Issue no: 1119 • JANUARY 25 - 28, 2019 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 In this week’s issue... Memorandum of Understanding Signed between Anaklia City & the Law Society of England & Wales NEWS PAGE 3 WEF 2019 & the Strategic Outlook of Eurasia POLITICS PAGE 6 Rekan Group Looks to the ON THE NATO VISIT Future with Batumi View Positive messages come following the Georgian BUSINESS PAGE 7 President's visit to Brussels PAGE 2 FOCUS Enjoy the Healing Waters of the Tskaltubo British Speedboat Killer on Balneological Resort the Run in Georgia Is Arrested BY AMY JONES British man convicted of killing a woman in a speedboat crash in London in 2015 has been arrested in Tbilisi. After months evading SOCIETY PAGE 8 justice, he handed himself into Apolice in Georgia on 23 January. 31-year-old Jack Shepherd had been living in Tbilisi since March ‘Sakartvelos Respublika’ - 2018. The tragic death of 24-year-old Charlotte Brown 100 Years in Print occurred on 8 December 2015, when she met CULTURE PAGE 9 Shepherd for a date. The pair, who met on dat- ing website OkCupid, had a lavish meal at The Shard before Shepherd took her on a speedboat National Museum of on the river Thames. The boat hit a submerged log, fl inging the pair Georgia Hosts Exhibition into the water. Shepherd clung to the hull and survived the crash whilst Brown died from cold 'Red Terror & Georgian water inhalation. She was pulled from the water unresponsive and unconscious and later died in Artists' hospital. Continued on page 2 Photo source: Rustavi 2 CULTURE PAGE 11 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS JANUARY 25 - 28, 2019 Zurabishvili Says Georgia is Ready for Integration into NATO area that links us with the EU and our BY THEA MORRISON partners,” she said. While delivering his own speech, Jens Stoltenberg announced he will be com- eorgia’s President Salome ing to Georgia in March. Zurabishvili says the coun- “I’m looking forward to it. I know that try is ready to join NATO. Georgia is a beautiful and hospitable Zurabishvili made the country. I will discuss our partnership statement after meeting with the Georgian government and Gwith NATO Secretary General Jens political leaders. I will also attend a Stoltenberg in Brussels, during her fi rst NATO-Georgia training. Our message offi cial visit abroad. is that our mutual partnership is getting Zurabishvili said that Georgia has stronger. This benefi ts both NATO and already made a decision regarding its Georgia,” Stoltenberg said. Euro-Atlantic aspirations and the path The NATO Secretary General under- in that regard had been written in the lined that Georgia, as all sovereign and new Constitution of the country. democratic states, has the right to “The consensus about this issue is become integrated into NATO. He very important. I will talk about this repeated that it was upon the alliance with all partners in bilateral formats. I members to decide when Georgia joins will repeat that Georgia wants and is NATO and that nobody has the right to ready for integration into NATO and interfere with the process. that Georgia has carried out all the “We will never tolerate big nations, required reforms to do so,” Zurabishvili for example Russia, attempting to bring stated. others into its sphere of interests,” the At the joint press-conference with NATO Chief said. Stoltenberg, the Georgian President Stoltenberg underlined that the part- said her country is grateful for the sup- nership between the Alliance and Geor- port received from the Alliance. gia brings more stability and a more “Georgia's path to NATO integration secure environment. refl ects the choice of the Georgian “I look forward to working with you Image source: President’s Press Offi ce nation. Our path is very successful, because Georgia is moving ever closer which ensures more security in Geor- while its two regions Abkhazia and trusted and active partner of NATO. she added. to NATO membership,” he told the gia, more willingness and the modern- South Ossetia are occupied, is of crucial “Georgia is actually trying to be an She also spoke about the need for more Georgian President. ization of its defense forces," she said. importance. exemplary partner. It is a trustworthy security in the Black Sea region. Zurabishvili visited Brussels on Janu- Zurabishvili said support of Georgia’s She noted that Georgia has proved its partner thanks to its contribution to “It is very important for us that the ary 21-23. It was her fi rst offi cial visit territorial integrity and sovereignty, commitment and also that it is a very the NATO peacekeeping missions,” Black Sea remains a stable and secure abroad in the rank of President. Opposition Claims GD Did Not Support ‘Magnitski List’ at PACE Meeting to why they did not support the list. He but then Parliament went ahead and BY THEA MORRISON says the only two lawmakers from Geor- adopted a resolution. gia who supported the resolution were “This List was supported not just by members of European Georgia, Davit PACE but also by the European Parlia- eorgia’s Parliamentary Bakradze and Giorgi Kandelaki. ment, the parliaments of Ireland and Minority party European At a special press-conference on Lithuania, and US Congress. As such, Georgia (EG) claims that Wednesday, Kapanadze said that a seri- serious questions have arisen about GD the members of the ruling ous discussion was underway about the and the steps taken by them regarding Georgian Dream (GD) Magnitski List within the format of the this issue,” he added. Gparty did not support the so called Mag- Parliamentary Assembly of the Council The ruling team rejects the accusations. nitski List at the meeting of the Parlia- of Europe. He noted that GD members Tamar Chugoshvili, First Vice-Speaker mentary Assembly of the Council of were not even participating in it. of Parliament of Georgia, says she sup- Europe (PACE). “This is not only about the Otkhozoria- ported the resolution on the Magnitski PACE adopted the resolution on the Tatunashvili List; this is a resolution List at the PACE meeting. Magnitski List, which includes the Otk- which calls on Russia and other occupant She said that when the Otkhozoria- hozoria-Tatunashvili List created by countries to ensure the protection of Tatunashvili List was being added to the Georgia. The resolution calls on Euro- human rights. Yet the Georgian author- Magnitski List, it had two co-authors pean countries to impose sanctions ities have not even expressed their posi- from the opposition and two from the against those countries and people who tion,” the opposition MP claims. ruling party. Image: European Georgia member Sergi Kapanadze. Source: 1 TV violate human rights, including in the Kapanadze explains that the Otkhozo- “Three votes were carried out on this my name was not seen. Maybe it’s a with grave crimes committed against occupied territories of Georgia. ria-Tatunashvili List was adopted upon resolution, two on changes and one in technical error,” the Vice-Speaker said. citizens of Georgia in the breakaway The EG party member Sergi Kapanadze the initiative of European Georgia and relation to the resolution itself. I sup- The Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili List con- Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions demanded an explanation from GD as with resistance from the ruling party, ported all of them but in the last case tains 33 persons convicted or charged since the 1990s. British Speedboat Killer on the Run in Georgia Is Arrested Continued from page 1 drawn criticism. Firstly, many are angry On 23 January shortly before he handed that he is able to claim legal aid for his himself into police, Shepherd gave an Video footage fi lmed on a mobile phone trial. Secondly, the Court of Appeal interview on Rustavi TV. He described during the date reveals Brown shouting granted him permission to appeal against the incident as a “tragic accident.” “The they were going “so fast.” The boat was the conviction on 19 December 2018. He boat had faults, but experts invited by my over double the 12-knot speed limit. applied for permission to appeal in August defense established that these faults devel- Shepherd decided not to face the con- 2018 whilst on the run. oped when the boat was removed from sequences by skipping bail before his Charlotte Brown’s family have been the water. Charlotte was driving the boat court appearance in July last year. He outraged by the slow reaction of the Brit- when the accident happened but unfor- notifi ed his lawyers that he would not ish police. “He’s still on the run, he hasn’t tunately, this fact was forgotten and the attend his trial at the Old Bailey in mid- served a day of his sentence and he’s been media did not mention it either,” he added. May. Despite remaining in telephone allowed to still be in communication with Although his identity has not been contact with Shepard, his lawyers, Tuck- his lawyers,” her sister Katie told the BBC offi cially confi rmed, extradition proceed- ers Solicitors, denied knowing of his before he handed himself in. ings will begin straightaway. He will whereabouts throughout the trial. After records showed Shepherd was in begin serving his sentence upon arrival Police admitted that Shepherd may Tbilisi, Georgian police and the British in the UK. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live, have fl ed abroad after he was found guilty Met Police worked together to bring him Charlotte’s father Graham Brown said of manslaughter by gross negligence to justice. “The Georgian authorities are “I feel very emotional at the fact that my following his trial.