The Daily Beat: 5 August
On the 1st anniversary of the Shovi landslide tragedy, the Institute of Earth Sciences and the National Seismic Monitoring Center of Ilia State University published new findings, indicating that had there been an early warning system in place, the information about the landslide would have been available two hours before it happened, leaving enough time to raise the alarm and evacuate the area.
On August 5, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili hosted a press conference at the Orbeliani Palace, speaking on a range of issues, including the “Georgian Charter,” the ruling GD party’s anti-Western policies, the upcoming parliamentary elections, the recent U.S. steps to cut financial aid to state institutions, and other topics. During the press conference, Zurabishvili also challenged the honorary chairman of Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili, to a public debate.
On August 4, Russian businessman of Georgian origin and the leader of the pro-Russian “Solidarity for Peace” party Mamuka Pipia addressed Vladimir Putin and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, asking them to “unite” their respective countries “without any preconditions” against the West, which he claims is trying to “destroy” the Russian civilization. He urged the Georgian authorities to “quickly” restore diplomatic relations with Russia.
On August 5, the National Press Club and the National Press Club Journalism Institute, along with press freedom advocacy organizations from around the world, issued a statement expressing solidarity with their colleagues in Georgia “as they confront state-organized trolling, intimidation tactics and a political effort to silence them,” and pledge their support. The statement also says that the Georgian Parliament is “attempting to stigmatize” journalism with the “Russian Law”, which took effect on August 1.
The CEO of the Russian company Aero Management Philip Mizonov sent a letter to the de-facto economy minister of the Russia-occupied Abkhazia Kristina Ozgan, and the acting CEO of the Sokhumi airport B.K. Dzhenia demanding payment of more than 240 million rubles (more than USD 2.8 million) from the de-facto authorities, which it had allocated before the project was given to another investor, Ekho Kavkaza reports. According to Mizonov’s letter, the company was committed to implementing the Sokhumi airport project.
