A Round-Up of the Week’s Political News
Georgia watches the progress of Tbilisi Pride as the organizers revealed the event will take place regardless of all the opposition. The only thing unknown is where they will cross the Rubicon; where will they be confronted by the “defenders of holiness” and most importantly, how the government will react. While all three parties are working on strengthening their frontlines, the local political life flows onward, offering unexpected twists and news as usual. Karasin and Abashidze held their 21st meeting and agreed on organizing a visit of Russian specialists to the “notorious” Lugar Laboratory this autumn. Unexpected also was the announcement about the construction of a Russian church in occupied Tskhinvali, which is unlikely to happen with the blessing of the Patriarch of all Georgia Ilia II. Noteworthy is also the fact that the Shah Deniz 2 has reached the Turkey-Greece border and the South Stream can now reach the EU. Yet, while many important things are going on in the country, the topic of Tbilisi Pride and its main confronter “Knight” Levan Vasadze remains in the headlines.
So, who is Levan Vasadze and his “gang” of supporters? Why does he always appear on the political arena when the situation is reaching the red line? What do we know about him? Almost nothing, other than the fact that he is the childhood friend of ex-president Giorgi Margvelashvili and Bishop Shio, the locum tenant of the Patriarch. What is important and unknown is why the Church of Georgia trusts him, giving him the honor to voice its positions. Vasadze became interested in religion in 2006-07, upon starting his education in the Saint Tikhon's Orthodox University of Humanities. It was not only Vasadze who became fascinated with the secrets of theology, as his father Shio Vasadze joined shortly, which was when the former witch-doctor suddenly appeared in society in clerical clothing. In religious circles, they say that from the Church’s side, it is Shio Vasadze who oversees the production of water Sno, known to be one of the main businesses of the Orthodox Church.
A one-year theological course proved absolutely enough for the younger Vasadze to enter the world of the big sharks, and he started distribution of veterinary products in Moscow; he also founded something resembling a Partnership Fund, which currently has $50 million in capital, in Russia. The best-known business that Vasadze owns in Georgia is the sparkling wine production Bagrationi 1892 and the expensive private school in Kiketi. Despite all this, Vasadze believes that his main virtue is the title of “Knight” that he received from Nugzar Bagration-Gruzinsky. After his “inauguration,” Vasadze became the main propagandist of establishing the Constitutional Monarchy and restoration of the royal throne in the country. And when the ideas of the Church of Georgia, the Kremlin and Levan Vasadze coincided, his persona quickly gained another meaning and he became a “public figure,” which was clearly shown in his so-called educational video speeches addressed to society.
This is a short resume of how Vasadze came to be where he is now, and in the recent days of his opposition to the Pride, he fortunately realized that his public support is not that high. At least, not enough for him to enter Georgian politics triumphally. The number of those willing to participate in the public gathering organized in Vera Garden clearly showed the lack of support, but also highlighted that Vasadze’s activeness is only veiled under the “threat” posed by Tbilisi Pride, but in reality is connected with the Parliamentary Elections of 2020, which appears to be Vasadze’s main goal.
The meeting between the special representative of the Prime Minister of Georgia and the Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Russia was held against the backdrop of an announcement made by Mike Pompeo. The United States Secretary of State called on the Georgian government to finish the Anaklia Port project and not to fall under the economic influences of Russia or China. Karasin of course condemned the announcement before meeting Abashidze, but the most important result of the meeting in Prague was the decision to organize the visit of Russian specialists to the Lugar Laboratory. It is interesting what the pretentions of the Kremlin will be once the experts examine the laboratory and see that no secret experiments are happening there.
But the main event of the passing week was still the opening of Shah Deniz 2 – the pipeline which brings Azerbaijani gas through Georgia to Europe and which is the new layer of bulletproof armor covering Georgia. Hence, it is clear that all the hassle we witnessed in the streets of Tbilisi is in reality connected more with the strengthening of Georgia’s safety than anything else.
By Zaza Jgarkava
Image source: Levan Vasadze Facebook