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PROMISES VS. RESULTS
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Although the liberation of Ajaria in May 2004 started off with high
hopes, the past year has brought few results to the autonomous region.
The optimism people expressed in last year’s elections has turned to
anger and resentment as inflation has risen and few major changes have
taken place. Check out three promises made to Ajaria and their results.
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PROMISE: On May 8, 2004, President Mikheil Saakashvili promised that
property illegally acquired by Aslan Abashidze, Ajaria’s former leader,
would be returned to the Ajarian people. Auctions were planned to
dispose of houses, art collections, cars, dogs and more. Money earned
from the sales was to be paid into regional government coffers.
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RESULT: On September 6, 2004, the Ajarian Supreme Court ruled it legal
to seize Abashidze’s assets -- reportedly worth an estimated $58
million. While Batumi officials cannot say exactly what happened to the
art collection or other riches, Saakashvili did give Georgian officers
serving in Batumi four of Abashidze’s dachas as living quarters.
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PROMISE: On May 6, 2004, the day former Ajarian leader Aslan Abashidze
fled to Moscow, Saakashvili swore to protect the region’s autonomy.
"There is no threat to Ajaria's autonomous status and there will be no
such threat in the future,” he said during a televised speech to the
nation. “Ajaria's status will be finally clarified by a special
constitutional law."
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RESULT: On July 5, 2004, President Saakashvili signed a document
outlining the new division of powers between the Ajarian Autonomous
Republic and the central government. While the new agreement does
maintain the autonomous status of the region, local and international
experts have criticized it for taking too much authority away from the
Ajarian government.
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PROMISE: On May 7, 2004, former Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania noted
during a cabinet meeting that unemployment and social conditions were
worse in Ajaria than in other regions in the country. He pledged that
the government would improve the investment climate and prepare the
region for privatization.
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RESULT: A group of prominent Georgian businessmen visited Ajaria soon
after Zhvania’s statement, but no major new investments in Ajaria have
yet been made. Ongoing problems with electricity are a strong deterrent.
Nor has privatization yet provided the expected economic stimulus. After
an earlier sale was annulled, the Batumi-based Georgian Ocean Shipping
Company was sold in late April 2005 to the British-owned Marine Capital
for $93 million.
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