Georgia: Top 10 political events

The year 2011 was a year of relative stability in Georgia. Nevertheless, some opposition figures have already called it the year of ‘frozen instability’, as none of the fundamental problems of Georgian administrative system was resolved and some of them took root even deeper.

For example, the offensive potential of the Abkhaz and South Osseti armies has been constantly increasing (with the help of Russia, of course) throughout the year. At the same time, Tbilisi failed to obtain actual results in its negotiations for weapons trade with the West. The US Senate has adopted an amendment to the military budget, but it is yet unclear, whether it will prove to be an actual step towards helping Georgia or just a save-face maneuver.

Georgia tried to increase its activity in the North Caucasus, for example, it officially recognized the events of the late 19th century as the ‘genocide of the Cherkess people’ and lifted the visa regime for North Caucasian residents. 

Another important event was the risky and successful police operation in the Galsk Region of Abkhazia, where Georgian officers managed to arrest and deport for trial in Tbilisi alleged terrorist Merab Kolbai, despite the fact that the territory is under the control of Russian troops.
Developments in Abkhazia remained the focus of Georgian attention. Tbilisi was more interested in Russian-Abkhaz relations as Russian-Osseti relations seemed to be more stable. No one there could have expected that by the end of the year it will be South Ossetia that would come to a verge of a revolution, after a pro-Kremlin candidate fails to win the presidential elections. Abkhaz elections proved to be quite the opposite, and Alexander Anquab, who became the new Abkhaz president, was the most acceptable candidate for Kremlin. The existing difficulties between Moscow and Sukhumi can’t change the fact that Abkhazia is more interested in partnership with Russia than in accepting Georgia’s ‘acts of good will’, such as ‘neutral passports’.

The spring of 2011 was marked by opposition demonstrations in Tbilisi that ended with the violent breaking up of the rally on Rustaveli square. Despite the expectations of the movement’s leader, ex-parliamentary speaker Nino Burjanadze, fellow-opposition figures didn’t support her, nor did the West.

The rally didn’t stop the authorities from celebrating the world premiere of Reni Kharlin movie ‘Five days in August’, that tells the story of 2008 events from Georgian point of view. The 30 million dollar budget of the film became a record for Georgia.

A few weeks later the “Department for Constitution Security” arrested President’s personal photographer, who used his position to make shocking pictures of the Rustaveli rally breaking up and then sold them to a number of media agencies, including foreign ones.

Not a log time afterwards, the parliament  adopted a lustration law that prohibited all ex-CPSS or KGB members to take any part in Georgia’s administrative system.

Another interesting development was the appearance of a new opposition presidential candidate for 2013 elections– millionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who is mostly supported intellectuals and oppositionists who hope to achieve the change of power without a new revolution. This candidate is now regarded as the single actual rival of the power candidate.

Of course, Saakashvili and his team are not going to give up and will most likely propose Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava as Saakashvili’s possible successor.

And of course, one of the most bright political events of the year was the success of negotiations between Russia and Georgia regarding the former’s WTO membership. Both sides regard this document, signed with the mediatory help of Switzerland, as their political triumph over the opponent: the possibility of such a double interpretation is designed in the ambiguous wordings used by the document.

By Georgy Kalatozishvili, exclusively to VK