Anti-Namakhvani HPP protest continues in Tbilisi, protesters urge government to fulfill their demands
By Khatia Bzhalava
Tuesday, May 25
Protesters against the construction of the Namakhvani Hydro Power Plant gathered in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia on May 23, calling on the government of Georgia to fulfil their demands by 12 p.m. May 24. One of the rally organizers, Varlam Goletiani, presented an action plan urging the government to halt the agreement with Enka and cancel all documents issued since 2015. The protesters also demand Enka’s departure from the Rioni Gorge, a moratorium on HPPs, and criminal proceedings against Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava and all those who signed the contract. The rally organizers warned that if the government fails to make a decision, they would ‘paralyze the entire city’.
On Monday, opponents of the construction of the Namakhvani HPP blocked the road near the House of Justice and Rustaveli Avenue. The tents were set up on First Republic Square. Protesters announced they would block more central places and would not stop until their demands are fulfilled.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili called on anti-Namakhvani HPP protesters on Monday that “speaking the language of the ultimatum is categorically unacceptable.” The PM stressed that the state will have an appropriate response for all citizens who violate the law. According to him, he is meeting the HPP project investor by the end of May to clarify details. He also added that the government has invited the EU Special Representative to study project details and their influence on the environment.
In response to protests against Namakhvani HPP, Turkish construction company Enka has announced that it is ready to continue the discussion with all interested parties.
Yesterday, Kakha Kuchava, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, announced readiness to “meet as many people as possible to have a constructive conversation.” According to him, the meeting would aim to determine how much the protesters see the need for the involvement of Parliament in this process. Kuchava said the meeting must be public and suggested live broadcasting on TV, Facebook, or social networks. Goletiani, the protest organizer, agreed to communicate with Kuchava and ‘listen to what he has to say,’ however, he refuses to enter into any dialogue.
As Goletiani stressed, protesters will engage in dialogue only if a moratorium is announced and the demands set by them are met. Goletiani said they would not compromise with the government and emphasized that all the methods that the ruling party suggests have already been exhausted.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has called on the sides to start a dialogue and create a platform where all actors will be involved.
Earlier, the Georgian government announced that the HPP construction would be suspended for 9 to 12 months until the environmental, geological, and seismological surveys are reviewed. However, protesters plan to continue rallies as they recall statements of GD members stressing that the HPP would be constructed anyway. Before rallies in Tbilisi, the protests against the Namakhvani HPP had been underway in western Georgia for almost six months. Activists and locals protesting the construction of the HPP in the region, claim that sufficient research had not been carried out before launching the construction and believe that the risks, including immediate security risks due to active seismic activity, had not been considered.
Minister of Economy of Georgia claims that the construction of Namakhvani HPP is highly strategic for the country. As she stressed, the HPP would be one of the most important parts of the system that would be the basis for strengthening Georgia’s independent economy and sovereignty.
