Prof. Dr. Tariel Putkaradze /St. Andrew the first-called Georgian University/
Present-day Batumi: Conflicts of Interests and Perspectives
Both current problems and perspectives of Batumi (Adjara) are conditioned by its historic past, that is the reason short history of Batumi will be presented below:
Judging by the area where archeological culture of Kolkheti is spread, Adjara (with its current borders) represents the central coastal region of Kolkha/Kilkha, later Kartli/Sakartvelo, where the autochtone population is the Georgian (present-day Adjarians, Laz, Gurians). This part of Georgia has historically had important geopolitical functions: The Chorokhi Valley was one of the most important parts of the ‘Great Silk Road’. Taking into consideration the borders of Georgia suggested by Leonti Mriveli, Adjara has historically comprised the Adjara Water Alley and part of the Chorokhi Gorge – from Adjaristskali to the Sea.
Until the 17th century, Adjara, namely the Batumi region, was an organic part of Georgia: Adjara was part of Odzrkhi Saeristavo and periodically it belonged to Egrisi. In the XIII-XV centuries, Batumi was run by the Dadianis and finally by the Gurielis.
In the XVII-XIX centuries, a large part of historical Meskheti (Adjara with Machakhela, Livana, Shavsheti, Tao, Lazeti, Erusheti, Samtskhe-Javakheti) was conquered by the Ottoman. With the intention to obtain eternal mastery of this historical Georgian territory, Ottomans tried to spread Muslim religion and the Turkish language in order to change awareness of the historical population of this part of Georgia serving the interests of the invaders.
Under the 1878 Treaty of Berlin, Russia conquered one part of the Batumi region (half of Adjara, Machakhela, Livani and Lazeti). Until 1991 - until the restoration of independence of Georgia - Batumi was ruled by Russia or the Russian Communist Empire. The Russian government actively tried to change the demographics of the Batumi region; On the one hand, they helped to extinguish exiled Georgians from the center of Batumi to the middle of Turkey (so-called Muhajir period), and, on the other hand, to populate its loyal ethnos (Russians, Armenians ...) in Batumi; During the last two centuries, Russia has also tried to change consciousness of the local population by means of promoting atheism and domination of the Russian language.
In 1883, Russia ensured construction of the Baku-Batumi railway, reconstructed Batumi port and built the pipeline between Baku and Batumi in 1897-1907; As a result, from the beginning of the 20th century, Batumi acquired an important geopolitical functions.
On October 28, 1990, having won multi-party elections, the goal of the new national government was to complete deoccupation of Georgia - withdrawal of Russian troops from all parts of Georgia (including, Adjara) and using full potential of Batumi for the benefit of the local population and the newly restored central states of the central Georgia (that is what my strategy was oriented on when being appointed as a prefect of Batumi by the President Gamsakhurdia).
Russia's strategic goals did not correspond with Georgia's independence and leaving military bases in Georgia. In 1991-93, the military coup organized by the Russian Federation in Georgia (Putchi) and current events greatly damaged state interests of Georgia, defining the role of Batumi: in the aftermath of Putchi, foreign forces with their various interests, as well as clans of the Georgian or other origins, became active in Batumi.
Despite political instabilities, Batumi has greatly progressed for the last decade since the restoration of the independence of Georgia; It has become distinguished touristic and cultural center; however, there are plenty of problems and challenges nowadays; We consider that each problem should be carefully studied in order to appropriately plan ongoing processes in Batumi; the aim of the our report is to analyze current situation in Batumi; it is important to face all these risks and challenges that Batumi faces caused by the interests of outsiders.
The First Challenge: Maintaining tolerant environment in Adjara, in the settlement of a billion and a half Muslims and Christians.
The Second Challenge: Balancing actions and expectations of aggressive pro-Islamist and pantheistic groups by Batumi authorities (Adjarian Autonomous Republic) with a proper state position and civil activity.
The Third Challenge: Balancing actions of individual groups defending interests of Russia in Batumi with the right state position of the Government of Adjara, as well as civil activity of the public.
The Fourth Challenge: placing actions of strong clans in the framework of the security of the state and the improvement of the political spectrum.
The Fifth Challenge: Enhancing educational orientation in Batumi (Adjara) within the framework of unified strategy of education, culture and science, which will facilitate revival of identity of the autonomous population and protection of dignity of other ethnic groups.
The Sixth Challenge: Today Batumi is an important touristic and strategic economic center; Revenues of Batumi (Adjara) should be utilized for the interests of local and central budget within the framework of the protection of business interests of other countries (most of the revenues are lost by illegal businesses).
The Seventh Challenge: To Maintain an "Icon of Beloved Motherland" for Georgians living in Batumi.
The Eighth Challenge: Final violation of the medieval stereotypes of intercultural religion and nationality and understanding of the ethnic Georgian as a whole on the ground of academic perception of the ethnos.
The Ninth Challenge: despite their ethnic origin, regarding all citizens of Georgia residing in Adjara (Batumi) as part of the Georgian nation.
