Issue no: 949 • MAY 26 - 29, 2017 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 In this week’s issue... FOCUS Georgia Saddened by ON INDEPENDENCE DAY Manchester Arena Blast Noe Jordania's descendants NEWS PAGE 2 describe Independence Day and all it means for Georgia- past and $34.1m to Be Allocated for present PAGE 7 Georgia from US 2018 Budget POLITICS PAGE 4 Georgia's Political Climate: Election Update POLITICS PAGE 8 Accor Group Opens IBIS Hotel in Tbilisi BUSINESS PAGE 10 26th MEF International Research Projects Contest Commences Swiss Lessons for Georgia – Neutrality, Diversity and Resource Management SOCIETY PAGE 11 Sine Qua Non of German- BY VAZHA TAVBERIDZE Georgian Relations SOCIETY PAGE 13 oday, Switzerland is considered and perceived as a very successful coun- Bulgaria try politically, economically, and socially. GEORGIA TODAY, along- Celebrates side the Panorama TV Show, met Twith the Ambassador of Switzerland to Georgia, Education and H.E. Lukas Beglinger, to talk Swiss know-how, excluding watches and papal guard that is, and Culture Day at what Georgia can learn from Switzerland. At a meeting that took place at the International Black TSU Sea University, Ambassador Beglinger addressed CULTURE PAGE 15 the crowded audience consisting of students and free listeners alike and was keen to answer each and every question posed to him. “The Swiss worked hard to get where we are today,” the Ambassador tells us. “And that work is ongoing. Actually, Switzerland was quite a poor country until almost the end of 19th cen- tury. What brought us forward was industriali- zation. Switzerland was the fi rst country on the continent after England to become industrial- ized. So, Switzerland, a poor country with prac- tically no resources except water, clean air and a very beautiful nature, had to fi nd a specialty in order to survive. Continued on page 2 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS MAY 26 - 29, 2017 Georgia Saddened by Swiss Lessons for Georgia Manchester Arena Blast – Neutrality, Diversity and Resource Management Continued from page 1 SOMETHING THAT GEORGIA lesson must be that diversity is some- CANNOT AFFORD, ITS thing that enriches your country and We also invested a lot in our education OWN ARMY… you shouldn’t be afraid of giving powers system, because 200 years ago we were The government and the new defense to the local level. ahead, with famous pedagogues like minister here recently decided that Geor- Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, who called gia should urgently invest in its own ter- SWITZERLAND IS FAMOUS for education for all - this at the end of ritorial defense capacities rather than just FOR ITS DIRECT DEMOCRACY 18th century! It was rather revolutionary send soldiers to Afghanistan. I think that’s AND REFERENDUMS at the time because education actually a major policy shift and recognition of We have referendums roughly every three achieve peace across the world," the PM was reserved for the more to do of soci- the fact that you should be able to defend months, sometimes even more frequently, BY THEA MORRISON stated. BBC reports that the blast hap- ety. And this is the key. Even today there your country in the fi rst place. I served at all levels – federal, canton, municipal. pened at 22:35 BST on Monday at the is no country in the world that can develop in Poland and saw the same defense All important questions are decided by end of a pop concert by the US singer successfully without investing in educa- policy reform happen there - now, they’ve the people themselves. In Switzerland, eorgian leaders and offi cials Ariana Grande. tion. invested in buying tanks, air defense and people decide even on foreign policy have expressed deep con- The explosion occurred shortly after so on. And this is something Switzerland issues. Membership of the European Eco- cern over the Monday night the singer left the stage at the arena - the LET’S DISCUSS THE BILATERAL has been doing for centuries. We even nomic Area, of the UN, etc.: it has to be terror attack at Manchester city's largest indoor venue with a con- RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR managed to survive WWII while being put to the people. Direct democracy is Arena, that left at least 22 cert capacity of around 21,000. TWO COUNTRIES. WHAT surrounded by the Nazis. really systemic in my country and of Gdead and nearly 60 injured. Greater Manchester Police said the ARE THE CORNERSTONES? course it has many advantages because Georgian Prime Minister, Giorgi Kviri- lone male attacker, who died in the blast, One is development cooperation, which THE FINANCIAL ASPECT people really feel empowered and they kashvili extended his condolences to the was carrying an improvised explosive is a major pillar of our presence here. CERTAINLY HELPED are not frustrated with politics as we see families of the deceased. device which he detonated. For years, we’ve focused on helping agri- SWITZERLAND TO in many other, even western, countries. "On behalf of the Government and the Home Secretary Amber Rudd said it cultural sector development, which is BOOST ITS ARMY AND people of Georgia, I offer my sincere was "a barbaric attack, deliberately tar- really important when you consider that MILITARY CAPABILITIES THERE’S AN ONGOING condolences to the Government of Great geting some of the most vulnerable". 50% of the population is still active in I don’t think that was the only factor. It’s DEBATE IN GEORGIA AS TO Britain and to the English people. We The prime minister is to chair a meet- this sector. Yet, it only produces 9% of not up to me to give any advice to Geor- WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT wholeheartedly share your sorrow in ing of the government's emergency Cobra the GDP which is a huge gap that has to gia and Georgians but Swiss history SHOULD ALLOW LAND TO BE this challenging time. committee. be fi lled. And it’s not appropriate that certainly shows that you have to get SOLD TO FOREIGN CITIZENS. I believe that the civilized world will The blast occurred close to the entrance Georgia imports 70-80% of its food with along with your neighbors, somehow, IS BANNING THE SALE OF launch even more vigorous efforts against to Victoria train and tram station has the conditions that you have here. We’re even if it’s not ideal. I’d say it might not GEORGIAN LAND TO FOREIGN terrorism and as a united force we will been closed and all trains cancelled. also active in decentralization which is, be a very good idea to choose one camp CITIZENS DISCRIMINATION of course, yet another Swiss feature. The over another because if you attach your- AGAINST FOREIGN INVESTORS? other major pillar is our peace policy. self to certain allies then you may alien- Obviously, it would be. Of course, this Switzerland has a humanitarian tradition ate your other neighbors. is a delicate question in most countries, Kazakhstan - Deprivation of and for serving as a mediator thanks to especially in agricultural countries. The its position of neutrality. Here in Geor- YET ANOTHER FAMOUS SWISS important aspect in Georgia is that agri- gia, and since the August 2008 war, the KNOW-HOW IS FEDERALISM. cultural land must be registered in the Citizenship for Grave Crimes Swiss Embassy has been representing HOW DO YOU MANAGE cadaster. There isn’t even a functioning the interests of the Russian Federation TO UNITE AND KEEP FOUR market inside Georgia, which is a huge the deprivation of citizenship is not to as well as the interests of Georgia in DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS problem. You can’t develop a competi- BY DIMITRI DOLABERIDZE be classed as punishment, but protec- Russia. WITHIN ONE NATION? tive agriculture without the possibility tion of such values and to remove those The Swiss system is quite unique. Swit- of selling or buying land, otherwise peo- who jeopardize the security of the coun- HOW WAS SWITZERLAND zerland is very much decentralized. We ple will sit on their one hectare plot and eprivation of Citizenship try in general. A ‘punishment’ as such, ABLE TO SECURE AND call ourselves a bottom-up country. It not produce anything and it doesn’t help — A new legislation that would be categorized as another matter MAINTAIN NEUTRALITY grew up from small entities, small can- the country. has been initially approved entirely. Denationalization will only AND COULD THE SAME BE tons. And the modern Swiss confedera- by the deputies of the apply in exceptional cases where the FEASIBLE FOR GEORGIA? tion we have now was only created in AND IN REGARDS TO Kazakh Parliament, said public and Kazakh citizens may be put Switzerland is a special case in many 1848 – it took a small civil war to estab- SWITZERLAND? DO Dthe Minister of Justice of Kazakhstan in danger, said Kazakhstan’s Minister of respects, including its permanent neu- lish it. Otherwise, we might have been FOREIGNERS OWN Marat Beketayev on May 24. This sanc- Justice. In saying that, the deprivation trality status which has been practiced in the situation the EU is in now - a con- SWISS LAND? tion will apply from minor to very seri- of citizenship is indeed used as a form for centuries, recognized at the Vienna federation of sorts, but not a federal state. Yes, of course. For quite a few decades ous crimes such as terrorism, separatist of criminal punishment in many coun- Congress in 1815, 200 years ago; it served Notwithstanding, the federal constitution Switzerland has had a political problem activities, genocide, creation of extrem- tries around the world, including more Switzerland well, saving us from several respects the powers of the cantons.