Internal Dispute May Hinder Georgia’s Presence at Frankfurt Book Fair
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, December 21
(TBILISI) — The Georgian National Book Center’s (GNBC) Supervisory Board opposes changes in Georgia’s managerial group for the 2018 Frankfurt Book Fair, claiming the changes may put Georgia’s representation at risk during an important, international event.
The GNBC board members wrote in a special statement that the changes to the managerial group’s leadership – initiated by Culture Minister Mikheil Giorgadze – are “inadmissible”, only nine months before the opening of the book fair.
National Book Center Director Medea Metreveli, believes the changes make it unclear who heads the project because the changes grant key decision making powers to three people.
Metreveli says she will not continue to work under management conditions that puts most of the responsibilities on her shoulders, while all decisions are handled by others.
“A few weeks before the start of the Frankfurt Book Fair project, changes were made to the management of the group - the head of the project was changed and the Center no longer has the right to make decisions on overall project administration, as well as its performance,” said Metreveli.
The Georgian National Book Center was established by the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia to represent the country at the Frankfurt Book Fair. GEL 16 million ($ $6.28 million) has been allocated from the state budget for the implementation of a project designed to “properly represent” Georgia at next year’s book fair.
The main function of the GNBC is to support the process of translation of Georgian and foreign literature and enhance an intercultural dialogue through literature and publishing.
