March 2009

Caucasus School of Journalism and Media Management

INSIDE

Campaign against pre recorded music launched

Page 10

Gudauri resort attracts fewer visitors photo by Alana Gagloeva

New Bus Fare Families Losing Page 4 System Debuts Social Assistance Marinka GARIBASHVILI TV set and books push the family While standing at the bus stop in Di- of the buses drive at normal speed and above the poverty line gomi near the square Texel, waiting to arrive at bus stops according to the for the bus # 51, Guram Nebieridze, schedule,” he said. Ketevan VASHAGASHVILI A Tbilisi bus ticket costs 40 tetri. 82, has only a 1 lari paper note in his Students pay 20 tetri, citizens on gov- Ivane, 14, lies with a high tempera- assistance were given 30 lari for the pocket. ernment aid pay 10 tetri, and there are ture in a small, dark room without head of the family per month, plus 12 free tickets for school children, war Houses destroyed in heat on a winter evening. He tries lari for each member. Th ese families He has not heard yet that there is a veterans and the disabled. were also given vouchers for gas and Africa Suburb new system of paying in the buses, and Th e ticket prices have not changed. not to look at the darkened tele- electricity, a discount for local trans- that he needs to have exact change for Th e new method works this way: vision set or at his disappointed portation and health insurance. But in his ride. He also does not know that if when riders get on the bus, they either grandmother. 2008, the families were reevaluated. he doesn’t buy a ticket, he could get drop small change in the fare machine Th e grandmother fi led a complaint Page 5 fi ned. or touch it with a special card (cards How could a TV be blamed for with the Public Defender’s Offi ce. After March, any passenger who cost 2 lari, which passengers buy and something? And yet this family’s tele- Ana Chubinidze, senior specialist in does not pay for a bus ticket can be add lari to pay their bus fares). Th ey vision set is guilty. the law and socio-economic division fi ned 15 lari by bus monitors who will take their ticket and hold on to it un- A TV set and school books for Ana, of the Public Defender’s Offi ce, said be checking passengers. til they get off the bus. After March, 12, and Ivane, 14, were the reason that she received 37 protests in 2008 from Th e Municipal Transport Depart- bus monitors will patrol the buses and Tamar Japaridze and her two orphaned families denied social assistance for ment of Tbilisi City Hall is in charge impose a 15 lari fi ne on any passenger grandchildren lost their monthly So- similar reasons. of instituting a major reform, which who travels without a ticket. cial Assistance payment from Georgia. After the Public Defender recom- will involve using new automatic fare If the fi ne is not paid within a (Th e names of the family have been mended that Social Assistance for machines in all of the city’s 742 buses. month, it will increase to 50 lari. changed to protect their privacy.) these families be restored, 19 families Th ey have already been installed in all Bus monitors have been hired and Since 2005, more than 350,000 were placed back on the assistance buses. But the new fi ne system is not trained by city government to ride the families judged to be below the pov- rolls, but the rest of the protests were in eff ect yet; it will start at the end of buses, making sure that each rider de- erty line have been eligible to receive rejected. March. posits a fare. Th ey walk from one bus Social Assistance from the Ministry In 2008, the Social Subsidy Agency Akaki Jokhadze, head of the Mu- stop to another and will appear in the of Labor, Health and Social Defense. had spent 97 million lari ($60.6 mil- nicipal Transport Department, said buses from time to time. Some moni- Th e Ministry’s Social Subsidy Agency lion) to aid families below the poverty Old garbage bunkers are being the new system will be easy, conve- tors begin to work at 7 a.m., and in the evaluated families, giving them points line. Th e budget of the Social Subsidy replaced by new containers nient and he predicts it will improve middle of the day they are shifted to according to four main factors: health, Agency increased in 2009, and the city transport service. other buses. Jokhadze declined to say education, employment and evalua- number of families increased slightly. “Th e new project is organized to how many monitors have been hired. tion of their living conditions. make people pay, and to make drivers Page 12 Continued on page 3 Families judged eligible to receive Continued on page 3 2 CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT BSJ

CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT

Reporters Natalie Nozadze Sophio Ebralidze Ketevan Vashagashvili Marinka Gharibashvili Ketevan Ebanoidze Salome Kasradze Lika Kasradze Ia Gavasheli Zaka Guluyev Gayane Avetisyan Marianna Pepanyan Vusala Alibayli Sabina Akbarova Khanim Javadova Alana Gagloeva Vugar Baba Eka Chitanava Rusudan Panozishvili Malkhaz Chkadua

Editors Margie Freaney Tiko Tsomaia Leli Blagonravova Sub Editors Sophio Ebralidze Ketevan Vashagashvili Alana Gagloeva Salome Kasradze

Dean Maia Mikashavidze

The Brosse Street Journal

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All material copyrighted 2008 BSJ CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT 3 The new project New Bus Fare System Debuts is organized to (Continued from page one) working day was about 11 hours. glad about the new system. Th anks to portation department, hopes those 10 He said that if passengers knew the Drivers could earn about 48 lari a the new fare machines, he has a job. days will be enough to let all bus riders make people number of monitors, it would nega- day, on a good day. But a weekend or He is one of the monitors, also know how to buy tickets automati- tively aff ect the new system. holiday might mean they had to put in called controllers, who will ride the cally. pay, and to make “It is a secret of fi rm,” he said. their own money to pay the 170 lari to buses. Th e automatic fare machine project drivers of the buses Th e monthly salary of the bus mon- the company. “Controllers will have really very was funded by Bank of Georgia. Ivane itors in Tbilisi is 600 lari. “Th ere were lots of problems be- hard work; they will begin at 7 o’clock Gulmagarashvili, project manager of drive at normal cause of this system,” according to and in the middle of the day will be the Bank of Georgia, said that the proj- REPLACING OLD WAYS Jokhadze. shifted. Th ey will face some obstacles, ect cost 7 million lari ($4.4 million). speed and to In 2004, Georgian government Drivers raced along the streets to even struggles, and that’s why we se- Each fare machine costs bought new yellow buses, but the usual get as many passengers and fares as lected them specially. Controllers 990 euro ($1,224). arrive at bus stops system of paying continued. Drivers possible, to increase their daily pay, or should be patient, attentive, polite and Th is year the bank will produce new according to the collected money directly from the pas- they might drive more slowly if that careful,” said Gela Sabadze, head of the credit cards for its customers. Th e sengers, who paid when disembarking. was better for their pocketbook. monitoring department of Buses of cards will serve as transport cards in schedule “Th ere was no fi ne for not paying “It caused lots of problems, buses Tbilisi. the metro and in the buses as well. and the only punishment for the dis- were always late,” Jokhadze said. Aleksidze is not worried about the Th e money paid by special elec- Nino Khantadze, 31, works in pub- obedient was the quarrel of the strict Under the new system, drivers’ sala- diffi culties of his new job. tronic cards in the buses is transferred lic television, and every morning for driver,” said Besik Natenadze, the ries will be raised to 4.5 lari per hour, “Every day I and every member of to the bank’s account. Moreover, the about three years she has taken two General Director of the L.T.D Tbilisi’s and they will not have to worry about my family travel by buses, I know what partner company of the Bank of Geor- buses from Vake to Kostava Buses. collecting from passengers. Jokhadze kinds of passengers are there, I know gia, “Metro service+,” prints the cards “I understood everything. It’s quite Th e company was established by thinks it will solve most of the prob- how to deal with them,” said Aleksidze. and the partner company gets profi t easy and I think that it’s a normal idea. Tbilisi City Hall and is part of the gov- lems. “We shall not begin fi ning passen- from each card sold. We had to wait for driver until he ernment of Tbilisi. All buses in Tbilisi gers until each of them understands gave change, and now we can embark are under the authority of LTD Tbilisi’s ADJUSTING TO NEW SYSTEM how to take tickets,” said Besik Nat- PROS AND CONS through the back door. I really like it,” Buses. Automatic fare machines changed enadze General Director of Buses of Not all passengers are happy about she said “We think that the new system will Irakli Sikharulidze’s life; he is a driver Tbilisi. the new system, however. help both riders and, of course, driv- of Bus # 21. Th e company also trained students “It will not work in Georgia. We’ll ers, who are free from the work of con- “To tell the truth, I feel more relaxed from universities to show passengers see people will not get used to it; it is ductors, and do not have any touch the now, I do not have to count: two origi- how to buy tickets. Th ey are employed too confusing,” said Tamara Didava, money,” said Natenadze. nal tickets plus one student and one for just the 10 days when the new sys- 46, while disembarking from bus # 21. Under the old system, drivers were for socially unsecured. I do not have to tem goes into eff ect. Kesaria Papava, “I have exactly 50 tetri and I cannot responsible for collecting money from drive, look in the mirrors at the same 19, studies in the Th eological Institute. pay,” said Gaioz Kartvelishvili 74, rid- passengers, and at the end of each day time [to make sure all passengers have She agreed to take this job because ing on bus # 57. they were expected to turn over about paid] and also I do not worry about students get 200 lari for 10 days. One of the main complaints of the 170 lari to the bus company. Th e sal- fulfi lling the plan any more, but I have In the fi rst 10 mornings of the new bus riders is that the automatic ma- ary of drivers was 2.5 lari per hour and not got the higher salary yet and I can- system, 700 students will work in the chines do not give change. in addition, they received 12 percent not say that I am satisfi ed,” he said. buses, explaining the system to pas- Some of the passengers are satis- of the sum they collected every day. A Teimuraz Aleksidze, 46, said he is sengers. Jokhadze, of the city’s trans- fi ed, though. Families Losing Social Assistance (Continued from page one) be classifi ed as disable – were part of the set, according to the Deputy to the Di- Th e payment of 12 lari per family Social Assistance evaluation. And now rector of the Social Subsidy Agency. member doubled to 24 lari. the family has scored too high on the list “Priority is given to the families liv- Tamar Japaridze and her grandchil- of factors to continue receiving aid. ing without a TV set, as the purpose of dren fi rst became eligible for the aid in “I tried to explain to the social the program is to fi ght against hunger,” 2005. Th e assistance was not a lot — 54 workers that I have bought TV set and said Bregvadze. lari per month (30 for Tamar and 12 for books with the compensation, but they Talakvadze, the Public Defender’s each adolescent), but it was relief for the did not even listen to me,” she said. adviser, thinks that when poor families grandmother, a cancer patient who had “Two adolescents and a 57-year-old get no assistance, while families liv- been taking care of her two grandchil- cancer patient live without heating for ing in better circumstances do receive dren for 10 years already, after her son a week already. Should we live in the public aid, there is a sense of injustice. and husband died and her daughter-in- open sky to get the status of the fam- Th ere are cases where a family gets law remarried and left the family. ily under the line of poverty?” asked only social assistance and no other But in October 2008, the family was Tamar Japaridze. income during two years, but still the evaluated once again. Th ough the fam- In fact, though, homeless persons amount of government aid gives them ily’s income was still the orphans’ pen- are not eligible at all for Social Assis- a better standard of living and they are sions (110 lari) and Tamar Japaridze’s tance, because the evaluation method no longer considered to be under the teacher salary (45 lari), their point to- is based on factors that assess the liv- poverty line. tal on the Social Assistance scale rose ing conditions of the family. Since “It looks like we give them food and above the poverty line. homeless people have no living condi- we grab it ourselves,” said Bregvadze. Th eir living conditions had not tions to evaluate, they cannot not re- Th at’s why the Social Subsidy changed; only the television set was ceive Social Assistance. Agency asked Parliament to change Kitchen of the Japaridze family. Photo by Ketevan VashagaSvili added. Japaridze received corporate Ioseb Bregvadze, First Deputy to the period of assistance from two securities from her deceased hus- the Director of the Social Subsidy gible for Social Assistance, the Minis- family should be assessed according to years to four. Parliament approved band’s working place eight years after Agency, concedes that the method of try has now hired a fi rm, Partnership its income and not by a television set, the initiative, meaning families will be his death and sold them for 600 lari, in deciding who is eligible for Social As- for Social Initiatives, which will rede- curtains, books and other small items. evaluated only every four years instead summer of 2007. With that money, the sistance has many fl aws. But it is new sign the evaluation procedure. Such amenities can be taken into con- of every two. family bought a color Samsung televi- to Georgia, he added, and the process Japaridze said that she was shocked sideration, but it should not become Th ere are other problems with the sion set for 180 lari, three textbooks is still being refi ned. when she saw that the family had the reason for refusal, he said. declaration or statement that must be for the children and also paid off an He also said that social workers scored 78,050 points – more than Mamuka Nadareishvili, Adviser fi led by families seeking state assis- electricity debt that had been piling lack training and their evaluation of a 44,630 points above the 57,001 points at the Social Subsidy Agency, who tance. For example, a family may own up for years. In fact, Japaridze said, she family’s need for fi nancial aid may be declared as the poverty line. helped to create the method used to property, but if that property is not still has not paid for one of the three subjective. She and her two grandchildren live assess families’ eligibility for Social rented or otherwise in use, it does not textbooks. “Some people have a good meth- in one room with a small kitchen and Assistance, said that the method has have to be listed on the statement of Japaridze was classifi ed as a person od of keeping the curtains and social no bathroom. Th ey don’t even have a 30 per cent error possibility. He said assets and revenue. with disability in 2005, but in the of- worker may think that it is new, but enough beds. Th ey have a refrigerator, poverty is a subjective issue and social At the Social Subsidy Agency, Tamar fi cial documentation in 2008, this line in spite of good looks it is maybe 25 but cannot use it, as they cannot pay workers are people with a subjective Japaridze was advised to wait for a year, was left empty by the evaluator. Yet her years old. So it is diffi cult to see the re- for electricity to run it. point of view. in hopes she can be placed back on the health has not improved. She has had ality after seeing the family only once,” Archil Talakvadze, adviser to the Th e Social Subsidy Agency does not assistance roll, but it is diffi cult for her Stage III cancer for 10 years. Bregvadze said. Public Defender, thinks that many cri- consider a television set as a basic need to wait so long. She is still hoping the But all of these factors – the As a result of dissatisfaction with teria in the department’s method of for a family, yet 60 per cent of families Public Defender’s offi ce will be able to television, the textbooks, the failure to the method of evaluating families eli- assessing need are far from reality. A below the poverty line have a television fi nd some solution to the problem. 4 CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT BSJ Lika KASRADZE This year in Gudauri is different with its shortage of guests. In sum there Gudauri Season Collapses is 90 percent reduce of foreign tour- ists in Georgia after the August war Tbilisi City Hall assigned 80,000 Lari for student program “Good-Aura”

Gudauri, one of Georgia’s top tour- him it is a cheaper way to go to Gu- ist attractions, is having one of the dauri. He has his own ski equipment. worst seasons in its history, thanks to He has to pay only 10 lari for the ski lift the lingering eff ects of the war in Au- and to eat something. gust, the current economic situation But for 19-year-old Keti Naski- and a mild winter. dashvili, a student of TSU Humani- A press release by the Department tarian Faculty, it is impossible to take of Tourism and Resorts issued after advantage of the City Hall program. the war for foreign journalists said She says the money assigned for stu- that “Th e winter ski resorts Gudauri dent ski entertainment does not work and Bakuriani have not suff ered by for her. this confl ict and they are ready to host She would need 25 lari to rent skis, skiers and other holidaymakers, off er- 10 lari for a lift ticket, 5-10 lari for food ing them all the necessary facilities for and 25 lari for a ski instructor, for a to- spending extraordinary winter experi- tal of 65-70 lari ences.” “I really wish to join them but I can- But that apparently does not refl ect not… I and most of my student friends reality. do not work and our parents cannot fi - Gela Burduli cannot remember a nance us to spend so much money for worse season than this one. a day,” She said. He is an owner of the Guest House Janiashvili agrees that projects such Shamo in Gudauri. He is worried as “Good Aura” stimulate domestic about the current season. tourism. Asked about the potential “I know the situation and can say political benefi t of the ski program that the other hotel owners are in my – whether it is designed to encourage situation. Before we were trying to help students to support the government each other and often sent guests when Empty rope-way in Gudauri. photo by Lika Kasradze. — Ekhvaia said it’s not an issue. we had not enough numbers, but this Development, said that after the war, it calls “Good Aura.” Burduli said he is cooperating with “If I do not spend money but do time it is impossible, while I get only there is a 90 percent decline of tourists Levan Ekhvaia, head of City Hall’s the eff ort by renting skis at a discount. nothing, people would say that I am 20 percent of tourists that I had in pre- in Georgia. Th e tourism department Division of Juvenile Aff airs Monitor- He off ers students sales on skis and useless and should not get the wage. vious years” he said. cannot confi rm the tourism situation ing, said that the aim of “Good Aura” is rents them for 25 lari instead of 30 lari. But if the students really like this proj- Th ere are 10 rooms in his hotel and in Gudauri right now, she said, be- to make Gudauri aff ordable for youth. He considers it profi table because the ect it is good, it proves that my initia- the cost is about 100 lari ($62.50) per cause the current season is still under Every Saturday and Sunday at 8 students will be his permanent cus- tive is correct. Why should I do such night. Burduli said that in past years, research and the statistics will be ready a.m., marshutkas leave from Republic tomers in the future and help increase project which will not be popular for he had many tourists from the Ukraine at the beginning of March. Square for Gudauri. Th e youth pro- income this season. the government?” he said. and Russia, but this year they are not Mamuka Burduli, owner of the ski gram also provides a discount on lift Levan Giorgobiani, 24, admits that coming to Gudauri. equipment shop Mogzauri, rents ski tickets: Th e usual price of 25 lari is re- Giorgi Shamatava, head of Tbilisi skiing is quite expensive. He cannot Georgians come for a day on the equipment in Gudauri and in Tbilisi. duced to 10 lari for students. Th ere is State University Self-Government Or- take the advantage of the Gudauri pro- weekend, but do not spend the night, Burduli considers the tourism season also a 12 percent discount on ski rent- ganization, said that “Good aura” is gram, because he is not a student. he said. Burduli believes that the collapsed. als. an opportunity for students spend a Giorgobiani said he usually spends shortage of tourists is connected with “An especially bad situation is after When the ski lifts stop working at 5 pleasant weekend and get know each a large sum skiing each season, but this the August war and the economic cri- the middle of January. I was in Gudauri p.m., the students come back to Tbilisi other. year is diff erent. Hard economic times sis, because in past there were milder then, and it was really shocking when I on the marshutkas. At the end of the “Th e discount is important for them in general have made him unable to winters and less snow, but not such was looking at empty ski roads. Th ere ski season, there will be a competition because not everybody has money to spend money on skiing. awful results. were only about 10 people,” he said. for students and the winner will get a go to Gudauri,” he said. “So much money for only one day, Tbilisi City Hall is doing some- prize of ski equipment. “It is cool! It is opportunity of without even spending the night… Medea Janiashvili, the head of thing to help out, allocating 80,000 lari By the end of the season, Ekhvaia healthy entertainment,” said 18-years- what can I do when I am just a ski lov- the offi ce of Domestic Tourism and ($50,000) to fi nance ski trips to Gua- thinks that 3,000 to 4,000 students will old Lasha Moniava, a student of Tbilisi er, a young guy and not the owner of a Analysis, in Th e Ministry of Economic dari for college students, in a program have taken advantage of the program. State University, from Law Faculty. For bank?” he said.

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catch the right wave BSJ CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT 5 City Hall Destroys Houses Those whose houses were destroyed say supervision department destroyed their houses without any warning. City Hall refuses to respond to questions about the destruction of the houses.

Salome KASRADZE The representatives of City Hall’s supervision department destroyed 5 from 100 illegally built houses in Afrika suburb. Those whose houses were destroyed say that supervisions department destroyed their houses without any warning. No City Hall official responds to questions about the destruction of the houses He is one of fi ve people who live in a fl at that has only one room. A wall in the middle of the room divides the sleeping area and kitchen. Th ere is only one window, with a brown cur- tain. Th e room smells of smoke from a wood stove. Th e other residents of the apart- ment are Manuchar Sigua’s mother, sister, brother-in-law, and his sister’s son. In two more weeks, there will be a sixth person in the apartment, when his sister gives birth to her second child. But on the land where Sigua had al- most fi nished building a new house for his family, there are only bricks now. Th e land is located about 13 kilo- meters from Tbilisi, in a suburb nick- named Afrika by Georgians, because it is far from Tbilisi center. Only two municipal buses pass there: number 2 and number 97. Seven years ago, in the place of Af- rika that is about 10 hectares, there are only vacant land and dust. Sigua and his family members and neighbors cleaned the land and built approxi- mately 150 houses on it. Some of the approximately 100 people started liv- ing in the houses they had built. But on December 14, City Hall rep- resentatives ordered residents of that photo by Salome Kasradze. land who had built houses to destroy them, because the owner of the prop- these documents to the Brosse Street Aleksandre Zurabishvili, one of said he knows little about the situation houses 20 days to respond, he said. erty, they said, was City Council and Journal. those who built a house in the suburb, in which the houses were destroyed. After 20 days, offi cials should visit people were living there illegally. Th e Aleko Gvaramia, a lawyer of Land- said he sent the documents, except Temur Grigalashvili, head of the local the site and see if the order is be- families resisted destroying the hous- owner Right Defenders private asso- for the aerial photo, to City Hall but department, said he does not know the ing followed. If not, the supervision es, but on the same day, City Hall su- ciation says that the document allows did not receive an answer yet. He said details because no one contacted him department should make a decision pervision department representatives those whose houses were knocked he was astonished when City Hall’s or gave him a statement. Grigalashvili about imposing a fi ne and or tearing destroyed fi ve of the houses. down to fi ght with City Hall in court. supervision department employees says that he is not closely connected down the houses, he said. According Th ere are two schools in Afrika sub- Gvaramia is not familiar with this came and tried to destroy his house. with City Hall on this matter. But he to the builders of the houses, they nev- urb: Georgian and Russian. Back from particular case, but he said an aerial Th e house is partially destroyed at the also thinks that city offi cials probably er received any notifi cation from City Russian school # 94 is the land where photo of the land is needed to regis- moment. Only walls remain. acted fairly. Without proof, they would Hall until workers arrived and began the Siguas and other people built the ter the houses in the Public Register’s “City Hall representatives came not destroy the houses, he said. destroying the houses. houses seven years ago. Th ese people National Agency. Th ose who built the without warning and started destroy- But he said he would look into the “Without the written order, the de- are mostly from villages, and there are houses should send all documents to ing. Th ere were approximately 50 situation. stroying process is absolutely an illegal also refugees. Th ey were living in dor- City Hall, he said. After that, he thinks people, including police and hired “Every single issue that would excite operation. No matter if people were mitories in Tbilisi. Others came from they could get right of property recog- workers. We resisted them doing it. our citizens will be important for me. living there illegitimately,” said Kod- the regions in hopes of fi nding a job in nition. He also said he can help people But they were more and stronger. We So, from now on, this theme will be my joridze. the city. Most of them are unemployed. who built houses in the suburb if they even took one of our neighbors to the closest work,» said Grigalashvili. Th ose who built the houses say they Th ey cannot fi nd jobs. ask him. hospital,” he said. A press spokeswoman, Dali have heard nothing from city hall in “Our government doesn’t let us live. Gvaramia advises the people to col- Balamtsarashvili, who refused to give response to their complaints and the Th ey say we should live outside and die lect evidence — they claim to have a her surname, said that Dato Avaliani, documents they fi led. Every one who of starvation. What municipal depart- video recording of that fi ght — and chairman of City Hall’s supervision de- built the houses submitted documents ment shall we ask for help? Tbilisi City I am asking send it to court. Th ey should bring an partment, would not comment on the two months ago. Hall keeps us down,” says Aleksandre action against City Hall, he said. case. Th e same press spokeswoman Manuchar Sigua, sitting by the Iaganashvili, one of those who built a nothing to the City “Th ey can even send a declaration said there is no City Hall offi cial who wood stove in his six-meter square house that was later destroyed. to President Saakashvili. [But} if they could respond to questions about the room, says, “I am asking nothing to Th ose who built the houses in Hall, all I want is to will just tell their story, nobody will destruction of the houses. the City Hall, all I want is to meet our Afrika seven years ago have a docu- help them. Th ey should act, act, and Kakha Kodjoridze, of Georgian Mayor Gigi Ugulava and talk to him. ment from Public Register’s National meet our Mayor Gigi then their issue could not been ig- Young Lawyers Association, an NGO on He is not a wolf but the usual person. Agency in the Ministry of Justice that nored. Somebody will help them. At legal matters, said it is not fair to destroy Oh, no, he is the mayor, but how can says no one is the owner of the land in Ugulava and talk to the moment they don’t have a lot of someone’s house without any warning. he know his citizens’ problems and ail- Afrika and it is not registered in the proof,” he said Th e supervision department should ments if he will not meet us? A week Public Register’s National Agency as him An offi cial at City Hall’s local depart- send a written order about the intent ago I went to the City Hall, hoping belonging to City Hall. Th ey showed ment, which includes Afrika suburb, to destroy and gave those who built the meet Ugulava, but nobody let me in.” 6 CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT BSJ Tbilisi at Work Ketevan EBANOIDZE Parking officer Givi Inanashvili, 65, has been working as a parking officer on Kostava Street #67 for about three years. All day long, he helps people to park and get in and out of parking spaces safely. Inanashvili, who has a secondary education, was a taxi driver for about 17 years, but because of his age he decided to change his job. To be a parking officer is definitely not his desired job; he would rather be a security guard. Although there is a sign at his parking area announcing that parking costs 50 tetri, he says most drivers treat him as a beggar. “It would be much easier for me to be a guard. I am very tired with begging the whole time,” he said with tears in his eyes and added, “It is very hard for me to work here, because I am ashamed.” Even though the official price of parking is 50 tetri, most drivers give him just 20 or 30 tetri. “Some of them do not give me even a tetri and start quarreling and shouting at me, saying, ‘Why should I pay? I do not need your help,” he photo by Alana Gagloeva said. She dreams of having a lot of money, having “I think it is time for me to sit at home and then added very quickly, “To tell the truth, inter- Despite his tiring job, from 9 o’clock in the her own office and working in the professional forget about the severe experiences,” She said. esting people and interesting stories can be found morning till 5 in the evening, he earns just about sphere. in this yard as well.” 4 lari per day. However, he still thinks that there Nevertheless Janjalia still hopes that one day he are many kind people living in Tbilisi. z will buy a new car and will put a yellow sign on it. “I remember once a young man presented me z Marinka GHARIBASHVILI with 30 lari. I never forget this day,” he said. Ketevan VASHAGASHVILI He is the only breadwinner in his family. His z monthly income is about 200 lari, including 82 Natalie NOZADZE lari from his pension. He has two orphaned Apartment grandchildren, and out of 4 lari he earns in a day, Odd and 2 lari belongs to them, so they have money to get guard to university and then back home. ends Seller TV producer “In other case, I would definitely give up my At 8 a.m., Tbilisi is waking up. People Gia Janjalia, 45, has been working for about Kakha Melikidze has no certain working job,” Ianishvili said. are rushing through the streets to their jobs. six years as a guard for the yard of Khazbegi hours. One day he works from 11 a.m. until 1 Twice while talking, he interrupted the con- Tsisana Bakanidze, 73, dressed in black, worn- Avenue apartment building number 2A. a.m., and the next day he might work from just versation and rushed as fast as he could, to avoid out clothes, already sits behind her small coun- He sits for 24 hours, from one morning to the seven a.m. till 10 a.m. losing 20 tetri. ter, near the Akhmeteli Metro station, selling next, in a small cabin in the yard and guards the Melikidze, 35, a television producer, graduat- candles, icons and other odds and ends. cars and the flats in the building. On the next ed from Shota Rustaveli State University, cinema Her working day starts at 7 a.m. and lasts morning, another guard comes on duty and producing faculty, in 1994. Soon after graduating, z till 9 p.m. every day. She says she feels embar- Janjalia is free for one day. a friend who worked in television told Melikidze Gayane AVETISYAN rassed about standing in the street and selling, Before getting this job, Janjalia was a private that the morning program Alioni was looking but more important things exist than her own taxi driver. He had his own car and used to take for an assistant producer. For few months, he arrogance. “I have been standing here since my passengers from one place to another. worked on probation at First Channel. In 1999 Waitress grandchildren became students. It is 13 years Then because of some problems, he had to he was hired as an assistant producer. Three already,” says Bakanidze. “One day I told myself sell the car and that’s why he changed his job. years ago, Melikidze was promoted to the posi- Maia Jaoshvili works as a waitress at that I do not have right to think about my pride, Janjalia and his colleague get 25 lari per tion of morning program producer. Chakrulo restaurant on Rustaveli Avenue as I had nobody to help and children needed to month from each family in the yard. There are He’s in good humor all the time, colleagues because she needs money. She has two children be nurtured.” 36 families, so the two guards get 900 lari per say. He can sit for hours with a journalist in a and she is divorced. Bakanidze is from Ozurgeti. For years, her month or 450 lari apiece. “My work is really newsroom, explaining how to improve their Jaoshvili, 38, who studied geophysics, has only job was caring for her family and house. hard. I have to keep awake whole night, payment reports. been working in different restaurants for 8 But things changed. She recalls her time at home is quite normal but some of the inhabitants of “Melikidze is a very attentive person. It’s years. as happy and wishes she never had 13 years of the yard usually delay giving money and some- enough to ask him one advice about the job “When people go away with a smile on their experience standing in the street. times we have to ask them for several weeks,” when he is ready to tell you ten,” said journalist face, you feel their expectations are fulfilled and Selling goods on the street for a 73-year-old said Janjalia. Mari Shengelia. they are thankful, it is the best way your work is woman is not easy, especially in bad weather, but Once when he was on duty, some men He said the hardest thing for him is to explain paid,” she says. she thinks the reward for her work — assistance entered the yard and tried to rob one of the cars. to his staff members what their obligations are, Bur she doesn’t find her job interesting. to her family — is so big that she does it with He rushed out of the cabin, and it appeared that and to help them fulfill their obligations fault- Various people come to their restaurant and pleasure. there were five of them, not only drunk but with lessly. waitresses ought to smile and be gentle to “My income is very low, just enough for food, guns in their hands. Melikidze likes airing the morning program everyone: “Even to those who consider us but I have no choice. When you have no choice, “The dog of our yard helped me that day very live best of all his duties. He said that a lot of prostitutes.”She says many customers seem to you have to look at things with humor, because much — he began to bark at the robbers and interesting and unexpected things happen dur- think waitresses are not respectable and have no you may be deprived even of this job,” she says. they disappeared. Bombora is always with me,” ing live broadcasts. “I can compare the airing of families. But Jaoshvili does think that waitress- On one occasion, she was arrested by the said Janjalia. program live with extreme sports. You are not ing is important. police, when government banned vendors from On some occasions, he has had to call the insured against any mistake and you know that “Many hungry and thirsty people come to us, selling in the streets. police. this mistake will cost you a lot,” said Melikidze. it’s we who help them, “ she said. “Sometimes very strange things can hap- He likes his job, loves that people trust him, He hates swearing, but sometimes he admit- Jaoshvili complains she works all day long, pen in your life that you can never imagine. Of loves to know that they sleep calmly because of ted that he can’t control himself when things go leaving no time to be with the family. She works course I was soon released and today I am joking him, but still recalls affectionately his car and the wrong at work. from 9 a .m. to 11 p. m (sometimes even longer) about the incident, but it was not funny then,” period when he was a taxi driver. If he had the chance to change something and the salary 500 to 600 lari per month. she admits. “I am really missing that period, different pas- about his job, he would change the management In the past, she worked as a teacher of phys- She has only one dream: to be at home and be sengers different stories, and different streets of of his program. Melikidze said his program is ics, at Abasturmani Astrophysical Observatory. a housewife again. Tbilisi, that is really my profession,” he said and not well organized. BSJ CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT 7

He recalls something that happened a few Siradexyan,” said Amaglobelli. He was the min- and I like that I am defending the center against dream came true. After getting her bachelor’s years ago that seemed awful at the time, but ister of domestic affairs. the stealing,” he said. degree, she had a residency and training in the today he recalls the situation with humor. “Three Her friend helped her to get the job selling The dangerous thing in his job is that he National Oncologic Centre. years ago when I was working as a producer’s newspapers. could be injured.There is no guarantee that Now, for about two years, she has been work- assistant, I got drunk at work. When I woke up “It is difficult to have a job in Georgia and it won’t happen. ing at a private oncological clinic, Medulla. It the program was already over. I still don’t know doesn’t matter how much they pay you,” she said. Gogoladze’s best friend, Givi Nozadze, is was not easy to get a job in a time when there who aired the program,” he said. She earns 215 lari a month. She has worked here 68. He worked in construction for 35 years in is a lot of unemployment in Georgia, but she Melikidze cannot imagine what job other for six months. “This is not enough to keep your Tbilisi, building offices. He was a successful considers that after studying for about 10 years than producing he would like to have. He family,” said Amaglobelli. But she said that when worker, but now he works as a guard with his and getting experience in her field, she was said that he would go into the military if he she goes to work, she leaves all her problems at friend, Givi said. worthy of it. didn’t have this work. His love of the military is home. “It’s not the customer’s fault that I have “We are best friends for the last 30 years, Gogishvili adores her profession even though known to those who work with him.“We have a problems,” she said. “I have no money to buy Rezo is a very good person, he doesn’t like to tell her job is very difficult, physically and psycho- tradition at work to collect money and to buy newspapers, but here I can read about every- lies and talk much, he is a really a very respect- logically. Her working day begins at 9:30 a.m. birthday presents for our staff members. A week thing,” she said and that’s why she likes her job. able man,” Nozadze said of his friend. and no one knows exactly when it will finish. She before Melikidze’s birthday, we found a state- “I read newspapers, journals about flower cul- The two men have been working together in is often busy on weekends as well. But that is not ment hanging on the wall. It said: “Hey guys I ture, politics.” But she wants to have additional the Chrysler Center for 3 years. the great difficulty of her job. know that you are going to buy a birthday pres- time for her family and for her home garden. Gogoladze is very punctual, according to his The main complication is that her patients are ent for me, so let me give you a hint. I need three Sometimes she finds a similarity between her friend. Only once, he did not come to work and mortal. Because Gogishvili is an oncologist and editions of new military books published in customers or passersby and flowers. ”I think this everyone was astonished. cancer is an incurable illness, in many cases, death 2007. You can buy them in the book shop Santa girl is like a rose, this other like a lily,” she said. “But then we found out that the reason was is unavoidable. “I am glad that in my life I have the Esperansa for 42 lari.” She would like to return to her profession and that his daughter got married,” Nozadze said. ability to help sick people, it is a great obligation “We were really grad to give him the present, have a sustainable job. Nino Gogoladze, Gogoladze’s daughter, is and responsibility for me and I do it with great he wanted,” recalls journalist Nata Sharabidze. “But it is impossible in future, because every- 30. She has been working as an operator in pleasure. But I am sorry that in many cases I can Melikidze thinks that his job is important, where younger workers are wanted,” she said. Kaztransgaz for three years. only prolong my patient’s lives, not cure them,” she because his program is about people. He knows Rusudan doesn’t complain of her life. “If I “He is the best father. A year ago, my mother said. Gogishvili tries to do everything to help her people see his work, though they may not real- have a choice to born again, I prefer to choose died and my father made everything for me and patients, to mitigate their pain and make their last ize his part in it. “You maybe not be a devoted just the same way of my life,” she said. my sister,” she said. “I don’t like that he is work- months or days easier. “Maybe I have the most spectator of morning program Alioni, but I bet She dreams of opening a big flower market in ing, because of his health. He is 70 and I think awful job in the world, but it is one of the most that once in your life time you have glanced at Tbilisi, where she can gather all kinds of flowers it’s little hard for him.” important jobs as well,” she said. it,” said Melikidze. of the world. “I hope that God will never take my Even so, Nino Gogoladze said, he is happy Every day she meets people with the worst life until I do it,” she said. and he enjoys his work, this is the most impor- diseases and because of her experience, she can tant thing in his life. help them, not only as a doctor, but as a friend, z She said that soon her father will have a perhaps even more then their real friends and Salome KASRADZE z grandson. She hopes he will leave his job and be relatives, who are usually under stress. Khanim JAVADOVA responsible for bringing up his grandson. Despite the difficulties connected with being a doctor, the profession is so important to her that Gogishvili has no idea what she would do if Secretary she were not a doctor. Though he is 83, he is hurrying around at Street vendor z But she has another profession as well: She work. There are no spots on his clothes. His She sits and sells sweets at the entrance to a Vusala ALIBAYLI is a specialist of foreign languages and if she boots look worn, but they are carefully cleaned. building on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. were not a doctor, she would probably be a He is shaved and smells of perfume. Jumber She has a stout body and face, with large pedagogue. Nikolaishvili works for a private business com- eyes and silver hair. She is 50-year-old Nana pany as a chief’s secretary. For 45 years, until Barsmanishvili, a private street vendor. She says Laborer 2000, he worked for the milk factory Amaltea that this work is not interesting, although she He spends most of his time not with family, z as the chief of production department. This job finds it easy to sit and sell goods —chewing gum, but with stones, woods and hammer. Nodar Sabina AKBAROVA was close to his profession, as he is a veteran. cakes, sweets, French fries or pop-corn which Tabatadze, 47, from Borjomi, says that it is the Even though he now earns a higher salary than her boss brought from the Railway Station only way for him to earn money. Tabadadze is in the factory, he misses his old job. “Amaltea Bazaar. But she says it is hard for her to spend a laborer. He will have a job until a building on was one of the biggest factories of natural milk all night at work. She works 24 hours straight, Brosse Street is destroyed. Parking products in Tbilisi. I enjoyed my work as I was and then takes off for two days. She earns 10 lari He is enclosing a dangerous place with wood confident that Amaltea’s products were whole- per working day. fences, and then painting them. As the building officer some for the consumers,” says Nikolaishvili. She graduated from the chemistry faculty is destroyed, he also cleans all trash – stones, Now he thinks that his job is useful only for a of Georgian Technical Institute (GTI) and then woods, nails. Tengiz Bortsvadze knows a lot about cars, few people who work for the company. His work worked as an engineer for a chemistry factory. “Do I find my job interesting? No, it is not their models, years and so on. But he has never is the same every day and can be boring. That’s But the factory was closed in 1992. Barsmanshvili interesting for me. Because my education level owned a car in his 74 years and he also has never why he wants to work again in the factory. But has worked as a vendor since then. She says she is not for this job,” he said. been a fan of cars. Amaltea does not exist any more. So he is con- did not look much for work at that time. She Tabadadze used to be an electrical engineer “Drive, drive here. Turn to the right but a tinuing to earn his living in the private office. applied for one or two jobs, but after getting at a factory in Borjomi. During the Soviet era, he little back. OK,” he told a driver who wanted to There is nothing he would change in his job. negative responses, she gave up. She said that was a chief mechanic.”When I apply for job they park his car on the side of the road. He knows that how good this job could be it she is ashamed to introduce herself. “I gradu- say we need only younger workers,” he says. Bortsvadze is a road security guard on won’t compare with Amaltea. ated from weighty faculty, but I work here now,” He found his job with the help of a friend. Leselidze Street. He helps drivers to park their Nikolaishvili thinks that his job is not impor- she said. Now, she said, she cannot find work He has had the job since 2000.”I worked as an cars and six days in a week, from 11 a.m. till tant for the people living in Georgia. It might because the jobs are only for younger people. No engineer till Saakashvili was elected, but after he 7 p.m. be important for him and his chief, for other one wants to employ a 50-year-old woman. became a president I have no job in my profes- If drivers need, Bocadze can easily give them employees also. But it does not mean that they Barsmanshvili has never married and says she sion,” Tabadadze said. directions. He worked as a plasterer in the con- are doing amazingly important work.They are has no family. Although the money she earns is He usually earns 10 to 20 lari per day. struction of many buildings in Tbilisi before he just earning their living, he says. not enough for her, she tries to get along on it, Sometimes it’s as high as 30 lari. Tabadadze says retired. He can also direct drivers in different paying for gas, electricity water and food. But that his earnings depend on him. The longer he language. Beside Georgian, he knows Russian she said she doesn’t have any problems other works, the more he gets. He lives with his son and a little of Azeri and Armenian languages. He z than her unemployment. Barsmanshvili wants who is studying in Tbilisi. said that parking costs 50 tetri. But there were Marianna PEPANYAN to work as an engineer again. “My wife and daughter live in Borjomi, I see several drivers who didn’t pay. “What can I do? If them once a month. This work is unpleasant for they don’t pay and drive away?” he asks. me. I would like to be with my family and work Bocadze said that he has to work now, despite according to my profession in Borjomi. It is hard his age. “If I don’t work, I can’t live with my pen- Newspaper z to live far from my family,” he said. sion. It is very low, 70 lari. This place is private. Gvantsa BARBAKADZE I pay 10 lari per day to officer. What remains is seller enough for me to buy bread,” he said. z Now he is supporting himself and his wife. Every morning she comes to work at 8 a.m. to IA GAVASHELI His wife, 62, retired two years ago and she sell newspapers, and finishes at 6 p.m. Guard does not work. They also have two daughters Rusudan Amaglobeli, 44, was born in Tbilisi Rezo Gogoladze, 70, worked for 22 years as and three grandchildren. They have a son, too. and works near the Opera in the open air. a taxi driver. Now he works in Chrysler Center, Doctor But he was arrested three weeks ago. Bocadze “I am a designer of garden flowers, but my a car dealership in Didube, as a guard. believes their son will be in prison for the next profession is seasonal and I can’t get work in Gogoladze works every third day for 24 It was many years ago when Miranda six years. So he is not satisfied with his life, he winter,’’ said Amaglobelli. hours. It is not easy to miss nights of sleep at Gogishvili, now 29, moved toTbilisi from the doesn’t hope for something better. “The life is There is no demand today in Georgia for his age, but he is happy to have the job and the region where she grew up. At the time, she getting worse day by day. I don’t believe in the garden designers. “I prepared gardens of many wage. was preparing to enter Tbilisi State Medical future. If it will be better, I will not see it. I can- of Armenian’s ministers, for example Vano “In my job, I like that I am a necessary person University and become a doctor. Her childhood not live until then,” he said. 8 CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT BSJ Georgian Armenians Graduate Mostly from Russian Schools Armenian schools in Georgia steadily losing students Gayane AVETISYAN and many people in Georgia still regard Russian schools as higher qualified The number of students enrolled than, for example, Armenian schools. in Armenian schools in Georgia is But she believes that Armenian schools are equal to Russian ones in quality. steadily declining, as Georgian-Ar- Sevan and Gevorg Aghajanyan, menians send their children to Rus- who are brothers, are proud that they sian, and sometimes to Georgian graduated from Armenian School # schools. 95. This school today has 87 pupils, down from 119 students in 2004. The According to the Georgian Ministry Aghajanyan brothers now study at of Education and Science, there were Yerevan State University. They plan to 150 Armenian schools in Georgia in move their parents, grandmother and 2004, with the majority — 120 — in grandfather to Armenia some day. Samtskhe Javakheti, which is largely “But there are many people who populated by Armenians. But now do not have that opportunity to study the number of Armenian schools has in Armenia and move there. So they dropped to 140. don’t have any choice,” said Sevan Tbilisi had eight Armenian schools Aghajanyan. in 2004, but now two of the “mixed” The brothers think that those Armenian schools (with Georgian or who get an Armenian education can Russian sectors) have been closed. Of have difficulties entering high educa- the six remaining Armenian schools tional Institutions in Tbilisi and later in Tbilisi, only No.95 and No.104 are on can face difficulties finding jobs, solely Armenian. because Georgian is the official edu- In Georgia, schools are financed photos by Gayane Avetisyan cational language in high educational by the government, which provides ago, but today has only 169 children. Institutions, so those who do not know vouchers to each school for each pupil For the 2008-2009 academic year, just the language will be at a disadvantage enrolled. The amount of these vouch- nine children entered the first class, when it taking entrance tests. ers ranges from 350 lari ($ 211) to 575 whilst in the upper classes the number According to a law adopted in 2005, lari ($ 346) per year. If the number of of pupils is more than double that. Georgian is the instructional language pupils is not enough for a school to There are 248,929 Armenians in in all educational institutions. Citizens exist, it is closed. Georgia, out of which 82,586 live in whose mother tongue is not Georgian Many of Georgian schools are sub- Tbilisi, according to the latest census have the right to get a secondary divided into ethnic sectors: Georgian, figures. education in their mother tongue, but Russian, Armenian, Azarbaijanian and School #86 in Tbilisi’s Havlabar they also must study Georgian, as a Ossetian. district, home to many Armenians, state language. In the 4 mixed Armenian schools was closed two years ago because the Some Armenians fear that the of Tbilisi, which are subdivided into number of pupils had dropped too low decline in Armenian education in Georgian, Russian and Armenian sec- for the school to continue. Georgia will affect other cultural tors, more Armenian pupils study Now this school has only Russian areas. than in the Russian sectors than in and Georgian sectors, where 427 stu- “By losing schools, we have a risk the Armenian sectors. In the Russian dents are enrolled; 354 of these are According to Tamara Zalinyan, costs. to lose Armenian theater,” says Armen sectors of these four schools, there Armenians. Among the Armenians, specialist in International Cooperation But she said there are plans for the Bayandouryan, art director of Tbilisi are 700 Armenian pupils, but only 334 study in the Russian sector and 20 and Diaspora Affairs for Armenia’s Armenian government plans to send State Armenian Drama Theatre, 268 Armenians study in the Armenian in the Georgian section. Ministry of Education and Science, Armenian specialists to Georgia. explaining that many Georgian- sectors. The headmistress of the school, teachers from the Armenian Diaspora Roza Zohrabyan, a teacher of Armenians don’t understand plays David Rashoyan, 8th class pupil Sussanna Gevorgyan, has her own must “re-qualify,” or study the latest Armenian language and literature at performed in Armenian. of School # 131 of Tbilisi (with both theory about the reasons for this. developments in Armenian education, School # 95, thinks the reason that Manana Karapetyan, a teacher of Russian and Armenian sectors), “First of all, Armenians prefer in Armenia instead of the country more Georgian-Armenians don’t send Armenian language and literature at can only speak Armenian jargon, Russian, and sometimes Georgian where they live. But the Armenian their children to Armenian schools is school # 131, is concerned that if this which is common among Georgian- schools because a great amount of government pays only their living not in the quality of the teachers. She tendency continues in the future, there Armenians. Armenians leave Georgia to earn expenses when they return to study recalls that during the Soviet era, the will be very few Armenian schools left “I love Armenia, it is my country,” their living in Russia, speak Russian in Armenia, not their transportation quality of Russian schools was high in Georgia. says the boy. and want their children to help them But he can’t write or read in his in their work later. Besides, many Number of Total Number of Number of mother tongue because he studies at a Armenians are sure after graduating Number of pupils Number of pupils Armenian pupils in number of School number pupils in Armenian pupils in Georgian sector in Armenian sector Georgian pupils in Russian school. from Armenian schools, their children Russian sector in Russian sector Inga Kosyan, David Rashoyan’s will have difficulties finding a job in sector school mother, who speaks Armenian with Georgia,” she said. 110 Centre 290 (No Georgian sector) 120 262 (No Georgian sector) 410 great difficulty, explains that she was Gevorgyan complained that those afraid they could have difficulties who teach in Georgia’s Armenian 131 Africa 383 (No Georgian sector) 64 179 (No Georgian sector) 447 in helping their child with lessons, schools do not go to Armenia often because she and her husband do not enough to have new and fresh infor- 132 Gldani 198 (No Georgian sector) 58 94 (No Georgian sector) 350 have an Armenian education. mation from their Armenian col- School # 104, which is fully leagues, because teachers have to bear 146 Masiv 469 321 26 165 10 816 Armenian, had 270 students 10 years part of the cost of their re-training.

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THE CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT - z The first western-style graduate school of journalism in the Caucasus. z Master’s degree programs in journalism, media and communication management . z Classes taught by Georgian, American and French journalism professionals. z International student body. z Proven record of employment www.gipa.ge BSJ CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT 9 Ministry Considers New Exams for Master’s Students Ministry of education may standardize master’s admission procedures The education Vusala ALIBAYLI 40 are private universities. important. that creating a central examination is Beginning this academic year, stu- The first exam, administered by “If you know math, you will know not the right decision. quality can be the Ministry of Education, will be the everything,” said Arwadze. “The education quality can be dents applying for a master’s degree Unified National Master Examination “It will be hard, because we are increased with good financing for pro- increased with in Georgian universities might have (UNME). It is a kind of GRE (Graduate studying in Medical University,” said fessors, libraries, information technol- good financing for to take two examinations, instead of Record Examinations) or GMAT Tinatin Chikhladze, who is in the third ogy resources and qualified lecturers. (Graduate Management Admission course of the Tbilisi State Medical I cannot find advantages in this deci- professors, libraries, one. Students who score at the top Test), the standardized tests that are University. She will take UNME after sion. If the student is sure that he can of the list for both exams will get given to graduate school applicants in a year, if the new system of master find good job after university, he has information 100 percent scholarships. the west. exams is adopted. good motivation to learn much better,” UNME will consist of four areas: She doesn’t agree with the criteria said Gochitashvili. technology resources According to Nodar Surguladze, verbal, analytical thinking, logical of UNME. According to Gochitashvili, and qualified deputy minister of education and sci- thinking and mathematical. Students “There is no need for doctors to Georgian universities do not have ence, the new procedures are still must pass three out of four parts. pass logic or math exams. And by the experience with an exam like UNME. lecturers under discussion. Surguladze said the And the students have to have at least way, we have passed an exam like this And she believes students and profes- Ministry of Education and Science 30 percent score to pass exam. After while entering undergraduate degree,” sors are not ready. The Ministry of UNME. If they do not, they are out should announce the changes by April. taking the general admission test, stu- she said. Education should prepare university of the money,” he said. “More money But first, the new rules must pass dents will take a second test in the Currently, students who want staff and students for the exams, she means more students, more students Parliament, and the ministry has to subject area where they want to study, to study for a master’s degree in said, and start the new process in a mean income for the university.” develop the regulations and a law. and that exam will be administered by Georgia’s universities must pass one few years. The European School of The reason for the proposed chang- the individual universities. exam in a foreign language –English, According to the new system, all Management i is a private univer- es is to eliminate corruption from The Ministry of Education wants to German, French, for example – and state universities must participate in sity. The tuition is 6,300 Euro ($8,119) the current system, and ensure that fully fund 500 to 1,000 students with also pass another exam in the subject UNME. The question of whether pri- for the two years. According to the only qualified students are admitted to scholarships. area where they wish to study. There vate universities are required to par- Ministry of Education, the maximum study for master’s degrees. “We need to find money for the is currently no generalized admission ticipate has not been decided. education fee is 2,250 lari ($1,406) for “There is a question about whether budget. We propose to get money from exam for master’s degree students. The UNME will be the first filter, a year in state universities. some universities just accept any stu- government budget,” said Surguladze, UNME will be like a ticket for stu- said Revaz Vachnadze, director of the Irene Kvachadze, chief of The dents, despite their knowledge. So adding that the ministry will decide dents, who will have a certain number MBA Program at the European School Master and Doctoral Service of Tbilisi anyone can enter, and it is kind of how many scholarships it can award of years to use the score. But those of Management – Tbilisi (ESM). State Medical University, says that the negotiation, because each university based on the amount of the funding who receive scholarships must accept “If we strictly object to these exams, new system could help to minimize, wants to get tuition from students. from the government budget them immediately. then we can enroll students with our but not cut off, all corruption. We need a clear and not corrupted Othar Arwadze, a student in the The proposed reform of master’s own examination. But after that, they “There might be positive and nega- system,” said Surguladze. fourth course of law faculty in Tbilisi degree admission procedures is not will not get state diploma or certifi- tive sides of this project. After it fin- He said the ministry’s accreditation State University, thinks the number universally popular. cate. But If we join to UNME, the stu- ishes, we will decide and solve the center indicates that there are cur- of students who will get scholarships Ketevan Gochitashvili, assistant to dents will prefer us,” he said. problems. There might be problem rently 4,000 master’s degree students is very low. But he didn’t know about the dean in the Faculty of Humanities Surguladze thinks every university with the timing of the examinations. enrolled in 60 universities that are UNME, or that master’s degree candi- at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State will join the new system If it only becomes known in June that accredited, or eligible to give diplo- dates will have to pass logic and math University and a lecturer at TSU, and “If private universities participate, the exams will be given in July, it will mas. Twenty are state institutions and exams. He said the logic and math are an expert in the education field, thinks they have to take the conditions of be too hard,” said Kvachadze. Azerbaijan Offers Scholarships to Azeri-Georgians Sabina AKBAROVA For the first time this year, an Azer- baijan company is supporting Geor- gian-Azerbaijanian students who are studying in Tbilisi by awarding 55 academic scholarships, worth 100 lari per month to each student for a year. The scholarships are given by The Cultural Centre of Azerbaijanians and sponsored by a grant from Azerbaijan State Oil Company–SOCAR- Georgia for the 2008-2009 academ- ic year. Students have been chosen dreamed since childhood of becoming to buy a computer. based on their scores on admission an artist. When other students were “I am studying in Russian sector, exams for universities, administered reading textbooks, he was drawing because my Georgian is not so good. by the Georgian State Admission pictures of writers and poets from There are no new books in Russian Commission. books. language for my specialty. So I can‘t “We want to help Georgian- He enrolled in the university by pass- read new books. I will find impor- Azerbaijanian youth to integrate into ing the test of Georgian State Admission tant books and information from the Georgian society and increase their Commission in 2008, and later learned Internet after buying a computer,” said photos by Sabina Akbarova role in this society. At first we try to he had won the scholarship. Zeynalov. students in 2007-2008 and 40 students the Embassy of Azerbaijan to Georgia, support students who are studying in “We didn’t expect it, my fam- The Ministry of Education and in 2008-2009 academic years. said that the embassy is working with Tbilisi. They have more opportuni- ily was shocked, and father was very, Sciences of Georgia approved the The Culture Centre of the Azerbaijani cultural center to find ties to do it because it is the capital very glad. I can’t express his happi- scholarship programs. In addition, the Azerbaijanians hopes to offer anoth- new sponsors for future scholarships, of the country and the main center ness,” said Mammadov, 18, a student ministry paid part of the tuition (1,500 er new scholarship program for the appealing to different agencies and of Georgian life,” said Fazil Hasanov, of Tbilisi State Academy of Arts in lari) for 20 of the 55 students awarded 2009-2010 academic year. companies in Azerbaijan. chairman of The Culture Centre of the first course of the Architecture the SOCAR scholarships. “We are determining the list of Students are waiting for news about Azerbajanians. faculty. A similar scholarship program is students who will get scholarship. In scholarships. The students, all in the first course of “I shall spend my scholarship for my planned for 40 students during the this program, 100 students will get a Orkhan Zeynalov, 17, is a student university this year, are from Dmanisi, paint, brush and anything else, I will next academic year, 2009-2010, spon- scholarship. Now, we are looking for in the last course of secondary school Bolnisi, Marneuli, Qardabani, Kaspi, improve my skills,” said Mammadov. sored by Ministry of Communication a sponsor for this program,” said Fazil of Kullar village in the Marneuli region. Logodekhi, Rustavi and Tbilisi. Chingiz Zeynalov, 18, a student of and Information Technologies of Hasanov, chairman of The Culture He wants to enroll in the journalism One of the scholarship students Tbilisi State Medical Institute, another Azerbaijan. The same ministry spon- Centre of Azerbaijanians. faculty of Black Sea Institute. He’s also is Mammad Mammadov, who has scholarship student, is saving money sored a scholarship program for 20 Shovqi Mehdizadeh, counselor of hoping to get a scholarship. 10 CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT BSJ Georgian Singers Strike Against Lip-synching Singer Roma Rtskhiladze and the band Elephant launch campaign against pre-recorded music

Natalie NOZADZE recorded music. He offered all pop Rtskhiladze. 12 contestants of the Star Academy. song contests, and said that perform- singers free accompaniment by his He thinks that it’s a shame to use The program helped him become a ing live is not hard for him, but there is All of the seats in Philharmonic band, Elephant, if they would agree to recordings in performance in the 21st professional singer, he said. a problem finding a good orchestra. Hall are taken. A 20-year-old ama- give live concerts at Déjà Vu. century. “These kinds of contests are very “I want to sing live, but today we teur singer stands on the lighted Mjavia was the first singer to take “There is no excuse for these per- helpful for beginning singers. We have orchestras with out-of-tune Rtskhiladze’s offer. formers,” he added. learned how to create a successful instruments. After graduating from stage, performing Liza Minnelli’s “I was so glad to have an opportu- Rtskhiladze said that his offer is not show with vocal and choreographic the State Conservatory, musicians signature song, “New York, New nity to arrange live concert with the only for famous singers. Every talent- elements,” said Sulukhia, 20. cannot find employment. So in order York.” band Elephant, that I prepared my ed beginner can perform live with the After Star Academy, he said, sing- to earn money, they perform in res- repertoire just in four days,” she said. band Elephant on Déjà Vu’s stage. ing live is not a problem for him. taurants. None of the musical projects She is greeted with an ovation “When the band is playing live, the “During this few weeks, I have dis- Compared with the singing con- are financially supported by the gov- and wins one of the top prizes from whole performance is based on impro- covered several novices who amazed tests, Cabaret Five Stars, aired on First ernment,” said Jokhadze. the jury. visation. That’s very valuable experi- me with their abilities. I will be happy Channel, is a musical-entertainment “Unfortunately, I can’t promise ence for any singer.” to arrange concerts with this young show, where professional singers are my listeners that I would not use Although three years have passed Since then, live concerts have been people,” he said. invited to perform, instead of begin- pre-recorded music any more. I am since that performance, singer Anano held at Déjà Vu almost every night. Dato Okitashvili, chief of the ners. It is the first TV program in a realist and I know that arranging a Mjavia still recalls with great emotion Rtskhiladze said that his band will department organizing cultural events Georgia where professional singers concert with the support of a live band the night when she became a finalist in play without payment until Georgian in Georgia’s Ministry of Culture, perform live, with a band. is a great luxury,” said the singer Nukri the television music contest GeoStar singers all agree to stop using pre- Monuments Protection and Sports, “It’s very hard to shoot the show, Kapanadze. 2006. recorded music. said that six years ago, he wanted to because we can’t make any mistakes She was happy to hear Rtskhiladze’s Since then, Mjavia has become a Most of Georgian musicians concur ban the use of pre-recorded music in during a live recording,” said Mamuka proposal about arranging live concerts professional singer who is well known that pre-recorded music must be used Tbilisi’s concert halls. Megrelishvili, a composer and musical at Déjà Vu and said that she would throughout the country, appearing in only in rare situations. For example, it’s “In 2003, I was the first who made director for First Channel. take part as soon as possible. many pop concerts in Georgia. But ok to use lip-synching during musical an effort to prevent using pre-record- He said that besides some technical The management of Déjà Vu is also she’s not happy that on some occa- video shooting or while recording a ed music at solo concerts. Lots of sing- problems, live performances are the happy that Rtskhiladze and his band sions, she has to open her mouth and compact disk. In other cases, musi- ers were angry with me at that time,” pride of Cabaret Five Stars. Elephant chose the club to present live imitate singing, rather than giving a cians should sing live, they say. said Okitashvili. “Nobody has the right “Recently I have made many unex- concerts. Mzia Dolidze, the club man- live performance. In Georgia there is no law prohibit- to fool society, saying they are holding pected discoveries in Georgian show- ager, said customers are interested in “Lip-synching” — when singers ing pre-recorded singing. It’s like an a live concert, when in reality it’s only business. Some singers known as stars the concerts. pretend to be singing music that actu- ethical code, which singers all over the lip-synching.” refuse to participate in our show, “Lot of people call during the day ally has been pre-recorded — is not world are trying to obey. He is glad that the problem he because they are afraid that their flaws and ask who is performing in the eve- her choice, she says. Rtskhiladze, 56-year-old singer raised few years ago is getting atten- will be revealed. On the other hand, ning. I think the idea of live music has One night in January, singer and and composer, dreamed about a suc- tion today. some singers that I thought didn’t attracted many clients,” said Dolidze. composer Roma Rtskhiladze invited cessful singer career from his child- Since 2004, televised singing con- have any talent came to Cabaret Five To enter the club during a concert, Mjavia and other Georgian perform- hood. Today he says that his dream tests have become popular in Georgia, Stars and amazed me with their per- one must pay 20 lari. According to ers to the nightclub Déjà Vu. Mjavia came true. as they are in other parts of the world. formances,” said Megrelishvili. Dolidze, approximately 120 visitors thought that Rtskhiladze was holding “I can’t recall the first time I wrote The programs GeoStar, Star Academy, Anri Jokhadze, 28, was one of can be accommodated in the club. a concert. a song, but I can tell you for sure Nutsas School and Success Formula those who surprised First Channel’s “Since we have had the live con- It turned out that the singer was that live performance was the main all required contestants to sing live. musical director with his singing. He certs, almost all the seats are occupied launching a campaign against pre- goal of my career since youth,” said Misha Sulukhia, 20, was one of the had participated in a few international every night,” she said.

they think,” says Gelashvili. She believes ticipation in Eurovision, which will take that the song lyrics contain the message place in Moscow in May. Makharoblish- of all Georgia. “I hope that the Europeans vili thinks that in this situation, Georgians will support us in the contest, as they did participation in the song contest will not during the Russian-Georgian war.” send a good message. He does not like the winning song. Makharoblishvili thinks 24-YEAR-OLD TAMAR BAGATURIA is a fi nancial that there were better candidates who manager. She thinks that in contests like could represent Georgia at Eurovision. Eurovision, the most important thing is to perform well and not to strain relations TEMUR LIABODZE, 45, is a guard in a car park among the countries. She does not think in Tbilisi. He says Georgia should take that it is good manners to insult the host part in Eurovision Song Contest 2009, What do you think country. ’’It is not good to do everything as a song contest is the best way for tal- for revenge,’’ says Bagaturia. She does not ented Georgian singers to become widely about the satirical photos by Leli Blagonravova like the song itself and is concerned that known. Liabodze says he likes the selected song about Putin, 16-YEAR-OLD ILIA KOBAKHIDZE does not like country. Chigolashvili does not like the this song was not written for the Eurovi- song because of its political context. “Th e the song, but he feels that the song has song especially because it has become sion contest. ”We have seen and heard Georgian message at Eurovision 2009 “We Don’t Want to Put one big advantage and somehow has ful- an issue of dispute because of its contro- the same melody at the New Year concert, should be our protest towards Russia,” fi lled its purpose: it is already the topic of versial lyrics, ‘’which I think is not ethical with a Georgian text only,’’ says Bagaturia. says Liabodze. In,” that the Georgian discussion at forums and the whole world to do,’’ says Chigolashvili. He thinks that In her opinion, Georgia’s message in this will hear Georgia’s point of view. “Even if a message from Georgia to Europe con- contest should be that Georgians are civil 45-YEAR-OLD GIULI PAPIASHVILI, a fl ower group Stephane and Stephane and 3G will not be able to partic- cerning the confl ict with Russia should be and peaceful people. seller, couldn’t fi nd a reason that Georgia ipate in Evrovision 2009, everybody knows a song about peace, ‘’because that is what should participate in the Eurovision song 3G are going to pres- the words: we do not want to put in we should be seeking for,’’ he says. VADIM AVERIN, 33, says this song is not contest, or even consider the question. ent in the Eurovision something new. He remembers a Ukrai- “Now, our life is not going well, we have NIKA KOKHREIDZE IS A 16-YEAR-OLD pupil. He DATO SIKRMASHVILI, 23, is a Credit Admin- nian participant, Verka Serduchka, at Eu- a lot of problems at work, at home. I can’t song contest? does not like the winning song and thinks istrator at KOR Standard Bank. He also rovision 2008 with the song “Good Buy fi nd money, medicine, bread. How can I that Keti Orjonikidze, who took second plays the guitar in a band. He does not Russia.“ Averin is worried about the result speak about the Eurovision Contest?” she place, was better. “Georgia should not be think that Georgia should participate in of the song, taking into consideration asked. But she thinks if Georgia is going What do you think the represented at Eurovision song contest the song contest like Eurovision, because Russia’s relationship with Ukraine after to take part in the contest, then the mes- message from Geor- with a political song,” says Kokhreidze. he thinks Eurovision is a contest of taste- that song. He thinks that Georgia should sage should be freedom. less music. He does not like the chosen sing about love. gia should be in this SOPIKO KAPANADZE, A 15-YEAR-OLD pupil, song, because he says it is designed to VAQIF HASANOV, 65, a director of Azerbai- thinks that Georgia defi nitely should par- provoke. “Culture must not interfere in GIA JAKHAIA, 33, an economist at Silk Road jan–Tbilisi Drama Th eater, thinks that contest? ticipate in the Eurovision song contest, politics,” he says. Sikrmashvili thinks in Georgia and a lecturer at Sukhumi Georgia should participate in the Eurovi- though she says that Stephane and 3G that Georgia should go to Moscow with State University, is ashamed of the song. sion Music Contest for prestige. “Georgia have no chance to win. In her opinion, a peaceful message addressing ordinary “Nobody will react positively on the song is a multinational country and includes this is an ordinary song contest, where people, not the Russian politicians. where we insult the host country’s presi- a lot of cultural traditions itself. Th at’s political issues should not be involved. dent,” says Jakhaia. Besides, he does not why taking part in such kind of contest, “It would be better to represent some- 23-YEAR-OLD NINO GELASHVILI is a student. She like the song itself. Jakhaia adds that ev- is normal, ” he says. Talking about Geor- thing entertaining,” says Kapanadze. 20- likes Stephane and 3G’s song. Gelashvili erybody in the world knows that Geor- gia’s current situation, Hasanov said that, year-old David Chigolashvili is a student thinks that song is melodious, rhythmical gian people can sing really beautifully, so despite diffi culties and problems in the at the University of Georgia. He thinks and it expresses the Georgians’ protest to- Georgians should have shown what they Georgian economy, Georgia never gives that this song is not good music. He says ward Russia’s aggression. Th e decision to really can do. up its progress in the cultural fi eld. But that when a person is presenting a song take part in the Eurovision song contest Hasanov said actually he is not interested from his or her country on contests like in Moscow seems right to her. “We will MERAB MAKHAROBLISHVILI, 41, is a painter. in Eurovision, that’s why he does not know Eurovision, that song is an image of that prove to Russia that we are not as weak as He does not approve of Georgia’s par- who represents Georgia at the contest. BSJ CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT 11 Ketevan EBANOIDZE

Why music contests became so popular in Georgia, when show business practically does not exist. Music Business Lags in What should be done to improve the situation in show business. After he won the TV music con- Georgia test Star Academy last year, nothing changed in the career of 20-year-old singer Dito Lagvilava. He entered the competition to test his ability to prepare performances in a short period of time and sing live on television. He wanted to do his best and he did, winning out over 13 other com- petitors on a nationwide television show with a large audience. His prize for winning the contest was a car and an apartment in Tbilisi. He hoped that if he won, promoters would give him the chance to record songs and pres- ent concerts. “My dreams about recording songs and holding concerts did not come true,” said Lagvilava. He did use his own money to record Singers win contests, a song, but he could not promote the recording. “Although these contests help but find careers elusive young, inexperienced singers to grow up as a real singer, after finishing the contests, nothing new happens. You have no chance to realize yourself as a Keti Ordjoniokidze rehearsals for Star Academy. photo from archive singer,” said Lagvilava. ing to enter the show. It was really “Contestants are being really well- Practically no CDs are recorded exhausting. For about a week we had trained, but unfortunately at this time and few concerts are held in Georgia. the first tour and selected 50 of them after finishing the competition, the There are few music producers, record for the second tour, now we have best way for young singers to succeed labels or concert promoters today, already selected these 14, who will is to send them abroad,” he said. because it’s an expensive business with participate in the Star Academy 2. All He thinks that the only way to no guarantee of return. So the music of them have good potential to be good improve show business in Georgia is business in Georgia is small and unde- singers,” said Manana Morchiladze, a to establish many independent record- veloped. member of the Star Academy jury. ing labels that will promote singers. Marina Beridze, a musical produc- Nato Metonidze, a well-known “These labels should work on pro- er, thinks that poor quality, bad taste singer of Georgian songs, says that it is motion of new and talented singers. and unprofessional singers, who lip- impossible to earn a living as a music Some of them should be sold here, synch to recordings, have prevented performer. She receives some income some of them abroad, according to the music business from developing by teaching singing to children. their musical directions,” he said. here. “The market for singers is not big However, the winner of Geostar “After about 2004, when listen- enough to absorb all the contestants 2008, Giorgi Sukhitashvili, 23, does ers understood that practically all from the television music competi- not want to live and work abroad right Georgian singers were performing tions. I don’t see any logic to produc- now. to recorded music, they lost interest ing so many music contests when He is a jazz singer with a live band in singers and their songs, business- show business practically is dead in in the Tbilisi club Marjanov Express men stopped financing and producers Georgia,” she said, adding, “I don’t once a week. He continues looking for stopped promoting in this field,” she mean the projects which are qualified other places to sing. said. But since 2004, televised music and which really care about real pro- His goal in entering Geostar last competitions have become popular fessional growth of contestants and year was to show his talent to the in Georgia, as they are elsewhere in their tastes, for example, Geostar.” people who later could help him to the world. She thinks that those who produce develop his career and find a job. The first music contest, Nutsa’s music contests should be concerned “When you became popular, you School, was broadcast on TV Imedi in about contestants not only during the have more offers from the bars and 2004. In The same year, TV Company program, but afterward.” With the clubs, which at this moment are the Mze produced music contest Geostar, help of producers and producing cen- only income for me. Singing is not which since 2007 has been produced ters, contestants should continue their only my hobby, it is my profession,” annually by Rustavi-2. professional development even after he said. Last year Rustavi 2 added another finishing these contests, only in this After Sukhitashvili won the con- music competition, Star Academy. case they will have more chances to Giorgi Sukhitashvili performing at GeoStar 2008. photo from archive test, he had new offers from different Rustavi 2 also presents the children’s develop,” she said. opportunities to perform or record European market. clubs. Geocell, permanent sponsor of music contest Ana-Bana. Marina Beridze, who is musical since the contest ended. Now she “The only way for young singers song contest Geostar, financed him According to AGB Nielsen Media producer for both Geostar and Star wants to try to make her career abroad. today is to go abroad,” she said. and he’s currently recording a CD and Research Company, which tracks Academy, said the job of those who As a prize for being a finalist, Rustavi Step Records is an independent is planning to shoot a video. He thinks television viewership, Star Academy produce music contests is to help the 2 sent her to London in July 2008. She musical label established in 2005. The that at this time in Georgia, television attracted a 20.43 share of the televi- contestants during the program. After studied there for two months at the goal of people working there is to music contests are the only way to get sion audience, meaning that 20.43 per- that, it’s up to independent produc- University of Contemporary Music promote young and talented singers in ahead as a professional singer. cent of all those watching television ers. Performance. Georgia as well as abroad. Beridze, the musical producer, during that time period were tuned to “We take the responsibility to pre- “It was really very good experi- Achiko Guledani, art director of believes that TV music contests are Star Academy. pare good singers during the projects. ence for me. Every day I had classes Step Records, named several reasons the best way to develop young singers Despite the drawbacks of trying to After finishing them they should con- in rock vocal, pop vocal, I had also why the music business is undevel- and get them used to singing live. make a living as a singer, many young tinue their career with independent piano classes and music literature. oped in Georgia. “We have already discovered many singers see televised music contests as producers. Our projects prepare a This diversity was really interesting for “The main reason is that the music gifted young singers. I am sure these a way to launch a career. basis and hope that will be a stimulus me, it was great,” she said. business is really expensive,” he said. projects will raise their number. Now For Star Academy 2, which started for establishing music producing cen- She thinks that if contestants pre- He often watches TV music con- it is time for businessmen to wake up in March 2009, the jury auditioned ters,” she said. pare well and work hard during the tests and thinks that the quality of and finance really talented young sing- 8,000 singers, and selected 14. Keti Ordjonikidze, a finalist in Star TV competitions, they will have a Georgian song contests has improved ers,” she said. “We listened to 8,000 people wish- Academy, also has had no professional chance to go abroad and sing in the since 2004 when they began. 12 CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT BSJ City Struggles to Control Garbage Gvantsa BARBAKADZE Every person Tbilisi’s garbage bunkers — the goes out every day large waste disposal method used and they need just in many tall apartment buildings — are soon to become a relic of the to take garbage past. and drop it in the Tbilisi City Hall is in the midst garbage container. of a campaign to eliminate the bun- kers and replace them with new trash It’s very easy receptacles in the streets. Fifty garbage bunkers have already been eliminated in the districts of Gldani-Nadzaladevi, the city’s Municipal Department of Vake-Saburtalo and Isani-Samgori and Cleaning, said that anyone who throws replaced by 450 containers. garbage in the yard will be punished The bunkers are considered unsan- and fined 200 lari. itary and a health hazard, according “ Every person goes out every day to Tariel Khizaneishvili, of the city’s and they need just to take garbage and Municipal Department of Cleaning. drop it in the garbage container. It’s The bunkers attracts rats, he said, very easy, ” he said. because garbage sits for days await- Nino Asatiani, an infectious dis- ing collection. In addition the garbage ease doctor who works at the third method is unsightly and affects public Clinic of Family, agrees that disposing morale, he said. of garbage improperly poses a public “Because of full garbage bunkers in health hazard. the buildings, garbage then is placed “ I welcome this project, I’m sure elsewhere in the building. That’s why that this project will solve the prob- we decided to start this project,” said lem and the home of infections will be Khizanishvili abolished,” she said. The garbage bunker replacement Lela Janashia the head of the project was undertaken because city Information and Public Participation residents wanted it, according to Program for The Regional Khizanishvili. Environmental Center for the The whole budget for the bun- Caucasus (REC Caucasus), an NGO, ker elimination program is 200, 000 said that the city’s project is timely, lari, which is the cost of the out- because the problem of garbage dis- door containers that replace the bun- posal is acute in city buildings. But she kers. Tbilisi City Hall paid 900 lari for also thinks the city needs to be more each container. The containers were vigilant about emptying the garbage imported from Germany, two months containers, or Dumpsters, that line ago, said Khizaneishvili. city streets. A month ago, Tbilisi City Hall start- Eteri Khvichia, a resident of Didube, photos by Gvantsa Barbakadze ed airing a television advertisement said, residents in her building agreed about the effort to eliminate bunkers, especially in buildings that do not goes to the Municipal Department of emptying the containers on the streets to have the garbage bunker removed to encourage apartment dwellers to have lifts. Cleaning, which then eliminates the and cleaning up grassy areas. There four years ago because of the terrible support the program “Now I have to go down two or bunkers. are 6,300 containers in the city and smell and the way the garbage attract- Khizaneishvili conceded that many three times a day to drop the garbage Workers at first cleaning bunkers 2,500 litter receptacles that the clean- ed rats and stray dogs. people find it convenient to open a in the container,” she said. and the whole entrance of the build- ers must empty. The situation in the main entrance door on the floor where they live and But Khizaneishvili said that “ I ing, then they close and seal up the Tamuna Chumburidze,36, lives in of the building was horrible, she said. drop the garbage down to the bunker. cannot see any argument not to abol- doors of the garbage deposit shafts on Temka. She thinks that the bunker But at that time, city didn’t have its But the method leads the dirty hall- ish these garbage bunkers. For me, each floor and also seal the bunker. elimination program won’t solve the project, so residents paid for the ways, unpleasant smells and even the the argument about convenience is Then they use special disinfections garbage problem. removal of the bunker themselves, risk of infections. obscure.” on the building and in the bunkers “I know Georgian people, they will she said. Irina Botsvadze, 40, lives in Ketevan Abdushelishvili is chief of in order to eliminate any unpleasant throw down the garbage from the According to Khizaneishvili, Saburtalo. She said that it was much the bunker elimination program. She smells. Then they place new outdoor window of the fifth floor. People will Georgia’s Ministry of Environmental more comfortable to open a door on said that residents of each apartment garbage containers near the building. be lazy to take the garbage down in the and Natural Resource Protection, also her floor and send the garbage down building must agree that the bunkers Tbilisi has 30 special motorized garbage container,” she said. is involved in this project. They will through a building shaft to the bunker, should be eliminated. The agreement machines that perform the task of , But Tariel Khizaneishvili, from plant trees near containers.

GIPA News Brief NewsBrief...NewsBrief...NewsBrief...

U.S. ESSAYS PUBLISHED IN GEORGIA in plain words the meaning of state, judiciary z sidered as the two best final projects of 2008 The Federalist Papers, translated for the first and the philosophy of politics.” GIPA graduates’ research papers about local graduates. time into Georgian, was presented on January The students of Grigol Robakidze University financial reforms in Georgia were published Professor David Narmania supervised the 22 in the U.S. Embassy. The book contains 85 contributed to the project. The presentation of as a book on February 5. German Technical students’ research. Representative of GTZ Kate political essays of the Founding Fathers of the the book coincided two dates, the inauguration Cooperation - GTZ initiated and financed the Vardiashvili also attended the book presentation United States, including Alexander Hamilton, of Barack Obama, the president of the U.S. and publication. at the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs, which James Madison and John Jay. Grigol Robakidze Martin Luther King’s 80th anniversary. Eka Saneblidze and Otar Kikvidze,graduates is a preferred partner for the organization. University published the project, cooperating John Tefft, the U.S Ambassador to Georgia, of Local Government Master’s Program, con- with the U.S embassy. also attended the presentation. “The Papers ducted the research for their final projects. z “The main goal to publish this book was to explained not only the Constitution itself, but Sanablidze’s project describes local financial CLUB ERUDITIHOSTS GUEST SPEAKER bolster relationships between Georgia and the examined in some detail the philosophy behind reform in Georgia and its problems, while Possible socio-cultural links betweenGeorgian U.S.,” said Giorgi Baramidze, scientific super- each part of it,”the ambassador said. Kikvidze examines the results of the reforms. and Spanish people was the topic of a meeting visor and chairman of the editorial board. The Federalist Papers is recommended as Local finances are among the topics the German with Georgian writer, Dato Turashvili, The con- “Intellectual collaboration is one of means for reading material for university students as well Cooperation GTZ works on. The organization vention, arranged through the club Eruditi, was building such kind of relations... The book puts as for others s interested in this field. supported the publication of the papers, con- held at GIPA on February 26, Besides the main BSJ CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT 13 Mediator Tries to Resolve Health Insurance Conflicts New health insurance mediation service tackles disputes between clients to avoid court will insure another 900,000 citizens,” ments first. in favor of the insurance companies Zhorzholadze, database and report- Sophio EBRALIDZE said Sopho Lebanidze, head of the Explanations: The organization amounted to 201 in the explanation ing manager at the Health Insurance Five-year old Luka has spastic palsy Health Care Department at The gives information to the insured category, and 1 in the dispute cat- Mediation Service. (quadriplegia) and is unable to walk. Ministry of Labor, Health and Social 2 person and gives direction on egory, with the total value of the cases The relationship with insurance Affairs of Georgia. what to do next. put at 108,200 lari ($67,000). companies has been positive, both He lives with his mother and grand- The organization serves citizens Disagreements: The Health “In the second category, explana- sides say. parents. In the Iashvili Children’s insured by the State health insurance Insurance Mediation Service tions, the insurance companies turned ‘’They are not biased, we trust them Hospital, doctors told Luka’s mother programs, as well as by the private sec- 3studies the documents, the case, out to be right more often, because and of course take their recommenda- tor insurance companies, either indi- and after that comes to a conclusion, people are less informed about their tions into consideration,” said Khatuna that there was a chance for Luka to vidually or in corporate (employee) and tries to resolve the disagreement. insurance terms and procedures, Silagadze, Social Programs Manager improve his condition with surgery. groups. “We have to discuss 20-25 applica- or what they can expect the insur- for GPI Holding. The Health Insurance Mediation tions every day. Most of them are of ance company to pay for” said Nino But the Insurance Company, Irao, Service is located under the N. the first and second categories,’’ said First Category refused to finance the operation, Baratashvili bridge on the left bank of Lia Memarnishvili, a health insurance because the outcome was question- the Mtkvari River. A mediator, three specialist at mediation service. Second Category able. So Nino, Luka’s mother, applied health insurance specialists, a law- According to an agreement with 8.1% for help to the Health Insurance yer, an administrator, an IT specialist insurance companies, the mediation Third Category Mediation Service (HIMS), a private and a database and reporting manager service can tell the company to carry NGO that attempts to resolve disputes make up the staff of the organization. out certain obligations, when the dis- between clients and insurance compa- Lela Serebryakova, Health pute involves less than 1,000 lari. nies. The mediator studied the case, Insurance Regulation Program “But if the sum is higher, then the and had intensive meetings with Irao’s Manager at CoReform, praised the mediation service’s conclusion is a 24.3% representatives. staff of the mediation service. recommendation [not an order],” said The insurance company decided to “These are people who not only Tsertsvadze. finance Luka’s surgery in November thoroughly understand health insur- According to the documents, from 2008. Now Luka is beginning to be ance, but also they care,’’ she said. May to November 2008, 1,332 people able to walk. The mediation service’s goal is not applied to the mediation service. From Health Insurance Mediation only to resolve disputes, but also to September to November, cases were 67.6% Service, part of the Georgian Insurance inform consumers who have health resolved in favor of the insured con- Association, tries to settle misunder- insurance. sumers 51 times in disputes and 21 standings and disagreements between “People have a serious deficit of cases in explanations. The resolutions the clients and insurance companies, information in this field. A person may were valued at 82,950 lari ($51,800). avoiding court. think that he or she deserves a benefit, During the same period, cases resolved Anybody who has health insurance and in reality does not. Or just on the can call 555-115 and get consultations contrary, deserves it, but does not and assistance for free, according to know about it. Besides resolving the Applications in GEL Archil Tsertsvadze, head and media- disagreements, the main function of Received Second Category tor of the Health Insurance Mediation this organization is giving more infor- Month Third Category Disputes Explanations Service. mation to health insured citizens,” said profit The organization was established Tsertsvadze. Quantity Sum Quantity Sum on the initiative of the Georgian The job of the mediator is to be Insurance Association, with the help objective, professional and impartial. of the Ministry of Labor, Health and “In the process of making a deci- Ensured person 4 3 500 14 13 150 Social Affairs of Georgia, and with the sion, the mediator is absolutely auton- September support of the United States Agency for omous. The board of the Georgian Insurance Company 75 35 000 International Development’s (USAID) Insurance Association does not project Co-Reform, in March 2008. interfere,” said Devi khechinashvili, Ensured person 5 4 000 24 38 000 In 2007 the Ministry of Labor, President of the Georgian Insurance October Health and Social Affairs of Georgia Association. started a state insurance program for There are three categories of Insurance Company 66 33 850 - - the socially unprotected population, applications in the Health Insurance as well as for teachers, armed forces Mediation Service: Ensured person 4 2 500 12 11 8000 and public officials. Forwarding: When the applica- November The Georgian government sees the tion is out of the mediation’s Insurance Company 60 30 350 1 9 000 private health insurance system as the 1competence. For example, if an major method for financing health insured person applies directly to the Ensured person 21 10 000 51 62 950 care in the future. In 2009, two-thirds Health Insurance Mediation Service, of the population will have health without applying first to the company Totally insurance. or ministry, the mediator asks the Insurance Company 201 99 200 1 9 000 “During the year of 2009, the state person to apply to the other depart-

subject, the invited speaker also talked about of the organization, Nikoloz Vashakidze, said less. On the other hand, if the Georgian govern- z current issues taking place in Georgia. that in the wake of the August war, Russia has ment rebuffs that suggestion, it might place the GIPA AWARDS NEW GRADUATES been suffering from the sense of “unfinished country in a difficult situation. WITH CERTIFICATES STUDENTS MEET affair,” which questions Georgia’s sovereignty and “Any military provocation may take place in The Georgian Institute of Public Affairs host- NIKOLOZ RURUA territorial integrity. According to Vashakidze, a conflict zone without monitoring,” he said. “It ed the graduation ceremony for the certified Nikoloz Rurua, the Minister of Culture, who is Georgia’s former deputy Minister of will make difficult to identify the initiator and coursesPublic Finances and Financial Accounting. Monuments Protection and Sport, spoke about Foreign Affairs, the current economic slow- aggressor on the territory left out of control.” Should this be employees ofthe Ministry of Internal the functions and top priorities of the Ministry down in Russia could prompt another assault on Affairs were awarded certificates. in a talk students of the School of Government Georgian territory. The Georgian Institute of Russian Studies The School of Government at the Georgian at GIPA on March 4. Answering students’ ques- “Russia will need to shift people’s attention was established with the support of the Open Institute of Public Affairs provided courses, specif- tions, the Minister also discussed issues con- to outer problems,” he says. “The country which Society Georgia Foundation initial funding on ically created for the Ministry of Internal Affairs. nected with the protection of Georgia’s cultural emerged in economic slowdown is to seek new January 18. The course aimed to train the staff of the heritage. ways to victory. The war is the best method to The founders of the NGO said that the Russian Ministry, and to introduce and increase aware- overshadow political crisis and maintain author- hostilities in Georgia in August 2008 demon- ness of new methods and trends pertaining to z ity.” strated the need for such a research body. the legislation, financial and budgeting account- The Georgian Institute of Russian Studies pub- Vashakidze says that Russia’s proposal to keep ing. Through the courses, leading specialists lished new research about the possible aggrava- OSCE missions separately under independent of the Institute, as well as invited experts, con- tion of Georgia-Russian relationships. The head status in South Ossetia and Georgia is meaning- ducted the lectures. 14 CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT BSJ New Chess Rules Rile Players Top chessplayers do not hypenate this boycot main country championship in protest

Ia GAVASHELI reach an agreement with the protest- a 2231 rating and Mery Arabidze with ing chess players, but they did not a 2246 rating. In chess, the quality of A change in rules for the annual want to compromise. He also denied players is determined by their ratings. Georgian Women’s Chess Champi- that he slammed his hand on the desk A rating of at least 2300 is required for onships led to protests from some or shouted during negotiations the Chess Grand Master’s title. of the country’s best players, who Giorgadze said that to make sure Other participants of the tourna- the preliminary tournament could be ment had ratings of more then 2350, boycotted the tournament to draw held, they invited some other play- and all of them are International attention to their objections. ers to participate, but he said no one Grand Masters. Tsatsalashvili is an played illegally. International Master and Arabidze Even though the tournament, “Despite the fact that the stron- does not have the title. They have to ended in December at the Tbilisi gest players declined to play and the raise their ratings to become Grand Chess Palace, is now over, the dispute membership of tournament was quite Masters, the most prestigious and between chess players and the leader- weak, the main point is that everyone highest title in chess. ship of the Georgian Chess Federation should respect the law and it must not So, two places at the Georgian continues. change because of someone’s obsti- championship were vacant, and the Gia Giorgadze, president of nacy,” he said. federation suggested to players who Georgian Chess Federation, said that Zurab Azmaiparashvili, a member had the highest ratings that they nothing illegal was done in changes of the federation administration, said should play in the championship made to this year’s tournament rules, that only the federation president is But Nino Batsiashvili, whose rat- and that all players should abide by allowed to change the rules, and that ing is 2359, and Bela Khotenashvili, the changes. But one of the protesting the protests of chess players are not whose rating is 2350, refused again to chess players, Nino Batsiashvili, who a reason to change the rules. Nona participate. is International Chess Grand Master Gaprindashvili, also an administration “It is the question of self-respect. among women, said that the rules member, said that the problem should They need us to strengthen the tour- that prompted the protest had major not be solved for the chess players nament, because it is their fault that problems. profit. they are conducting the main country According to the usual rules for the “Sporting principles should not competition with such weak competi- annual tournament — the country’s Giorgadze and asked him to change ings than Paikidze and Mikadze, their be abolished. Making complaints tion. We will not support them with most prestigious — Georgia’s top six the rules so that six competitors, not names were not even discussed as and ultimatums is not the right way, our consent,” said Batsiashvili. players are automatically admitted to four, would be chosen from the pre- players who would be automatically ”Gaprindashvili said. Finally, the vacant places were filled the tournament, in which there are liminary round. admitted to the grand championship. However, the federation changed with the third and fourth prizewinners a total of 12 participants. The other “But he did not listen to us and said Every year about 30 players take the rules again after the preliminary of the preliminary tournament. six players, according to the old rules, that he makes rules there, and if we do part in that preliminary tournament. tournament. The Georgian chess Those participants are good play- were selected from a special tourna- not agree with them we are able not to This year, federation had to conduct championship is the most important ers for their age, but “they are young ment held in advance of the champi- play. He even slammed his fists on the the tournament with only 12 players, tournament in the country, where the yet for such kind of championship,” onship. table and shouted,” said Batsiashvili. because so many players refused to strongest players always take part. said Batsiashvili. But this year, the leadership of the The protesting players also object- participate. Admitting four participants from 12 The average age of those chess Georgian Chess Federation decided ed to the choice of certain of the play- Maka Purtseladze, International low-ranked players would weaken players who participated at Georgian that eight players instead of six would ers who were admitted automatically. Master among women, said the the championship, so the federation chess championship this year was 23, be automatically admitted to the tour- Khotenashvili cited Nazi Paikidze, tournament was in danger of being decided to admit only two from the one of the youngest average ages of nament, and only four players would who is the world and European cham- canceled, because after the protest, preliminary tournament. any championship held in Georgia. be selected during the preliminary pion under 16, and Miranda Mikadze, only seven women wanted to play. These were Keti Tsatsalashvili, with competition. who is the Georgian champion under Purtseladze said that to raise the num- Some of the players who were not 20. ber of participants, some players were admitted automatically to the tourna- Khotenashvili said that she and unfairly admitted to the competition. ment protested the change in rules. other chess players had held those Chess players wrote a letter of pro- These included Batsiashvili, Bela titles at one time, but they were never test and sent it to the Sport Department Khotenashvili, Alexandra Vakhania, allowed to participate in the annual of Tbilisi. The department answered Inga Charkhalashvili and Maka championship and they had to com- with a letter to Batsiashvili, saying that Purtseladze. Some other players who pete in the lower tournament instead they had studied the case and accord- had been planning to participate in of being admitted automatically. ing to the rules of federation, the pro- the preliminary tournament joined the Khotenashvili, Batsiashvili and testors’ complaint was not valid. protestors. Purtseladze declared that, although Giorgadze, the federation presi- The protesting players approached they rank higher in international rat- dent, said that he met and tried to BSJ CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT 15 Contractor to Build Azeri Museum on Old Site $ 100 million business complex in Old Tbilisi will include museum devoted to Azerbaijani revolutionary Zaka GULUYEV

Mirze Sefi Street, high on the hill in Old Tbilisi, was once home to Azer- baijani and Georgians. But now the street is empty and there are no resi- dents. Houses on this street were in dis- repair, and Tbilisi City Hall decided they should be removed. A Georgian Construction company, Apollo, bought 14 houses on the street and destroyed them in December planning to build a $100 million business complex on the property. Now only heavy machines are working in the street, cleaning the rubbish left over from the destroyed buildings. One of those buildings housed the museum of the Azerbaijani revo- lutionary, writer, publicist, politician and statesman Nariman Narimanov. Nariman Narimanov’s museum become the property of Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan Republic in 2007, after it was priva- tized, said Adil Efendiyev, the first sec- retary of Ambassador of Azerbaijan Republic to Georgia. Inga Kaya, the main specialist of Ministry of Culture, Monuments Protection and Sport of Georgia, says that Georgia and Azerbaijan have reached agreement on rebuild- ing the house-museum of Nariman photo by Zaka Guluyev Narimanov on Mirze Sefi Street. She says agreement was signed January part of The Kremlin Wall in Moscow They were established after the visit of this year between cultural ministers When destroyed museum will be overlooking the Red Square, where Azerbaijani president Heydar Aliyev of Georgia and Azerbaijan, the mayor the Soviet governments buried many to Tbilisi in 1996. of Tbilisi City Hall, and the head of rebuilt again, then we will have chances prominent local and international Aliyeva, opened one of the closed Apollo Construction Company. Communist figures. boxes and took out a personal belong- “The house-museum of Nariman to open all these exhibits there. Leyla Aliyeva, 61, is a director ing of Narimanov — a wooden candle- Narimanov was in bad condition of Azerbaijan Cultural Museums stick, and began cleaning it. before it was destroyed. For almost named after Mirze Feteli Axundov, “There’s no place to exhibit [his two years, the museum was not work- building the museum, then we can say He was officially declared to have died Celil Memmedquluzade and Nariman items] in this museum,” she said. ing because of its bad situation,” said how much money we will spend on it,” of a heart attack, but his remains were Narimanov in Tbilisi. She says these “When destroyed museum will be Kaya. Sturua said. cremated. His ashes were buried in museums were the houses of the peo- rebuilt again, then we will have chanc- Kaya said the agreement calls for all Sturua added that they have found Kremlin Wall Necropolis, which is a ple whose life also related to Tbilisi. es to open all these exhibits there.” construction expenses of the museum one old Azeri architect’s construction to be paid by Apollo, which will build style in Tbilisi and they will use this the business complex on Mirze Sefi style to build the museum. Apollo Street. Once the museum building is plans to start construction in the mid- completed, it will again become the dle of March this year. Sturua said property of the Ministry of Tourism museum will consist of two stories and and Culture of the Azerbaijani will be completed in two years. Republic. Before the houses were destroyed, Nino Kordzakhia, head of the the exhibits in the museum were Monitoring and Supervision moved to another Azerbaijani muse- Department of Old Tbilisi District um, named after Mirze Feteli Axundov, Council, confirmed the details of the on Gorgasali Street, near Old Tbilisi. agreement. But she said Tbilisi City Books and other personal possessions Hall has not yet approved construc- of Nariman Narimanov are kept in the tion models for the business complex. corridor of the museum. Most of the “The suggested construction mod- other exhibits are in closed boxes. els were against the architectural style Narimanov was born in a poor of old Tbilisi. That’s why Tbilisi City Azerbaijani family in Tbilisi in 1870. Hall suggested that they rework con- His childhood and youth were spent struction models,” said Kordzakhia. in Georgia. Narimanov was the first The new business complex on head of state and government of The Mirze Sefi Street will cover 20,000 Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic square meters and will cost Apollo (ASSR) and also held other high posi- $100 million, said Tea Sturua, the tions in the administration of USSR project manager of Apollo. But she from 1920-1925. said at the moment it’s difficult for He was one of the first activists them to say how much money exactly of young Turkic literature. He trans- will be spent on the building museum lated into Turkic Russian Gogol’s dedicated to Nariman Narimanov. “Inspector” and wrote a large number “We are going to invite Azeri archi- of plays, stories and novels. tects also to take part in the construc- Narimanov died in Moscow at age tion of museum. When we will start 55, under suspicious circumstances. photo from Geornian National Museum archive Photo essay by Malkhaz Chkadua

More then 15 000 pieces of communion bread are baked in a week for liturgies of Sameba Lavra. Often the baked com- munion bread is sent to various episcopacies of Georgia and outside the country. Students of the Ecclesiastical Academy of Georgia cut the dough, put them in special pans and then bake into the hot stove. The dough is stamped with specially imprinted por- trayals of Jesus Christ and the Virgin. When the liturgy is over, all the prayers get the communion bread in church.

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