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As citizens of Georgia waited in anticipation of the New Year, two high profile scandals were instead set to dampen the holiday spirit. As part of plans to decentralize government, a Soviet-era statue to hundreds of thousands of Georgians who died during World War II was set to be demolished in Georgia's second largest city of Kutaisi to make room for the construction of a new parliament building in the hope of spurring regional economic development.
Originally planned to be demolished on 21 December, the president's birthday, its destruction was brought forward by two days after the city's former mayor started a campaign to collect signatures protesting the destruction of the monument by a noted Georgian sculptor, and while the opposition threatened to encircle the site. What happened next was catastrophic with a mother and her 8-year-old daughter left dead.
The governor of the Imereti region, Mikheil Chogovadze, was dismissed as a result, and several other arrests, including the technical director of the company responsible for demolishing the monument, were also made. However, some bloggers and analysts consider that the real responsibility for the tragedy lies instead with the Georgian President, Mikhail Saakashvili, and his continuing personal conflict with Russia.
Crappy Town is just one of them.
As Mikheil Saakashvili`s rule in Georgia is becoming more dictatorial, the empowerment of his persona`s lunacy is reaching absurd levels. […]
Recently, in his the most bizzare act jet, he decreed the parliament be moved away from Tbilisi to Georgia`s second largest city Kutaisi. Choosing for it from all the sites in and around the city - one already taken by a 46 metres tall monument to the memory of thousands of Georgians who fell in the ranks of Red Army in the Second World War.
[…]
In the end Saakashvili desecrated the memory of Georgian WWII fallen to send a message, what message and to whom only he knows, and caused deaths of a woman and a child in the process, jet it has been barely reported on in the West and then only in carefully chosen terms. Too embarrassing for them that their vassal is becoming more and more like Saparmurat Niyazov “Turkmenbashi” or perhaps Idi Amin. An erratic, authoritarian lunatic.
In the mean time official Russia has declared willingness to recreate the monument in Moscow, so the Georgian Red Army fallen may be honoured there if under Saakashvili they can no longer be honoured in Kutaisi.
An Armenian blog, Blogian, calls for Saakashvili's resignation.
First he started a devastating war with Russia allegedly because of personal distaste for fellow autocrat Vladimir Putin and for bullying the latter as “Liliputin.”
Now Georgian president Saakahsvili has finished the demolition of a WWII memorial honoring his countrymen (and countrywomen) who gave their lives in fighting the Nazis. Add two more people to that list of 300,000 people: a woman and her 8-year-old daughter were killed in the blast that brought down the war memorial […] in Kutaisi, Georgia, supposedly to clear up space for a new parliament building.
[…]
Georgia’s president Saakashvili has (perhaps completely) lost his mind. It’s time for his dangerous adventure, initially seen as a democratic one, to end. It’s in Georgia’s national interest for her bipolar president – a democrat in rhetoric yet a dictator at heart – to resign.
And while one Armenian satirical blog insensitively mocked the tragedy, failing to even mention or lament the casualties, Apolyton notes the irony in the decision to destroy the statue.
The Kutaisi Glory Memorial (a distinctly Georgian-faced, semi-naked horseman with a fiery sword in front of a large concrete arch) commemorates the Georgians who served in the Red Army during World War II and went to fight the Germans. A third of them died.
At the same time, Kutaisi has a memorial to Stalin which is guarded by Georgians and survived all waves of demontage of Stalin memorials.
I love that we're backing this guy.
Wu Wei is another who is less than impressed.
His disastrous order to blow up the war memorial in Kutaisi, ignoring local and national feeling, resulted in the death of a mother and daughter who were hit quite a long way away by large chunks of flying concrete.
He rushed home from the Copenhagen summit, but still hasn't gone near Kutaisi after 13 days.
[…]
See the video of the demolition […] or perhaps don't, as You Tube warns you it is too gory.
Evolutsia, however, a recently launched blog-based online magazine, takes a more restrained perspective, in an its analysis.
[…] whether authorities like it or not, the whole project is now cursed with serious tragedy: a woman and her 8 year old daughter died on December 19th after being hit by a speeding block of concrete in their backyard during the demolition of the ‘Memorial of Fame’ where the new parliament building is to be established [1]. Part of the opposition gathered to begin protests anew (but failed), and the Russian spin machine did not stay far behind.
[…]
The problem of whole situation in Kutaisi is that it occurred in a country with a transitional status. Georgia is struggling to combine independent policy-making, political freedom and political stability. However, so far only the first part of that mix is justifiably fulfilled; post-Rose Revolution authorities act without Moscow’s opinion and often even at cross purposes of its Western allies, and it’s likely to remain this way. However, the facts of the case, the restoration and relocation of Memorial of Fame, and the responsibility of finding justice [2] seems to be drowning in a sea of pettiness, of a kind of freedom obsessed with Saakashvili’s alleged authoritarianism and megalomania. We have seen the birth of that freedom on April 9, 2009, when the opposition took to the streets and undisturbed remained there for months. Now what Georgia needs the most is that freedom to be filled with substance and constructive dialogue.
The task is to secure stability until political reshuffling for the 2013 presidential elections. Miheil Saakashvili has to pay more attention to internal public relations and reduce the incidence of ‘falling bricks,’ and even so, when the next brick fall off, it has to come down without such a rumble.
Yet, what happened in Kutaisi was not the only scandal to hit Georgia before the New Year. Just days earlier, the office of the Inclusive Foundation, a Georgian LGBT organization, was raided and its head arrested. Following local and international outcry, Paata Sabelashvili has since been released.
Remy, thanks and sorry for not linking to Evolutsia more. Like Ianyan Magazine (http://www.ianyanmag.com) for Armenia, it’s become a much needed non-politicized source of news and information about the region.
Meanwhile, not really off the record as it’s there for everyone to see, but anyway, thanks for that tidbit. However, getting back to the issue itself, I’m also not sure. Given Russian-Georgian tensions I do wish it was wound down a little.
Destroying this statue, in whatever shape it was in, was probably not the best thing to do in the circumstances. The tragedy makes the matter worse. I’m also not sure it’s a good thing to move parliament out of Tbilisi although I understand the attempt to shift focus to the regions.
However, the Constitutional Court moving to Tbilisi is just about understandable in a sense (although likely contentious during and after elections), but parliament? I’m not so sure about this. Perhaps strengthening local government would be better in terms of decentralizing power.
Indeed, I remember when the plans were announced a few years ago to move the Court to Kutaisi and people would wonder if Saakashvili hadn’t taken the term “decentralization” too literally.
Yes, I understand, such attempts at decentralization are underway in Georgia, unlike Armenia and I suppose Azerbaijan too (both of which are less democratic according to Freedom House reports), but even so, couldn’t another location be found for the parliament?
Or maybe give Kutaisi a second statue to encourage and inspire residents? Yes, I suppose I also understand constructing the new buildings will also mean work, and Kutaisi will be able to rightly consider itself as Georgia’s second largest city when the construction is complete.
This is totally unlike Gyumri in Armenia, for example, which still remains largely forgotten despite its standing during the Soviet era and the tragedy of the 1988 earthquake.
But, I don’t know, it’s difficult, and I think strengthening local governance might be a better option along with tax breaks for companies looking to invest so they do so outside of Tbilisi. I guess time will tell if it works or not.
Regardless, the occurrence was deeply regrettable and should not have happened. This is when, for all the right things happening in Georgia, something avoidable happens out of haste and a lack of thought. The roof of the new airport, as nice as it otherwise is, is another example of that.
Still, I think that’s ultimately your conclusion in the last part of the post — “paying attention to internal public relations and reducing the incidence of ‘falling bricks.” Same for your point about “what Georgia needs the most is that freedom to be filled with substance and constructive dialogue.”
Indeed, that’s something the leadership and political parties in all three South Caucasus countries need to think about. Here’s hoping that such a shift in mindset starts in 2010.
“Given Russian-Georgian tensions I do wish it was wound down a little.”
I insist to get Russia out of that question. I am not impressed at all by Putin’s spooky image, whatever he or the rest of Russian ruling elite says is totally hollow and reflects themselves, not the reality. Seriously, the last thing we now need is instruction from Moscow. History has proven that whoever takes instructions from Moscow lags in a ****hole.
So basicaly, the monument is our problem, our city, our WWII fighters, our feelings to be hurt, our mom and kid dead, our sorrow, our expression of all these things and finally our consequences.
About the second statue idea, I heard that statue itself, a man on the horse, is to be restored and relocated. If it’s ultimately not, that’d be the good reason to run some piquets. Currently, I don’t like the way opposition wants to exploit frickin everything possible to oust Saakashvili, including the random tragedy.
No Onnik, I did not mean it as a threat. If I read you’re posts, at the end you’re conclusions are always negative. Ofcourse, you and I know both who runs ”Freedom House”, these are not political independent organizations. The critic Armenia get’s, is far more than for example Azerbaijan and Georgia who are to this day destroying Armenian heritage.
How could you, as an Armenian, say that Georgia is ”more democratic and developed”, a country that destroys the heritage of minorities, whose president just does what he wants, whose cities are far more dangerous for people, whose people, even with open borders and a connection to sea are poorer, a country run by bandit groups, is more democratic than Armenia?
The demonstrations held in Armenia, could have never happened in Georgia or in Azerbaijan. But you will try to always come out of this, saying something negative about Armenia as you’re conclusion.
Freedom House? Don’t make me laugh, let us Armenians solve our problems, those Americans are talking about democracy, but are not judging Saudi-Arabia, even Italy or other countries that they need.
You, and me, and the rest of the Armenians know better. Ofcourse, if someone says Israel gives weapons to Azerbaijan, Israel supports Azerbaijan, Israel is anti-Armenian, Israel denies the Armenian genocide, someone is anti-Semetic? If I think Israel are conducting a fairly anti-Armenian policy, and I spoke out against them, or feel that they (politics) have anti-Armenian statements, and I say you love Israel, I am anti-Semetic?
Ofcourse, I am! There is also just one holocaust, that is only of the jews, right? Don’t make me laugh.
Someone loving his country, is called nationalist. So be it. And no, I am a Levon Ter Petrosyan supporting, and a lot of Levonakans think like me. The ANC is made of nationalists, or do you disagree?
Oh my, this is getting stupid. You appear to have no idea about the situation in Armenia. However, you can choose what to believe, but Georgia is more democratic and less corrupt than Armenia and Azerbaijan period.
That is not to say that corruption doesn’t exist, but it isn’t as pervasive as it is in the other two countries. What can I say if you accuse those who say it how it is of being part of some international conspiracy? Such paranoia can not be convinced otherwise.
Sorry, what? Let me get this straight. an average of 30,000 demonstrate in Yerevan after an election until the police and military move in leaving 10 dead.
The same number demonstrate in Tbilisi and none are killed. Demonstrators are moved off Northern Avenue by police in Yerevan, they are not moved off Rustaveli in Tbilisi. Therefore, Armenia is more democratic?!?!?!
No, someone loving their country is called a patriot. Someone whose love for a country amounts to little more than concerning themselves with perceived “internal and external enemies” instead of addressing pressing concerns at home, while displaying intense xenophobia, is a nationalist.
In my books, anyway, and in the general sense of the word as it is used to describe nationalist movements, especially those obsessed with finding scapegoats in the form of other ethnic groups as their standard modus operandi instead of addressing real issues at home.
Meanwhile, as we all can guess, you are not a supporter of Ter-Petrossian as few would argue that Armenia is democratic (or more democratic than Georgia). Moreover, as you know, those that attack Armenia Now and myself also hate LTP.
In fact, they accuse him of links with Israel and Jews, or being willing to take a moderate line with Azerbaijan and Turkey. Anyway, sorry to say, I think you have little understanding of Armenia, Georgia or the Caucasus.
Incidentally, Georgia is not as dangerous as you imagine. In fact, those days have gone, especially since reform of the police which now commands the trust of most Georgian citizens. As someone who travels to Tbilisi a lot, I can quite categorically state that.
Meanwhile, calling someone a Jew-lover as if an insult infers antisemitism. As for threats, “your day will come” seems like one to me. Still, I don’t take it seriously, as you are outside of Armenia judging from your IP address. ;)
Saying Azerbaijan is more democratic than Armenia, says enough. Azerbaijan, led by a dictactor for years, where demonstrations are impossible, people even can not vote for Armenia during Eurovision, destructing Armenian heritage (whereas we rebuild the Mosque in Shushi), more democratic? You must be crazy.
I was not talking about the tragic demonstration where, unfortunatly, people were killed. I was talking about the récent developments, and the dozen recent demonstrations, which ended without deaths. But no, you can not see positive development, and no, you will not mention them. Because, you are just anti-Armenian, only wanting to report negative things about Armenia.
Reading you’re articles, you are getting just depressed and get the message ”everything in Armenia is bad”.
Do not mention as fact that Georgia, or Azerbaijan is more democratic because this is just the way you perceive it. But again, you must be stupid to think Azerbaijan is more democratic. Thank god we do not have a tie-eating stupid president as Sakaashvili.
Having almost no open borders, and no access to sea, we are doing far more better than Georgia does. Ofcourse, you would not want to acknowledge this, but that is you.
Armenia is going in the right direction, it is the safest and most democratic country in the Caucasus, where demonstrations can be held, satire can be made, where slowly but steadily laws are being implented like wearing-seatbelts, stopping for red lights, where the Banking Sector is the most developed and advanced (according to Europeans) than any other Caucasian state (also as for the Telecommunication sector).
We are going forward, Armenia is going the right direction. Armenia is of all of us, there is no exception. I live in The Netherlands but my family and friends live in Armenia, I visit them twice a year.
And again, I was mentioning you are pro-Israel because if some streetboys paint a swastika you run to show how anti-Semetic Armenia is, but when orthodox jews brake our crossess, Israel denies the Armenian Genocide, Israeli lobbies work against Armenia, Israel delivers weapons to Azerbaijan, where is youre opinion then? None.
I have traveled too Georgia too, and with the Europeans, have came to the conclusion that even now Tiblisi is more dangerous than Yerevan. In Yerevan small children can play till night falls safely, one of the few capitals in the world where that excists today. Tbilisi is a beautiful city, but with much less activity, and a more dangerous atmosphere, (having seen a lot of fights in the night too).
I should suggest you to move and live in Georgia or Azerbaijan. There is where you will have a much happier life.
Oh dear, seems you can’t read either. I did not say that Azerbaijan is more democratic than Armenia. I said that Georgia is more democratic and less corrupt than both Armenia and Azerbaijan.
It is also going off the point of this post because this is about Georgia, and the post, which quotes other and not me, is negative. Nevertheless, I too applaud the recent succesful move with seatbelts and red lights in Armenia.
However, Georgia is considered more democratic and less corrupt than Armenia since the 2005 Rose Revolution although there is much to be done and some regression. Meanwhile, there are more concerns in Armenia and Azerbaijan.
I personally doubt you have traveled much to Armenia or Georgia, and actually doubt you have visited Georgia at all, but anyway. This conversation is meaningless and especially as you can’t even differentiate between the country names “Georgia” and “Azerbaijan.”
Unfortunately, however, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are all less than democratic or tolerant and have high levels of corruption. Nevertheless, Georgia is doing better in these areas than Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Freedom House rates the countries such:
Nations in Transit (lower numbers better):
Democracy (2009)
Armenia: 5.39
Azerbaijan: 6.25
Georgia: 4.93
http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=485
Freedom of the Press (2009)
Armenia: 68 (Not Free)
Azerbaijan: 78 (Not Free)
Georgia: 60 (Partly Free)
http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=251&year=2009
Transparency International
Corruption Perceptions Index (2009)
Armenia: 2.7
Azerbaijan: 2.3
Georgia: 4.1
NB: Higher numbers are better
http://transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2009/cpi_2009_table
I’m not crazy, but I suspect you can’t read. I didn’t say anywhere that Azerbaijan is more democratic than Armenia. I said that Georgia is more democratic and less corrupt than both Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, can you stop pretending you’re a supporter of the opposition with your “Levon Ter-Petrosyan” name? Even if you want to make attacks without revealing your identity, at least do so without trying to seemingly deceive people.
Meanwhile, I doubt you have spent much time in Armenia and that you have ever visited Georgia. Just as you are not an opposition supporter as none would say “Amenia is going in the right direction.”
Anyway, I also suggest you actually read the post which quotes negative comments on the Kutaisi incident. You might also want to do some real research into the situation in the South Caucasus, but you might want to invest in some glasses first. :)
P.S. telecommunications sucks in terms of the Internet in Armenia. It’s appallingly slow and expensive in comparison to Georgia. Azerbaijan is better, but still not as good as Georgia.
A 256k unlimited connection in Armenia costs $30 a month. A 4mb connection in Georgia costs $19. Their mobile Internet is also better and cheaper. I know, I was just there and used it. ;)
Ofcourse, as we have no borders, the internet is not as developed as in Georgia, but ofcourse, this is negative so you are quick in youre reaction. But saying something positive, oh-no, as an anti-Armenian you would never do that. You are here just to demorilize the Armenian people and the Armenian nation.
No, I am a supporter of Levon Ter Petrosyan, but not a liar, I have my own views. Opposition does not mean we can not acknowledge positive things going on in our country, I am not as sick as to say everything is bad and nothing is good. Opposition must be one who, if condemns, gives a solution to the excisting problem, and ofcourse does not want to brake Armenia down internally.
We must be one, but people like you are here just to divide people. In youre opinion the opposition must disagree with everything, even if good things happen? No, that’s not true. There are enough ANC supporters like me, who truly acknowledge the government is setting the right stepts by for example, letting us demonstrate (in comparison to Georgia and Azerbaijan), we can do/say whatever we want, and also the amnesty.
We must continue our opposition, but must also acknowledge the good things, as a support to our nation, not the government.
Opposition is good, but a healthy opposition. But on you, if people read youre posts, they get depressed and have not hope. You are there to defend Georgia, if an Armenian website says something about Sakaashvili, but for Armenia? Oh-no, that is not important for you.
Again, you are a biased, anti-Armenia, fake journalist. You are the one deceiving people.
I would not mind meeting you once in real life, to see what kind of person hides behind the internet, maybe I am wrong about you. But for as I have read a lot of articles of you, all things share one thing: writing anti-Armenian things, comparing how good Georgia and other countries are, and how bad Armenia is.
That, that is Onnik Krikorian. Negative man, must be your nickname!
(But again, it is polite of you reacting on my posts, but then again that could be for self-defensive reasons).
By the way Levon Ter Petrosyan is a true nationalist/patriot. Just read his books :)
“I would not mind meeting you once in real life, to see what kind of person hides behind the internet”
Help me to get this right: so actually Onnik does hide behind internet and you’re up in the open? Funny :)
Why won’t you sign up with your real name? I can tell you why, it’s quite simple: you don’t take responsibility for your words and probably, just probably also for your acts. You charge with ridiculous argumentum ad personam and don’t even mind checking some basic facts because personal after-effects of such activity are close to zero. You can simply switch to another nickname and/or to another forums, comments box or wherever.
Eventually you might even switch your beliefs unnoticed by anyone. You might one day become more moderate or even “anti-Armenian”. Ridiculous? If it sounds so ridiculous NOW so why don’t sign up with real name NOW. Take responsibility for your beliefs NOW, make your words gain value and uniqueness NOW, finally: earn respect NOW.
It’s only a theory though. Here in this thread you have no chance to rescue yourself. I can’t see any reason to take you seriously even if you do sign up (which is doubtful in the first place). Building online identity takes time and consists of individualised multifaceted activity.
If I were you, I’d hold my horses a bit, at least with calling names or you can simply get sued one beautiful day. I don’t know how is it in Netherlands, but in Poland cops do knock on abuser’s doors in no time and print-screen of given board is quite enough evidence. I know what I’m talking about, I did some reaserch on that question once. ‘Reaserch’ is a cool word, you should make friends with it. Cheers :)
I am not surprised a Georgian is here to defend the Georgian-loving Onnik Krikorian. This is his job, his responsibility, and I, as you are so democratic, give my opinion. Sued? Don’t make me laugh, there is more chance that he will get sued than me. You are sounding like your dictator Saakashvili, haha!
We must sue you Georgians for destroying Armenian churches in Georgia, or is this the way showing how thankful you are? As without Armenians Tbilisi would have never have developed the way it did.
Georgia can better be called Turkeyzerbaijan, as in the future the chances are big Azeris will claim lands in Georgia (and Georgians converting to Islam in just a few days, like they did in Iran) :)