Weekly Review of the Parliamentary Committees’ Sessions. August 27 – September 2, 2001

Committee of Defense and Security

The Committee of Defense and Security held a session on August 30th, dedicated to the fact of deliberate movements of the Russian troops, located in Batumi, near Choloki River at Adjaria – Guria administrative border, earlier this week.

Representatives of the Ministry of Defense, State Security and Intelligence Department attended the session. They briefed committee members on the details of Choloki accident.

Chairman of the Committee Giorgi Baramidze stated, “This prevocational step does not seem to be decided by low ranking military officials. Everything must be made to remove Russian bases from the country because their existence on our territory threatens our security”.

Committee member Irakli Gogava summarized session and stated, that there has been a fact of deliberate movements of the foreign troops within the country’s territory without any coordination with the Georgian central government, which is a violation of all international norms. “At the same time, it is rather unimaginable, that these troops moved without preliminary agreement from the local Adjarian authorities. In this particular case we have a kind of triangle: Aslan Abashidze, Moscow and a Russian base in Batumi. It seems that the necessary agreement for the troops’ movement has been reached within the triangle”.

The Committee has adopted a resolution on “Unauthorized Movements of the Units of 12th Military Base of the South Caucasus Group of Russian Army on Territory of Georgia”. The resolution states, that movements of the troops have been a violation of the statement of the Parliament of Georgia on November 14, 1997 on “The Rules of Relocation of Military Property and Vehicles from the Military Bases and Border-guard Units of the Russian Federation to the Territory of Georgia”. These rules prohibit any kind of movements of the military property and vehicles without preliminary agreement with the State Structures of Georgia (such as Ministry of Defense, Department of Border Guard, Ministry of Internal Affairs).

“Actions of the Russian military authorities have a clear provocative nature and are being aimed against stability in the country and sovereignty of Georgia,” states the resolution.

Committee of Defense and Security demanded proper evaluation by the Russian side of the actions of their military authorities and urged necessity of withdrawal of all Russian bases from the Georgian territory.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia has already submitted a relevant note to the Russian side. Georgian Defense Minister David Tevzadze stressed the mater during is meeting with Russian Defense Minister Igor Ivanov.

Fiscal and Budget Committee

On August 31st, the Committee discussed main indicators of the budget project for the year 2002. The project considers total 1,267 billion GeL incomes (including grants), the incomes would be worth of 1,1 billions. Estimated expenditures of the budget are 1,295 billion GeL.

Approximately two weeks ago, Minister of Economy, Industry and Trade Vano Chkhartishvili criticized figure of incomes part of the budget, pledging that it must be 100 million Laris higher. This has become a main reason of resignation of the Minister of Taxes and Incomes Mikheil Machavariani who did not agreed with the Chkhartishvili’s proposal. The same issue has been reviewed during the session of the Committee. Chairman Zaza Sioridze stated, that the Committee is going to address the Government in order to confirm that the version of the budget project, that the Committee is discussing, is fully agreed with the executive structures of the Government.