EU Parliament on Murder by Occupying-Forces & more – 30th Nov 2023

Gamarjobat from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Georgia Update from the 30th of November twenty twenty-three A quick summary of what's going down in Georgia.

On Thursday, the 23rd, the European Parliament passed a resolution with 495 votes, addressing the killing of Tamaz Ginturi and the abduction of Levan Dotiashvili by Russian forces in Georgia's Tskhinvali region. The resolution condemned both incidents, calling for a thorough investigation into these murders. Members of the European Parliament reaffirmed their support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, condemning Russia's illegal occupation of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia.

The Parliament urged Russia to implement the two thousand eight Ceasefire Agreement, withdraw occupation forces, and release all Georgian citizens held by the occupation regime. MEPs called on the Council to impose sanctions on those violating Georgian sovereignty while denouncing Russian interference in Georgia's politics.

On Friday the 24th, Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia, answered citizens' questions on live air about whether Armenia was ready to recognize Abkhazia and Ossetia as occupied territories. He said, “We fully and unequivocally protect Georgia’s unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, democracy, and statehood.” Pashinyan's pro-Georgian statement angered leaders of separatist regions. Aslan Bzhania, President of occupied Abkhazia, blamed the Armenian leadership’s statements of “Western influence.” Moreover, ethnic Armenian members of the Abkhazian Parliament criticized the Armenian prime minister for changing positions on recognizing the sovereignty of separatist regions. Pashinyan said that since twenty nineteen, Armenia has consistently voted in favor of Georgia’s territorial integrity in the UN General Assembly. Abkhazia doesn’t publicize this statistic but there are more ethnic Armenians in Abkhazia than there are ethnic Abkhaz.

As discussed on previous updates, on Tuesday, the 28th, the National Environmental Agency invalidated a forty-nine-year hunting license for 100,000 hectares or 1,000 square kilometers of land in Racha granted to Davit Khidasheli. Recall that he is a Russia-based businessman with connections to Vladimir Putin’s inner circle and close ties with Bidzina Ivanishvili. Since the 27th of September, demonstrators have been protesting against Khidasheli’s hunting license. In November, the protestors went to Tbilisi to demand the revocation of the hunting permit. They said that the National Environmental Agency gave the license to Khidasheli without public consultation.

The Agency’s embarrassed excuse for withdrawing the permit was that Khidasheli's company, HG Capra Caucasica LLC, which got the permit, had failed to submit a report on the hunting farm's impact on the Emerald Network, a territory that falls inside the licensed land which is full of unique habitats, animals and plants. And they just noticed….after the protests.

Speaking of Ivanishvili, On Tuesday the 28th, POLITICO's twenty twenty-four ranking of Europe's influencers named Bidzina Ivanishvili, former Prime Minister of Georgia, as an oligarch. POLITICO placed him in the disruptors category due to his potential to reshape the political landscape. Ivanishvili ranked eighth, marking the first Georgian on the list. Politico said that despite retiring to a Black Sea park, Ivanishvili wields significant control over Georgia's ruling party, Georgian Dream or Otsneba. You can say that again. POLITICO expressed concern about him displacing Tbilisi from the EU's orbit and into the Kremlin's influence. Analysts attribute Georgia's pro-Moscow shift to Ivanishvili. They mention human rights regression, and that Georgia has become a hub for sanctions-busting exports to Russia.

Now on to the United National Movement party, or Natsebi, or as Otsneba likes to call it, “the opposition” On Monday the 27th, Levan Khabeishvili, Chairman of Natsebi, confirmed in an interview with TV Formula that Nika Melia, former chairman of the party, was no longer a member of the Natsebi. Khabeishvili stated that Melia is not in the ranks and does not represent the party. However, besides what Khabeishvili said in the interview, the party did not release any official statement regarding Nika Melia’s departure.

Some Natsebi members expressed their frustration over Nika Melia not joining an eleven-point manifesto led by Misha, who reportedly feels better. The manifesto was published last week on the 20th anniversary of the Rose Revolution. In November two thousand three, the Rose Revolution brought about a peaceful transfer of power. The people protested against the rigged outcome of the parliamentary elections when the leadership pretended that Shevardnadze’s party the Citizens Union had won. This led directly to relentless demonstrations and to the resignation of President Eduard Shevardnadze. This marked the end of the Soviet-era leadership in the country and the real beginning of Georgia's pro-European political path.

On Thursday the 23rd, Radio Liberty, an international media outlet, published an article by Joshua Kucera titled Twenty Years After Rose Revolution, Georgia's Political Parties Hate Each Other. But They Also Largely Agree. The article reflects mixed feelings on the 20th anniversary of the Rose Revolution, a turning point in Georgia's politics and foreign policy. According to a German Friedrich Ebert Foundation study in twenty twenty-one, despite intense animosity between the ruling party, Otsneba, and the largest opposition party, Natsebi, their policies share more commonalities than differences.

To know more, follow the link in the show notes!

Now, a Joint Statement of International Organizations on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls.

On Saturday, the 25th, the European Union, the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), NATO, and various embassies in Georgia issued a joint statement, which underscores the persistent challenge of gender-based violence in the country despite government and civil society efforts. The statement highlights the urgency of eliminating violence against women in politics, emphasizing the crucial need for strengthened legislation and policies to protect women's rights and advance gender equality. 54% of female candidates in Georgia have faced various forms of violence and harassment during their political careers. The statement also addresses economic violence, highlighting the importance of reducing the gender pay gap, ensuring equal access to financial resources, securing inheritance rights, and promoting equal employment opportunities. The document urges collaboration among stakeholders to create a future where women can fully participate in economic, social, and political life without fear of violence or harassment.

On Monday, the 27th, a powerful storm battered the Black Sea coastline and caused significant damage to the region's infrastructure. According to some reports, this is the most intense storm the Black Sea has experienced in 100 years. The storm hit the cities of Batumi, Kobuleti, Poti, and Anaklia, damaging footpaths, paving stones, benches, and seasonal cafe bars. Water flooded the streets, and residential houses also suffered damage. The debris from the storm blocked drainage channels, hindering repair work.

On Monday, the 27th, Gori City Hall announced that The People's Republic of China's Embassy granted 500,000 Chinese Yuan (around 70,000 US dollars ) to Gori Municipality in Shida Kartli Region. Vladimir Khinche-gashvili, Gori’s Mayor, and Chou Tsien-yi, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia, recently signed the grant agreement in a meeting at the Chinese Embassy. The municipality will use the funds to construct sports mini-stadiums with an artificial cover in Mereti and Kvemo Artsevi, two villages near the occupation line. The City Hall intends to launch a tender for stadium construction in the next few days.

We end this week’s show with the Khachapuri Index copied from the Economist’s Big Max index, a measure of Purchasing Power Parity. The Khajapuri Index, is used more to check the government’s inflation figures.

On Monday, the 27th, the International School of Economics, or ISET, published its Khachapuri index for November. The index tracks inflation by using the most famous Georgian food, Khachapuri. In November twenty twenty-three, the average cost of preparing a standard portion of delicious Imeretian Khachapuri increased to 6.47 lari, a little over three US dollars, marking a 5.5% rise from October twenty twenty-three and a 7% decrease from November twenty twenty-two. The higher cost of khachapuri ingredients resulted from the seasonal trend of increasing milk and dairy product prices.

Aaaand that’s it for this week. Remember you can buy one of our really cool and environmentally friendly T-shirts as Christmas Presents! They are made of 100% unbleached organic cotton, grown and ginned in Texas, spun and knit in the Carolinas, and sewn and printed in Missouri. To buy one, follow the link in our show notes.

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Nakhvamdis!