Issue no: 975 • AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 In this week’s issue... FOCUS Tbilisi Denounces De Facto ON THE BORJOMI Abkhazian Delegation’s Visit BLAZE to Syria An overview from fi rst spark NEWS PAGE 2 to dissipating smoke PAGE 9 Russia Closes Off Kerch Strait POLITICS PAGE 4 Akhalgori: Awaiting First Bell as the School Language is Switched POLITICS PAGE 5 Georgian Almond Growers Association Aims for Global Recognition of Georgia’s Potential BUSINESS PAGE 8 Heavy Rain, Wind Hits Ureki & Shekvetili Villages in Guria Magnum Photos & TBC Bank Present ‘In the Footsteps of Capa & Steinbeck’s Russian Journal’ BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI SOCIETY PAGE 10 When Classic Meets Jazz, ack in 1947, acclai- med war photo- Georgian Trio at Konzerthaus graph Robert Capa, one of the founders Berlin of the Magnum CULTURE PAGE 13 BPhoto Agency, and John Stein- beck, famous American writer and Noble prize winner, trave- led to then-USSR to witness and record the lives of people living within the Soviet system. They visited Russia, Ukraine and Georgia, a journey fi rst published in a series of articles in the New York Herald Tribune and Ladies Home Journal. These were later transformed into a book by Steinbeck: A Russian Journal, published in 1948. Continued on page 8 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 Georgia to Host 4th Qvevri Wine International Symposium Tbilisi Denounces De Facto Abkhazian Delegation’s Visit to Syria petition will be announced on Septem- BY THEA MORRISON ber 3 at the closing ceremony of the event. Scientists, wine experts, sommeliers n September 1-3, the fourth and journalists from various countries International Symposium are expected to attend. of Qvevri Wine will be “Participants will be able to share expe- held at the Ikalto Qvevri riences and views on tendencies and School-Academy, organ- challenges in the fi elds of wine and culi- Oized by the Georgian Wine Association. nary,” the NWA reports. The National Wine Agency (NWA) The Symposium was fi rst held in Geor- reports that the aim of the event is to gia in 2011. As a result of that fi rst sym- familiarize Georgian society and foreign posium, the United Nations Educational, specialists with the unique Qvevri win- Scientifi c and Cultural Organization emaking methodology, its history and (UNESCO) put the traditional Georgian culture, and also to provide guests with method of Qvevri winemaking on the information about Georgian wines, grape list of Intangible Cultural Heritage Mon- varieties and Georgian cuisine. uments. The fi rst international tournament of The Symposium organizers and sup- Qvevri wine will be held this year within porters are: the Ministry of Agriculture the framework of the Symposium with of Georgia, the National Wine Agency, both Georgian and foreign winemakers the Association of Georgian Wine, and participating. The winner of the com- Alaverdi Metropolitan David. Number of Hybrid & Electric Cars Up in Georgia “Abkhazian delegation” at the meeting with Imad Khamis, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Syria. Source: De facto Abkhazian Foreign Ministry the territorial integrity of Georgia within “Guided by the directives of Syrian BY THEA MORRISON its internationally recognized borders President Bashar Assad, the Syrian has not been called into question. government intends to build full-scale “We call on all sovereign states to relations with Syria's strategic partners, eorgia’s Ministry of For- respect the territorial integrity of Geor- including the Republic of Abkhazia,” eign Affairs (MFA) has gia and its sovereign rights and to avoid the statement reads. released a statement any involvement in planned provoca- The de facto MFA added that by order regarding the recent visit tive activities,” the ministry stated. of the Chairman of the Council of Min- of an “Abkhazian delega- The de facto MFA of Abkhazia reported isters of Syria, a special government Gtion” to Syria, saying the visit repre- that the delegation of the “Republic of commission will be formed, which, sents a follow-up to Russia and its Abkhazia,” headed by the “Minister of together with Abkhazian colleagues, occupation regimes’ provocative policy Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abk- will create a concept aimed at devel- with respect to Georgia. hazia,” Daur Kove, held meetings in oping socio-economic and trade rela- while in 2015, fi ve electric and 1,317 hybrid The so-called delegation from Geor- Syria on August 16-22. tions with the “Republic of Abkhazia”. BY THEA MORRISON cars in Georgia. gia’s breakaway Abkhazia concluded its The so-called Abkhazian Ministry The so-called ministry also said that In parallel with the increased number “offi cial visit” in Syria on Wednesday. stated that Syrian authorities expressed the “Abkhazian delegation” was hosted of hybrid and electric cars, Georgia’s “By resorting to such actions, Russia interest in developing trade and eco- by Najat Anzur, the President of the eorgia’s Ministry of Inter- capital of Tbilisi has been developing makes futile efforts to legitimize the nomic cooperation with the “Republic”. Syrian National Council, and by Moham- nal Affairs (MIA) reports infrastructure to encourage more people occupation regimes and the violent The Abkhazian side also reported med Samer Khalil, the Minister of that the number of hybrid to buy and use electric vehicles. redrawing of the borders of our sov- that their “delegation” met with Imad Economy and Foreign Trade of Syria. and electric cars has sig- Several charging points for electric ereign state,” the statement of the MFA Khamis, the Chairman of the Council Since the Russia-Georgia war in nificantly increased in cars have appeared in the capital, includ- reads. of Ministers of the Syrian Arab Repub- August 2008, Russia has recognized GGeorgia this year. ing in Vake district, on Nugzar Endeladze The MFA added that diplomatic rep- lic. the independence of Abkhazia and The MIA says that as of August 16, a Square, on Europe Square near Rike Park, resentatives of Syria, as well as inter- The so-called ministry said the Syr- another separatist region, South Osse- total of 328 electric cars and 9,870 hybrid outside Libre supermarket on the national partners, have been contacted ian leadership perceives the “Republic tia. In total, only four countries recog- cars had been imported to Georgia. Mtskheta highway and in the car park and duly informed about the matter. of Abkhazia” as a friendly “state” and nize Georgia’s breakaway regions as The statistics show that in 2016 there of the Tbilisi Shota Rustaveli Interna- “Due to our government’s intensive intends to establish and develop bilat- independent republics: Russia, Nica- were 34 electric and 5,390 hybrid cars tional Airport. work with the international community, eral inter-governmental relations. ragua, Venezuela and Nauru. GEORGIA TODAY AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 NEWS 3 Road Accident in West Georgia Leaves 28 Injured directions, one from Tbilisi to Batumi remain in intensive care, two of them BY THEA MORRISON and the other from Batumi to Tbilisi, have fractured limbs and two have crashed into each other. facial bone fractures”. All injured passengers were taken to The Ministry of Internal Affairs of wenty-eight passengers Kobuleti hospitals. Georgia has launched an investigation were injured in an acci- The Minister of Health and Social under the fi rst part of Article 276 of dent that took place on Affairs of Adjara, Zaal Mikeladze, went the Criminal Code of Georgia for Vio- the Adjara-Guria highway to the site of the crash and made a lation of Traffi c Safety or Operation on Tuesday night. statement. “The majority of passengers Rules resulting in Harm to Human TTwo minibuses going in opposite have only minor injuries. Four people Health. Local Government Election Date Announced Mustafa Emre Çabuk’s BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI Pre-Extradition he President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili Detention Extended announced the local gov- ernment election date by another three months by the court BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI has been set for October this week despite an appeal fi led by T21, 2017. Çabuk’s advocates which was denied by The presidential act has been coun- the judge. The pre-extradition period of ter-signed by the Prime Minister of ustafa Emre Çabuk, the three months was to end on Wednesday Georgia, meaning the pre-election Demirel College man- this week. campaign has now offi cially started, ager, detained since On July 7, Mustafa Emre Çabuk was refused with all related restrictions coming May 24 and accused of refugee status in Georgia by the Ministry into force. being involved with a of Internally Displaced Persons, Accom- According to the election code, the Mterrorist organization associated with modation and Refugees. Çabuk’s advocates restrictions apply to the use of the US-based Fethullah Gülen, is to remain appealed the decision on August 2. administrative resources in support of Furthermore, according to the regu- providing free advertising time to all in a pre-extradition detention facility in The status of Demirel College itself is or work against any political party/ lations, media outlets are required to the candidates no later than 50 days Georgian prison. now under question and will be candidate participating in the elections. provide fair and balanced coverage, prior to the election date. The detention period was increased announced next week. GEORGIA TODAY 4 POLITICS AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 Russia Closes KUK-Hndesl GmbH is pleased to announce a vacancy in Georgia on the position Country Off Kerch Strait Manager