TSMC, the world’s largest chipmaker, has projected that the global semiconductor market could exceed $1.5 trillion by 2030, driven by surging demand for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing technologies, AzerNEWS reports.
Day: May 14, 2026
Public debate continues to grow in Abkhazia over plans to build a major ski resort.
The government-backed project has faced criticism from almost all sides. While some are concerned about its environmental impact, others are focused on its political implications.
Sukhum-based blogger Kirill Bazilevsky, for example, believes the resort project could further deepen political turbulence in the region.
Authorities in Abkhazia are planning to build a major ski resort, with the government predicting the project could increase the republic’s GDP by 25%.
The project was developed jointly with Ministry of Economic Development of Russia and includes 200km of ski slopes and hotel infrastructure with around 6,000 rooms.
Kirill Bazilevsky said: “There was already one ambitious project to develop eastern Abkhazia with apartment hotels, but the public rejected it because there were no clear figures and no proper assessment of the environmental and other risks. Now the same thing is happening with the winter tourism project.
There are three reasons why I am sceptical about the idea of building a ski resort.
- First, the environment. Wastewater treatment facilities are already struggling to cope, waste recycling is in a terrible state, and now there are plans for more construction, heavy machinery in the mountains and so on. The authorities should first deal with problems that have remained unresolved for decades instead of creating new ones.
- Second, infrastructure. Electricity cuts happen three times a day and the power grid is badly worn out. The energy system would not be able to support a modern resort.
- Third, the financial side. Previous projects were never backed up with concrete figures. If there is no transparent and detailed business plan this time either, the result could be a corrupt scheme rather than a functioning resort.”
“Who would be able to finance a project on this scale? Only major Russian businesses. And that once again raises questions about preferential deals and agreements — the same issues that caused political turmoil in Abkhazia a few years ago.
They should just let people work in peace instead of dragging the region into another round of political turbulence.
I support evolution, not revolution. Start with a few pilot projects in active tourism, test demand and infrastructure first. Not the clearing of hectares of forest for a multi-billion-dollar money-making scheme.”
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Ski resort project in Abkhazia
Georgia’s former economy minister, Levan Davitashvili, has been appointed CEO of Italiana Petroli (IP), an Italian petroleum and energy firm, following its acquisition by the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), which announced the appointment after completing the purchase of 99.82% of IP’s share capital.
In a May 13 press release, IP said Davitashvili will lead its operations in Italy, “with the focus of ensuring operational continuity, preserving and further strengthening its position in the national energy market, and overseeing the company`s integration within the broader SOCAR Group.”
The company said that Davitashvili is “proficient in the Italian language” and “brings over 25 years of experience across senior public and private sector leadership positions.” It noted that during his tenure as Georgia’s economy minister, he “led the country’s economic strategy and supported the implementation of major infrastructure initiatives.”
The press release added that Davitashvili also guided Georgia’s “involvement in the Green Energy Corridor initiative, connecting the South Caucasus to European Union member states” and “since November 2025, he has served as Advisor to the President of SOCAR.”
Levan Davitashvili served as Georgia’s economy minister and deputy prime minister from 2022 until June 2025, when he was replaced by current minister Mariam Kvrivishvili. Following his departure, Davitashvili was appointed chief economic adviser to Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and secretary of the Economic Council, a coordinating body.
He has also chaired the board of Black Sea Petroleum, the company that operates the Kulevi Oil Terminal on Georgia’s Black Sea coast. In recent months, the terminal came under scrutiny over its alleged role in facilitating Russian oil exports and was initially considered for inclusion in the European Union’s 20th sanctions package against Russia. The EU ultimately decided not to include the port in the sanctions package, citing “positive commitments” by Georgian authorities and the terminal’s operator SOCAR.
In February 2026, Davitashvili was questioned by the Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) for what authorities later described as “part of an ongoing investigation into a contract signed with one of the major oil companies.” Davitashvili said “discussions” concerned, among others, possible risks related to Georgia facilitating gas supplies to Europe. The agency later corrected him, clarifying that he had been at a questioning, not a discussion, and that the questions focused on risks related to Georgia’s own gas supplies and contract terms affecting the country, not the EU’s gas supplies.
Also Read:
- 23/07/2025 – Georgian Dream Resignation Streak: Who Left and Why
- 26/04/2025 – Davitashvili Visits United States, Participates in World Bank, IMF Spring Meetings
- 25/04/2025 – Davitashvili Stresses “Positive Agenda” in Relations with New US Administration
- 01/04/2025 – GD Minister of Economy Davitashvili Meets with US Ambassador Dunnigan
Georgian Dream on EU membership
Shalva Papuashvili, speaker of parliament and a member of the ruling Georgian Dream, said that “Soviet Moscow is gradually being replaced by Brussels”.
His comments came after the European Parliament barred pro-government broadcaster Imedi TV from working inside the parliament for one year.
Papuashvili described the decision as a “hostile act” against the Georgian people and said it was “an attempt to suppress freedom of speech”.
“This is yet another reason for us to reflect on what the European Union has become today. At this point, it is essentially Rasa Jukneviciene and people like her. That is where the EU has ended up,” Shalva Papuashvili said.
According to Papuashvili, “Georgia has no place in an EU like this”, and the bloc should return to its “original values”.
The speaker added that until the EU “gets rid of such people”, Georgia would not be convinced that European integration could benefit the country.
Papuashvili also compared the EU to the Soviet Union, saying Brussels was its “reincarnation” and that “they even have the same aesthetics”.
On 13 May 2026, Imedi TV said it had received an official letter from the European Parliament banning the channel from working inside the parliament for one year. According to the broadcaster, the decision followed a report aired on one of its programmes.
Imedi also said that Moldova had denied accreditation to Imedi TV, Rustavi 2 and PosTV for a meeting of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, which will also be attended by representatives of Georgia’s foreign ministry.
Georgian Dream on EU membership