The News in Brief
Friday, May 27
Tourism Complex to Be Built in Georgia’s Racha Region
A United Arab Emirates-based company, Israel Ahmadov Investment, announced that it will build a USD 500 million tourist complex near Shaori Lake in western Georgia’s mountainous region of Racha.
The first stage of the project will include the construction of hotels and holiday homes. Cottages and residential houses will also be built during the second stage. In total, the complex will include four hotels, a 1,500 square meter yacht club and several restaurants.
The complex will have a special cottage zone with rooms that can accommodate up to five people. The project’s plan also includes the construction of a golf course and racetrack.
Israel Akhmadov Investment currently conducts geological and environmental studies to identify suitable sites for tourist complexes.
If the company obtains a building permit, it does so with the understanding that it must preserve the property’s existing landscape and green space.
Israel Akhmadov is also interested in other large-scale projects in western Georgia, including the completion of a canning factory in Zugdidi and an airport in Senaki. (georgiatoday.ge)
Student activist group resumes rallying in Tbilisi University
Auditorium 115, a students movement at the Tbilisi State University resumed rallying against the Students’ Union (tvitmmartveloba) demanding its abolition on Wednesday, a day after one of its members was beaten, allegedly by Union members. Auditorium 115 organized protest in front of TSU main building and soon moved towards students’ union office in the same building. After overcoming resistance which (lasted twenty minutes) by TSU guards, Auditorium members and supporters eventually broke into Union’s office and announced its ‘abolition’.
On Tuesday Auditorium 115 raised an ultimatum to the government to disband the Students’ Union immediately, otherwise threatening with ‘permanent’ sit-in protests.
Auditorium 115 is now waiting for a government meeting planned on Friday, which will decide on norms regulating Student Unions activities. Auditorium 115 demands the outright abolition of tvitmmartvelobas in every higher educational institution in the country.
The Ministry of Education and Science responded and declared the students’ ultimatum as ‘unacceptable’.
“The ministry is ready to continue the working process and invites all interested parties to meet on May 27 at 10:00, where we would discuss achieved results and plan future steps,” the statement released by the Ministry reads.
Earlier, TSU released a video recorded by the surveillance camera depicting the beating of Auditorium member in the University’s main building lobby. (dfwatch.net)
Dispute in Parliament, boycott of UNM
The mobilization of security guards became necessary in the Georgian Parliament building today. Lawmakers of the majority and minority confronted each other during the session this afternoon. The situation became tense after MP Zaza Papuashvili recollected events of November 7 and May 26 and demanded the observation of a minute of silence to civilians killed during protests.
MPs of the United National Movement (UNM) party rose to their feet. Lawmakers of the ruling team then reminded the UNM of the events of May 26 and November 7. Security guards then attempted to defuse the tension, though harsh statements were exchanged.
In reaction, MPs of United National Movement (UNM) Party refused to attend a parliamentary sitting starting today and left the session hall in boycott this afternoon. The parliamentary oppositional lawmakers declared that they saw no sense in attending the sitting until the Kortskheli had been investigated and those responsible punished by the law.
Davit Usupashvili, the Chairman of Parliament, criticized the UNM, dubbing their actions a sign that they were 'not serious about politics'.
Clashes took place at two polling stations in Kortskheli - part of the Zugdidi election constituency - during mid-term elections of city halls on May 22. UNM representatives were subsequently victorious in the elections. (1tv.ge)
At the request of the Georgian side, after four years' break, an extraordinary IPRM meeting will be held in Gali
On 27 May 2016, at the request of the Georgian side, after four years' break, an extraordinary meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) will be held in Gali. During the meeting, the Georgian side will raise the issue of murder of the Georgian citizen in the village of Khurcha by the so-called “border guards” deployed along the occupation line. This fact once again demonstrated the alarming security situation in Abkhazia and the need for the creation of international security arrangements in the occupied regions.
In this regard, on 24 May, the head of the Georgian Delegation to the Geneva International Discussions, David Dondua, had a phone conversation with the head of the Russian Delegation, Grigori Karasin, and discussed the urgent need to immediately convene the meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Gali. (mfa.gov.ge)
A United Arab Emirates-based company, Israel Ahmadov Investment, announced that it will build a USD 500 million tourist complex near Shaori Lake in western Georgia’s mountainous region of Racha.
The first stage of the project will include the construction of hotels and holiday homes. Cottages and residential houses will also be built during the second stage. In total, the complex will include four hotels, a 1,500 square meter yacht club and several restaurants.
The complex will have a special cottage zone with rooms that can accommodate up to five people. The project’s plan also includes the construction of a golf course and racetrack.
Israel Akhmadov Investment currently conducts geological and environmental studies to identify suitable sites for tourist complexes.
If the company obtains a building permit, it does so with the understanding that it must preserve the property’s existing landscape and green space.
Israel Akhmadov is also interested in other large-scale projects in western Georgia, including the completion of a canning factory in Zugdidi and an airport in Senaki. (georgiatoday.ge)
Student activist group resumes rallying in Tbilisi University
Auditorium 115, a students movement at the Tbilisi State University resumed rallying against the Students’ Union (tvitmmartveloba) demanding its abolition on Wednesday, a day after one of its members was beaten, allegedly by Union members. Auditorium 115 organized protest in front of TSU main building and soon moved towards students’ union office in the same building. After overcoming resistance which (lasted twenty minutes) by TSU guards, Auditorium members and supporters eventually broke into Union’s office and announced its ‘abolition’.
On Tuesday Auditorium 115 raised an ultimatum to the government to disband the Students’ Union immediately, otherwise threatening with ‘permanent’ sit-in protests.
Auditorium 115 is now waiting for a government meeting planned on Friday, which will decide on norms regulating Student Unions activities. Auditorium 115 demands the outright abolition of tvitmmartvelobas in every higher educational institution in the country.
The Ministry of Education and Science responded and declared the students’ ultimatum as ‘unacceptable’.
“The ministry is ready to continue the working process and invites all interested parties to meet on May 27 at 10:00, where we would discuss achieved results and plan future steps,” the statement released by the Ministry reads.
Earlier, TSU released a video recorded by the surveillance camera depicting the beating of Auditorium member in the University’s main building lobby. (dfwatch.net)
Dispute in Parliament, boycott of UNM
The mobilization of security guards became necessary in the Georgian Parliament building today. Lawmakers of the majority and minority confronted each other during the session this afternoon. The situation became tense after MP Zaza Papuashvili recollected events of November 7 and May 26 and demanded the observation of a minute of silence to civilians killed during protests.
MPs of the United National Movement (UNM) party rose to their feet. Lawmakers of the ruling team then reminded the UNM of the events of May 26 and November 7. Security guards then attempted to defuse the tension, though harsh statements were exchanged.
In reaction, MPs of United National Movement (UNM) Party refused to attend a parliamentary sitting starting today and left the session hall in boycott this afternoon. The parliamentary oppositional lawmakers declared that they saw no sense in attending the sitting until the Kortskheli had been investigated and those responsible punished by the law.
Davit Usupashvili, the Chairman of Parliament, criticized the UNM, dubbing their actions a sign that they were 'not serious about politics'.
Clashes took place at two polling stations in Kortskheli - part of the Zugdidi election constituency - during mid-term elections of city halls on May 22. UNM representatives were subsequently victorious in the elections. (1tv.ge)
At the request of the Georgian side, after four years' break, an extraordinary IPRM meeting will be held in Gali
On 27 May 2016, at the request of the Georgian side, after four years' break, an extraordinary meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) will be held in Gali. During the meeting, the Georgian side will raise the issue of murder of the Georgian citizen in the village of Khurcha by the so-called “border guards” deployed along the occupation line. This fact once again demonstrated the alarming security situation in Abkhazia and the need for the creation of international security arrangements in the occupied regions.
In this regard, on 24 May, the head of the Georgian Delegation to the Geneva International Discussions, David Dondua, had a phone conversation with the head of the Russian Delegation, Grigori Karasin, and discussed the urgent need to immediately convene the meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Gali. (mfa.gov.ge)