Optimism on EU Membership & more– 31st Aug 2023

Gamarjobat from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Georgia Update from the 31st of August twenty twenty-three A quick summary of what's going down in Georgia.

Let's kick this episode off with international affairs.

On Monday, the 28th, the Bled Strategic Forum took place in Slovenia. Charles Michel, European Council President, urged the EU and aspirant states to prepare for enlargement by twenty thirty. He also announced upcoming EU Council talks on opening negotiations with Ukraine, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Georgia. Michel called states with EU potential, like Georgia, "future member states," highlighting a merit-based process. He stressed the role of the rule of law in their swift progress, as EU entry brings responsibilities and benefits. He cautioned new members against importing past conflicts into the EU. Also, he proposed a ‘confidence clause’ in the accession treaties to ensure that countries that have just joined the EU cannot block the accession of future member states.

Following Michel's speech, Irakli Kobakhidze, Georgian Dream or Otsneba Chair, said Georgia would receive EU candidate status later this year. Interestingly, after Michel's speech, there was a wave of optimism about Georgia’s EU candidate status among some politicians and politologists. Paata Zakareishvili, a former State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality in the Otsneba government said that the EU would grant Georgia a candidate status despite Otsneba sabotaging Georgia's EU path.

Let's focus on domestic affairs.

On Wednesday, the 30th, the government prevented President Zourabichvili from meeting with European leaders to push for Georgia's candidacy for EU membership. Mamuka Mdinaradze, the leader of the Otsneba faction in Parliament, stated that the President's international visits without the government's consent are unconstitutional. He said Otsneba denied Zourabichvili international visits because of the President's speech against the government in March this year after the March protests against Otsneba's Russian Law. Mdinaradze said that the opposition and the President did everything to sabotage Georgia's EU candidate status. Odd since as everybody knows, it’s Otsneba that is doing the sabotage.

For context, Otsneba has blocked Zourabichvili from international visits before. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Zourabichvili wanted to visit European capitals, but Otsneba did not give her permission.

Moving onto the march in support of Ukraine's Independence Day.

On Thursday, the 24th, hundreds of people gathered in Tbilisi to celebrate Ukraine's Independence Day and show their support for their country amidst the Russian invasion. Ukrainians at the rally expressed their gratitude to the Georgian people by chanting "Glory to Georgia!" and "Long live Georgia!" The event featured the singing of Georgian and Ukrainian anthems and patriotic songs. The march began at the Taras Shevchenko monument and concluded in front of the parliament building. Similar rallies took place in Batumi and Kutaisi. Politicians from the ruling party and opposition congratulated Ukraine on Independence Day and wished the country victory, territorial integrity, and peace.

Speaking of Ukrainians.

On Tuesday, the 29th, Georgian border guards allowed the entry of six Ukrainians who had been stranded for over ten days at the Georgian-Russian Zemo Larsi border checkpoint in fear of returning to Russia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said they promptly informed the Ukrainian embassy in Georgia about the situation, but The Ukrainian side said it would take some time to resolve the issue. However, while waiting for a response from the embassy at the border, one of the Ukrainian citizens' health deteriorated, so the Foreign Ministry granted them entry into Georgian territory, and they will remain there until the Ukrainian embassy decides what to do with them.

Moving on to some news from occupied areas.

On Wednesday the 30th, the Power is in Unity movement, which monitors the occupation line, reported that Russian occupying forces are reinforcing checkpoints in Tskhinvali. Movement leader David Katsarava said they are now building an additional defensive fence about two kilometers away from the central highway in Orcho-sani-Khurvaleti. He said that drone footage shows that Russian engineers are actively creating trenches and fortified structures. Reports also said that Russian occupiers have been harassing locals. Russian occupation forces blocked access to two local churches, preventing residents from celebrating Mariamoba on Monday the 28th. Mariamoba is a religious holiday that commemorates the assumption of Mary into heaven. Also, Russian soldiers threatened to arrest and handcuff those approaching the churches.

Now, some updates on the deadly landslide in Shovi.

On Tuesday, the 29th, the Deputy Mayor of Oni Municipality reported that the landslide death toll in Shovi reached thirty-one and that rescue teams are looking for two more individuals.

The same day, the Ministry of Defence anounced the death of one of the soldiers it sent to join the rescue teams. The Ministry said that Temur Kharchilava, the instructor of the 2nd training course at the training center, possibly died of a heart attack while doing rescue work in Shovi.

Moving on to heavy rainfall in Tbilisi.

On Tuesday the 29th, heavy rainfall and strong winds affected Tbilisi, causing damage to electricity cables and resulting in flooding of streets and underpasses. The Tbilisi Municipality and Emergency Management Service collaborated to tackle these challenges, and all the local administrations have been involved in managing the situation. Tbilisi City Hall told citizens to stay inside and to call the hotline if necessary. Kakhi Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi, stated that the Gldani district faced the harshest consequences of the rainfall. Municipality services evacuated a flooded house, relocating the affected family.

Let's jump to some regional news.

On Tuesday the 29th, Davit Nozadze, the state representative of Mtskheta-Mtianeti, announced that there was a massive rock slide near the Shio Cave or Shio Mgvime monastery complex, the largest monastic community in Georgia, built in the the sixth century. Nozadze told people not to visit the monastery due to the removal of the rocks that fell. He said that specialists have a plan to remove the rocks and check if the monastery was damaged. The National Environment Agency stated that the monastery didn’t suffer any significant damage.

Next up, the Rustavi infrastructure project.

On Friday, the 25th, The Rustavi Municipality City Hall published that the "Renewed Regions" program has propelled active-phase projects in Rustavi. Rustavi received a total investment of 50 million laris or about 20 million US dollars for the program.

It encompasses sixty-three municipalities and will finance projects such as rehabilitating important cultural or historical heritage objects, arranging recreational spaces, and developing appropriate tourist infrastructure. Rustavi City Hall said they have already finished renovating Rustavi's entrance and squares King Tamar, Giuli Shartava, Shota Rustaveli, Lado Meskhishvili Street, Fame Memorial, and their adjacent areas. The City Hall also said that the next phase of the program will benefit Friendship Street.

Moving on to the economy.

On Wednesday, the 30th, an international development consulting company called PMCG published a report on employment and salaries in Georgia. The report says that the number of individuals receiving monthly salaries increased by 5% compared to twenty twenty-two and by 7% compared to twenty twenty-one. Moreover, July witnessed a 27% increase in individuals receiving monthly salaries of two thousand four hundred laris or about 900 US dollars, or more compared to twenty twenty-two and a 9% increase compared to twenty twenty-one. Additionally, the number of people earning nine thousand six hundred laris, around three thousand six hundred US dollars, or more per month, in July, surged by 27% compared to twenty twenty-two and by an impressive 63% compared to twenty twenty-one.

On Monday the 28th, EUNeighboursEast, the EU communication program for Eastern Neighbourhood countries, announced that young individuals from Kaspi, Adigeni, and Batumi received training to detect and authenticate misleading content in modern media. Through the training sessions, participants gained the ability to assess the credibility of sources, images, and videos. Additionally, they acquired proficiency in utilizing a specialized online tool to verify geolocation information. The project aims to fortify democracy and uphold human rights in Georgia by enhancing public awareness and comprehension of media freedom, media and information literacy, and the adverse impact of disinformation.

A great new book out called Ethics of Political Commemoration by Hans Gutbrod and David Wood. It proposes a new ethical framework for how museums and others should commemorate past politics and conflict. It’s adapted from the Just War tradition, keeping in mind that remembrance is often conducted with political – and even coercive – intent. The framework seeks to improve debates so that remembrance of the past may transform relationships in the present and build a shared future, rather than divide people. Offering a moral argument with lots of examples, they draw on experiences from Armenia, Georgia, Ireland, Lebanon, and Libya, while also connecting to mainstream debates in Western Europe and the United States. So if you run a museum, or go to them, or care about the Georgia, history, or the world, read this!

And that’s it for this week! Thanks for joining us!

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Nakhvamdis!