By Vestnik Kavkaza
One of the main topics of interest for the Georgian media is still the difficult economic situation in the country. “As a result of devaluation of the lari, the growth of prices for food products, hygiene accommodation, medicines, the internet, and other services increased the monthly expenditures of the population by 50-70% on average. Those who have dollar loans have begun to spend more by 10 laris. Since January the national currency has fallen by 20%. In January, $1 cost 1.8821 laris, today it costs 2.2533 laris. Devaluation of the lari is reflected in the inflation index. Almost everything has become more expensive for an average family in the last three months: food, medicine, fuel, alcohol, utility bills. All extra expenditures are painful for people. They lack monthly incomes,” Rezonansi reports.
Official statistics register inflation, but on a much lower scale. According to Gruzstat, in March the annual inflation was 2.6%; in February 1.3%, in January 1.4%. The level of average inflation in March was 2.7%. The formation of inflation was significantly influenced by the change of food prices. During the year prices grew by 3.7%.
Journalists are also worried about the terrorist threat coming from Islamic State. Volunteers who want to join local radicals in Syria are constantly leaving Georgia.
One reason for this is the activity by propagandists. “They are spoiling young people with the idea of a strong ‘Islamic state’ and the coming of a new Messiah and recruiting them. Victims of the awful propaganda are our compatriots as well; neither parents nor friends are able to resist them… It seems even the state cannot deal with the process. Georgia is not a rich country, but it is necessary to invest more into studying terrorism and the struggle against it. It concerns not only the special services, but also scientific institutions, the Ministry of Education, and so on. The Muslim community should participate in this, its leaders. We cannot see this now,” Kvirs Palitra cites an expert for terrorist affairs, Badri Nachkebia.
“I am sure that the majority of the Pankisi Gorge (their children go to Syria) know perfectly the names of the people who are permanently recruiting young people. This is not a two-day job. To persuade a person to participate in horrible slaughter, serious work is needed. It will be cruel to tell the families whose children have gone to Syria this, but I have to do it: if we analyze terrorism’s steps, the young inexperienced mujahidins are doomed to die. The younger a volunteer is, the greater the threat that he would become a suicide bomber. Our Muslim community should be aware of this,” he thinks.
In the context, the authorities are criticized for inactivity and the involvement of some of their representatives in sending volunteers to the Middle East. “If our authorities had paid attention to the problem, at least in November 2014, when I made a special report on the topic at the Club of Independent Experts and forecast that the threat would have touched on us in a few months. Moreover, I presented a plan of action to the authorities. In 2015 the situation has radically changed. The ‘Islamic caliphate’ has turned into an organized state unity. Three weeks ago the top representative of the ‘caliphate’, Sheikh Al-Adnani, confirmed in his official address that the Caucasus was the main target and the sphere of interests of the caliphate. We can see how young people are exported from the Pankisi Gorge. The same situation is in Ajara and other regions. What do the authorities do? Why don’t they ring the alarm?” Alia cites Vakhtang Maisaya.
At the same time, the republic fears that ISIS can come close to its borders, establishing control over bandits of the North Caucasus. Such a scenario is thought to be quite possible in the context of inevitable changes in the leadership of the terrorist organization of Imrat Kavkaz, as its leader Aliaskhab Kebekov was killed during a special operation in Dagestan. “The commander of the group of militants in the North Caucasus ‘Imrat Kavkaz’, Aliaskhab Kebekov, or Abu Muhammad Ali ad-Dagistani, has been killed. According to experts, his place will be taken by a more radical commander. Political scientists don’t rule out that Imrat Kavkaz will shift under the control of ISIS. And if this really happens, new bloody hostilities will start in the Caucasus,” Rezonansi reports.
“According to information by the Russian media, a special operation against terrorists was held on April 19th near Buynaksk. 4 Islamists were killed, including Kebekov. It is interesting that the death of the emir wasn’t covered in the Russian media in a traditional joyful way. Only three agencies wrote that a certain Aliaskhab Kebekov was killed on April 19th. A year ago, when Doku Umarov was killed, it was the main topic in the press for several days. It should be noted that Kebekov had the same status as Doku Umarov. The well-informed periodical ‘Kavkazskaya Politika’ thinks that the reason for this is that Kebekov used to be the weakest commander in the whole history of the Caucasus conflicts; thus, he devalued the problem of terrorism. According to the periodical, Kebekov’s death shouldn’t cause happiness, as he actually prevented ISIS penetrating into the Islamic regions of the Caucasus and Russia. Today ‘Imrat Kavkaz’ will be headed by a more radical commander,” the newspaper reports.
The Georgian media doesn’t forget about the European integration of the country. The articles of the Riga summit of the Eastern Partnership are regularly published.
“The Riga summit considers very important problems. However, this time European officials face a traditionally difficult diplomatic mission of not causing complete disappointment of Georgia and other countries and not to give any definite promises. We shouldn’t forget that Europe has been improving its diplomacy, starting with NATO and ending with the EU. Considering the objective difficulties which face modern Europe, we should feel sorry for it,” Rezonansi cites Soso Tsintsadze.
“Europe cannot welcome tens of thousands of new migrants. Today Europe has to deal the problem of Muslim refugees from African countries, who have gathered near the borders of Italy. It is a surprise that the agenda of the Riga summit includes opening doors for citizens of post-Soviet countries. We should expect only new tasks to be received. I wish I wasn’t right,” he concluded.
