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The Center for International Development and Cooperation of Estonia (ESTDEV) and JAMnews have reviewed numerous outstanding journalistic works and selected the following entries as winners of the “Shuki” Prize third round competition.
And the winners are:
“Who Will Inherit Bakhmaro?”
Eka Kevanishvili’s report concerns the construction of a multifunctional hotel complex consisting of 350 apartments by the construction company “Orbi” in the Bakhmaro resort. In early January 2024, the company “Orbi” published the first photo renderings of the future building and announced the sale of apartments. Later, it was revealed that the company is investing $100 million in Bakhmaro. “Orbi” owns a total of 10 hectares of land in Bakhmaro, with over 4 hectares of this land being granted by the state at a symbolic price of 1 GEL.
“The Budget for the Village and Supporters of ‘Dream’ – Who Received 1.5 Million GEL from the Adigeni Municipality?”
In the last five years, more than 4.5 million GEL has been spent in Adigeni municipality under the “Village Support Program.” Of this, at least 1.5 million GEL was awarded through direct procurements to employees of the Adigeni Municipality and its legal entities, their relatives, and individuals connected to the “Georgian Dream” party. The Samkhretis Karibche investigates exactly to whom the Adigeni Municipality is signing contracts and who ultimately benefits from the state budget money allocated under the “Village Support Program.”
“The European Life of a Dream Official”
Studio Monitor’s investigative report uncovers the undeclared income and luxurious European lifestyle of Romeo Mikautadze, a high-ranking official from the “Georgian Dream” party. The investigation aims to answer how the wife of the former Ministry of Economy official managed to acquire an apartment in a historic district of Madrid. Journalists gathered information about the Mikautadzes’ construction and hotel businesses, valuable real estate, and the official’s interests in hydropower construction.
The overarching goal of this project is to foster ethical and responsible journalism practices in Georgia, promoting transparency and accountability in media reporting.
