Tbilisi, Georgia

Overview:

Situated at the strategically important crossroads where Europe meets Asia, Georgia has a unique and ancient cultural heritage, and is famed for its traditions of hospitality and cuisine. Over the centuries, Georgia was the object of rivalry between Persia, Turkey and Russia, before being eventually annexed by Russia in the 19th century.  Since emerging from the collapsing Soviet Union as an independent state in 1991, Georgia has again become the arena of conflicting interests.  Increasing US economic and political influence in the country has long been a source of concern for neighboring Russia, as have Georgia's aspirations to join NATO and the EU.  Tense relations with Russia have been further exacerbated by Moscow's support for the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, leading to a brief war in August 2008.  Salome Zourabichvili assumed the Presidency in December 2018 and first came to prominence in 2004, when President Mikheil Saakashvili appointed her foreign minister. She had previously served as ambassador to France, where she was born the daughter of Georgian emigres and worked in the French diplomatic service, before obtaining Georgian citizenship.   But she turned against the president, accusing him of being a "dictator", although she remained independent of the Georgian Dream party that defeated Mr. Saakashvili in the 2012 elections.  Georgian Dream has since reduced the presidency to a ceremonial post, and all future presidents are expected to be chosen by an electoral college, not the public.  Ms. Zourabichvili stood for the post as an independent in 2018, with the backing of Georgian Dream, beating pro-Saakashvili opposition challenger Grigol Vashadze in the run-off. She is due to serve a six-year term.  Defense Minister Irakli Garibashvili formed a government in February 2021, following the resignation of Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia over plans to arrest opposition leader Nika Melia.  The opposition has refused to recognize the results of the October parliamentary elections, and Mr. Gakharia feared an arrest would escalate tensions.  

Source:  BBC Country Profile

American Embassy Tbilisi:

The inspection took place in Tbilisi, Georgia, between May 19 and June 7, 2014.  Robert Ruehle, was the Management Officer who I ended up inspecting in 2021 when he was the Executive Director of the East Asia Pacific bureau.  He also served as Acting DCM for a period.   The FMO was an old timer, Theresa Manly, and the Financial Management Specialist Maria Eliashvili, who compiled the input for the mission resource chart and is still working at the embassy.  The HRO was Conrad Hamilton who is now in Warsaw.

Findings:

The most critical resource requirement was the need to increase the management support platform. The embassy had experienced a 52% increase in   authorized American positions since 2007.  The new embassy compound completed in 2005 and includes a chancery, support annex, warehouse, and Marine security guard quarters on 19 acres of land. The unit's 91 staff members are also responsible for maintaining the chief of mission residence, the DCM residence, and 20 government-owned and 84 leased properties. The addition of 11 new homes to the housing inventory to accommodate the growth in personnel has put a strain on the unit's staff. The ICASS committee had approved three additional LE positions to assist with the workload

The OIG recommended that the embassy identify and collect overpayment of post allowances from Tbilisi employees who were overpaid.  Also, implement Global e-Travel for in-country travel and submit claims for processing to the Post Support Unit and require supervisors to approve overtime in advance unless in an emergency.

I suspected that the operations of the Tbilisi Employee Association (TEA) had some issues with accounting and delayed my taking inventory.  I recommended that the Bureau of Administration, require the TEA to institute the appropriate internal fiscal controls to facilitate proper oversight and management. We found out after returning home that the manager of the TEA and another employee had embezzled $150,000 over a five-year period by deleting sales receipts thus falsifying the financial accounting system. During this period neither the annual audit of the financial statements or two reviews by A/OPR uncovered any fraud. 

On top of that, the GSO motor pool section was found to have illegally siphoned off fuel intended for embassy vehicles, which was another source of embarrassment for OIG for not catching it.    

Highlights:

Georgia is one of the most democratic and Western-Leaning of the former Soviet Union.  The country has a fascinating, gregarious and ancient culture and the birthplace of wine making dating back 7000 years.  The capital Tbilisi has a wonderful old city with ancient architecture and quaint walking streets filled with cafes, restaurants and shops.  

Freedom Square with Monument to St. George

Georgian Parliament Former Headquarters of the Communist Party

1st Gymnasium with Statue to Georgian Writers

Metekhi Church, Monument to King Vakhtang Gorgasali

Old Tbilisi with ruins of Narikala Fortress above

The Leaning Clock Tower

Royal Sulfur Baths which I experienced 

Statue of Josef Stalin and the museum in Gori, Georgia where he was born.

Photo from Yalta Conference

Photo from Potsdam Conference

Carpet with depiction of Lenin and Stalin

In front of Stalin's Birthplace

Train from 1940's

Young dancers at restaurant

Khachapuri - Cheese Bread

Chicken in garlic and cheese sauce

Svet-Tskhoveli Cathedral (1010-1029) in Mtskheta

The cathedral contains the grave a St. Sidonia, who according to legend had died when she was given a robe from Jesus' crucifixion on Golgotha by a jew who converted to Christianity and brought it back to Georgia.

Grounds of the cathedral with walls and Jvari monastery on the hill in the distance.

The bride and groom on the way to church for a wedding

Jvari Monastery 

From the cliff above where the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers meet.

With Ronda at Georgian Wine Festival

Above Sighnaghi

Georgia is the home of an amazing red grape called Saperavi very dark skinned and makes an intensely deep colored, high acid and strong flavored wine. It is one of the few grape varieties which actually have red anthocyanin (color pigment) in the pulp as well as the skin.  The variety is extremely hardy, able to withstand the severe cold of its native region.

All wines are fermented and aged in qvevri, clay vessels lined
with organic beeswax and buried in the earth



Houses with balconies in Sighnaghi

Mother Georgia Above Old Tbilisi