The Heart of Northern Georgia is Already Under Russian Control – Interview with Paata Zakareishvili

- Mr. Paata, what dangers does the transfer of Racha forests – 104,712 hectares until 2071 – to an affiliate of Putin’s inner circle, David Khidasheli, pose?

- The danger is huge. We see that Russia is economically assuming Georgia. A telling example of this is neighboring Armenia. An anti-Russian movement is now snowballing in Armenia. A large part of the population is dissatisfied that Russia is not helping Armenia in accordance with its commitments. But as soon as someone raises a protest, they are quickly drowned out by others saying what are you whining about? Entire Armenia is economically tied to Russia, they can choke our economy with one stroke. The same process is going on in Georgia as well, slowly, step by step, a chunk at a time, in different forms.

In this case, we are dealing with forests and land. Almost the same type of event is taking place in the Bichvinta resort of Abkhazia. There were state-owned, Soviet dachas in Bichvinta, which by now are demolished and uninhabitable. These buildings belong to Russia because they built them. Now Russia wants to grab the entire forest around them. This is the first such case in Abkhazia. For all this time, the buildings and their yards belonged to Russia, which was illegal anyway, but Abkhazians put up with it. Now they want to take over the entire forest. As you know, Bichvinta has a unique forest, that’s what it’s known for. There, too, the talks are about a 50-year transfer of ownership. Abkhazians are against handing over Bichvinta’s unique forest to Russia for half a century. The same type of scheme is unfolding in Racha.

This is the first case that the unique forests of Racha are being appropriated by the Russian context. Someone may say that Khidasheli is a Georgian businessman, but it has been clearly exposed, unfortunately, that Khidasheli is a Russian businessman.

He was involved in the Gareji case and hailed as a hero for bringing home some basic maps which are readily available anywhere. There are plenty in my room. This is how he was introduced to Georgia, passed off as a national hero and a Georgian businessman, when in reality, he has nothing in common with Georgia, apart from his surname. His business is Russian.

Through him and other Russian businessmen like him, they want to make Georgia economically dependent on Russia, so that when the time comes and Georgian Dream is no more, and may god bring that day soon, it is difficult for the new government to sever these ties.

I can see that. We have other unique regions, forest massifs, where they issue permits and a lot of Georgian and foreign citizens hunt. Allocating such a vast area on the border of Russia to a Russian businessman carries serious economic and political dangers, as it turns out that a significant part of our country is owned by Russian businesses.

- Forests transferred to Khidasheli are adjacent to the occupational line, as well as the Georgia-Russia border. We know that Mamisoni Pass has been occupied by the Russian military since 2009. The so-called Ossetian military road, which connects Georgia to North Ossetia (Alania), passes through Mamisoni. Not so long ago, on September 2, 2020, David Saganelidze, the Executive Director of the Partnership Fund and a trusted person of Bidzina Ivanishvili, spoke about the necessity of opening this road during his meeting with the population in Oni. At the end of last year, a half-kilometer tunnel to Nizhny Zaramag, which is the closest administrative center to Mamison Pass, was opened.

- We have a unique resort Gudauri, which as we know, is often, if not predominantly used by Russian tourists. I am sure that the forests transferred to Khidasheli will be primarily used by Russian citizens, and Russian hunters, who will realize their interests here. If everything else was in order, and it wasn't obvious that we are increasingly intertwining with Russia in every way, be it politics, geopolitics, economics, or culture, this isolated event would still be concerning, as it creates a link with Russia. But as we consider these links collectively and look at it from the outside, this event organically fits the overall context of realizing Russian interests here.

We have so many ties with Russia, especially in the energy sector, that if we make a list by significance, this will not even fall within the top five, I'm afraid those places are taken, but it will be in the top ten. 

The connection of the Georgian population with their forests is important for us. Locals are used to using the forest, be it for moderate firewood or otherwise. A large part of our population, as well as visitors, vacation here. Racha is one of the most popular and desired local resorts. Now it will become closed off. Fences and signs will be set up around the forest restricting people from entering.

When Georgia begins to distance itself from Russia, one of the awkward issues will be how to repossess such a large forest. Unless some radical decisions are made, like confiscation, I can't imagine how this can be legally reversed.

Russia is in a hurry, and not just in the occupied territories. It has no problems governing Abkhazia. Despite this, it is in a hurry to appropriate new land. They clearly feel that after losing in Ukraine, they will lose footing and authority on a lot of things. Until they still have influence over Georgia, or Abkhazia for that matter, they want to appropriate land, forests. They are eyeing the beaches in Abkhazia, which will be a problem for Georgia down the line when it manages to reconcile with the Abkhazian side. I hope that time also comes soon. These problems will await us there.

Operations like Khidasheli’s case are being carried out elsewhere, too. These small cases add up to a huge territory.

This will turn into a whole separate headache down the line. Resolving the conflict is one thing, then we will have to phase out the Russians, and then defuse the mines that Russia will leave behind, which will not be easy. I hope I will live to see it, but it will be a protracted process.

- The government made the decision to transfer the forests to Khidasheli in complete secrecy. Georgian News started a legal dispute to obtain the classified information a year ago. The state has still not provided us with a significant part of the documents, which are public by law. What is the government afraid of?

- This is business as usual for Georgia Dream. A clear example of this is the so-dubbed Russian law, proposed as if to protect against foreign agents. They came up with it out of the blue, and if not for the mass resistance of the fed-up Georgian population, it would have been adopted. This is what the Georgian Dream is afraid of.

Georgians have a special connection with their land. The land is the most valuable asset that binds Georgians together. No matter how you dress it up, it’s highly alarming. You can’t even dress it up, because you are alienating the land, and on whom? On Russia. The occupied territory of Tskhinvali already belongs to Russia, now we are adding at least half of Racha to that. The entire central heart of northern Georgia is already under Russian control. Of course, the reversal will be very difficult; that’s why they are hiding it and many other facts. When the deal is already sealed only then do we find out, through the court or some honest person bringing out information. They were afraid of popular discontent and that’s why they concealed everything.”