Press Digest 25.09.2014

Experts sounding alarm on the government’s decision to deprive another recreational zone in Tbilisi of its status

Actually not even 1 percent of Saakashvili’s property has been seized – Jondi Baghaturia

“We are fighting against the Nationals and we are strongly determined to level them to the ground”

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Experts sounding alarm on the government’s decision to deprive another recreational zone in Tbilisi of its status

"City Hall first deprived the recreational zone at the Tskneti highway of its status by settling people there, and later it transferred the ownership of this zone to Germans to build an educational complex. As experts maintain, a decision to deprive this zone of its status is absolutely irrational,” reports the Rezonansi gazette.

“We would like to remind our readers of the fact that at a City Hall meeting, they proposed amendments to the Tbilisi City General Plan, and in the wake of this, the recreational zone has lost its status. However, as Tbilisi City Mayor, Davit Narmania stated, they have not deprived the recreational zone of its status. In his words, the Georgian and German foreign Ministers have simply completed a deal under which the Ministry of Economy has transferred the ownership of the zone to Germans to build a modern European school there. As per Narmania, the project has been submitted to City Hall,” says the article.

“We have simply allowed them to carry out investments and build a modern school there; this is what the Foreign Ministers of the two countries are planning to do. We have not deprived this zone of its status, and plans to cut down trees here have not been laid out,” stated Davit Narmania.

However, independent deputy of City Hall, Aleko Elisashvili, has defined this decision as irrational and has declared that building this school in the recreational zone was not mandatory.

As for the Green Movement head Nino Chkobadze, if we believe her, this zone has been subjected to erosion and buildings cannot be constructed there,” says the article.

“I am not for this decision. I think that the issue must first be studied carefully. This zone is not only recreational; it is vulnerable to landslides and erosion. Even plants hardly grow and blossom there. Very often strong wind blows throughout this territory. In light of all this, I really cannot support their decision to build a school there. They’d better first subjected this matter to a thorough looking over,” declares Nino Chkobadze.

“We have very few recreational zones in Tbilisi. Under the Soviet Union, they made really strenuous efforts to build up the forests around Tbilisi. And you know trees are the lungs of each and every country and they don’t have only a decorative function. Considering all this, a decision to build a school on the territory of the recreational zone is far from being right,” concludes the “Green Party” Head.

Actually not even 1 percent of Saakashvili’s property has been seized – Jondi Baghaturia

“The steps by the Georgian Dream makes it clear that they are rather contend with the Nationals’ legacy as well as a great deal of rules and regulations promulgated by them,” states the leader of “Georgian Dasi,” Jondi Baghaturia in his interview with the Akhali Taoba gazette.

“As you know, the authorities’ taken steps are fanning the flames of the people’s discontent… For instance, it’s obvious that something is wrong with Eristavi’s case as they have handled Girgvliani’s case precisely in the way they are dealing with Eristavi’s case now. Certainly I do not want to liken one case to another. God save Eristavi … I will obviously never wish him to share Girgvliani’s fate… However, it’s obviously abnormal to set to defending a law breaking police officer in order to save your own face by ensuring others that you are infallible. It’s clear that they have planted narcotics on the young man, and it’s extremely difficult to bite your tongue while dealing with issues like this! By all odds, this is a step backward! Why have we toppled down the Nationals’ Government? What will be the difference between the two powers if the Georgian Dream follows in the corrupt Nationals footsteps?” asks the respondent.

‘’Prisoners call me saying they are pressured and many people are detained illegally and also there are a lot of illegal deals. We are preparing to pay more attention to this issue. We thought it would not take place again and nodded for a while but found out it was a mistake. Now we are going to intensively make contact with prisoners and their families, also with all people being pressured or treated unfairly by the government. People were calm as young people were not treated unfairly in the streets, but what are the cases of drug-planting taking place now? Parents and siblings of detained people come to me and tell how young people are treated. This is very bad and I have no idea who does it… I do not hate Tchikaidze but such facts must be given attention,’’ - the respondent says

“The Georgian Dream has refused to reshuffle the Department of Corrections. Hence, the officials who have subjected the inmates to inhumane treatment are still there and continue enjoying impunity. It’s true that today they are at the service of Georgian Dream but once again I repeat that they have double standards and they are real experts in “fighting on two fronts”. Thus, they can easily render service to the Nationals too. However, the worst what the Georgian Dream has done thus far is that it has manipulated the Georgian people who are ready to “swallow even more humiliation” and to live a much more hardscrabble life only to hamper Saakshvli’s plans to take over power again,” says the leader of the “Georgian Dasi.”

“All resources to arrange a coup are in the National’s hands today. However, this does not mean that by doing this they will install Saakashvili in power again. If they really manage to fan the flames of revolution and demote this Government, Saakashvili will prove unable to regain power. In this case the people will pour into the streets and blood will definitely be spilled. We all know this perfectly well. I want to make it clear that the people are ready to arrange a coup but Saakashvili and his adherents do not stand the slightest chance to take up the reigns again,” maintains Jondi Baghaturia.

“They are playing will edged tools. The people’s outrage is really overwhelming. They may physically assault all members of the National Movement one day. .. As for the Government’s move to seize Saakashvili’s property, this decision can be defined as absolutely right and rational. However, I want to inform the readers that actually not even 1 percent of his property has been seized and all reports regarding the alleged confiscation of his property are faked,” asserts the respondent.

“We are fighting against the Nationals and we are strongly determined to level them to the ground”

"Around 150-200 men, including me, have converged on the “Independent Zone” office; we gathered outside the office and decided to cover Nika Melia’s placard that gets on our nerves with red paint. This man is instrumental in realizing the former bloodthirsty authorities’ plans and for what the hell do we need his placard? We tried to put our intention into practice; however, we have not managed to do this as some of us were apprehended on the spur of the moment. When they started directing their overwhelming aggression against us, only then did we pelt them with eggs,” states one of the founders of “Free Generation,” Nina Daraselia, in her interview with the “Alia” gazette.

“They have provoked us. I saw how they captured us on cams and tried to provoke us. They are consummate professionals in provoking people. We were peaceful protesters and out of the blue turned out to be the victims of their aggression. We simply expressed our and the entire public’s outrage through a calm rally. I want to express my gratitude to our people who stood by us. When the police dragged our activists somewhere, these people bellowed across the streets: “take your dirty hands off of these children” and tried to help us by doing this too. I have felt such great support from my people that it even more fueled my enthusiasm and determination… As for the police officials, they simply fulfilled their entrusted duties and tried to hint to us that they were simply obliged to do this and actually they took sides with us,” maintains Ani Daraselia.

“After the demonstration, they started intimidating us by issuing threats that we would not have managed to get off scot free. However, these poltroons disbanded soon and got their due from their leadership for this behavior. It’s clear that the Nationals and their advocates are ancient history; their time has gone… And now I am addressing Koba Kabas: “you, shameless thug, how can you speak regarding the future of Georgia and its democracy?!… “Free Generation” is warning you that soon your doomsday will come and you will be given your due. You will be held accountable for what you have done to the Georgian people. You must remember that we are not linked to this or that organization. We are an independent force and we fear no one and nothing on earth,” announces one of the leaders of the Independent Zone.

“We plan to fight against all satellite organizations of the National Movement. Our country abounds with a lot of different organizations with different names; however, only their names differ; their ideology is the same. We are fighting against them and we are strongly determined to level them to the ground. We will hamper the Nationals from freely taking steps in our public arena; we will hold demonstrations against them; we will not let them breathe freely,” announces Ms. Daraselia.