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Каспинфо сентябрь 2003 |
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Название: ПРОЕКТ БТД И ОБЩЕСТВЕННОСТЬ (на англ. яз.) Главные Пункты: * Экологи продолжают критиковать проекта БТД, в первую очередь из-за потенциальных угроз Боржомской долине. (19.09.2003) Полный Текст ПРОЕКТ БТД И ОБЩЕСТВЕННОСТЬ (на англ. яз.) ПРОЕКТ БТД И ОБЩЕСТВЕННОСТЬ (на англ. яз.) *** A MEETING WITH EBRD AND IFC That day defenders of the pipeline talked for hours, avoiding actual conversation, speaking about the strategic value of the pipeline (which nobody denies; the question is what strategic purpose it has) and how great it is to live in a rich country, while not specifying how the oil pipeline will bring us to this prosperity for all. A participant who has come (if this is a positive statement, "casually sauntered" signifies a flippant attitude) to the microphone has relayed the concrete figures that prove that estimated revenue from BTC still does not exceed the existing and projected income from Borjomi: the extraction of mineral water has not yet reached maximum capacity, the National Park is just taking its first steps, and the unique tourism potential has not yet been tapped. This plan is not simply risking a proverbial (and literal) bird in the hand, it is a clear parameter of the strategic purpose of ВTC -- the priority is given to the transit of another country's oil, instead of development of local productive capacities In case of emergency, the damage will be compensated Who will assess the damage, and how? Let us imagine for a moment, that there was no emergency, but just bad PR -- some people have heard and spread a rumor about failure of the oil pipeline in Borjomi. Sales of mineral water drop critically. When there is a rich choice in the market of mineral waters nobody will risk buying an oil-water cocktail. The image of Borjomi is undermined, and its restoration, such as advertising technologies and programs, costs millions of dollars. It had promised to compensate for any direct damage resulting from an oil spill, but no one, in fact, spoke about compensation of indirect damage, or about lost profit. A fine example of this possibly precarious situation has already been offered at the meeting at the Sheraton hotel. The owner of a Georgian hydropower station, located in dangerous proximity to an oil pipeline, declared that the investor had refused to invest in the reconstruction of the power station, to safeguard himself from probable danger from the oil pipeline. In fact, the hydro station, as opposed to an oil pipeline, already provides real light to our houses. Being a renewable power source, hydropower should enjoy more advantages and bigger privileges that non-renewable fossil fuels. BTC chose not to recognize itself as responsible for the damage to this business that has been declared. In general, BTC has taken a seemingly unwavering position. When the question is about governmental support, privileges and easy means to obtaining permits and licenses, BTC becomes the leader of rescuing the Georgian economy, including reduction of poverty, social investments, etc. Ask how much money is actually allocated to social investments at all, or, more to the point, what percentage is from BTC funds. You will not ask? You lift your hand for four hours and are not given a microphone? A well-known film director tells the audience a story by Chekhov, the 19th-century Russian writer, and the facilitator explains that she is not going to interrupt and stop him. That translates into not only undersigning for full powerlessness leading to failure in ruling a meeting, but also to allow direct instigation to the meeting's breakdown. In order to speak I would have to pull a microphone out from between the hands of the film director. But, let us return to the position of BTC. When someone asks a real question about the amount of social investments proposed, a company representative makes a sharp turn in his rhetoric, and with the pleasant smile declares that BTC is a private commercial project, and that its purpose is not charity, but profit. This statement should be told to the film director, who sees this company as a unique rescue and a pledge to the survival of the Georgian people. We already have one pipeline: Baku-Supsa. Has anyone felt that life has become easier or more cheerful? The pipeline has spilled oil in a couple of areas, distributed compensation for uncollected harvests (for which true accolade is due, as for the first time something has really reached the peasants affected). The criminality has grown; provocateurs profited; criminals and corruptive authorities benefited tremendously; social disturbance; migration.... And where is the paradise we were promised? Well, nobody in fact promised it. Why should this private commercial project enjoy state support and appear to be the best strategic direction for the country? However, Georgia is not alone in facing this problem. In his newly released novel, well-known writer Victor Pelevin puts it as a sad joke: "Russia in Chinese is designated by four hieroglyphs meaning the temporary administration of northern pipe". Instead of serving as a means toward comprehensive sustainable development of the Georgian economy, natural resources, tourism, science, education, culture, our government, unchanged, has preferred to become a temporary administration of the Southern - Caucasian pipe. Catherine Nakashidze Editor-in-chief Regional magazine " Caucasus Environment " |