A Week in Review: Blizzard

December 16-21, 2002

Yes, it snows indeed – heavy onset of the white flaky substance from the skies is undeniably the news number one in Georgia’s recent socio-political life. Interestingly, the deeds of the wild nature, untamed as they are, prove to be a critical test for the governments. Some of us remember that back in the soviet times, the government was constantly shocked by the natural events. “Wow, those grains we have sown did bring a good harvest” a startled face of the Moscow news anchor would inform the audience, “Lo and behold – we launch a battle for the harvest.”
 
These youth memories re-surfaced during the last weeks, as the energy [god]fathers looked at us with their faces full of awe saying they did not expect it would snow in winter…Somebody, if I am not mistaken the State Minister, was admiring the “good professionalism and deep knowledge” of our energy guys. Thanks goodness Mr. Jorbenadze has left his medical practice early on, with such a diagnostic skill in this world full of germs… god forbid.

As if to confirm Mr. Presidents monumental oxymoron that “even Russian companies can be good and even the US ones can fail” Mr. Iribarren’s lot has also surprised us last week. Yes, they did not think SIEMENS-made electronics of the 9th Block of AES Mtkvari energy station (yes, yes, THE 9th Block) would freeze in winter if the roof would be out… A bit stretched the trust in western virtue there, guys.

Talking of the blocks of the energy generating stations and their numbers: do not you wonder how many technical details we, the fellow citizens and poor, I mean dear, guests have learnt during all these years? Only here, we know what the feeder cable is, what does it mean to “loose the phase” or how exactly the pressure of the natural gas is regulated by the pumping station.

For all of you out there who reads Civil.ge without having been to this blessed land, above paragraph would have been a bit blurry – come by amigos, distance learning is not helpful for feeling the depth of it all.

For all those who understood, I continue: All above arguments were used by our highly professional cadre to convince us that it is not their fault we are in the dark, and without heating all these 10 years. But they are in trouble now, because following their diligent education efforts during those 10 years we can tell which of the technical explanations sound convincing. Most do not. That is how the education drives development.
 
Would leave the painful theme of energy and, trying to warm my semi-frozen knuckles, revert to the only well-heated place over here – politics.

Mr. Vakhtang Goguadze stunned us this week by the quote right on target, saying “there is a time for some beasts in the Georgian politics.” No, he did not mean that the field was humming with the beauties before and there was a need to fill the void in a marketing line. Au contraire: in such a brilliant statement Mr. Goguadze saluted entrance of the political party called “Bear.” Led by the pardoned convict charged with three counts of homicide, and staffed by the former communists this charming beast promises to root out those who would “inhibit implementation of the policy of Shevardnadze and Putin.” What a style, what a dish.

Meanwhile, we were reminded that not all kidnapping stories have happy ending, with traffic lights looming on the horizon for the escaping victim a la Hollywood’s Fugitive. The latest one ended in a tragedy as Mr. Sadi Sharifov, 77 was found dead after being kidnapped by unidentified gang. Interior Ministry responded with “special operations” and says the suspects are apprehended. No specificities are available though, and the faith in young interior minister, which appeared, frankly, out of nowhere, tends to dissipate quickly.

Also last week 600 Georgian soldiers graduated from the Train-and-Equip. OK, we have the soldiers in nice uniforms, which are well-trained and do not look like bums. Their US trainer quoted Churchill saying the graduation “is an end to the beginning” (or something of this sort). Most of us here really hope it does not prove vice versa. Let’s cross the fingers for these guys and prey for those that have to survive the winter without being dressed and warmed by Uncle Sam.

On civic side, NGO sector was bristling hot this past week. Firstly, on December 18 the Advocacy Steering Committee of 6 national and 1 US NGO has unveiled the plans to spearhead protection of public interests during the coming 3 years. Then, the Democracy Coalition of 7 leading NGOs was announced on December 20. The coalitions are here for real it seems, as this latter one scored a major victory while winning in court re-counts for utterly fraud Rustavi by-elections. Congratulations to ISFED, which led the effort.

Of course, when talking of NGOs, Mr. Sharadze comes in a package as an arch-rival. A narcissist crusader of our politics has run out of slogans on the parliament floor this week. To say at least something, he demanded again, with support of his henchmen Mr. Mishveladze, to put back the ethnicity requisites in the ID cards. Mr. Sharadze has to be commanded for the perseverance, but for heaven’s sake man, we have heard this already. Probably upset with parliament’s slow uptake on his novel plan, Mr. Sharadze tried to focus the lights of the cameras back onto his beloved self by staging a hunger strike at the mayor’s office (don’t ask what for, as Mr. Sharadze puts style over the content). A terribly important hunger strike has ended in a day. Media was there, ambitions are satisfied.

And last but not least, our MPs shocked us yet again, by proving that unimaginable is indeed possible. Pro-governmental MPs staged a walkout blocking review of the budget 2003. There was 70 or so of them in 235-member parliament. Yet, all the opposition ones were out Christmas-shopping thus the sessions were blocked. Plus, to culminate all this comedy, on Friday the remaining lot in the Main Chamber was debating whether or not to play the anthem (some said it is a shame to do it in the empty chamber, others opposed). Am I missing something or it really doesn’t make sense? Blizzard.