Dear Ms. von Cramon-Taubadel,
Thank you for your prompt response.
However, we have to say that we too are disappointed by the style of your letter, which we can easily call “less diplomatic”.
We could endlessly delve into the style of the text and the specifics of its perception, but any further discussions about its formal features cannot be serious when its content deals with such grave problems.
We have no doubt that you are pursuing a noble goal of promoting the establishment of a justice system free of political motivations in Georgia; for this, as already mentioned in our previous letter, we would like to express our sincere gratitude not only to you, but to EU and its respective institutions.
But we and a significant part of our society are left with a question: what has been the outcome of your efforts?
On February 11th in one of your Twitter messages, you mentioned “persecution of political opponents” by the Georgian government. Also, in a short note published on your website on May 13th (which we were called upon to read and which we had read already), you call on the Government of Georgia to implement the agreement of March 8.
As a result of executing this agreement two offenders with serious criminal record – described by the United National Movement and the pseudo-neutral groups affiliated with it, as well as by your colleagues: David McAllister, Anna Fotyga, Andrzej Halicki and others, as “important political prisoners”, were released; this is insulting and traumatizing the persons tortured and killed by the Saakashvili’s authoritarian regime and their families. For the parents of Buta Robakidze, a completely innocent young man shot and killed in the street back in 2004, during Irakli Okruashvili’s tenure as Georgia’s interior minister, the solemn release of this person equates the repeated murder of their son; just to bring up this one example.
And if we have addressed you and not the right-wing politicians, that’s because you have opposed Saakashvili’s bloody regime and his United National Movement, and because we share common values with you representing the Green Party. However, if we have not properly acknowledged your merits, we apologize.
To sum it up – you talk about your noble intentions, which we didn’t doubt while we are talking about their actual gloomy results.
We are also grateful for reminding us of the well-known truth that the perpetrators too deserve a fair trial. It is also obvious that the justice system under the Georgian Dream deserves much criticism. Also, the fact remains that for some internal or external reasons, participants and supporters of Saakashvili’s criminal regime are currently holding seats in Georgian parliament. Actually, fair trial also exists for them but not for the ordinary citizens.
Besides, we were surprised that you have answered the second, no less important part of our letter, rather in general terms. We are very pleased that the European Union is launching the European Green Deal, and we have already discussed this issue with the students and pupils involved in the educational program of the Caucasian House. We hope that Europe will be able to achieve the main goals of this roadmap by 2050.
But the construction of those giant hydropower plants and reservoirs, i.e. the destruction of Georgia’s unique ecosystems, has already begun, and the population of our highlands left defenseless against these developments needs help now. However, we, unfortunately, can do little against the forces backed by our former and current governments, or perhaps even by much more powerful players (e.g. by Russia, or by large corporations registered in offshore zones); Maybe you could find time and post respective comments on your website, or advise us what we should and could do.
You mentioned that you have connections with many Georgian scientists, experts and ordinary citizens. We would be pleased to welcome you at the Caucasian House so that we would be able to talk directly about the plight of the country that, for many reasons, is unable to bring justice to Saakashvili’s brutal regime; the country that is literally left alone vis-à-vis Russia and can do nothing against its creeping occupation; the country, where mass unemployment and poverty prevail, and whose living space is literally being swallowed up by water almost completely.
P.S. We are very glad to see you quoting the German-Georgian writer Giwi Margwelaschwili. During almost the quarter of a century Caucasian House has been studying, translating and publishing the works of this truly genius writer, philosopher and linguist. We hope that quoting his phrases by politicians, even if taken out of context, will at the very least encourage more thorough reading of the oeuvres of this outstanding author.
With best wishes,
Caucasian House
Naira Gelashvili, Giorgi Lobzhanidze, Levan Lortkipanidze, Thea Galdava, Ivane Abramashvili.
