EPP President Comes Under Fire for Dampening Hopes for Visa Liberalization
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facebook.com/ georgiatoday www.georgiatodgeorgiatodayayy.g.gee IssueIssue no:no: 831831 • APRIL 1 - 4, 2016 • PUBLISHEDPU TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 UK Foreign Secretary In this week’s issue... Calls Russia First Georgian National Receives Honorary Member of Main Threat to the Order of the British Empire International Peace NEWS PAGE 2 Spy Chief Says Fewer Georgian Citizens Joining FOCUS ISIS ON GEORGIA’S EUROPEAN FUTURE UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond demands that Moscow begin POLITICS PAGE 6 cooperating with the West and playing a more constructive and responsible role in the world Georgia’s PAGE 2 Healthcare and Medical Staff EPP President Comes under Fire for Need Continuous Development Dampening Hopes for Visa Liberalization SOCIETY PAGE 14 Manana Menabde, an BY TAMAR SVANIDZE Organic Artist Serving Multiple Muses he President of the European People’s Party (EPP) CULTURE PAGE 17 Joseph Daul this week visited Georgia’s capital Tbilisi. On arrival he met with members of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party, which has been a member of the ENP since 2008, and later held meet- Chilly Start Tings with Speaker of Parliament, David Usupashvili and leaders of the Free Democrats opposition party. for Georgia’s Members of the Left Alliance opposition party held a rally at the airport in protest of Daul’s statement in which he said that the EPP Weiss in More would only support Georgia’s visa free regime with the European Union if Georgia holds fair and independent parliamentary elec- Ways than One tions in October. Continued on page 2 SPORTS PAGE 19 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS APRIL 1 - 4, 2016 UK Foreign Secretary Calls Russia Main Threat to International Peace British Ambassador Alexandra Hall Hall, Right Honourable Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for BY NICHOLAS WALLER Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Marina Tsitsishvili, President of the Georgian Branch of the English Speaking Union who was awarded an honorary Member of the Order of British Empire (MBE) K Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on Wednesday called Russia the greatest threat to global peace due First Georgian National to its blatant disregard for interna- tional legal and ethical norms. U“Russia ignores the norms of accepted conduct and breaks the rules of the international system. Receives Honorary Member of That represents a challenge and a threat to all of us,” Hammond said when asked whether Russia under its increasingly autocratic President Vladimir Putin remains a threat to the global community. the Order of the British Empire Hammond demanded that Moscow begin coop- erating with the West in good faith and play a more li’s 850th anniversary and the UK marks 400 years BY KATIE RUTH DAVIES constructive role in the world “under the same territorial integrity, which he said reiterated the since Shakespeare’s death.” international norms that responsible countries close alliance forged between London and Tbilisi The award is a recognition of Marina’s work to operate from.” immediately after the Soviet Union’s collapse. promote English culture and language in Georgia, Russia remains a major threat to the Baltic nations In his comments to the press, Kvirikashvili said arina Tsitsishvili, President of the including through establishing and becoming of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as Georgia the current security situation in Georgia is similar Georgian Branch of the English President of the Georgian Branch of the English and Ukraine, as Moscow’s attempts to stir anti- to problems facing Ukraine, as both countries suf- Speaking Union was awarded an Speaking Union; organizing an annual English lan- Western sentiments and foment pro-Russian sep- fer from Russia’s support for heavily armed pro- honorary Member of the Order guage Public Speaking Competition; founding a aratist movements in the former republics of the Russian separatist movements. of British Empire (MBE) in the non-profi t International Center for Cultural and Soviet Union. “Georgia and Ukraine have the same problem… MQueen’s New Year Honors List for services to UK- Business Relations to facilitate exchanges of stu- Putin’s hyper-reactive use of force and asym- Russia violates our sovereignty. It will be continue Georgian cultural and educational relations. She dents, statesmen and journalists between the UK metrical methods of undermining the authority of to be a signifi cant security challenge for Georgia is the fi rst ever Georgian recipient of a British hon- and Georgia; supporting medical exchanges; and sovereign governments on its immediate borders if Russia refuses to recognize the territorial integ- orary award. last year opening a school, performing arts center constitutes a clear and present danger to interna- rity and free will of our people,” Kvirikashvili said. MBEs are given in recognition of exceptional and cafe in in Vake Park, Tbilisi (The British Cor- tional security, Hammond said. Russia continues to support Georgia’s breakaway achievement and service in the promotion of friend- ner) to promote the English language, British cul- Hammond was in Tbilisi to meet with Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia with mas- ship and understanding between the UK and for- ture and cuisine. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikasvili to discuss secu- sive military personnel and substantial state sub- eign countries. The commemorative certifi cate, coming in lieu rity issues in the Caucasus region and to visit the sidies. Like the current confl ict in Ukraine’s eastern British Ambassador Alexandra Hall Hall hosted of the offi cial insignia, which will be sent over in South Caucasus Pipeline, operated by British energy Donbass region, Moscow and its local proxies an event at the Embassy on Wednesday to com- the summer, was awarded to Marina by the Right giant BP. fought bloody separatist wars against federal memorate the award in the presence of the Right Honourable Philip Hammond. “Let me present you Kvirikasvili was quick to thank Hammond for the authorities in an attempt to install pro-Russian Honourable Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of with this certifi cate and thank you for everything UK government’s continued support for Georgia’s governments in the rebel regions. State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. you have done to further Georgian and British “I am delighted to be able to congratulate Marina relationships. Culture is a vitally important part of on this honor given by Her Majesty the Queen,” building relationships between two countries- and Ambassador Hall Hall said. “It is people like Marina not the only part, as economic links, politics and who lay foundations for friendships between coun- sports also play an important role. But culture is tries. She is a real role model of dedication and an area we take very seriously. I hope the work you loyalty to both our countries. It is particularly fi t- have done will deepen and strengthen the links ting that this award for strengthening cultural and between our countries and that we’ll be seeing educational relations between the UK and Georgia, many more young Georgian s visiting the UK and comes in the year when Georgia celebrates Rustave- many more Brits visiting Georgia.” EPP President Comes under Fire for Dampening Hopes for Visa Liberalization Continued from page 1 ence, I know that people who are waiting for some- thing can sometimes be disappointed. People should “This person is corrupt, and we call on him not be prepared for any decision,” he said. to damage the future of Georgia,” said Zurab Daul emphasized that there are a number of on- Dokhadze, participant of the rally. going procedures in the process of visa liberaliza- “I want to tell Georgians – you will have visa lib- tion which made it hard to confi rm whether visa eralization, but it can be delayed,” Daul announced liberalization would be granted on the anticipated following a visit to UNM members Vano Mera- 15 June or at the end of the year. bishvili, Bacho Akhalaia and Gigi Ugulava, all cur- “The European Commission made a decision on rently serving sentences in the “Matrosov” prison. the visa issue, but the Council and the European “I have always considered Georgia to be a coun- Parliament have yet to make their decisions,” Daul try that has the right and the obligation to join the reminded Georgians. European Union. I would be the fi rst to support He added that Georgia should continue to fi ght the idea, if possible, to allow for visa liberalization, against corruption and strengthen the rule of law but I do not want to raise false hope. In my experi- and judicial independence. GEORGIA TODAY APRIL 1 - 4, 2016 NEWS 3 Georgian-born Sakvarelidze Sacked by Ukraine’s Disgraced Prosecutor General killing of more than 100 Maidan protes- funds donated by Western lenders and endemically corrupt offi ce. BY NICHOLAS WALLER tors by Yanukovych’s Berkut riot police earmarked for the implementation of “I’m not going to run to the (Odessa) in January-February 2014. reformist policies and privatization pro- prosecutor’s offi ce, as it is staffed by During a December 2015 visit to Kyiv, jects. people from the old Yanukovych system kraine’s Georgian-born US Vice President Joe Biden said cor- In one high profi le case, huge sums of who have no intention of going anywhere Deputy Prosecutor Gen- ruption emanating from the prosecutor cash and a trove of diamonds were found and who are protected by vested inter- eral David Sakvarelidze general’s office was eating away at alongside personal documents with ests. There’s no point to go back an was suddenly relieved of Ukraine’s key reform attempts “like a Shokin’s signature in the homes of two engage in further self-deception,” Sakvare- his duties on Tuesday by cancer.” of his top lieutenants, indicating that lidze said.