Issue no: 1133 • MARCH 15 - 18, 2019 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 In this week’s issue... Georgia Concludes Talks with Gazprom over Gas Transit to Armenia NEWS PAGE 3 Of Bread, Circus & German Professors: A Look at How Disinformation Works in Georgia POLITICS PAGE 4 Ukraine Now Experiences What Georgia Saw Years Ago POLITICS PAGE 7 TBC’s Vakhtang Butskhrikidze Wins at FIRST Awards ON NEIGHBORLY RELATIONS The Georgian President meets her counterpart FOCUS in Armenia to discuss future relations PAGE 2 Georgian Man Found Dead in Abkhaz Interrogation Room, De-Facto Authorities Blame Suicide BUSINESS PAGE 7 sentatives of the de-facto Abkhaz government via the communication hotline operated by the EU Monitoring Mission. La Dolce Vita The de-facto Abkhaz authorities say that the young man was detained on March 10 for “illegally crossing the border,” and was left alone in an SOCIETY PAGE 8 interrogation room to write a confession. He was later found to have hung himself to death in the room, say reports from the de-facto Abkhaz security service. Local Georgians claim Kvaratskhelia was beaten to A Look death after a verbal dispute with so-called border guards, who then staged his suicide. Back on an The State Security Service immediately began an investigation to iden- tify the circumstances of Kvaratskhelia’s death “through every instru- Exceptional ment at its disposal,” according to an offi cial statement. Tbilisi Ballet Continued on page 2 Gala CULTURE PAGE 9 Image source: JAM News Street Name Commemorates BY SAMANTHA GUTHRIE German Heritage in Georgia he Abkhaz authorities say Irakli Kvaratskhelia took his own life. Georgian media is reporting on local suspicions that foul play was involved. On Tuesday, March 12, the State Security Service of Geor- gia reported that a 29-year-old Georgian, Irakli Kvaratskhe- Tlia, had died in the Gali district of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region. The information came to the State Security Service from repre- CULTURE PAGE 11 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS MARCH 15 - 18, 2019 President Zurabishvili Pays Offi cial Visit to Armenia tainability, and development. BY THEA MORRISON Image source: Georgian President’s Administration “We also attach great importance to cooperation in education, culture, and those activities that aim at cultural her- he fi rst female president of itage protection. We are sure that our Georgia, Salome Zurabish- joint efforts in this direction will be vili, paid an offi cial visit to effective,” said Sarkissian. neighboring Armenia on After meeting Sarkissian, Zurabishvili March 13-14 and held high- had a meeting with the Prime Minister Trank meetings with state offi cials there. of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan. The sides During the meeting with her Armenian discussed key aspects of Georgia-Arme- counterpart, Armen Sarkissian, Zura- nia political and economic cooperation. bishvili noted that Georgia and Armenia "Our relations should be based on com- have a great potential for further devel- mon strategic interest and I am glad to oping relations. She thanked her coun- receive the same response from the terpart for the warm reception, stressing Georgian government. Now the time has that this visit signifi es Georgia’s expec- come to bring this mutual understand- tation to further deepen relations with ing into action,” Pashinyan said. Armenia. In President Zurabishvili’s view, it is As emphasized, Georgia recognizes the important to realize the full potential of territorial integrity of all states within their Georgia and Armenia’s further developed internationally recognized borders. Also, relations. “We can do much more together Georgia is ready to support the peaceful than alone; we have a lot to do,” she said. resolution of the confl ict. Zurabishvili As highlighted, Georgia and Armenia spoke about the delimitation of the Geor- have a great potential for enhancing gia-Armenia state border. She also dis- bilateral relations; Georgia’s economic cussed Georgia’s European integration potential is better promoted after the and the EU position in this process. country signed free trade agreements At the joint press conference in Yere- with the EU and China. van, Zurabishvili highlighted the vital It was noted that Armenia is Georgia’s importance of stability and peace for the ful way that will be based on international of initiative, speech and advice, and tain the atmosphere of peace, security, partner in terms of tourism. Tourism region. She invited President Sarkissian legal norms. This is a subject for nego- through exercising this right, we can and cooperation in the region. My Geor- traffi c index between Georgia and Arme- to Georgia to attend the Batumi Confer- tiations and dialogue - this is our strong infl uence not only our societies, but also gian colleague and I share the same view nia is high. Armenia ranks 3rd in the ence marking the 10th anniversary of the belief,” she stated. executive and legislative authorities to on the solutions to regional confl icts. number of visitors entering Georgia. In Eastern Partnership. The Georgian President also noted that develop relations that are all-encompass- We think that problems and confl icts terms of Georgian visitors traveling to “We are not only neighbors, but also active economic cooperation between ing and benefi cial for the future,” she said. and their solutions are not the same; Armenia, Georgia also holds a decent friends. We live in a region for which the two countries is necessary, be it in Sarkissian accepted his counterpart’s however, I strongly believe that a solu- place on the list. stability and peace are decisive. Stability tourism, new technologies, energy, or invitation to Georgia, highlighting that tion should be found only in a peaceful Conversation touched upon ethnic and peace are necessary preconditions transport infrastructure that can be developing exceptional relations with way, but in accordance with international Armenians living in Georgia, their inte- for further developing our economies extended to Armenia. Georgia is one of the top priorities on law and norms,” he said. gration into the social and economic life and our economic cooperation. We face “We have a great future. We are vigor- Armenia’s political agenda. The Armenian President also noted of Georgia, and acquisition of the Geor- many challenges in the region; we should ous optimists. We are going to continue “This is evidenced by the recent high- that his country attaches great impor- gian language. realize that the only way to overcome to discuss a lot of issues and not just on level meetings and achieved agreements tance to the implementation of energy Zurabishvili and Pashinyan also dis- these challenges and solve these confl icts the level of statements, but actually pre- between Georgia and Armenia. Armenia and logistics projects in the South Cau- cussed cultural cooperation between the that impede our development is a peace- sent our views. We both have the right is eager to establish, protect, and main- casus to ensure regional security, sus- two countries. Georgian Man Found Dead in Abkhaz Interrogation Room, De-Facto Authorities Blame Suicide Continued from page 1 causes of the incident are found, we what happened before making conclu- controlled territory. Standing at the determine whether it was infl icted when have already taken steps to inform the sions, saying that obtaining precise and Enguri Bridge waiting to collect his the man was alive or whether they President Salome Zurabishvili tweeted international community regarding the objective information on the situation remains, the Kvaratskhelia family was appeared after death.” her condolences to the young man’s issue.” All Georgia’s diplomatic mis- was “vitally important.” accompanied by a retinue of Georgian There is currently no explanation as family, writing “The tragic news of the sions worldwide were instructed to Foreign Minister Zalkaliani confi rmed government offi cials including Deputy to where Kvaratskhelia might have got- sad death of a young man in the occu- inform their host countries of Kvart- that he has been in regular contact with State Minister for Reconciliation and ten the rope, how long he was left alone pied #Gali District is a heartbreaking skhelia’s death. the EU Special Representative to Geor- Civic Equality Ruslan Abashidze and in the interrogation room, or why there continuation of the situation in our At the time of his death, the young gia concerning the incident, along with offi cials from the State Security Service. was no surveillance in the room. #occupiedterritories. I share the sad- man was being held in a detention facil- the co-chairs of the Geneva International On the morning of Thursday, March The Georgian autopsy report is in line ness of Irakli’s family and friends and ity by de-facto Abkhaz authorities. Local Discussions (GID) from the OSCE and 14, an autopsy was conducted to deter- with a medical examination conducted pray for their strength in this diffi cult residents of the Gali district told report- UN, but he does not yet know whether mine the cause of death. The exam by the de-facto Abkhaz authorities moment.” ers that Kvaratskhelia was detained after Kvaratskhelia was physically abused lasted approximately fi ve hours, after before his body was transferred, who Shortly after the news was released, getting into a verbal argument with before his death. On March 13, the GID which the following statement was found “no traces of violence” on the Georgian Foreign Minister David Zal- occupying forces several days prior, and co-chairs from the EU, UN and EU released by medical examiner Irakli body. kaliani told reporters, “We received that he was beaten. traveled to the occupied Abkhazia region Toidze: Minister Tsikhelashvili believes there information about the alarming case Georgian State Minister for Recon- to discuss the details of Kvaratskhelia’s “Pieces of rope were found inside the are no witness who could tell the story yesterday from the EUMM.