THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021 The Messenger P3 “Impartial, Informative, Insightful” GEL 3.00 The #101 (4905) MessengerTHURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021 WWW.MESSENGER.COM.GE Georgia celebrates Independence Day The ceremony was attended by govern- ment officials and invited guests, among them, Polish President Andrzej Duda and Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Taran. Top Georgian figures as well as the president of Poland addressed the army and the people, praising the country’s past, the merit of the Georgian armed forces and the country’s Euro-At- lantic future. President Salome Zurabishvili, Su- preme Commander of the Defense Forces, opened the official part of the ceremony and said that it is symbolic that after 100 years the remains of Georgia’s national hero and commander-in-chief of the first Democratic Republic of Georgia, General Giorgi Kvinitadze, have been returned home from France. The funeral ceremony of General Kvinitadze took place in Holy Trinity Cathedral, he was llater buried in Mtatsminda Pantheon. Zurabishvili said the remains were to be buried “next to those of honourable children of the country,” adding the oc- casion marked a honouring of Kvinitadze’s “uncompromising struggle and military valour,” and extended the date to mark historical struggles of the Georgian army for independence. President said that Georgia needs to create its own approach and plan to inte- grate in the EU, into NATO and to over- come the occupation. In her address, the “We hope that the June 14 NATO summit will open the prospect of president said that when the EU inter- taking a new step on the path to integration into the Alliance,” est and involvement in the stability of the said the president in her speech. BY NATALIA KOCHIASHVILI The first republic of Georgia, independent of Russia, ceased to exist in February ay 26 is Georgia’s Independence 1921 as a result of Soviet Russian mili- MDay, commemorating May 26, 1918 tary aggression and occupation. Georgia – the day when the Act of Independence regained its independence on April 9, was adopted and which established the 1991. First Democratic Republic of Georgia. The celebration of the national holiday started with the raising of the Georgian state flag on Freedom Square, which was brought by the military servicemen of the Politics National Guard Ritual Squadron. The main celebration of the national holiday Supreme Council was held at Freedom Square in Tbilisi. of Justice elects Due to the restrictions caused by the coronavirus epidemic, traditional public 4 member Judges walks and exhibitions were not held. Newly modernized Su-25 fighter jets FULL STORY ON Page 2 of the Defense Forces flew over Freedom Square and congratulated the citizens on Independence Day by launching smoke Politics / Economics in the colors of the Georgian flag. region and Georgia is clearly increased, new opportunities arise that require more Vardzia cave monastery training, organization, consistency, pro- fessionalism and putting the interests of complex receives the country above all else. European Cultural PM Irakli Gharibashvili, speaking at the solemn event, said that May 26 is an Heritage Award / Europa expression of Georgia’s national identity, Nostra Prize centuries-old culture and striving for free- dom. According to him, today is a day of celebration for all citizens of Georgia, which expresses unity and aspiration for Turkish specialists to a better future of Georgia. “I am confident that we will be able to assist the development of make our Abkhaz and Ossetian compa- transplantation in Georgia triots a worthy member of a strong fam- ily in Georgia,” said Gharibashvili, who also stressed the role of Georgia’s foreign FULL STORY ON Page 3 partners in strengthening the country’s CONTINUED ON Page 2 P2 Politics The Messenger THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021 Supreme Council of Justice elects 4 member Judges points judges in the country, is currently composed of ‘biased judges’ and lacks public trust. As the deputy head of Georgia’s Supreme Court Giorgi Mikautadze stated on Wednes- day, the moratorium on the elec- tion of new members of the High Council of Justice would have ‘caused the collapse’ of the country’s court system. Accord- ing to him, currently, the High Council of Justice lacks one member, while the terms of nine other members are expiring in the coming months. The newly-elected members of the council do not agree with the allegations of the protesters that they were elected only because they enjoy the protection of in- fluential groups of judges. Ac- cording to them, the balloting process was transparent. The newly-elected members of the High Council of Justice are Badri Shonia, Temur Gogokhia, Gocha Abuseridze and Levan Mikaberidze. BY KHATIA BZHALAVA The conference of judges took place against the background of upreme Council of Justice a protest rally held at the Su- Selected 4 member Judges preme School of Justice. Protest- during the 29th Extraordinary ers were demanding the post- Conference of Judges yesterday. ponement of the voting as they The elected members are claim the government intends to Abuseridze Gocha (274 votes), ‘strengthen the clan’. Opposition Levan Mikaberidze (283 votes), MPs, as well as Ambassadors, Badri Shonia (281 votes), Temur have urged to halt the election Gogokhia (278 votes). All four of High Council of Justice mem- were elected judges of the High bers and judges of the Supreme Council of Justice for a four-year Court before the implementation term and will replace Dimitri of large-scale judicial reforms as Gvritishvili, Vasil considered with the EU-medi- Mshvenieradze, Irakli Shengelia ated agreement signed in April and Irakli Bondarenko, the 2021. Opposition MPs have members of the Council whose stated that the High Council of The conference of judges took place against the background of a protest demanding the term of office expires on June 24. Justice, which selects and ap- postponement of the voting. “The clan must leave,” reads the banner. Georgia celebrates Independence Day CONTINUED FROM Page 1 European dream.’ mission in Afghanistan and re- 247 recruits took the military turned to their homeland. independence. Garibashvili oath before God and the nation. At 20:00, a concert dedicated spoke of the current In parallel with Tbilisi, the to the Independence Day of Geor- government’s contribution to the swearing-in ceremony was held gia was held at the Opera and development of Georgia and em- in 5 locations in different regions Ballet Theater which was broad- phasized that in 2024, Georgia of Georgia: in Svaneti, Adjara, casted live. will apply for EU membership, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kakheti Dozens of foreign states and thus taking an important step and the holy city of Mtskheta. leaders have congratulated towards realizing ‘our ancestors’ Boxes of Georgian Defense Georgia on its 30th anniversary Forces commands and military of independence. The list in- schools, as well as a box of US cludes the US and European top Kvinitadze’s remains were laid to rest at the cemetery Weather Army and Marine instructors leaders, France, China, Poland, next to those of Kakutsa Cholokashvili - Deputy Defence were presented in on Freedom Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Iran, Minister of the 1918-1921 Georgian republic - after a Thursday, May 27 Square. The guests especially Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the public funeral ceremony was held at the Holy Trinity welcomed the Georgian soldiers United Arab Emirates and other Cathedral and a ceremonial flyover by Georgian Defence Day Partly Cloudy who had just completed their foreign states. Forces’ aircraft over the Freedom Square. High: 25°C published by Nino Metreveli Night Partly Cloudy The Messenger welcomes your therefore, the opinions Commercial Director contributions. If you are expressed in some articles do Low: 16°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 Friday, May 28 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 Partly Cloudy Natalia Kochiashvili Tamar Gachechiladze submitted by e-mail. Executive Editor High: 27°C Publisher The Messenger Georgia’s The Messenger preserves the Night Partly Cloudy 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: 17°C http://www.messenger.com.ge/ Layout Designer, Photographer THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021 The Messenger Politics / Economics P3 Exchange Rates: US Dollar - 3.2993; Euro - 4.0420; GBP - 4.6735; 100 Russian Ruble - 4.4922; Swiss Franc - 3.6868 Vardzia cave monastery complex receives European Cultural Heri- tage Award / Europa Nostra Prize In 2021, the European Leading Award was given to 24 projects from 18 European countries in seven different nominations. The creation of the Vardzia Rock-Cut Complex was initiated in the State Program will support saving sev- ism, your dedication, your artistic sensi- second half of the 12th century by King George III and was completed eral similar sites in Georgia, such as the tivity, you have helped revitalise the Eu- under the reign of his daughter, Queen Tamar. David Gareji Monasteries and Hermitage rope of today and to project it into the which was included on the 7 Most En- future,” said Sassoli. BY KHATIA BZHALAVA Cultural Heritage Preservation of Geor- dangered list 2018 by Europa Nostra and “This year’s laureates powerfully dem- gia, the Vardzia Cave Monastery is lo- the European Investment Bank Institute. onstrate how heritage offers solutions and he European Cultural Heritage cated in the most active seismic region of The creation of the complex was initi- paths to recovery in the face of seemingly TAward / Europe Nostra Prize, funded Georgia, thereby it has suffered serious ated in the second half of the 12th century insurmountable challenges, as we take under the Creative Europe Program, was damage.