Victor Erofeyev on the August War, Abkhazia, Stalin and More

Issue no: 1073 • AUGUST 10 - 13, 2018 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 In this week’s issue... Patriarch Condemns Marijuana Legalization NEWS PAGE 2 The West, Georgia & Religion – as Seen by a Scholarly Nun POLITICS PAGE 4 Kaladze’s Weekly Priorities: Remembering the War, New Bus Tender Awarded, Robert Sturua From the campaign #checkinsamachablo. Source: marketer.ge POLITICS PAGE 6 ON THE AUGUST WAR August 2008 War: Consequences of a Blitzkrieg A look at the confl ict, past and present FOCUS POLITICS PAGE 9 The Good Russian: Victor Erofeyev on the August War, Abkhazia, Stalin and More EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY VAZHA TAVBERIDZE Georgia Ranked 102nd in Global Peace Index 2018 ictor Erofeyev, one of POLITICS PAGE 9 Russia’s most prominent writers and thinkers, has a busy schedule. sHEROes, a Book about Shifting between Paris Heroines of the 2008 August Vand Moscow, all the while writing modern bestsellers and remaining War, Launches in Tbilisi one of the few outspoken voices of reason in Russia, cannot be an easy task. Banned from publishing until 1988 in the Soviet Union, the former dissident author’s book ‘The Good Stalin’ was recently translated and published in Georgian by Intelekti publishing house – but the book was but one of the few subjects the cel- ebrated author talked us through as he sat with GEORGIA TODAY for an exclusive interview for our Messages from Brussels series. Continued on page 8 CULTURE PAGE 15 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS AUGUST 10 - 13, 2018 Lithuanian Lawmakers Initiate Presidential Candidate Zurabishvili Claims Revision of Georgia-Russia 2008 Georgia Started August 2008 War Ceasefi re Agreement of Georgia should timely respond to the the August war is unacceptable for me,” BY THEA MORRISON BY THEA MORRISON statement of the Lithuanian MPs, "a very he added. important statement made by Georgia’s Thea Tsulukiani, Georgia’s Justice Min- friends." ister, has not criticized Zurabishvili but n connection to the 10th anniver- Bakradze says that the Georgian Par- alome Zurabishvili, an independ- stated that the Hague-based International sary of the 2008 Georgia-Russia liament and the Foreign Ministry should ent presidential candidate who Criminal Court, which authorized a probe War, members of the Homeland start working with the Lithuanian side, will likely be supported by the into possible war crimes committed by Union – Lithuanian Christian and highlights that this is the fi rst case ruling Georgian Dream (GD) Russian, Georgian and South Ossetian Democrats have addressed the of an EU member state initiating an party in the race, has accused forces during the confl ict, will soon declare IForeign Minister of the country to assess imposition of sanctions on Russia for Sher own country of starting the war against that Russia is an occupant. the implementation of obligations of occupying Georgia. the Russian Federation in August 2008. “Our government and the ruling party Russia taken under the August 12, 2008 “This is very important, and I want to The candidate made the statement after have one position only: that it was Rus- ceasefi re agreement. express my hope that the Government nominating herself a presidential can- sia which started this war,” the Minister The MPs claim Russia undertook the of Georgia will work adequately with didate on a visit to the Mukhatgverdi stressed. obligations to withdraw its military forces Lithuania and the EU on this issue," Brothers Cemetery to pay tribute to the Image source: RFE/RL One of the leaders of the parliamentary to the pre-war position and to allow Bakradze said. fallen heroes on the 10th anniversary of of Russia-affi liated Democratic Move- minority European Georgia, Giga Boke- international observers to have access The Georgia-Russia six-point ceasefi re the war that left 20% of Georgian ter- ment-United Georgia, voiced the same ria, says that everyone connected with at the occupied territories of Georgia agreement, formalized by the United ritories occupied by the Russian Fed- position as Zurabishvili. Putin is “a useful political idiot.” – Abkhazia and South Ossetia. They Nations Security Council, was mediated eration. According to Burjanadze, it is impos- Member of the opposition party, the noted these obligations have not been by then-French President and EU Head Standing at the graves of the soldiers, sible to start negotiations with the Rus- United National Movement, Salome fulfi lled. Nicolas Sarkozy after he met then-Pres- the candidate accused then President sian Federation and the de facto author- Samadashvili, believes that if Zurabish- “There has been a violation of inter- ident of Russia, Dimitry Medvedev on Mikheil Saakashvili of following the ities of Abkhazia and South Ossetia unless vili becomes President, it will lead to national law, creeping occupation con- August 12, 2008, fi ve days after the mili- provocation of Russia, which located its Georgia admits it was Saakashvili who international recognition of Georgia’s tinues and there are cases of ethnic tary confl ict between Georgia and Russia. forces in occupied Abkhazia and South started the war and holds him respon- occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia cleansing, including persecution and The six principles of the agreement are: Ossetia in early August 2008. sible for his actions. as “independent states,” which was done imprisonment of people. Despite war 1. No recourse to the use of force; “Starting the war was the whim of a “It would have been possible to avoid in 2008 by Russia, and later by Nicara- and occupation, the international com- 2. Defi nitive cessation of hostilities; crazy president who ordered the bomb- this war…Saakashvili thought that Rus- gua, Nauru, Venezuela and this year by munity has not given a proper answer,” 3. Free access to humanitarian aid (and ing of his own population. He started sia would not dare to get involved in this Syria. the Lithuanian MPs’ statement reads. to allow the return of refugees); the war!” Zurabishvili stated. war and that the US would protect us, “If people vote for Zurabishvili, it will They claim that two months after the 4. Georgian military forces must with- Her statements were followed by crit- but he was mistaken. This is my posi- signal that we are refusing to restore war, the international community forgot draw to their normal bases of encamp- icism from politicians and citizens, who tion,” Burjanadze said at the cemetery. Georgia’s territorial integrity and unity,” the Russian offense and chose to ignore ment; claim that Zurabishvili is repeating the Georgian Dream faction Chair Mamuka she added. the fact that Russia had been preparing 5. Russian military forces must with- Russian version of the story that Georgia Mdinaradze said that the ruling party Salome Zurabishvili was an independ- for more than two years for the attack draw to the lines prior to the start of broke onto the territory of an independ- has not expressed its support to any ent candidate in the 2016 parliamentary against Georgia. hostilities. While awaiting an interna- ent state [S. Ossetia] which served as presidential candidate, and that Zura- elections and the GD decided to with- “This inert assessment of the world tional mechanism, Russian peacekeeping the reason for responsive actions. bishvili’s statement is unacceptable. draw their candidate in Mtatsminda encouraged Russia to take further steps,” forces will implement additional security Another presidential candidate, Nino “The statement of any person that region to help her win the seat in the the MPs claim, insisting that the sanc- measures (six months); Burjanadze, who is ex-PM and the leader Georgia is an aggressor state and started legislative body. tions against the Russian Federation need 6. Opening of international discussions to be discussed. on the modalities of lasting security in “We call on the Foreign Minister of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (based on Lithuania to appeal to the international the decisions of the UN and the OSCE). institutions and raise the issue of sanc- The Georgian side fulfi lled all its under- #checkinsamachablo tions,” the MPs said. taken obligations, unlike Russia, whose dvertising agency Kraken began a campaign on the 10th anniversary of the 2008 August War to raise aware- Georgian presidential candidate and forces still remain in Georgia’s breaka- ness and to illustrate that there is no barrier to consciousness in the digital world. Since Georgians do not have one of the leaders of the parliamentary way Abkhazia and South Ossetia where the possibility to physically enter the breakaway territories occupied by Russia, Kraken has come up with a minority European Georgia, David no international monitoring missions way to harness the power of social media to protest the Russian occupation, with people able to use the hashtag Bakradze, believes that the Government are allowed to work. Aand “check in” to various villages throughout the occupied territories. GEORGIA TODAY AUGUST 10 - 13, 2018 NEWS 3 Patriarch Condemns Marijuana Legalization gia] and create a whole center of drugs. and will actually destroy the nation.” BY SAMANTHA GUTHRIE Therefore, I appeal to everyone, fi rst of Deputy Parliament Speaker Tamar all our government, our intellectuals and Chugoshvili responded to the Georgian our youth: take care of our homeland, Orthodox clerics, saying "We have the his week, the Patriarch of take care of our children! I urge you once right to like something or not but talks the Georgian Orthodox again – do not let our children die, do about the abolition of the Court are Church, Ilia II, made a state- not allow this lawlessness. God has given absolutely inappropriate.” Some clerics, ment on the July 30 decision you strength and wisdom,” the Patriarch however, defended the Constitutional by the Georgian Constitu- preached. Court as a necessary component of the Ttional Court that legalized the consump- Immediately after the decision, Geor- Georgian state, saying its abolition would tion of marijuana.

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