Issue no: 1101 • NOVEMBER 16 - 19, 2018 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 In this week’s issue... Ruling GD Distrusts Edison FOCUS Research Pre-Election ON GIFT Survey Results The 21st Georgian International Festival of Arts in Tbilisi closes with Hofesh Shechter. Tickets: www.biletebi.ge PAGE 11 NEWS PAGE 2 Controversy: Christina Pushaw on the Elections POLITICS PAGE 4 Re-Doing Justice Kaladze’s Weekly Priorities: Setting the Record Straight on Protests & New Year’s Decorations BY SAMANTHA GUTHRIE POLITICS PAGE 5 Treatment for Patients with ach week, the municipal government of Tbilisi holds a meeting at City Hall. Metastatic Breast Cancer to Preceding this week’s meetings, Mayor Kakha Kaladze remarked on several be Available from 2019 topics of interest. BUSINESS PAGE 7 E"I want to address the population,” the Mayor opened, “we are ready to serve you. Have faith in us. We will do our best to make tomorrow’s Georgian Passengers Tbilisi better: more convenient and well-managed infrastructure, many green spaces, and ecologi- Stranded in Milan Reveal cally clean, organized public transport. Every one of us will give their maximum effort, together Big Wizz Air Fail with the inhabitants of our city, to this end.” Kaladze then addressed the ongoing protests Image source: Tbilisi City Hall SOCIETY PAGE 8 by Zaza Saralidze and Malkhaz Machalikashvili him, saying that claims that he and his staff were tion of which will always be a priority [for us] in front of the old parliament on Rustaveli Ave- restricting expressions of protest on Rustaveli among Georgian society,” Kaladze fi nished. nue. The protests escalated earlier this week Avenue were “a very big lie.” He explained that Moving on, Kaladze drew attention to a meet- when City Hall wrote a letter to the protesters he fi rst received a letter from Saralidze in early ing held earlier in the week with commercial asking them to vacate the area by December 15 November informing City Hall that they planned banks on the topic of green initiatives. “I am so the city could set up the annual Christmas to continue the protest until December 31, and very pleased that during the meeting, repre- tree. Kaladze insisted that Tbilisi City Hall is City Hall answered three days later with the sentatives from banks expressed their readiness not prohibiting the protesters from setting up December 15 deadline. He continued into an angry to participate in the implementation of projects tents, and that City Hall’s actions were in line speech, blaming opposition media for stirring the planned within the Green Tbilisi initiative in with the law and noted that they subsequently pot before the runoff elections later this month. various forms. In the near future, the banks plan publicized all the documents to ensure society "For me, personally, and for our team, human a complete replacement of their vehicle fl eets was properly informed. dignity, human rights and freedom of expres- with electric and hybrid cars,” Kaladze said. He called out the “slanderous propaganda” against sion, are the most important values, the protec- Continued on page 2 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS NOVEMBER 16 - 19, 2018 Ruling GD Distrusts Edison Research Pre- Election Survey Results decided who to vote for. surveys. You should ask those who com- BY THEA MORRISON As a result of the full allocation, Rustavi2 mission such studies and if the difference reported the results were as follows: is even 30%, it does not matter today," Grigol Vashadze - 56%; Salome Zura- she said. he Georgian Dream (GD) bishvili - 44%. Georgia’s Parliament Speaker Irakli ruling party says they do The organization also asked the Kobakhidze, who also leads Zurabish- not trust the results of the respondents who they voted for in the vili’s election headquarters, says that survey, conducted by the fi rst round of elections. The answers both surveys conducted by the Edison market research and exit were: Salome Zurabishvili - 34%; Grigol Research mismatch the reality. Tpolling company Edison Research, ahead Vashadze - 33%; David Bakradze - 8%; “We will see what society thinks after the runoff of the October 28 Presidential other candidates - 5%; No-one - 3%; the elections, when the fi nal results are Elections of Georgia. Refused to answer - 17%. announced. The people will make their The survey was commissioned by the Rustavi 2 released the results of an choice and I want to call on everyone to opposition-minded Rustavi 2 TV. It was Edison Research poll on October 4, be active,” he said. conducted on November 1-9 and includes according to which Grigol Vashadze's Meanwhile Kakha Kaladze, Tbilisi interviews with 2000 respondents over rating was 22% and Salome Zurabishvili Mayor and Head of Zurabishvili’s elec- the age of 18. - 15%. However, after the fi rst round, tion headquarters in the capital, says the The results, published by Rustavi 2, Zurabishvili got 38% and Vashadze 37% surveys of Edison Research are a “big read that the majority of the interviewed of votes. lie and an attempt to mislead the popu- was always different,” the Mayor stressed. understand the power of elections. In people would vote for the candidate of Zurabishvili does not trust the research lation.” United Opposition candidate Vashadze 2003, people changed the corrupt gov- the United Opposition, Grigol Vahsadze of the international organization and “These polls are a common lie and a says the Edison Research poll results ernment and in 2012 they got rid of the – 38%, and 34% for the GD-backed can- states that she had no expectations from manipulation of public opinion. If we revealed that it always makes sense to authorities who were controlling the didate, Salome Zurabishvili. 18% of the the survey. look at the past years, the surveys told us fi ght to the end. State. The same will happen during these respondents stated they have not yet "I do not expect anything from these one thing but reality after the elections “As time passes, society is coming to elections too,” he said. Kaladze’s Weekly Priorities: Setting the Record Straight on Protests & New Year’s Decorations Continued from page 1 Vice-Mayor Irakli Khmaladze with city services.” Kaladze also noted that Finally, the Mayor drew attention to Year and we are ready for this,” said solving the hotline problems. hotline operators receive information the city’s preparations for New Year. Kaladze. The Mayor appealed to all He also reminded the population of "There are some problems with the from city departments and there needs "We had specifi c places, parks, squares businesses at street level in the city, City Hall’s promise to completely work of the hotline: citizens’ calls are to be better information fl ow. “A citizen that were decorated by various com- asking them to decorate their facades replace city buses with new, cleaner coming and they cannot respond prop- who comes to City Hall should not be panies [last year]. We want this tradi- for New Year to spread holiday cheer buses by the end of 2019. erly. On the one hand, more hotline staff standing in a queue or waiting months tion to continue this year. The business throughout the city. New Year lights Next, Kaladze addressed issues con- should be added, and on the other hand, for a response. This is categorically community is already active: they want have already been installed in some cerning the City Hall hotline and tasked we should strengthen the resources of unacceptable,” Kaladze urged. to have different places for the New parts of Tbilisi. GEORGIA TODAY NOVEMBER 16 - 19, 2018 NEWS 3 European Parliament Adopts Resolution on Georgia also remain areas of concern, MEPs BY THEA MORRISON stress,” the European Parliament press statement read. Of the 2018 presidential elections in he European Parliament Georgia, the MEPs welcomed the “com- adopted a draft resolution petitive nature and the absence of cases on November 15 on the of violence.” implementation of the Georgia’s Minister of Economy, Giorgi Association Agreement by Kobulia, says the adoption of the reso- TGeorgia at the plenary session. lution means recognition of the progress 528 MEPs supported the document, made by Georgia in recent years. As for 97 voted against and 34 abstained. the corruption issue, the Minister says The document welcomes the effective the country is actively fi ghting the exist- implementation of the visa-free regime ing risks. for Georgian citizens since 27 March “This is great support for and recog- 2017; takes note of Georgia’s compliance nition of our country in terms of reforms, with visa liberalization benchmarks and development and the progress we have encourages regular monitoring thereof made. The most important thing is that in order to ensure continued compliance. it shows we have a greater future and The resolution also recalls with regret potential,” he said. that after ten years, Russia still contin- Davit Sergeenko, Minister of IDPs, ues its illegal occupation of Georgian Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Geor- territories. The MEPs reiterated their gia also commented on the issue. He unequivocal support for the sovereignty says the country fully fulfi lls the respon- and territorial integrity of Georgia and sibilities and requirements under the emphasized the importance of proac- Association Agreement with the EU. tive communication to Georgian citizens “Georgia is one of the leading coun- about the tangible benefi ts and goals of tries on its way to the EU and the EU the Eastern Partnership. expresses not only political support but In addition, the European Parliament also a readiness to provide fi nancial expresses support for Georgia in its support to our State,” the Minister said.