Issue no: 1105 • NOV. 30 - DEC. 3, 2018 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 In this week’s issue... EU-Armenia Committee Meets for First Time Under Partnership Agreement NEWS PAGE 2 The Power of Democracy is Proven POLITICS PAGE 5 Russia & Ukraine: Calm on Land, War at Sea POLITICS PAGE 6 The Paris Peace FOCUS Forum ON THE NEW POLITICS PAGE 8 Mamuka Khazaradze PRESIDENT Awarded Special Turning GD's Salome Zurabishvili is chosen as the next President of Points Award for Anaklia Georgia by 59.7% of the voters PAGE 4 Port project BUSINESS PAGE 10 Book on Aliyah to be Dusheti to Get Major Rehab Released in Georgian BY SAMANTHA GUTHRIE usheti, a municipality in Georgia’s Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, has been slotted for a major revival. The main town of municipality, Dush- eti, is located about an hour north Dof Tbilisi, with a population of 6,167 people as SOCIETY PAGE 12 of the 2014 census. The municipality as a whole has a population of close to 26,000. It has limited tourist infrastructure, but its location is ideal for Georgian Wrestling - tourism, halfway between Tbilisi and Kazbegi or the Gudauri ski resort, near Bazaleti Lake and Intangible Cultural Heritage the striking combination of the Ananuri Fortress and Zhinvali Reservoir, and is set into a beauti- of Humanity ful mountain backdrop along the Dushetiskhevi CULTURE PAGE 15 (Dusheti Valley) River. The municipality has a long history, including as an agriculture and light industry center during Soviet times and as home to German prisoners in the 19th century. On Tuesday, Minister of Regional Develop- ment and Infrastructure and Vice Prime Min- ister Maia Tskitishvili, Minister of Environment Image source: Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure Protection and Agriculture Levan Davitashvili, Mtskheta-Mtianeti Governor Shalva Keresel- Regional Development and Infrastructure. The ers, repaving walkways throughout the park, idze, the Majoritarian MP, and self-government project was fi nanced by the World Bank at a and repairing fountains. Within the project, representatives attended a ceremony in Dush- cost of more than 2.7 million GEL ($1,005,586). work was also done to repair the roof of the eti to celebrate the opening of a public park The renovation included installing new runoff Church of St. Nicholas, located in the park. that had been renovated by the Ministry of drains, planting green bushes, trees, and fl ow- Continued on page 11 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 3, 2018 Foreign Political Leaders Congratulate Salome Zurabishvili Politicians also took to Twitter to BY AMY JONES express their congratulations. The Pres- ident of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite wrote, “Congratulations to President- he French Foreign Ministry elect of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili – has released a statement best luck serving your country and its announcing its readiness people!” whilst the President of Ukraine to cooperate with newly Petro Poroshenko said, “ My congratula- elected Salome Zurabish- tions to Salome Zurabishvili on her elec- Tvili. tion as President of Georgia. I wish you, “France extends its most sincere con- every success in ensuring Georgia’s gratulations to her [Zurabishvili] and democratic European development and wishes her every success in the perfor- consolidation of society. I’m convinced mance of her duties,” read the statement. of the further deepening of strategic Underlining the “excellent relationship” partnership between our two nations.” between the two countries, it expresses Zurabishvili will be inaugurated as the wish to further strengthen their rela- President of Georgia on 16 December tions by collaborating together. 2018. EU-Armenia Committee Meets for First Time Under Partnership Agreement n 27 November, the EU and reform and modernisation of the country, the coming years, including in the fi elds Armenia held the fi rst meet- help attract EU investment, stimulate of transport, energy, environment, cli- ing of the Partnership Com- exchanges with the EU and provide con- mate action, taxation and consumer mittee under the EU-Arme- crete benefi ts for both EU and Armenian protection. nia Comprehensive and citizens. The EU and Armenia agreed to continue OEnhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The Partnership Committee discussed promoting the mobility of citizens through At the meeting, the EU reiterated its the draft CEPA implementation roadmap the visa-facilitation and readmission support for the Armenian Government's prepared by the Armenian Government. agreements and consider in due course reform process. The EU representatives The CEPA foresees that Armenia the opening of a visa-liberalisation dia- also highlighted that the implementation approximates its laws with the EU leg- logue, provided that conditions for well- of the CEPA would be a key tool for the islation referred to in the agreement in managed and secure mobility are in place. Photo: European Union GEORGIA TODAY NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 3, 2018 NEWS 3 Economy Ministry Denies Wizz Air Will Be Expelled from Georgian Market The statement of the ministry reads fl ight schedule is approved in accordance BY THEA MORRISON that air movement between Georgia and with the terms of this agreement, adding the European Union is carried out under the allegations about any kind of restric- the Unifi ed Airspace Agreement signed tions from the State are groundless. Image source: Wizz Air eorgia’s Ministry of Econ- in 2010. The information that Georgia plans to restrict competition in the fi eld of pas- are being “deliberately delayed.” omy and Sustainable Devel- “Based on the conditions of this Agree- make Wizz Air leave the market was senger transportation. The opposition MP calls on the gov- opment has rejected claims ment, procedures for admitting aviation spread by HUB Georgia, which reported “In fact, the Ministry of Economy has ernment not to make the wrong decision, that the government plans companies to the markets of various on November 27 that the “government decided to expel airline Wizz Air from to promote competition and to allow to force Hungarian low- countries have been simplifi ed and are had been putting pressure on the com- the Georgian market,” said Urushadze. Wizz Air to continue its activities. Gcost airline Wizz Air to leave the Geor- based on liberal principles which mean pany, a process suspended due to the The information was also confi rmed Wizz Air also rejected the rumors, stat- gian market. there are no restrictions on the number presidential elections in the country.” by member of the parliamentary minor- ing they have no plans to leave the mar- The Ministry says such disinformation of airlines, fl ight frequencies, tariffs, air- HUB Georgia Executive Director Vasil ity European Georgia, Giorgi Kandelaki, ket, but to rather to expand their activi- harms the business environment in Geor- craft types or destination points,” the Urushadze said he was told by a source who claimed PM Mamuka Bakhtadze is ties and services in Georgia. gia, adding Wizz Air has been expanding statement reads. that the government plans to make cer- close to one of the other airline compa- Wizz Air has been carrying out fl ights its activities (here) annually and is suc- The ministry explains that for Wizz Air, tain changes to the aviation market, add- nies and the procedures of approving from Kutaisi International Airport since cessfully operating on the market. as with any other European airline, the ing that in particular they intend to the winter schedule of Wizz Air fl ights 2012. Where Will Georgia’s New President Live? Before his election, Margvelashvili a representation. BY THEA MORRISON stated that he would not take the Presi- There are no legal norms that can make dential Palace in Avlabari built by ex- the President change their offi cial resi- President Mikheil Saakashvili, due to the dence. However, GD has also been push- eorgia has a new President- high cost of its original construction and ing the fact that the Avlabari palace will elect, the ruling Georgian subsequent maintenance, which amounts not be a place of residence for the new Dream (GD) favorite to up to GEL 3 million monthly from the president. Salome Zurabishvili, and state budget. The government has also yet to make it has been said she will He changed his mind after being elected an offi cial comment regarding the new Gnot be moving into the Presidential Pal- and stated that he would not leave the president’s residence, however, as ace, located in the Avlabari district of Avlabari building, which resulted in a Mamuka Bakhtadze, the Prime Minister Orbeliani Palace and Tbilisi, once the outgoing President disagreement between him and the gov- of Georgia, stated, “the President and Avlabari Palace. Image Giorgi Margvelashvili leaves. ernment. Zurabishvili, since the exit their Administration should not cost the source: amerikiskhma.com During the pre-election campaign, polls, has not offi cially stated where she state as much as it has.” Zurabishvili mentioned several times plans to live but her election program Moreover, earlier this year, the Parlia- that she would not live in the Avlabari reads the President should live in the ment Speaker and the Head of Zurabish- residence if she became President, not- Orbeliani residence. vili’s Election Headquarters, Irakli Kob- ing it is a state-owned building where “The Avlabari residence is a symbol of akhidze, noted that it is not necessary the country's premier or foreign minis- the State. This is why the Prime Minis- for the President to live in the Presiden- try would be better placed than the ter or Foreign Minister should live there, tial Palace. President’s Administration. or for it to be a common place for receiv- “The President’s Palace should be in The ruling GD has several times raised ing foreign guests,” she stated. compliance with the President’s role and the issue of the Avlabari residence, urg- The program also reads that the Pres- function,” Kobakhidze said, adding that ing Giorgi Margvelashvili to move into ident's Administration must have intense consultations will be held in GD regard- the Orbeliani residence on Atoneli Street, communication with citizens, where ing the issue.