Issue no: 1147 • MAY 3 - 6, 2019 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 In this week’s issue... GeoStat on the State of the FOCUS Georgian Population ON SIGHNAGHI NEWS PAGE 2 A look at the City of Love, past, present and future PAGE 11 United Nations Agencies Present Annual Progress Report for Georgia POLITICS PAGE 4 President Refuses to Veto Controversial Draft on Selection of Judges President of PACE Pays Ceremonial Visit to Georgia POLITICS PAGE 5 BY SAMANTHA GUTHRIE HUAWEI P30 Lite: 3 Cameras with AI & Ultra- iliane Maury Pasquier, the President Wide Shooting Capabilities of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), conducted SOCIETY PAGE 7 an offi cial working visit to Georgia on April 29 and 30. The visit was made to American Jazz Musician Lhonor the 20th anniversary of Georgia’s accession to the Council of Europe. While in Tbilisi, she met with several Georgian Michael Zerang to Visit Tbilisi governmental leaders: President Salome Zura- bishvili, Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, Image source: Council of Europe Speaker of the Parliament Irakli Kobakhidze, Georgia’s institutions, “along with input from contact between peoples. There is the opportu- Minister of Foreign Affairs Davit Zalkaliani and Council of Europe bodies and experts,” the Coun- nity to learn more and take steps forward,” said members of the Georgian delegation to PACE. cil of Europe press agency reports. Maury Pasquier. On Tuesday, Maury Pasquier addressed the Addressing the Georgian Parliament, Maury Later that afternoon, she visited the settlement Georgian Parliament during a session dedicated Pasquier also predicted a strong continuing rela- for IDPs (internally displaced persons) in Tsero- to the 20th anniversary of Georgia's Council of tionship between the parties. “I am sure that this vani and the village of Odzisi on the Administra- Europe accession. During her speech at the Par- close co-operation will be further strengthened tive Boundary Line (ABL) with the occupied liamentary session, she congratulated Georgia on over the next 20 years, that Georgia will continue territory of the Tskhinvali district. Maury Pasquier 20 years of solid progress, saying “Georgia’s acces- to take advantage of our expertise and put our was given detailed information on the situation sion to the Council of Europe 20 years ago was a recommendations into action, and that the Coun- and the ABL and conditions for IDPs living in major step in consolidating democratic institu- cil of Europe will continue to benefi t from Geor- temporary settlements – already for more than tions and a huge boost for reforms in several gia’s experience and achievements,” she said. 10 years now. She made no comments in relation important areas...[since joining the Council of After a closed-door meeting between Kobakh- to the visit. Some oppositional political voices Europe], it is a more stable Georgia, based on idze and Maury Pasquier, in a joint statement to raised the question as to why no visits were strong democratic institutions, that is preparing the press on Monday afternoon, Kobakhidze scheduled between Maury Pasquier and opposi- to chair the Committee of Ministers of the Coun- emphasized the value of the actions undertaken tion parties. “She has not come here to study the CULTURE PAGE 9 cil of Europe from November 2019 to May 2020.” by the Council of Europe in the development of local political situation,” said Vice-Speaker of She highlighted the signifi cant progress made in democracy in Georgia. Maury Pasquier pledged Parliament Tamar Chugoshvili, adding that the Plan Ahead: Zero the fi ght against corruption, judiciary reform, and the Council of Europe’s support for Georgia’s PACE President did not express an interest in “the smooth functioning of Parliament,” noting confl ict resolution processes. “We will continue meeting with the political opposition or civil Compromise Wine Fest 2019 that Georgia’s progress has been due to strong to search for ways to resolve the confl icts in South society representatives, only senior government political will and consistent efforts from all of Ossetia and Abkhazia, especially to establish offi cials during the ceremonial visit. CULTURE PAGE 9 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS MAY 3 - 6, 2019 GeoStat on the State of the Georgian Population compiled by the State Commission on BY LUCY PAPACHRISTOU Migration Issues, 66% of emigrants lived & THEA MORRISON in urban areas before they left Georgia. Most of the emigrants left from Tbilisi, Imereti and Kvemo Kartli. early 100,000 people emi- The number of applications submitted grated from Georgia in by Georgians for Schengen Area visas 2018, according to new nearly doubled between 2010 and 2016, data compiled by the from 59,275 to 106,024, according to the National Statistics Offi ce migration profi le. Nof Georgia (GeoStat). A 15.8% increase In a further report, Geostat has revealed from the previous year, the 98,935 emi- that Georgia’s population has decreased grants represent 2.66% of the entire by 0.2% and amounted to 3,723,500 as of population of Georgia, some 3.72 million January 1, 2019. people. The agency says that 52% of the popu- Additionally, the number of immigrants lation is female and 48% male. Of these, to Georgia increased by 5.9%, a total of 14.8% of the population is of age 65 and 88,152 persons. The majority of both emi- older. The share of persons aged from grants (86.6%) and immigrants (84.5%) zero to 14 stands at 20.3% and the share are of working age (15-64 years old). of the working-age population (15-64 Recent surveys, however, suggest that years old) equals 64.9%. most Georgians do not favor permanent In addition, life expectancy was an emigration. The results of the Caucasus average of 74 years in 2018. For male, the Barometer 2017, an annual household average life expectancy was 69.7 years survey conducted by the Caucasus and for female – 78.2 years. Research Resource Center, found that “2018 resulted in a positive natural 90% of respondents were not currently increase (4,614) and negative net migra- interested in leaving Georgia perma- tion (-10,783)”, said Geostat. nently. 55%, however, were interested in The agency also reports that 58.7% of leaving temporarily. the population lives in cities and 41.3% tion lives in the capital of Georgia, Tbi- Kartli, 433,200; Ajara, 349,000; Samegrelo- 154,100; Guria, 109,000; Mtskheta-Mti- According to 2014 census data used in in rural areas. lisi: 1.2 million people. This is followed Zemo Svaneti, 316,200; Kakheti, 312,500; aneti, 93,600; Racha-Lechkhumi and the 2017 Migration Profi le of Georgia, The majority of the Georgian popula- by the Imereti region, 497,400; Kvemo Shida Kartli, 257,300; Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kvemo Svaneti, 29,700. Another "Stalin" Grave Found in Batumi victims of the Soviet terror. BY THEA MORRISON The governmental com- mission is headed by Ajara Healthcare Minister Zaal he fi fth mass Mikeladze. The graves are grave, alleg- being studied by both arche- edly of the vic- ologists and scientists. tims of the On April 5, on the offi cial 1937-1938 website of the Batumi and TSoviet repressions, has been Lazeti Eparchy, it was discovered in Georgia’s declared that the remains Black Sea coastal city of of corpses had been found Batumi, announced the state in four mass graves in commission created to study Batumi. the corpses discovered in The Batumi and Lazeti Batumi. Eparchy stated the place “On the same territory where the graves were found where we discovered four had been given to the Patri- other graves, we have found archate of Georgia for tem- another, which we have yet porary use, and noted that to open as we are waiting the graves contained a total for the specialists,” cleric of of 150 human remains. the Batumi and Lazeti dio- The statement reads that cese, Pirimze Rurua, said. with the cooperation of the He added that coins issued Ministry of Health, a base in 1935 were found in previ- of DNA of the remains will ously found graves, which be created and an examina- leads to the belief that the tion of the corpses can be Photo source: Batumelebi burial site belongs to the done at any time. SUBSCRIBE! 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION - 60 GEL (6 ISSUES) Money Back Guarantee! [email protected] +995 32 229 59 19 Tel: (995 32) 2 45 08 08 10 Galaktion Street E-mail: [email protected] GEORGIA TODAY 4 POLITICS MAY 3 - 6, 2019 Ruslan Abashidze Made New Head of Abkhazia’s Government in Exile According to Ruslan Abashidze, in the BY THEA MORRISON next few days he will present an action plan and will begin to form his own cab- inet. Breakaway Abkhazia is Georgia’s irst Deputy State Minister for territory, currently occupied by the Rus- Reconciliation and Civic sian Federation. It is recognized as a state Equality of Georgia, Ruslan by only Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Abashidze, has become the Nauru and Syria. new Head of the legitimate While Georgia lacks control over Abk- FGovernment of Abkhazia, which is in hazia, the Georgian government and exile in Tbilisi. nearly all United Nations member states Abashidze became the Head of Abk- consider the region as legally part of hazia’s government after the former head, Georgia, whose constitution designates Vakhtang Kolbaia, stepped down after the area as the Autonomous Republic of holding the post since 2013. Abkhazia. The Tbilisi-based Supreme Council of The status of breakaway Abkhazia is a Abkhazia, which has been in exile since top issue of the Georgian–Abkhazian the armed confl ict in the early 1990s, confl ict and Georgia–Russia relations.