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Disinfo: Georgia's Anaklia seaport project is a NATO/US effort to regain a foothold in the Black Sea region

Summary

The Anaklia seaport project in Georgia is a NATO and US effort to regain a foothold in the Black Sea because they have no presence in the region.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Russian narrative. The Anaklia project is a Georgian initiative intended as a step toward developing the country's logistical infrastructure. NATO has no need to regain a foothold in the Black Sea because three of its member states, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, are Black Sea littoral states, with all appropriate civilian and military infrastructure. NATO did implement the 2016 Warsaw Summit decisions to enhance its presence on the alliance’s eastern and south-eastern borders. This involved the development of a tailored forward presence in the Black Sea region in the form of the Romanian-led multinational brigade in Craiova, reinforced Romanian and Bulgarian airspace protection capability, and additional measures to increase its maritime and air presence in the region, as well as conducting joint military exercises, some with the participation of NATO partners, Ukraine and Georgia. However, none of the Alliance’s plans or policy documents mention building a civilian seaport in Georgia. See further debunking by Myth Detector here.

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myvideo.ge Resource (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 144
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 25/03/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Georgian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Georgia, US
  • Keywords: Military, Black Sea, EU/NATO enlargement, NATO
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Mar 24, 2019
Disproof

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NATO destroyed FRY because it was preventing the Western Balkans to join the EU

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Mar 24, 2019
Disproof

No evidence given. The primary purpose of the campaign was to end violence and repression and force Milosevic to withdraw his military, police and para-military forces from Kosovo (see NATO statement from 1999). At the North Atlantic Council meeting on April 12, 1999, NATO expressed support for the "political aims of the international community: a peaceful, multi-ethnic and democratic Kosovo in which all its people can live in security and enjoy universal human rights and freedoms on an equal basis". The NATO's military intervention was not intended for the facilitation of EU integration or gas plans, but ensure that "all the countries of south-eastern Europe to enjoy peace and security". Find more disinformation narratives on NATO and Yugoslavia here.

NATO is a real danger in the Western Balkans and has destroyed Montenegro's army

In Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia NATO is seen as a weapon of the United States and a danger to the countries own security challenges. NATO expanded in 2017 to Montenegro and the consequences have been harmful. Montenegro no longer has an army to secure the Otranto Canal or the means to fight against the urgent threat from Islamic Jihadism. To the Western Balkans, NATO is the real danger.

Mar 24, 2019
Disproof

Unfounded claims on NATO. Similar cases can be found here and here. After Montenegro joined NATO, the defence spending in the country has increased with the intention of investing 2% of GDP in defence by 2024. The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro applied to NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme in June 2003. Montenegro declared independence on 3 June 2006, subsequently joined PfP and then NATO itself without Serbia. The reaction of the Russian government to Montenegro′s bid to join NATO had been increasingly hostile culminating in an attempt to stage a coup d'état on 16 October 2016, on the day of the parliamentary election that allegedly would have included assassination of Montenegro′s prime minister. Montenegro opened an investigation and indicted Russian GRU officers, Serbian and Montenegrin nationals.