Environmentalists’ Protest Action
(Tbilisi, November 27, 2002. Civil Georgia) On November 27 group of environmentalists held protest action in front of the office of Georgian International Oil Corporation (GIOC), demanding protection of nature of Borjomi Valley – a resort famous for its mineral water resources.
The protesters brought bottles of Borjomi mineral water, filled with oil, as an example of what would become of the world-famous mineral water, if the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline is built in the valley.
The environmentalists demand alteration of 20 km route of the pipeline, which is planned to run through the valley. The protesters claim that on the background of reducing supply of fresh water worldwide and prices on Borjomi water higher than the oil, protection and sustaining of this resource is vitally important for Georgia.
In the end of November, the Georgian government must decide whether the pipeline poses any threat to the country’s ecology. Azerbaijan, the US and other concerned parties are urging adoption of this decision.
Last month environmentalists and several international and British human right organizations had sounded their protest to construction of the pipeline, claiming it would irreversibly damage fragile ecology in the region.
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
