June 19 - 25, 2015 WEEKLY PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY www.georgiatoday.ge Price: GEL 2.50 Georgia Today 28 p., Produce in Georgia 4 p. ISSUE No.771 IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE Ex-Mayor Zurab TbilisiTbilisi FFlood:lood: Chiaberashvili: Digging Hope from the Debris New Road Not Responsible for BUSINESS HEADLINES Tragedy New Hotel Opens Ex-Mayor discusses the in Tbilisi P.13 cause and effects of the flood. P.12 Saudi Arabian Prince Visits Georgia P.14 Georgia Steps Up Counter-Terrorism EU: EURO 3 million to Measures with Help Georgia Provide Arrests in Pankisi Housing Solutions P.15 Government raids Pankisi Construction of Gorge, detains six. P.12 Pioneering 50 Million Georgian Political Euro Energy Project Georgia Today analyses the June 13 flood and its aftermath. Wise Man Rondeli P.6 Underway P.15 Dies Aged 73 P.21 Geomorphologist: Lived and Died for FLIGHT SCHEDULE Consequences of Tbilisi Zoo Georgia Suffer Ignoring the Risks The last interview with Tbilisi Cup Guliko Chitadze, well-known Disappointment P.4 Geomorphologist George zoo worker who died in the Gotsiridze discusses the causes flood trying to save her 'little against Emerging of Saturday's devastation. P.8 ones.' P.10 Italy P.27 2 JUNE 19 - 25 SOCIETY Georgia Signs Deal in France to Buy “Air Defense System” SocietySociety XXIXXI HoldsHolds 3-Day3-Day EvEventent “Model“Model GoGovverernmentnment GeorGeorgia”gia” Georgian MOD Tina Khidasheli with Jerome Bendell, CEO of French Operations at TRS. By Nino Melikishvili tails of the contract,” said Tina Khidasheli. “These kinds of documents Georgia has signed an agreement in with such types of procurement infor- France on the purchase of an advanced mation should be a top state secret.” system that will guarantee the country’s “When the contract is completed and air defense. when the weapons arrive in Georgia we According to Defense Minister Tina will be able to openly say that our de- Khidasheli, one more deal is being pre- fense capability is guaranteed,” she re- pared on arms purchase and, as she said, vealed. in few weeks she will be heading back Also, on June 15, Khidasheli met her to France. French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian Citing its privacy, officials are reluc- in Paris. tant to discuss the details of the contract. “I had a very good meeting with the The Ministry of Defense (MoD) has not French Defense Minister. We discussed released any information about the sys- many issues, including arms purchase,” tem nor its price. It has not even named said Khidasheli. the company they made the deal with, The Georgian Defense Minister on the sideline of the Paris Air Show on thanked both of her predecessors, June 15. Alasania and Janelidze, for making this However, the MoD did release a agreement possible, as they also met the short video which shows that the French French Defense Minister in the past year company Thales and American and a half. Jean-Yves Drian met Irakli By Steven Jones transport chaos in the city and a sense The Society has implemented sev- Raytheon’s joint venture Alasania three times and also met of shock among citizens, the organiza- eral projects, including “Young Geor- ThalesRaytheonSystem (TRS) signed an Mindia Janelidze in March, 2015. Non-profit organization Society tion proceeded in the hope that Geor- gian Diplomat to European and Euro- agreement. More precisely, Jerome “This is only the first step, because XXI, hosted a three-day project “Model gian youth could benefit. Atlantic Institutions”, the career pro- Bendell, the company’s CEO for French we are not going to stop,” said Government Georgia” (MGG) involv- Society XXI resists challenges of gram mutually organized by the World operations signed the contract on behalf Khidasheli, “Our plans are much big- ing hundreds of students from across 21st century Georgia and supports the Union of Georgian Students and Soci- of TRS. ger and very soon you will learn about the country.. promotion of knowledge-based society ety XXI in March this year. TRS is an aerospace and defense the second contract, which I hope will The project, which is the intellec- in the country. The team believes that “European Party” was one of the company which produces a range of be signed very soon in Paris.” tual property of the organization, was education and professionalism are the main components for MGG to build a ground-based surveillance radars, air Minister Khidasheli also mentioned held at the premises of Grigol very bases of modern social affairs, network of future professionals of defense command and control systems, that the terms of this agreement are very Robakidze University and National economic growth, and prosperity. Georgia and to enable them to meet as well as offering cyber capabilities. profitable for Georgia and thanked Parliamentary Library of Georgia on Society XXI is determined to incul- dozens of successful persons from dif- “I really cannot speak about the de- France for the cooperation. June 13-15. Ministries and top positions cate principles of open society, liberal ferent fields, including diplomacy, poli- including the Prime Minister were rep- democracy, transparency and good gov- tics and academia. licated, to raise knowledge and become ernance via enlightenment, education Taking into account the existing more competent in the issues of the re- and enabling young generations to par- situation in the country, the gion and particularly Georgia’s secu- ticipate in public life. organization’s executive board decided rity architecture. Society XXI is a network of young to dedicate the event to Alexander The event was colorful and stress- professionals encouraging and support- Rondeli and hold it in support of the ful at the same time, as the newly ing Georgia’s European & Euro-Atlan- victims of Tbilisi flooding. founded organization and its young tic future. The main tools - to spread the According to the information from professional staff had to implement values and the vision of the organiza- the organization’s leadership, “Euro- MGG against the background of the tion throughout the country and beyond pean Party” will be held in the future Tbilisi floods and the passing away of - are social activities and developing as a tradition to bring together future Dr. Alexander Rondeli, the Honored young leaders of the 21st century to en- generations that are oriented toward Adviser to the organization and one of courage and bolster Georgia’s modern- contributing to Georgia’s European and its most important friends. Despite ization and institutional development. Euro-Atlantic integration. CitizCitizensens RRallallyy BehindBehind ZooZoo DirDirectorector Following the June 17 tiger attack close to Heroes’ Square, the director of Tbilisi Zoo, Zurab Gurielidze, was ques- tioned by prosecutors before issuing a statement in front of the cameras. “I acknowledge that the state agen- cies spread the information I gave to them. After my notification, it was con- sidered that there was no threat whatso- ever [and that all animals were ac- counted for] and of course it’s all my fault,” said Gurielidze, reading a pre- pared statement in his hands. Asked if he had been interrogated by police, Gurielidze said that he’d had “certain meetings with the police” but claimed that no criminal charges had June 17 Rally in support of Zoo director, Zurab Gurielidze. been brought against him. which led to the death of the man in the will be the first among the supporters of Hundreds of people rallied in support tiger attack. Zurab Gurielidze, the director of Tbilisi of Gurielidze and in protest against what After the meeting, PM Garibashvili Zoo,” Garibashvili said. HAVE YOUR HAIR CUT AT OUR SALON many demonstrators believed was the denied that the authorities were planning There is a chance that a number of AND GET HAIR DIAGNOSTIC AS A GIFT! authorities’ attempt to make the zoo di- to arrest the zoo director and also told animals are still alive and on the loose rector a scapegoat for their own failings, Gurielidze that nothing was his fault. “I in the city so posing a threat to residents. 4 JUNE 19 - 25 SOCIETY RRuineduined TbilisiTbilisi ZooZoo andand AmbiguousAmbiguous PlansPlans onon thethe NeNeww PrProjectoject space in Tbilisi. zoo’s construction. However, no official The project of building the new Zoo source has yet been found to confirm. was developed on a conceptual level but A petition has appeared on the sidelined when the new government internet promoting the idea that the took power in 2012. Last weekend’s new Tbilisi Zoo be named after Guliko tragedy raised many questions regard- Chitadze. “Guliko Chitadze was and ing the new project and the future loca- remains the greatest example of love PM Garibashvili overlooks the damaged Vere highway and Tbilisi Zoo. tion of the zoo, but government officials towards animals. She did her duty till By Teona Surmava idea aimed at building a zoological and a secondary hub with playground and have not yet confirmed willingness to her final moments, regardless of the recreation complex on the inland lake cafe, an inner zoo and an open-range implement the project developed by danger she was in. So let us make sure The June 13 2015 Tbilisi flood has known as Tbilisi Sea. zoo. The plan originally aimed at HASELL. that our children are taught how to already killed 20 people, left at least 24 The plan called for a number of building upon the dramatic landscape Rumours are circulating that former love our four-legged friends with the families without shelter and destroyed new buildings and landscapes, in- and mountainous topography of the Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina story of Guliko Chitadze!” reads the several enclosures at Tbilisi Zoo. Own- cluding an entrance hub, boulevard, area to create an enjoyable recreation Ivanishvili plans to finance the new petition.