Issue no: 947 • MAY 19 - 22, 2017 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 In this week’s issue... FOCUS ON SOCIAL CHANGE A look at the tragi-comedy being played out over the Church and the Trump Congratulates Georgia on Constitution PAGE 4,6 25th Anniversary of Geo-US Diplomatic Ties NEWS PAGE 2 Scandal: EU Representative Congratulates Tskhinvali ‘Leader’ on Winning Elections POLITICS PAGE 4 Georgia’s Cyber Security Challenge BUSINESS PAGE 8 Source: The Odyssey Online A Journey to the World of Glenmorangie, Parliament Approves Smoking Finest Scottish Whisky SOCIETY PAGE 10 Restrictions Austrian Company & Bank of BY THEA MORRISON Georgia Sign Memorandum on King David Residences he 150-member Parliament of Georgia has fi nally adopted amendments to SOCIETY PAGE 13 the Tobacco Control Law with 85 votes for and only one against on May 17. The legislative amendments envisage Interview with Vakho Bughadze Tthat from May 1, 2018, smoking of tobacco, includ- ing electronic cigarette and chillum, will be prohib- CULTURE PAGE 15 ited in all enclosed areas except for houses, psychi- atric clinics, penitentiary facilities and casinos. Smoking of cigars will be allowed only in cigar- bars where it will not be permitted to sell food products. In addition, a special license will be nec- essary to open such a bar. From May 1, 2018, advertisements for tobacco products will be prohibited and it will be necessary to show anti-tobacco advertising at the beginning of fi lms showing smoking. Moreover, from July 1, 2018, all kinds of tobacco sponsorship and promotion will be prohibited, including display of tobacco products in points-of- sale outside (and inside from 2021). Continued on page 2 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS MAY 19 - 22, 2017 2 km Long Tunnel to Be Trump Congratulates Georgia Built in Dariali Gorge on 25th Anniversary of Daliali Gorge. Source: marshalpress.ge Geo-US Diplomatic Ties BY THEA MORRISON he United States (US) The works are expected to be concluded President, Donald Trump BY THEA MORRISON within 12 months of the signing of the sent a letter to Georgia’s contract. Margvelashvili, congratu- The Roads Department stated that the lating him on the 25th he Roads Department of projecting and construction works will be Tanniversary of Georgia-US diplomatic the Ministry of Regional carried out by the tender-winner company relations. Development and Infra- Peri, which presented several versions of The letter of the US President was structure of Georgia is to the project within the framework of the then released by the Georgian Presi- begin construction of a detailed project preparation report. A team dent’s Press Offi ce. Ttunnel at the crossing of Dariali and made up of specialists, geologists and Chair- “In the fi rst quarter century of our Devdorak gorges. man of the Roads Department, Giorgi Setu- partnership, the United States and Geor- The Dariali Gorge is a river gorge on ridze, will choose the best option from these. gia created a close transatlantic con- the border between Georgia and Russia. The Roads Department reports that nection. We share common values and It is at the east base of Mount Kazbegi during the last few years, natural disas- always stand against international ter- and south of present-day Vladikavkaz. ters have occurred several times in rorism and regional instability in order The gorge was carved by the river Targi Dariali gorge, presenting a danger to to defend these values,” Trump’s letter and is approximately 13 km long. traffi c along this section of road. reads. UPI The Ministry says that the construc- They also explain that during this The US President went on to say that “We also support Georgia's right to forward to future cooperation with you tion of the 2km-long tunnel will be period, the transit function of Mtskheta- the United States supports Georgia's defi ne its own future. Georgia's inde- and the Government of Georgia for the launched later this year and will cost Stepantsminda-Larsi road was stopped, sovereignty and territorial integrity pendence and democracy is still inspir- development of shared values and the GEL 47,179,224 (around $19,667,705), to resulting in the loss of around GEL 1 mln within the internationally recognized ing for the world,” Trump added. well-being of our countries,” the letter be fi nanced from the state budget. (around $417,374) per day for the State. borders. “I and my administration are looking reads. Parliament Approves Smoking Restrictions Continued from page 1 The author of the package of amend- aged the ban of smoking in public places At present, around 1.5 million Geor- the population remain smokers, includ- ments to the Tobacco Control Law is from September 1, 2017. Moreover, the gians are active smokers, among them ing women and children. The medical warning campaign about Guguli Maghradze, a member of the previous bill envisaged the prohibition 15 percent are underage. The MPs hope that after the law enters tobacco consumption risks will be ruling party Georgian Dream. of smoking in all buildings except houses Today, smoking is prohibited only in into force, the number of smokers in increased from 30% to 65%. Maghradze’s initiative initially envis- and prisons. hospitals and schools, but still 35% of the country will decrease. GEORGIA TODAY MAY 19 - 22, 2017 NEWS 3 Assaulted Auditor General of Georgia Does Not Trust Investigation “I’m sure that now they are getting BY THEA MORRISON testimonies from me and then they will make a statement that will be directed against me,” Tordia said. eorgia’s State Audit Offi ce Partskhaladze rejected all charges. A Head, Lasha Tordia, who day after the incident, he released a let- was physically assaulted ter claiming that the confl ict was initi- several days ago, says that ated by Tordia, who allegedly was heav- he does not trust the inves- ily drunk. Gtigation that is underway into his case. After questioning on May 17, he said Tordia says he was attacked by Otar the incident was very short-lived and Partskhaladze, a former Chief Prosecu- denied assaulting the Auditor General. tor, together with his security personnel Moreover, Partskhaladze’s lawyers in El Centro nightclub in central Tbilisi. stated the ex-chief prosecutor’s guards The victim stressed that the assault had to stop Tordia, as he initiated the was related to a specifi c case which the confrontation. The lawyers also believe Auditor’s Offi ce is investigating. Accord- that the injuries Tordia received were ing to him, the case involves the transfer “self-infl icted”. of plots of land in 2016 and Partskhaladze’s The President, NGOs and the opposi- name is involved in the case. tion have demanded an urgent investi- The Ministry of Internal Affairs of gation into the case. Georgia launched the investigation under A number of NGOs released a state- Article 126 of the Criminal Code of Geor- ment urging the government and Parlia- gia which criminalizes battery and other ment of Georgia “to take timely steps to violent acts. address the problem of impunity and to The Auditor General alleges that the create an effective independent investi- Prosecutor’s Offi ce, the Interior Ministry gative mechanism.” They also called on Auditor General, Lasha Tordia. Source: epn.ge and the Financial Police are acting the investigative agencies to timely dis- with the Audit Offi ce. This case will the creation of an independent parlia- On May 17, the State Audit Offi ce Staff together against him and to defend Part- close information on the investigation remain under our special supervision," mentary investigative commission, which released a statement regarding the case. skhaladze, who was the Prosecutor Gen- so far. the Speaker said. will study the case and reveal the truth. They addressed Parliament, the Presi- eral in 2013. Georgia’s Parliament Speaker, Irakli The opposition United National Move- The State Audit Offi ce is an agency dent, the government, and local and Moreover, Tordia claimed that the Kobakhidze, says it is important to wait ment (UNM) says the investigation will that presents fi ndings on the activities international organizations, asking them police seized the footage from security for the investigation results and then be a test for the Georgian Dream ruling of government entities to Parliament. to ensure proper functioning of the body. cameras in the nightclub soon after the make comments. team, to prove that the country is not “Georgia’s State Audit Offi ce is directly The State Audit Offi ce employees con- incident, which “will clearly show the “We call on the law enforcement agen- being run by former offi cials from the subordinated to Parliament and the incident fi rmed they were supporting Tordia in truth of the matter,” however, he said he cies to investigate this case as soon as backstage. that happened to the Auditor General the situation and condemned any attempt suspects the police may “cut” or “delete” possible. This is very important for Par- Parliamentary minority Movement for directly applies to Parliament,” Zurab Chi- to somehow discredit the activities of said footage. liament, as we have a special relationship Freedom-European Georgia demands aberashvili from European Georgia said. the agency. Mtskheta: Tbilisi: 38 arsukidze str 3 king erekle ll str 40 arsukidze str 12 bambis rigi str 42 arsukidze str 13 abano str 44 arsukidze str 2 kipshidze str 46 arsukidze str +9955 55 50 89 54 ENG; +9955 55 31 13 76 RUS asmonte.ge GEORGIA TODAY 4 POLITICS MAY 19 - 22, 2017 Daniel Fried: Scandal: EU Representative Georgia Should Not Lose Hope Congratulates Tskhinvali made it easier for Europeans to dismiss BY ANI CHKHIKVADZE, VOICE OF ‘Leader’ on Winning Elections what was going on in Georgia as irrel- AMERICA, GEORGIAN BUREAU evant.