Citizens of Batumi rally against the skyscrapers on the coastline
By Levan Abramishvili
Monday, July 22
"We demand that Riviera returns to its historically protected area status and to keep this as the only green and open space; otherwise, the historic Batumi will lose its identity of a coastal city. We are gathering signatures to demonstrate that the citizens are against this project," said the activists.
According to the local internet publication, Batumelebi, at the rally, one of the activists, Shota Gujabidze, told a brief history of the coastline and its significance.
"Ever since there was a concept of a 'historical zone,' this place has always been in the historical zone. This implies that there's a special regime in this zone. What can be built and demolished here is firmly determined and restricted. This type of document existed during the Soviet Union and also afterward, since 2004, a lot of money was spent on studying this area," he said.
He also spoke about all the historical events that took place on the territory and the buildings that held major significance in the history of Batumi and of Georgia's at large.
Aside from the historical significance of the territory, it is in a vulnerable ecological position, according to the UNDP study published in 2013.
"Great danger is posed to the construction of multi-story buildings at the territory of Batumi Cape - the coastline, weakened by the landslides occurring in the upper reaches of nearby underwater canyons, might not endure the huge of the weight of such construction," reads the UNDP report, 'Climate Change Strategy of Adjara.'
The study also mentions some of the problems that Adjara coastal zone faces today, mainly caused by human activity.
"The anthropogenic impact and large-scale technogenic loading on Adjara shoreline have negatively affected the morphodynamical processes going on in Adjara coastal zone, manifested in washing away of seashore and the destruction of facilities built at the waterside," reads the report.
According to the study, these activities affect the beach the most.
"Technogenic and anthropogenic loading particularly affected the most active strip of shoreline - the beach. Beach is the natural coast-protecting mechanism, which upholds from destruction and washing off private and state property disposed at the seaboard, natural, historical and cultural complexes."
Since in Adjara, the beach and seashore as a whole are the main recreational resource for the tourists, "it is necessary to use rational approach that guarantees coast stability and maintains recreational and dwelling territories. In this process, one of the most important components is the assessment and envision of risks related to climate change," says the UNDP report.
Since 2013, the situation has only worsened on the coastline of Batumi – there are numerous new buildings and large-scale construction projects still being carried out.
It is worth mentioning that the current Mayor of Batumi, Lasha Komakhidze, was the UNDP coordinator in Adjara when the research above was prepared in 2013.
"As far as I know, this study didn't rely on practical geological and geodetic studies, which the company has the responsibility to carry out itself. So, we have the theoretical work of 2013 and, on the other hand, we will have practical studies. I think it will be reliable," said Komakhidze regarding the UNDP report.
Komakhidze also said that "this is one of the most important projects implemented in Georgia and throughout the region."
According to him, the company that plans to build skyscrapers in Batumi cape must present the result of the geodesic study, conducted by a qualified company. According to the Batumi Mayor, an Italian company is preparing the study.
Despite the controversy, Batumi Municipality City Council made a decision on July 16, according to which, the Batumi City Hall was ordered to start administrative process for the approval of the Construction Regulation Plan (CRP) for the constructions on the Riviera territory.
Civil activists were present at the sitting at the City Council, after several demands to give a speech, one of the activists, Nino Inaishvili was able to get access to the microphone, she reminded the officials the position of the population.
"You, the city authorities are obliged to listen to people and give answers to the serious questions. We are asking for an answer. What we heard in this hall was very concerning for us, because Batumi should not become a city of 'one season.' This decision is wrong, and you must determine policies correctly, but you are very weak at that," said Inaishvili.
After Inaishvili's critical assessments, the chairperson continued to talk about the positive aspects of the 'Riviera.' During the vote, the issue of the five skyscrapers received 17 votes from the majority members. The opposition did not participate in the voting, calling it 'illegal.'
The project, aiming to build five skyscrapers near the so-called 'Chacha tower' on Batumi Riviera is to be carried out by one of the sub-companies of the Silk Road Group. The project is financially supported by the Georgian Co-investment Fund, set up by the former Prime Minister of Georgia and chairman of the ruling 'Georgian Dream' party, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.
The tallest of the five buildings, 42-story aparthotel' Silk Tower' will be 130 meters tall.
According to Ivanishvili, the protest against the skyscrapers in Batumi is being instigated by the opposition party United National Movement.
"Look what they were doing regarding 'Panorama' [another controversial project of Co-Investment Fund in Tbilisi], I'm carrying out this unique project in Tbilisi, which is unprofitable. What were the UNM members and their controlled NGOs doing? They want to stop construction in Georgia. They want to destroy the country. They are pests, and they aren't hiding it," said Ivanishvili.
It remains to be seen what the geodesic study finds regarding the expediency of such a mass-scale project in Batumi Riviera. Both environmentally and historically, as voiced by not only the local activists, but the qualified United Nations Development Programme study, it is not advisable to build skyscrapers, but the public officials are likely to keep pushing for the project to be carried out.
No matter how many jobs it creates or how profitable it will be both for the company and for the country, the officials should take into account the concerns of the local population and make sure that its authentic coastline isn't crushed in the process.