A banner on the pavement displays an artist’s interpretation of a forthcoming block of flats. (Ian McNaught Davis/ OC Media)
Since 2008, the port city of Batumi on Georgia’s Black Sea coast has attracted visitors with the bright lights of tourism, trade, and gambling. Soaring tourism statistics in the popular casino town has brought with it a construction boom — one that seemingly has no end in sight. [Read more…]
Muslims of Orta Mosque pray outside the mosque in Batumi (Mari Nikuradze/ OC Media)
A controversy over the construction of a second mosque in Batumi has resurfaced after the new head of Adjara, Tornike Rizhvadze, promised it would go ahead. Batumi’s Muslims have long complained that the city’s only current mosque is too small, but Rizhvadze faced criticism for his decision from a number of ultra-conservative groups including the March of Georgians. [Read more…]
Muslims of Orta Mosque pray outside the mosque in Batumi (Mari Nikuradze/ OC Media)
An initiative group of Georgian Muslims in Batumi has rejected an offer from Mayor Lasha Komakhidze for a building permit for a second mosque in the city. Komakhidze said in a meeting on 3 April that if land bought by the group for the mosque was transferred to the state sponsored Administration of All Muslims of Georgia, and if they withdrew a court appeal over previous building permit rejections, a permit would be issued.
Batumi (Leo Keler)
‘The hotel is built in avant-garde-minimalist style. It’s energy-efficient and has a minimal impact on the environment’, the city guide states of the Leo Grand, the hotel struck by a deadly fire on 24 November. Given that 12 people were killed and 21 injured in the fire, ‘minimalist designs’ could perhaps also refer to the minimally regulated building standards which are causing the shoddy development of our cities. [Read more…]
(Facebook)
Eleven people have died and 19 were injured in a fire at a hotel in Georgia’s Black Sea resort city of Batumi, Georgia’s Interior Minister has confirmed. [Read more…]
Donald Trump and former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili in Batumi (Administration of President)
The Georgian Co-Investment Fund, backed by former Georgian prime minister billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili will be involved in building a luxury condominium in Georgia’s port city of Batumi. The Silk Tower will replace Batumi’s previously planned Trump Tower. [Read more…]
Queer rights activists have presented a petition signed by almost 38,000 people worldwide to the Georgian government in support of two gay men, Levan Berianidze and Tornike Kusiani. The two were allegedly assaulted on homophobic grounds by strangers and then by police.
A gathering in front of the construction site where two workers died on 8 September (Manana Kveliashvili/Batumelebi)
A week after two construction workers died in Batumi, their colleagues claimed they were denied entrance to the construction site. The workers claim that they were told they were fired. After protests, the private Metro City company denied it and promised them they could continue working. [Read more…]
Natso Beridze-Gabaidze (Salome Tsopurashvili/Women of Georgia)
Women in Georgia very often lack a voice of their own. Their opinions, feelings, dreams, aspirations, and achievements can be conveyed by others, often the men around them. The Women in Georgia project gives a voice to these women, allowing them to tell their own stories — in their own words. The project collected 150 distinct stories from women throughout the country. OC Media brings you a selection of these stories, translated into English and Russian. Below, in her own words, Natso Beridze-Gabaidze. [Read more…]
Rally in front of the Government Chancellery in Tbilisi on 25 August (Luka Pertaia/OC Media)
Two leaders of a Georgian queer rights group detained in Batumi on 25 August say they were physically and verbally abused by police. An investigation has been opened into alleged abuse of power.
