However, there was a third autonomy in Georgia — Adjara. Georgia managed to keep it.
See Andrey Grigoriev's report from Batumi on the current situation.
Orta Dgzame is the most revered Muslim shrine in Batumi. It can't admit all comers. People have to lay out some more rugs and even just a cloth right on the pavement. It's not a mosque, it's a dgzame, it's not a muezzin who calls for prayer, it's a zanchi. It's all according to the Turkish tradition. The only Georgian thing is the decoration on the door and the interior — bunches of grapes.
Tariel Nakaidze, Imam: “This is a Georgian style decoration, patterns that our ancestors carved out.”
Imam Tariel Nakaidze doesn't speak Russian or maybe he pretends he doesn't. But he's fluent in Georgian and Turkish.
Tariel Nakaidze, Imam: “Unfortunately, our economy is weak. That's why people travel across the border to Turkey every month. They pick tea leaves, nuts there. It does tell upon us. We feel the influence of the Turkish economy and Turkish culture.”
Historically, Adzharians are Georgians who, under the influence of the Turks, converted to Islam: the Ottoman Empire owned the region for 300 years. After the Russo-Turkish war in 1878, Batumi became a part of Russia. To commemorate this, they still care for the graves of the Russian soldiers of that era. In 1921, according to the Treaty of Kars, Adjara was ceded to Georgia. Islam was eradicated — in 1924, the sharia court was abolished, in 1926, there was a campaign to abolish the chador, and since 1930, mosques were closed. But now the process has reversed.
Tengiz Tavdgeridze, public activist: "The religious influence of Turkey has been greatly intensified lately. They buy everything they can. They buy everything, and now there are so many Turks here."
Turkish business feels at home in Batumi. They invested in the reconstruction of the airport, and now they enjoy special conditions there. Batumi Airport is unique for the global aviation practice — it's located in Georgia but it's considered an internal Turkish airport This means that a passenger who flies from Istanbul or Ankara, which are in a different country, actually doesn't pass either border controls or customs procedures. They can just get their luggage and leave.
The committee for the rescue of Adjara from Turkey has an office with photos of old Batumi. Its participants say that it is not all about commercial projects and agreements with Turkish participation.
- You see these houses?
- Are they madrasas?
- Yeah, madrasas, mosques, and so on.
The map shows illegal Turkish buildings in Adjara: minarets, madrasas, Muslim kindergartens. The neighboring country is invading.
Ramaz Surmanidze, public activist: "People worry about all of this. It has become very widespread. Turkish schools have been opening, as well as kindergartens and higher educational institutions. All this isn't authorized by the Georgian authorities."
This is what happens when you try to demolish a building. This concrete minaret was illegally transported into Georgia without customs clearance. When it was seized, Turks rose in unrest. It has not yet reached open confrontation, but the number of disgruntled locals is growing. Here in Kobuleti, on the door of the building where Muslims were going to open a madrasa, someone nailed a pig's head in protest.
Jimson Gurgenidze, honorary resident of Batumi: "Turks have flooded the city. This is an invasion. To be silent and not react to this is equivalent to treason."
In Batumi, this is called "the Turkish quarter" — there's not a single Georgian there. The restaurants serve traditional Anatolian doner kebabs and shawarma.
“This is a Turkish restaurant. We have breakfasts, soups, kebabs.”
The owners and all the staff are Turks. They are gradually pushing the Adzharians out of the public catering, trade, and tourism, which were the main sources of income for the region.
Adjara is legendary Colchis where the Argonauts came for the Golden Fleece. This is exactly where it happened. The Gonio Fortress was mentioned in the writings of historian Pliny the Younger in the first century after Christ as the most fortified city on the Black Sea coast.
Batumi was the southernmost resort of the Soviet Union. There was always a special atmosphere. At the end of the 80s, just before the collapse of the USSR, it was a kind of window to the world — one could freely go to Turkey. This is the Sarpi checkpoint at the border between Georgia and Turkey. It has a simplified crossing regime. People can cross the border using their national passports. Adjarians go to Turkey for education and work purposes. Turks go to Adjara to take back their territory. This is what happens here under the cover of darkness.
"This is Turkish land, and we will take it back!" — representatives of the Turkish extremist organization the Gray Wolves chant. The Adzhar press warns that many of them have received Georgian citizenship.
Akaky Beridze, public activist: "When Saakashvili was in office, many moved to Batumi. If there is a referendum, elections or something, they want that there would be more of them."
On many empty stores, there are inscriptions in Turkish: "For Rent". This is an additional invitation for entrepreneurs from Turkey, who already own almost everything here.
This is the embankment Batumi is proud of. The Black Sea Institute of Technology was promised was to be located in those skyscrapers, the local equivalent of Harvard or Oxford, as well as a maritime museum. But in the end, all of this became Turkish hotels with spas. The moving sculpture of Ali and Nino is the calling card of Batumi. This is indeed a symbol of love. But metallic Muslim Ali is bigger and at some point completely absorbs Orthodox Nino.
