Georgia 2003
On November 2nd 2003, Georgia held parliamentary elections. The OSCE deployed 450 short-term election observers, of which 11 were seconded from Austria. I was part of the short-term monitoring mission and deployed in the south of Tbilisi (Tiflis), the capital. The following pictures were taken during that mission (Briefly, the elections were marred by extraordinary levels of fraud, to read an article about that topic (in German) go to the section "Articles").

Narikala Fortress above the old town of Tbilisi
Tbilisi is at the same time charming..
dilapidated..
and full of poverty.
Anchiskhati basilica dates from 6th century B.C and is the oldest ecclesiastical building in Tbilisi.
The entrance gate to Siony, the main cathedral of Tbilisi.

 
The old capital of Georgia, Mtskheta, about one hour drive north of Tbilisi.
Enjoying the splendid view over Mtskheta. From here you can see the Kazbegi (5032m, border to Chechnya).
Sveti Tskhoveli in Mtskheta was the most imortant cathedral during the high time of Georgia (XII century).
Dzhoari cathedral, high above Mtskheta is a splendid example of the many early Christian churches perched on mountaintops across Georgia.
The landscape in the south of the country, at the border to Armenia and
Azerbaidschan is spectacular, most people in this area are Azeri.
Rural Azeri woman carrying
a 20 liter jug of water home.


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done on 8.11.2003