MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2021 The Messenger P3 “Impartial, Informative, Insightful” GEL 3.00 The #010 (4814) MessengerMONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2021 WWW.MESSENGER.COM.GE Politics Irakli Kobakhidze – newly elected PACE calls on all political leader of Georgian Dream party parties to claim seats in Parliament FULL STORY ON Page 2 When will Georgia be able to get the Covid-19 vaccine? Western countries have started vaccinating citizens about a month ago FULL STORY ON Page 2 Economics EBRD reports record 2020 investment in response to Covid-19 Eastern Neighborhood are among top beneficiaries FULL STORY ON Page 3 BY VERONIKA MALINBOYM Ivanishvili, for defeating “a regime based Archil Talakvadze has also addressed which he announced his decision to leave on violence and lies”, and for “restoring Ivanishvili, and referred to him as the the post of the party leader, and abandon he new party leader was appointed the democratic order” in 2012. In his “guarantor of freedom, peace, and stabil- politics altogether. In his letter, Ton January 16 following the congress speech, Kobakhidze also said that the ity”, and said that the supporters of the Ivanishvili stated that “he accomplished of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Georgian Dream is “a progressive govern- party are waiting to see “the next steps [his mission]” and is now handing over where the candidacy of Kobakhidze was mental Parliamentary team with eight forward”. the reins of the party to the team he has supported unanimously. Following the years of experience, and it is ready to con- Bidzina Ivanishvili, the former leader assembled throughout his leadership. appointment, Kobakhidze thanked the tinue its work with a new attitude”. Simi- of the Georgian Dream party since 2018, While the Georgian Dream party was previous leader of the party, Bidzina larly, the speaker of the new Parliament, released an open letter on January 11, in deliberating the candidacy for the party leadership, some opposition activists took it to the streets to protest the results of the October 2020 Parliamentary Elec- tions. Nine activists with the “Stolen Elec- tions” banner were arrested on the charges of hooliganism and disobedience to the authorities, however, all the de- tained persons were released shortly af- ter the party congress was over. This is not the first time when Kobakhidze becomes the center of public unrest. In August of 2019, he was caught up in the midst of the protests, when a Russian communist MP, Sergei Gavrilov, took Speaker’s, Kobakhidze’s seat in the Parliament at the Interparliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy, where the inci- dent occurred. The fact was soon followed by large demonstrations, where the riot gear was used against the protestors and approximately 300 people were injured. On top of the appointment of Irakli Kobakhidze as a party leader, the Geor- gian Dream party congress has also ap- pointed the members of the political coun- cil. Mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze will continue to serve as a party’s general sec- retary, and Vasil Maglaperidze, former director of the Public Broadcaster, will continue to act as Kaladze’s deputy. Upon his appointment, Kobakhidze promised that he will do everything in his power to turn Georgia into a truly European coun- try. P2 Politics The Messenger MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2021 PACE calls on all political parties to claim seats in Parliament amount – 17.3 million GEL (46%), Lelo received 6 million GEL in financing and the UNM- UOPU received 5.7 million GEL. The TIG report recommends the country to establish a new, anti- corruption agency to monitor and adequately respond to the “alleged cases of political corrup- tion, including corrupt transac- tions between donors and the parties, and illegal financing schemes”. In a recent interview, the Mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze told PalitraNews that he would be very happy if the opposition parties decided to end the boy- cott and join the Parliament. “I want to reinstate that the cur- rent convocation of the Georgian Parliament does not only consist of one party, as one more party is also represented there. I would BY VERONIKA MALINBOYM cal climate in Georgia remains International Society for Free tive resource” that was deter- be very happy if the opposition polarised and contentious”. and Fair Elections (ISFED), mined by the international parties decided to join the Par- n January, 11 the Parlia- In its report, PACE is calling Transparency International, monitoring organizations. liament instead of being the hos- Omentary Assembly of the for all political parties to take up and the international observa- On January, 15, Transpar- tages of one specific person – Council of Europe released a re- their seats in Parliament and to tion missions, all of which con- ency International Georgia (TIG) Mikhail Saakashvili”, said port on the progress made by 14 ensure its democratic function- cluded that the October 2020 released its own report on the Kaladze. countries in 2020, including that ing. PACE report also notes that Parliamentary Elections were campaign financing in Georgia’s According to the 2020 election of Georgia. While the report ap- the decision of the opposition bloc “competitive” and were held in 2019 Elections. According to the results published by the CEC, plauded the effort made to to boycott the seats is especially a way that respected fundamen- report, a total of 38,6 million the ruling Georgian Dream achieve the March 2020 agree- unfortunate because joining the tal freedoms and the parties’ GEL was received by the stud- party has won the majority of ment and the shift towards a Parliament would provide it ability to “campaign freely”. ied election subjects between seats, and, as of today, 8 politi- more proportionate election sys- with a much more significant Nevertheless, the report also September, 1 and November, 17. cal parties are yet to join the tem, it has also noted that de- political leverage. The report has notes the “uneven playing field” Georgian Dream received almost newly formed Parliament. spite the agreement, the “politi- also referenced the findings of the and “abuse of the administra- half of the aforementioned When will Georgia be able to get the Covid-19 vaccine? BY NIKA GAMTSEMLIDZE agreement with the producer countries through diplomatic any countries around the channels. It is believed that the Mworld, including the process might start around Feb- United States and EU member ruary or March. states, started vaccinating their On January 17, a special citizens at the end of 2020. Geor- meeting was held at the govern- gia is still in the process of nego- ment administration to discuss tiations and it is unknown when this. As it was noted at the meet- will it be able to start massive ing, “the vaccination action plan vaccination. is practically complete.” The At the moment, the country meeting discussed target groups has two possibilities: waiting for to be vaccinated in the first the vaccine on the list of the third place, adding that that intensive world countries or coming to an work to get the vaccine as soon as possible continues. The Interagency Coordinating Council will assess the plan next Weather week. Recently, Amiran Gamkrelidze, director of the Monday, January 18 According to Gamkrelidze, about 60% of the population is planned to be vaccinated CONTINUED ON Page 3 against coronavirus Day Mostly Cloudy High: 5°C published by Nino Metreveli Night Mostly Cloudy The Messenger welcomes your therefore, the opinions Commercial Director contributions. If you are expressed in some articles do Low: 0°C The Messenger 43, Chovelidze st., Tbilisi, interested in submitting an not necessarily coincide with Mariam Mchedlidze article or news item please those of the newspaper. We Tuesday, January 19 0108, Georgia Editor-in-Chief Founded by Prof. contact. take no responsibility for any Zaza Gachechiladze All contributions should be claims made in advertisments. Day Mostly Cloudy Natalia Kochiashvili Tamar Gachechiladze submitted by e-mail. Executive Editor High: 2°C Publisher The Messenger Georgia’s The Messenger preserves the Night Overcast Mob.:+995 599 565621; +995 577 760000 English language daily is an style of a source written in E-mail:[email protected] Khatuna Gogichaishvili independent newspaper, and, English where possible. Low: -3°C http://www.messenger.com.ge/ Layout Designer, Photographer MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2021 The Messenger Economics / Politics P3 Exchange Rates: US Dollar - 3.2987; Euro - 4.0033; GBP - 4.5044; 100 Russian Ruble - 4.4956; Swiss Franc - 3.7181 EBRD reports record 2020 investment in response to Covid-19 he European Bank for Re- Ukravtodor, supporting the gov- Tconstruction and Develop- ernment in the development of ment, EBRD, recently noted that national road infrastructure and it has invested ˆ11 billion in 2020 the fight against corruption. The through 411 projects. EBRD has Bank’s public-private partner- taken many steps during the ship (PPP) advisory activities led year to respond to the to the commercial close of two coronavirus pandemic, address- port PPPs at Olvia and Kherson ing the urgent needs of 38 econo- in Ukraine. mies. In November, the EBRD The money that EBRD used Board of Directors approved the for investment represents a 10 establishment of the Interna- percent increase in annual busi- tional Chernobyl Cooperation ness investment compared to Account at the request of 2019. Ukraine. The purpose of the new The EBRD was the first in- donor fund is to address remain- ternational financial institution ing challenges at Chernobyl and to adopt emergency measures to to sustain the achievements ac- address the economic impact of complished through the the pandemic in March last Chernobyl Shelter Fund (New year. It focused on supporting Safe Confinement) and the existing clients with the provi- Nuclear Safety Account (Interim sion of short-term liquidity and Spent Fuel Storage Facility, Liq- working capital to protect viable uid Radwaste Treatment Plant).