali community.45 The issue of Muslim Meskhetians living in Nasakirali is also noteworthy. Although their older generation is fluent in Georgian, they point out that due to Turkish television series and entertainment programs, their children have difficulty learning the school curriculum in Georgian and are, therefore, lagging behind their peers from Nasakirali.46

42 Respondent N10, Public Official, Khulo municipality, 11.01.2019 43 First Channel (2019). A new school for 600 pupils will be built in Nasakirali. Available: https://1tv. ge/news/daba-nasakiralshi-600-moswavleze-gatvlili-akhali-skola-ashendeba/ 44 Respondent No. 2, School teacher in Daba Nasakirali, 26.09.2019 45 Respondent No. 1, Public Official, Ozurgeti municipality, 25.03.2019 46 Respondent N8, representative of Muslim Meskhetian community, Daba Nasakirali, 25.03.2019

14 The village of Zoti is smaller than Nasakirali and the number of students there is few. There is a modern school building but the problem is the lack of a gym in the school building. Because the village is in the highlands and usually has heavy snowfall in the winter, it is important to have a closed building for sports activities. The number of students leaving for the religious schools of foreign countries is smaller as compared to Nasakirali. At this time, three young people have gone to religious schools in Turkey.47 In the Khulo municipality, there are problems in education that are typical for the rest of Georgia. However, there are also specific problems related to both the teaching process in the highland regions and the cultural and religious peculiarities. For example, the clerics, in conversations with us, underscored the problem of tightening the licensing of Muslim boarding schools. At present, boarding schools are licensed under the Law on Licensing of Educational Activities. According to Khulo, Shuakhevi and Keda majoritarian MP Anzor Bolkvadze, the number of boarding schools in Adjara has been reduced to five as a result of legislative changes.48 However, many more boarding schools operate informally. The problem is the lack of access to higher education due to insufficient funds which is also typical for Khulo and the mountainous region of Guria. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of Adjara finances tuition fees for up to 250 high- rating students living in the mountainous region of Adjara within the framework of the Student Assistance Program, although this program does not apply to the Guria region.49

| CONCLUSION

Upper Adjara and the mountainous region of Guria are regions of strategic importance for Georgia. The combination of the severe economic situation and external factors in these regions has a major impact on the local population. The government needs to come up with a short-term and long-term development strategy for these regions to ameliorate the existing situation. Here is a list of recommendations for different agencies developed in the framework of our research. We hope that our study will increase interest in these regions and support their development. We also hope that our project will extend the geographical outreach and include the Keda, Shuakhevi, municipalities as well as eco-migrants from Adjara living in Samtskhe-Javakheti, the and Kakheti.

47 Respondent N3, School teacher, village of Zoti, 10.01.2019 48 Batumelebi (2019). “What does Anzor Bolkvadze think about Muslim boarding houses?” Available: https://batumelebi.netgazeti.ge/news/183590/ 49 The Unified Governmental Portal of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara (2019), “Student Assistance Program” is available: http://adjara.gov.ge/branches/description. aspx?pid=1456&gid=6&ppid=12#.Xa7nAZIzaUk

15 | RECOMMENDATIONS

• Establish a separate body or inter-agency group responsible for Muslim communities in the mountainous region of Adjara and Guria, as well as for eco-migrant settlements, which will coordinate ongoing projects in the areas populated by these communities.

• Infrastructure - Rehabilitation of roads linking Khulo and Adigeni and Kvabga and Zoti through the Goderdzi Ridge and continue the rehabilitation of existing schools and kindergartens. • Promotion of tourism development - Planning of new tourist routes and development of tourism infrastructure, including the rehabilitation of the Nasakirali balneological tourism infrastructure and retraining of guest- house owners. • Promotion of small business - Supporting nut, citrus and milk production based on the natural and climatic conditions of the region. • Promotion of youth development - increase scholarship programs for socially vulnerable students living in the mountainous region of Guria and Adjara and promoting a healthy lifestyle among young people. • Promoting engagement - Increasing the involvement of representatives from the villages of Nasakirali, Zoti and other Adjaran settlements in the activities of the Chokhatauri and Ozurgeti municipalities. • Religion - Establishment of an Islamic higher education facility/faculty in Georgia, bring the existing religious boarding schools in line with general education programs, enhance dialogue between representatives of different faiths in the region and promote the integration of Muslim Meskhetians living in Nasakirali.

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