The News in Brief
Wednesday, July 12
EU South Caucasus Envoy to Leave His Post
Herbert Salber, the EU Special Representative (EUSR) for the South Caucasus, who also serves as a co-chair of the Geneva International Discussions, will leave his post in mid-August and return to the German Foreign Office.
“We can confirm that Ambassador Herbert Salber will be leaving the position of EUSR for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia in which he has been serving since July 2014,” the Office of the Special Representative told Civil.ge on July 11.
The Office also said that the Ambassador “informed the participants in the Geneva International Discussions about his decision during the last round held on June 20-21;” “all other counterparts in the region” were also notified about the decision.
According to the Office of the Special Representative, Ambassador Salber “will be carrying out his duties as EUSR until mid-August and will then return to the German Foreign Office”. “A successor should be appointed in the near future,” the Office added.
The information on Ambassador Salber’s possible resignation was first announced by Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Davit Dondua, who noted in his July 5 comment for Rustavi 2 TV that the EU Special Representative informed Geneva Talks participants of his decision to leave the post.
The announcement comes less than two months after Ambassador Salber’s remarks in Tskhinvali, congratulating the region’s new leader Anatoly Bibilov on his victory in the April presidential polls, were met with furious criticism from Georgian officials and opposition politicians.
The EU Special Representative’s task is to contribute to a peaceful settlement of conflicts in the region, including the crisis in Georgia and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The EUSR represents the EU in the Geneva International Discussions, aimed at resolving the aftermath of the 2008 war with Russia. (Civil.ge)
,b>Bagrati Cathedral removed from UNESCO cultural heritage list
The Bagrati Cathedral has been removed from the UNESCO list of cultural heritage,” Nino Burchuladze, a member of the Sakdrisi Committee, told kvirispalitra.ge.
According to her, UNESCO has established new borders of the modification for the Gelati Cathedral, which means that Gelati returned to the main list of the world’s cultural heritage monuments.
"The meeting of the UNESCO Committee has been underway in Poland for several days and we are observing the meeting. Yesterday, they were to discuss the Gelati issue but it was postponed for today. It became known this morning that Gelati has been removed from the list of endangered monuments, while the Bagrati Cathedral has been removed from the World Cultural Heritage List," Burchuladze said.
These issues were all discussed at the 41st Session of the World Heritage Committee. (ipn)
Buquicchio will be "cheated for the second time" - Gia Khukhashvili
“The promise given by Kvirikashvili to Buquicchio about the consensus on constitutional amendments was simply empty words, or an outright lie to both our people and Buquicchio,” political expert Gia Khukhashvili told InterPressNews.
"The branches of the government cannot find a consensus even between themselves, not to mention the opposition. The ruling system is absolutely disorganized - there is no decision-making center in the country. The MPs think that this issue is not the responsibility of Kvirikashvili," Khukhashvili said.
The political expert believes that Bidzina Ivanishvili was a guarantor of a united ruling system, and since he decided to distance himself from politics, the political processes are now chaotic.
“If Bidzina Ivanishvili does not return to the PM’s post, this fragmented government may devolve into crisis. Today, in fact, the country is not ruled, there is no authority in the country whose word matters for the branches of the government. The Prime Minister made a promise to Buquicchio, but Parliament says that this issue is not the responsibility of the PM. What does all this look like for Buquicchio and the EU? On the one hand, Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of Parliament, visited him and told him that we want a democratic constitution and what we will do whatever you say to us. However, in the end, they did the opposite. Buquicchio was worried that this young, immature person could not resolve this issue. So, he arrived in Georgia and addressed the Prime Minister, who promised him that efforts aimed at achieving a consensus would continue. Buquicchio will be cheated for the second time," said Gia Khukhashvili.
He called the statement of the officials "contradictory", which, according to him, may have two reasons.
“There might be two reasons. One thing is that the Prime Minister promised Buquicchio that efforts for achieving a consensus would continue, though this is not supported by Parliament, for which Giorgi Kvirikashvili is not a leader - he is only a figurehead who does not make decisions. Buquicchio has an illusion that Giorgi Kvirikashvili is the Chairman of the Georgian Dream. The promise given by Kvirikashvili to Buquicchio about the consensus on constitutional amendments was simply empty words, or an outright lie to both our people and Buquicchio. I personally believe the latter,” said Khukhashvili. (ipn)
Herbert Salber, the EU Special Representative (EUSR) for the South Caucasus, who also serves as a co-chair of the Geneva International Discussions, will leave his post in mid-August and return to the German Foreign Office.
“We can confirm that Ambassador Herbert Salber will be leaving the position of EUSR for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia in which he has been serving since July 2014,” the Office of the Special Representative told Civil.ge on July 11.
The Office also said that the Ambassador “informed the participants in the Geneva International Discussions about his decision during the last round held on June 20-21;” “all other counterparts in the region” were also notified about the decision.
According to the Office of the Special Representative, Ambassador Salber “will be carrying out his duties as EUSR until mid-August and will then return to the German Foreign Office”. “A successor should be appointed in the near future,” the Office added.
The information on Ambassador Salber’s possible resignation was first announced by Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Davit Dondua, who noted in his July 5 comment for Rustavi 2 TV that the EU Special Representative informed Geneva Talks participants of his decision to leave the post.
The announcement comes less than two months after Ambassador Salber’s remarks in Tskhinvali, congratulating the region’s new leader Anatoly Bibilov on his victory in the April presidential polls, were met with furious criticism from Georgian officials and opposition politicians.
The EU Special Representative’s task is to contribute to a peaceful settlement of conflicts in the region, including the crisis in Georgia and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The EUSR represents the EU in the Geneva International Discussions, aimed at resolving the aftermath of the 2008 war with Russia. (Civil.ge)
,b>Bagrati Cathedral removed from UNESCO cultural heritage list
The Bagrati Cathedral has been removed from the UNESCO list of cultural heritage,” Nino Burchuladze, a member of the Sakdrisi Committee, told kvirispalitra.ge.
According to her, UNESCO has established new borders of the modification for the Gelati Cathedral, which means that Gelati returned to the main list of the world’s cultural heritage monuments.
"The meeting of the UNESCO Committee has been underway in Poland for several days and we are observing the meeting. Yesterday, they were to discuss the Gelati issue but it was postponed for today. It became known this morning that Gelati has been removed from the list of endangered monuments, while the Bagrati Cathedral has been removed from the World Cultural Heritage List," Burchuladze said.
These issues were all discussed at the 41st Session of the World Heritage Committee. (ipn)
Buquicchio will be "cheated for the second time" - Gia Khukhashvili
“The promise given by Kvirikashvili to Buquicchio about the consensus on constitutional amendments was simply empty words, or an outright lie to both our people and Buquicchio,” political expert Gia Khukhashvili told InterPressNews.
"The branches of the government cannot find a consensus even between themselves, not to mention the opposition. The ruling system is absolutely disorganized - there is no decision-making center in the country. The MPs think that this issue is not the responsibility of Kvirikashvili," Khukhashvili said.
The political expert believes that Bidzina Ivanishvili was a guarantor of a united ruling system, and since he decided to distance himself from politics, the political processes are now chaotic.
“If Bidzina Ivanishvili does not return to the PM’s post, this fragmented government may devolve into crisis. Today, in fact, the country is not ruled, there is no authority in the country whose word matters for the branches of the government. The Prime Minister made a promise to Buquicchio, but Parliament says that this issue is not the responsibility of the PM. What does all this look like for Buquicchio and the EU? On the one hand, Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of Parliament, visited him and told him that we want a democratic constitution and what we will do whatever you say to us. However, in the end, they did the opposite. Buquicchio was worried that this young, immature person could not resolve this issue. So, he arrived in Georgia and addressed the Prime Minister, who promised him that efforts aimed at achieving a consensus would continue. Buquicchio will be cheated for the second time," said Gia Khukhashvili.
He called the statement of the officials "contradictory", which, according to him, may have two reasons.
“There might be two reasons. One thing is that the Prime Minister promised Buquicchio that efforts for achieving a consensus would continue, though this is not supported by Parliament, for which Giorgi Kvirikashvili is not a leader - he is only a figurehead who does not make decisions. Buquicchio has an illusion that Giorgi Kvirikashvili is the Chairman of the Georgian Dream. The promise given by Kvirikashvili to Buquicchio about the consensus on constitutional amendments was simply empty words, or an outright lie to both our people and Buquicchio. I personally believe the latter,” said Khukhashvili. (ipn)