Issue #1305

Issue no: 1305

• JULY 16 - 22, 2021 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

FOCUS ON THE TBILISI PRIDE FALLOUT

A country divided as pro- and anti-Priders continue to clash

PAGE 2, 3

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

EU Amb: Good to See Zaza Gakheladze Returning to his Family NEWS PAGE 2

Corona Updates: Pfizer Arrives amid Fears of a 4th Wave NEWS PAGE 3

The Graveyard of Empires and NATO’s Exit from Afghanistan POLITICS PAGE 4

ISET Business Confidence Index | Q3 2021: Full Speed ahead to Economic Recovery ISET PAGE 7

What on Earth Makes Georgia so Attractive?

Photo source: TASS

Mass Violence against Media by Tbilisi Pride Opponents Results in Tragedy and Int’l Condemnation

BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

he unprecedented violence against media by homophobic groups and opponents of Tbilisi Pride on July 5 has turned out to be one of the most tragic and shameful facts in the modern history of Georgia. At the same time, it was clearly visible during these developments that the police forces mobilized at various locations weren’t enough to prevent the violent actions of right-wing groups and protect either media employees covering the events, or ordinary citizens. The Interior Ministry claimed that “all the available leverages and forces were used to ensure public order.”

The numbers and results, however, prove the opposite.

Up to 53 media representatives were injured when covering the violent actions of aggressive groups on July 5. As part of the ongoing investigation into the protest rally against Tbilisi Pride, 21 people have been charged so far. At this stage, 36 people are recognized as victims in the case, including 30 journalists and cameramen.

Continued on page 2

SOCIETY PAGE 9

Exhibition ‘Life and Death – Glory of Pompeii’ in Vani & Tbilisi CULTURE PAGE 11

First Svaneti International Film Festival to be Held in Mestia CULTURE PAGE 11 CULTURE PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

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2

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

JULY 16 - 22, 2021

Georgian NGOs Conduct Meeting in Washington

BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

T

he visit, which ran from July 12 to July 16, saw the following non-governmental organizations taking part: representatives of the Open Society Foundations, Transparency International Georgia, ISFED, The Economic Policy Research Center, Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (Rondeli Foundation), and Nino Zhizhilashvili, Dean of Caucasus School of Media at Caucasus University, and host of the TV Formula Talk Show.

Transparency International Georgia

issued a statement regarding the meetings with representatives of the US Department of State and the National Security Council in Washington: “Within the advocacy visit to Washington, our Executive Director, Eka Gigauri, and her Deputy Giorgi Oniani, along with leaders of the partner organizations and journalist Nino Zhizhilasvhili, conducted the meeting with American diplomats working on Georgian issues and discussed the ongoing processes in our country, the attacks on journalists, the death of the cameraman and the response of the state, the Russian influence and disinformation, as well as the situation in the justice system and election-related issues.”

EU Amb: Good to See Zaza Gakheladze Returning to his Family

E

U Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has responded to the release of Georgian citizen Zaza Gakheladze from the custody of the occupation regime, saying that illegal detentions are inadmissible.

“Good to see Zaza Gakheladze returning to his family today. Illegal detentions are inadmissible. Glad that the EU via EUMM Georgia contributed to this positive outcome, through the Hotline and IPRM meetings,” the Ambassador tweeted.

Gakheladze returned to his family after crossing the so-called border (ABL) in Ergneti on July 14. He was met by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Minister of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri.

The Russian military detained Zaza Gakheladze, who resides in the village of Kvemo Chala, near the occupation line, on July 11, 2020, near Skhvilo Fortress in Kaspi Municipality. During the arrest, the Georgian citizen was shot in the leg.

On February 5, Tskhinvali’s “court” sentenced Zaza Gakheladze to 12 years and 6 months in prison.

In June, Gakheladze’s family members held a demonstration in Kvemo Chala.

Family members had previously planned to hold a protest rally and block the road, but canceled their plans after the Geor-

gian Patriarch, Ilia II, appealed to the Russian Patriarchate to be involved in the release of Gakheladze. Gakheladze was pardoned by so-called South Ossetian President Anatoly Bibilov.

Mass Violence against Media by Tbilisi Pride Opponents Results in Tragedy and Int’l Condemnation

Continued from page 1

LEKSO LASHKARAVA’S DEATH Sadly, the violence resulted in the loss of a young life when on July 11, TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, who was severely beaten by opponents of Tbilisi Pride on July 5 while performing his duties and protecting a fellow journalist from their aggression, was found dead at his own home by his mother.

Despite resistance from his family, his body was forcefully taken for forensic medical examination by police.

The next day, the Ministry of Internal Affairs presented the interim report of the chemical examination, based on which, drugs were said to have been found in the samples taken from his body.

“A forensic examination was appointed to determine the immediate cause of death, involving an independent expert hired by the family. Based on the chemical examination report, the samples taken from the body contained the drugs morphine, codeine, tetrahydrocannabinol, pentin and monoacetylmorphine.

Based on the examination, the cause of death might have been a drug overdose.

However, this conclusion is not final,” the MIA said.

We will have to wait another month for the final conclusion from the forensic examination to be announced.

Five persons have been detained and charged so far for the physical and verbal abuse of the TV Pirveli camera crew.

On July 13, Davit Kutaladze, one of the

most aggressive radicals accused of assaulting Lekso Lashkarava and journalist Miranda Baghaturia on July 5, was sentenced to imprisonment as a measure of restraint. The detainee pleaded innocent.

The MIA says an investigation is underway to find and charge other perpetrators.

THE PRIME MINISTER’S VIEW Following Lekso Lashkarava’s death, a number of protest rallies organized by media representatives and NGOs have been held in front of Parliament. The next rally is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 17, again in front of the parliament building.

Demonstrators demand the resignation of Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who, with his anti-Pride statements, encouraged the hate groups; the resignation of his cabinet of ministers, and the arrest of all the perpetrators who attacked Lekso and other media employees.

“First of all, what does it mean when they say parade?” the PM asked on July 12. “I know only one parade [on Rustaveli]: our army parade. Other activities may be held to express a different opinion at any other location. Police offered the LGBT community another location.

“The police prevented everything.

When 95% of our population demonstratively opposes the propaganda parade, we must all [listen to them and] obey.

This is the opinion of our people and we, as a government elected by the peo-

ple, must obey. Police arrested the perpetrators. We will hold all the perpetrators accountable,” Garibashvili said.

Despite the mass protests, not only the PM, but also a number of clergyman have refused to change their rhetoric.

One now-infamous case this week was the outspoken head of the Vani-Baghdadi Diocese, Metropolitan Anthony (Bulukhia), who said that the journalists deserved to be beaten.

He verbally confronted media representatives and blamed them for Lashkarava’s death.

“You encourage debauchery! You abusers, you’re propagating – you are responsible for this death,” he told them.

MEDIA BLACKOUT On July 14, four TV companies, TV Pirveli; Formula, Mtavari TV, and Caucasus, stopped broadcasting for 24 hours in protest at Lashkarava’s death and the attacks on media representatives on July 5. For 24 hours, the screens of all four TV stations showed only a black background with the names of the journalists and cameramen who were injured during the July 5 events.

“Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili should resign! All offenders should be punished!” the TV companies demand.

THE OPPOSITION TRY TO SEIZE THE MOMENT Amid the difficult and tense situation in the country, there was confrontation also in Parliament in recent days. On July 12, opposition groups broke into the parliamentary session hall, occupied the Speaker’s seat, and displayed Georgian and EU flags, demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister.

Representatives of media organizations and civil society, including Vato Tsereteli and Vakho Sanaia, along with some opposition MPs, broke into the session hall, an act which was followed by physical and verbal confrontations. Media representatives noted they wanted to ask the MPs questions about Lashkarava’s death, however, they were refused entry to Parliament by security services. In the end, the security service of the Par-

liament forced the opposition lawmakers to leave the session hall, allowing majority MPs to hold an extraordinary sitting.

INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION Georgia’s foreign partners, among them the US Embassy, EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell, Senator Jim Risch, Congressman Adam Kinzinger, and NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai, responded to these developments, expressing grief at the death of the media employee and condemning the overall violence. Sanctions have also been suggested by foreign partners as being considered.

On July 14, the US Department of State reminded Georgia’s leaders and law enforcement of their responsibility to protect all of those exercising their constitutional rights.

“We remind them of their responsibility to protect journalists exercising freedom of the press. And we encourage all Georgians, including Georgian officials, to publicly condemn this violence, which has no place in a democracy,” Ned Price, Department Spokesperson, said on Wednesday.

Asked if there are talks on imposing personal sanctions against those officials in the Georgian Government who were directly responsible for the violence on July 5, Ned Price said the US Department

is closely following the situation.

“We have a number of tools to hold accountable those responsible in some way for human rights abuses, for violence around the world. Sanctions are indeed one of those tools. As you know, we don’t preview sanctions before we enact them.

But we are following the situation very closely, and we are committed to seeing to it that those responsible for this are held accountable. When it comes to all political actors in Georgia, again, we urge them to very publicly condemn this violence. When it comes to the Georgian Government, I would reiterate our calls for a thorough investigation of this that leads to the perpetrators of this horrific crime being brought to justice,” Price stated.

Irakli Kobakhidze, Chairman of the Georgian Dream, announced on Thursday that the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, is to return to Georgia on July 19.

"We will provide Charles Michel with full information regarding the events of July 5, on what risks were expected, how the law enforcement agencies acted. We will provide information on everything, including how the state has reacted since the violence- further reactions, specific arrests, and investigations that are currently underway. We will provide full information about this to Charles Michel, as well as other partners," Kobakhidze said.

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY JULY 16 - 22, 2021

3

Corona Updates: Pfizer Arrives amid Fears of a 4th Wave

BY TEAM GT

G

eorgia reported 1398 new coronavirus cases, 1164 recoveries, and 11 deaths on Thursday, the official figures show. This is down from Wednesday's 1663, 769 and 13, and Tuesday's 1862 new cases, 619 recoveries, and 11 deaths. Yet the once-again high numbers sparked increased concern among the medical community.

The director of the National Center for Disease Control, Amiran Gamkrelidze, stated after the meeting of the Interagency Council on Tuesday that the country is facing a very difficult situation and may soon enter its fourth wave.

Gamkrelidze noted that the epidemic situation in the country continues to deteriorate, and insisted that it is the common responsibility of both the government and society to act in solidary when the country is in great danger.

“In all likelihood, we will enter a difficult, fourth wave because the epidemic situation in the country is deteriorating.

Coronavirus knows neither position nor opposition: it infects everyone and takes too many lives. Therefore, I call on everyone to show more solidarity and more attention, seeing us standing together to stop the infection and find peace,” Gamkrelidze said.

Testing on Tuesday revealed that Geor-

gian capital Tbilisi recorded the highest number of 988 out of the 1663 new Covid19 cases, followed by the Kakheti and Imereti regions.

The total number of confirmed cases has reached 382,734, among them, 362,491 people have recovered and 5503 have died since Covid-19 first arrived in Georgia in February 2020.

The daily test-positivity rate also increased and currently stands at 4.53%.

THE VACCINE 324,802 people in Georgia have been vaccinated with one or both doses so far, seeing around 7200 people per day being vaccinated.

On July 14, Georgia received new doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which will be used in the process of mass vaccination of the population. Bookings for Pfizer started the following day, and saw high demand, which at one point caused the registration site to crash. Pfizer vaccinations will start on July 16.

“The country has received 28,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine,” stated Amiran Gamkrelidze, head of the National Center for Disease Control. “The doses will be divided into two parts and will be enough for 14,000 people.

“This is the first portion of a multimillion-dollar deal,” he said. “The second and third deliveries will also arrive in July. According to the contract, we are to get a million doses of Pfizer throughout the year. Additional Pfizer was donated

by the United States, the contract of which is going to be specified in the coming days.”

At the first stage, citizens will be able to be immunized with Pfizer in just seven

medical institutions. The two doses required for Pfizer vaccination are given at 21-28 day intervals and it is available for people over 18 years of age.

For safety reasons, the Pfizer and Astra-

Zeneca vaccines will be available only in clinics.

Vaccination visit can be booked on the electronic portal booking.moh.gov.ge.

Pride, Media, And Supporters Make a Stand Outside Parliament

BY MIKE GODWIN

I

n the wake of the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, multiple media outlets and Pride organizers gathered on the steps of Parliament on the afternoon of July 11. With hundreds of supporters and squads of journalists, including much of Georgia’s mainstream media outlets present, the gathering filled the square. However, as the protest continued, it was apparent that a significant sector of the group were less impassioned than others. This piece, and it’s photo components, encompasses the experience of the author deployed on the ground

during the core of these events.

The majority of supporters began gathering ahead of the advertised time of 18:00. As time passed, more supporters and journalists began to filter in and develop the large group seen around 19:00, but with many on the outskirts minding little to the vigorous speeches being made on the stage. Multiple sociopolitical figures took to the microphone to make impassioned, intense, and at times volatile cries for action from the people and the government.

Vakho Sanaia, a television reporter from Formula, opened the rally and introduced many of the prominent individuals. Inga Grigolia, another television personality from the popular media outlet Formula, took the microphone next,

complimenting the calls of Prime Ministerial resignation. Eka Mishveladze from TV Pirveli, Nika Gvaramia as director of Mtavari network, Giorgi Targamadze from Formula, Diana Trapaidze from TV Pirveli, Eliso Kiladze as owner of the newspaper “Qronika +”, Misha Mshvildadze from Formula, and Paata Iakobashvili from Mtavari all made spirited and emotional speeches from the organizations pulpit.

With overt approval from the crowd, the speakers were direct in their demands from the government. While it could be argued that the demands of resignation are unlikely to be heeded, the zealous calls for action were lauded even by many of the media present. However, information from inside Parliament has

pointed to influences, including that from foreign entities, that the ruling Georgian Dream party intends to make changes. The current Prime Minister, Irakli Garibashvili, may have a sooner than expected exit date.

Kakha Kuchava, according to inside information, is slated to become the next Prime Minister should this transfer occur.

The former mining executive retains much of his businessman visions and is seen as somewhat of a moderate in his position as a leader in Parliament. However, it is noted that his mining operations in the deeply historic area around Bolnisi caused concern, despite the operations being pushed by Bidzina Ivanishvili. While it is uncertain what will happen, even if there is a transfer of power, the push on the ground is determined.

Following the orations, the movement was directed to move to the front of the government administrative building as they waited for their demands to be fulfilled. Police maneuvered quickly to establish a line of defense, with some special units being organized in the center of the formation. Protestors took positions around them, many of the youth simply sitting on the steps in front of the police, but some making statements to the police about their activities.

Nika Melia, chairman of the United National Movement, made an appearance. Surrounded by television media, he made statements regarding the division being made in recent days. While many of the people began to disperse as the night went on, some firmly held their position along the police line. Slowly, the protest began to reduce in energy and intensity.

Much of the overall protest seemed to

be loosely organized, with the aforementioned portion being slightly dissociated from the vehement energetic statements by the leadership. Compared to the movement and tactics of their opposition in previous days, there seems to be less vigor in the heart of the movement. The head of Tbilisi Pride, Giorgi Tabagari, recently made statements accusing the state’s intelligence and security services of aiding their opposition.

While unconfirmed, it is without the proposition that many of those involved in those organizations most likely have the professional experience to exploit this avenue. A notable portion of the opposition groups of Pride consist of individuals that previously served in military and security roles. These individuals are proficient in their use of open-source intelligence, or OSINT. Using this publicly available data and gathering information is something they are efficient at, and when used against an opposing political group, can allow for faster maneuvering and countering their opponents scheduled events.

Despite this, the developing combat between the two groups is dividing the population and is destructive to the social fabric of the nation. In addition, the obvious observance by Russia is drawing a disconcerting grin on the faces of their intelligence groups directors, as well as the Kremlin. While both sides of the growing issue need to make concessions and come to agreements, their continued aggression is a threat to the national security framework. Division and instability, regardless of the promulgator or instigator, must be extinguished to prevent foreign enemy actors from exploiting this and operating with further freedom in the country.

4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

JULY 16 - 22, 2021

The Graveyard of Empires and NATO’s Exit from Afghanistan

Photo by Mohammed Ismail/Reuters

ANALYSIS BY MICHAEL GODWIN

A

s NATO begins the withdrawal from Afghanistan, many of those that spent months and years of their lives in its mountains and valleys look back on the abandonment of the larger mission. Politicians, soldiers, even private contracting employees, largely see it as a worthwhile mission to stall the global terrorism threat and force it to fight a ground war that it cannot possibly win. By draining their resources, it is a tactic that has pulled most of the vast litany of organizations collectively known as the Taliban out of the shadows and onto the battlefield.

However, after 20 years of warfare, the United States and the NATO coalition have opted for a withdrawal. This withdrawal, supported by most civilian and non-military political elites, has drawn criticism from those in the defense and global security sectors. NATO’s combined mission of combatting terrorism and maintaining a Central Asian foothold has been framed to be a “forever war” that had no conclusive end and no defined objective. As this is not the case, the withdrawal of forces will have immense repercussions not only for the region, but the globe.

The status in Afghanistan had reached a level of relative calm compared to the initial phases of the conflict. People had comparative economic freedom, women had achieved a level of near-equivalence in society compared to their male counterparts, and the majority of the combat and death had subsided to a point that NATO casualties were reduced to single digits per year. Hardly something to be considered a war.

Ensuring peace, stability, and positive growth in a nation is something that takes decades. In fact, this is visible in the modern era. In the aftermath of both the Second World War and the Korean War, nations were devastated and civilian populations left with little more than rubble and flames. With the presence and support of Allied soldiers and the injection of resources into their crippled nations, South Korea and Germany were able to become the economic successes they are today.

After the Korean War, thousands of American and United Nations soldiers remained in the nation, and some are still there today. Even after the war, the South Korean government was largely seen as a military dictatorship. It required decades of growth and development, some assistance coming from foreign governments, to gain the social and eco-

nomic successes that are visible today.

Despite this, elements of the United States Army numbering over 20,000 are still stationed in the country, as the North Korean threat persists. This positioning with a key ally is vital to ensuring stability in the region and dissuading any North Korean attack.

Similarly, in Germany after the Second World War ended, thousands of Allied soldiers remained in the nation. Despite popular images of a mass exodus and a grand homecoming of troops, many remained behind to ensure stability and facilitate a reconstruction of security and industry. On a larger scale, the Marshall plan was implemented, investing over $13 billion dollars (valued at approximately $114 billion today) in European reconstruction and commercial industries. Like Korea, United States troops inhabit multiple military installations to this day in Germany, Poland, Italy, and various other smaller positions across Europe.

These examples display the safety and security that is provided by the presence of NATO nations in destroyed countries.

The subsequent influx of economic and

social resources ensures that the nation involved has a rigid growth framework and reduces its recidivism into terror and mayhem. As time has shown, where NATO boots go the grass grows green.

However, when these boots leave prematurely, it allows for a total collapse of this framework. As the final moments of American and allied forces in Vietnam displayed, the exit of forces before a nation can stand on its own has terrifying repercussions. Thousands of South Vietnamese attempted, at all costs, to evacuate the country and escape the onslaught of North Vietnamese communist troops. Additional civilians and South Vietnamese soldiers were killed in the action that ensued.

Similar events seem to be on the horizon for much of the Afghan population and military. With the exit of NATO troops, already many civilians are attempting to vacate the country. Those that worked faithfully and diligently with NATO forces in the field and on their bases are fearing for their lives and are filing for visas. The Afghan security forces have largely been seen as unready

to assume the role NATO once held and effectively combat the enemy.

Opposing them, the Taliban group of organizations are already taking steps to seize the moment and the inevitable power vacuum. Given the most probable occurrence of the buckling of the Afghan government, the assumption of power by the Taliban and their leadership will undoubtedly plunge the nation back into its dark era of Islamic extremist rule.

This descent, coupled with the degradation of human rights and any semblance of democracy, can only fuel a resurgence of terrorism.

In addition to this fallout, many of those that served in the embattled country feel that their time spent, as well as comrades lost, were wasted. In discussions with some of the United States veterans of the conflict, the feeling of having their work reversed so radically has left them feeling disparaged and deflated: Sergeant Mykle Shaulis, 10th Mountain Division, Afghanistan 2006-2007: “...We did a lot of work trying to help stabilize the local areas. Now that it’s all gone I feel like it was for nothing and that hurts the soul a little bit.”

Specialist Joshua Powell, 101st Airborne Division, Afghanistan 2010-2011: “I don’t think they’re prepared at all. They lack the national pride, honor, and integrity needed to defend their country against terrorist organizations. A lot of them are corrupt and will take whoever gives them money, including the Taliban.”

Staff Sergeant James Czekalski, 1st Armored Division, Afghanistan 20122013, US Department of Defense Contractor, Afghanistan 2017-2020: “I don’t think they’re prepared at all [to be honest]. So many districts have already fallen at hands of the Taliban. We should’ve spent the last couple years doing with the [Afghan National Army] what we did with the Iraqi army for training...That being said, it’s ultimately up to their government on if they want our help or not. We shouldn’t be imposing our beliefs on them.”

Despite this sentiment, the proverbial die has been cast by NATO leadership as to the future of the Afghan nation.

Already, videos, albeit still unconfirmed, have surfaced of Afghan soldiers and

Georgian soldiers Sgt. Guram Beroshvili, left, 29, and Sgt. Alex Ormotsadze, 28, guard an entry point to an American base in southern Afghanistan in June. Photo by Ernesto Londoño/The Washington Post

their special operations elements attempting to surrender only to be gunned down.

While the videos are harrowing, it shows that the recent attempt by the Taliban to display itself as a responsible government entity is false. The deaths of these soldiers do not ultimately lie on the Taliban, but rather on the NATO commanders who ordered the retreat.

In addition to the surrender of national control to a radical and terrorist organization, the regional concerns will pressure powers like Russia and most importantly China to rethink how they operate in Central Asia. With the Chinese already operating in some capacity, private military corporation or military deployment, in Tajikistan as a border protection force, it’s only a matter of time until this tactic spreads. Neither Russia nor China want this Islamic extremist entity to grow beyond Afghanistan, as it has attempted to do in the recent past. However, the politics of NATO have seemingly already spoken.

While it is all too easy to dismiss a foreign conflict or peacekeeping operations as too expensive or too wasteful, is it another issue to surrender not only a region but also sacrifice thousands of people’s livelihoods for the sake of political expediency. NATO, through its development in the post-Cold War era, not only works as a force for good against the Russian threat, but also for its allies and friendly nations. This includes Afghanistan. The people of this troubled and now overrun nation deserve the protection and guarantee of stability that Germany and South Korea received, and continue to receive to this day.

For Georgia, it should be of concern for the families of the 32 soldiers killed and the 280 wounded in action. This price Georgia paid for NATO is not just a testament to their commitment to the organization, but also proof that the mission cannot be abandoned. It is not on Georgia to take on the defense and security mission in Afghanistan solely, but opposition to a premature withdrawal must be sounded. NATO, with Georgia included, cannot allow the sacrifice of so many and the collapse of an otherwise friendly nation’s fledgling democracy to go silently.

IWG plc, Level 4, 2 Leonidze str. Tbilisi, Georgia | +995 32 290 039

6

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

JULY 16 - 22, 2021

EU Spokesperson: Appointments of Supreme Court Judges Go against April 19 Agreement

BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

he Georgian Parliament endorsed six Supreme Court judges on Monday, despite calls by the European Union to pause and revise the appointment process to bring it in line with European standards, said Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Peter Stano.

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) recently expressed concerns over the fairness and equality of the nomination process in its interim report, noted Stano.

“The appointments go against key provisions of the 19 April Agreement to pause all ongoing appointments, comply fully with all recommendations made by the Venice Commission, and overall to increase the independence, accountability and quality of the justice system in a broad, inclusive and cross-party reform process. Revising the selection process of Supreme Court judges in line with Venice Commission recommendations before proceeding with appointments, is also a mutually agreed condi-

tion for the disbursement of the second tranche of EU macro-financial assistance to Georgia under its current program, which could be negatively affected by this step,” the spokesperson underlined.

“The vote is therefore a missed opportunity for the Georgian authorities to prove their commitment to a genuine and comprehensive reform of the judiciary. These developments carry a risk of damaging judicial independence and public trust.

“The EU is open to further talks at the highest levels to discuss justice reform and the way ahead following these developments, notably in the context of the 19 April Agreement and decisions regarding EU macro-financial assistance to Georgia,” he concluded.

Georgian Parliament approved six of nine Supreme Court judges on July 12: Ketevan Meskhishvili (4 for, 2 against), Eka Zarnadze (5 for, 6 against) and Giorgi Shavliashvili (3 for, 7 against) failed to receive enough votes at the extraordinary plenary session.

The Parliament supported the candidacies of Gocha Abuseridze, Giorgi Gogiashvili, Levan Tevzadze, Revaz Nadaraia, Bidzina Sturua and Lasha Kochiashvili.

Interviews with the candidates for the Supreme Court, nominated by the High Council of Justice, began on July 6 in Parliament.

Civil society and diplomats called on

the Georgian Parliament not to elect judges to the Supreme Court until a judicial reform under European Council President Charles Michel’s document is carried out. Based on the April 19 agree-

ment, “all current appointments to the Supreme Court should be suspended and applications for new candidates resumed after the new law enters into force.”

A New Fault-line through Georgia OP-ED BY EMIL AVDALIANI*

A

s emotions subside, it is now time to put what happened in Tbilisi into perspective. In a conservative country such as Georgia, antagonism to all the things liberal could run deep at times. Resistance to novelties, especially those sexual or religious, is bound to cause divisions within society. This in turn causes political tensions, deviation from real problems the country is marred in, and possible repercussions for the country’s foreign policy.

We should frame the violence in Tbilisi from a broader perspective. It is a challenge to liberal ideas and ultimately to the liberal world order. The real danger, though, is in a hybridity of the challenge. A country can be democratic, with numerous parties, active election campaigns and other features characteristic to rule by the people’s consent.

Nevertheless, a democracy can be illiberal. Power politics can be a dominating feature and have immense pull on a dominant political force. It allows preservation of political power, denigration of opponent political forces, and most of all the use of various methods of using religious and nationalist sentiments to increase or decrease tensions.

It happens across Eurasia, and Georgia is no exception. Illiberalism is agile enough in appropriating ideas on state governance and molding them into the illiberal agenda.

Looking at the rise of illiberalism in Georgia, one cannot ignore the pull Russia has on the country. Connecting all internal problems to Russia has turned into mainstream thinking among opposition politicians, NGOs and at times even government figures. Exaggeration is commonplace, but when looking at the illiberal challenge from a long-term perspective, it becomes clear where Russia got things right. Moscow had to stop

Resistance to novelties, especially those sexual or religious, is bound to cause divisions within society. This in turn causes political tensions, deviation from real problems the country is marred in, and possible repercussions for the country’s foreign policy. Image source: austria.tenzica.com

Georgia from becoming a NATO and EU member. It did so in 2008. Now, the process drags on, causing frictures across the very fabric of Georgian society. Belief in the ultimate success of the liberal agenda is being undermined; alternatives are being sought. The hybrid nature of the government is the most plausible development, whilt the next stage could well be a total abandonment of the EuroAtlantic aspirations or worse, an abandonment in essence, but not in rhetoric.

Indeed, what seemed irrevocable now seems probable, if not real. Pushback against Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic choice is growing stronger. Protesters in front of the Parliament in central Tbilisi violently brought down the EU flag. Twice.

It might seem irrelevant, but the message was all too clear.

The rhetoric of anti-liberal groups has also been evolving. There has been a significant growth in the sophistication of the messages of violent groups. Antipride sentiment evolved into a wider resistance to the Western way of life and Georgia’s western foreign policy path.

To deal with the challenge, Western support is important, but much depends on the Georgian government and the population as a whole. A pushback against radicalism and anti-liberalism should come in the form of a considerable amount of time and resources put into the development of stronger institutions.

The latter often falter in Georgia. Urgency

in addressing the problem has never been higher than it is nowadays: internal and foreign challenges converge and present a fundamental challenge to what Georgia began to pursue after Eduard Shevardnadze – Western development in the foreign and internal political realms.

The complication for Georgia, however, is that in the time of illiberal pushback, the collective West too is faltering. EU and NATO expansion are on hold, and internal differences beset the multilateral institutions on which the liberal order operate. The critical window which Georgia had between the end of the Soviet Union and the mid-2010s is now largely gone. Hopes for a reinvigorated EU and NATO in the South Caucasus

are slim, and, unfortunately for Georgia, it does not have enough geopolitical power to pursue a full-scale multilateral foreign policy. Relations with Russia are tied to the issue of illegal Russian troop presence in Georgia’s two regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia; more intense ties with China might result in a negative reaction from the US, and the same goes for relations with Iran.

Georgia is increasingly neither in the West, nor in the East, but somewhere in the middle. This brings risks, less security and more uncertainty. *Emil Avdaliani is a professor at European University and the Director of Middle East Studies at Georgian think-tank, Geocase.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY JULY 16 - 22, 2021

7

ISET Business Confidence Index | Q3 2021: Full Speed ahead to Economic Recovery

F

ollowing a slight decrease in the second quarter, BCI improved significantly (by 34.7 index points) and reached 36.4 for the third quarter of 2021.

Expectations in the Georgian private sector have increased by 36.2 index points, reaching 45.2. As for business performance over the past three months, it has increased significantly, reaching 46.6 points, indicating an upturn in production, turnover, and sales. Compared to the previous quarter, the Sales Price Expectation Index has increased, showing growth in the market share of business owners who expect higher sales prices.

Compared to Q2 2021, BCI increased in all sectors. The biggest improvements are seen in retail trade (75.5), agriculture (55.9), and service (30.8) sectors.

Business confidence for the third quarter of 2021 has increased by 39.7 index points for large companies and by 17.9 for SMEs.

PAST PERFORMANCE Businesses’ Past Performance Index,

which shows the development of businesses' production, turnover, and sales in the past 3 months, increased significantly compared to Q2 of 2021 and reached 46.6 for Q3 2021. It should be noted that until Q3 2021, Past Performance Index remained in negative territory for 5 consecutive quarters.

Significant improvements were observed in the agriculture (119.7), retail trade (108.7), service (56.0), and manufacturing (17.1) sectors.

60% of the surveyed businesses do not expect any changes in employment over the next three months, 13% of firms stated that they would hire fewer employees in the future, and 27% think that they would hire more.

46% of the firms surveyed expect the economic condition of their businesses to improve over the next three months.

35% do not predict any changes, and 19% of businesses believe their business conditions will worsen.

EXPECTATIONS

SALES PRICE EXPECTATIONS

The Expectations Index increased sharply by 36.2 index points for Q3 2021 and settled at 45.2. Prospects for the next three months have improved for all sectors except for the financial sector, for which the index remains unchanged. The highest increase is observed in retail trade (114.5), followed by agriculture (44.1), construction (30.2), manufacturing (20.8), and service (15.4) sectors.

Business expectations have increased for both, large firms (10.2) and SMEs (43.7).

The Sales Price Expectations Index increased slightly from 17.2 points (Q2 2021) to 18.4 points for Q3 2021. The manufacturing sector (79.2 points increase) is the sole driver of this change since the index decreased in all other sectors. The overall Sales Price Expectations Index has increased for large companies and decreased for SMEs. Around 66% of all firms surveyed do

not intend to change their prices over the next three months.

27% of firms expect to higher prices, and the remaining 7% will consider decreasing their prices in the future.

Limited access to financing and a lack of demand continues to be one of the most significant obstacles for both large companies and SMEs. A lack of demand turns out to be a more important problem for SMEs compared to large companies, while large enterprises indicate problems with finding qualified labor force. For Q3 2021 "other" factors became less important for both, large companies and SME's (average of the last four quarters was 35% and 31%, respectively), which could indicate relative mitigation of Covid-19 restrictions for businesses.

It should be noted that the present BCI results may be overestimated, as the survey only covers businesses currently operating and not those that have already exited the market. Firms which exited the market are, to some extent, more likely to demonstrate a negative outlook.

8

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

JULY 16 - 22, 2021

If You Build it, They Might Not Come – Georgia’s Mountain Tourism Conundrum

BY SALLY WHITE FOR INVESTOR.GE

M

ight Georgia’s push to transform its mountain villages into holiday getaways for tourists be doing more harm

than good?

Leveraging tourism as a strategy to ensure the livelihoods of Georgia’s 1731 mountain villages, and the quarter of a million people who live in them, has been taken for gospel in recent years, with most recommended solutions to the decline in local populations and the economy focusing on the development of tourism, new roads and hotels.

But could it be doing more harm than good to the country’s fragile mountain regions?

A conundrum presented in a report from academics at Tbilisi State University and University of Zurich voices a view that is now being heard more often: while tourism brings a short-term economic fix, tourism could do long-term damage.

The danger is, this group of tourism specialists says, that for mountain livelihoods any decline in tourism “leaves local residents with an underused tourist infrastructure, developed mainly at the expense of agricultural land—and hence rootless and without resources and prospects for the future.” This speeds up the exodus of the population and further increases poverty.

Mountain villagers have been quick to latch onto tourism opportunities: “[E] very second family has built a guesthouse,” is the comment in “Is Tourism the Beginning or the End? Livelihoods of Georgian Mountain People at Stake,” published in the journal Mountain Research and Development at the end of last year.

However, what needs to be overcome, the report states, is “a narrow view of the opportunities that tourism offers.“ For example, local residents “mostly associate tourism with agriculture, neglecting alternative non-agriculture activities.”

What is vital, says the report, is “understanding the transformation of rooted livelihoods.”

Another report on mountain development, “Supportive Tourism,” this time from a group of Georgian, German and Austria academics and published in Annals of Agrarian Science, also voices concerns about the narrow focuses of the tourism development program: “[…] strategies mostly consider tourism’s impact on [mountain, rural] communities in terms of its direct consequences such as new constructions in accommodation and catering units, ski trails, etc.”

Campaigns for mountain tourism, it continues, “should be directed towards encouraging local, traditional, authentic and innovative production rather than promoting a mass-tourism market with similar product chains in every destination.”

Mountain regions, with their extreme complexity, require more integrated economic development than the lowlands, and it would be better “to build on the strength of their assets, such as traditional knowledge and niche production.”

The view that tourism must be handled with care has also been shared by 7000 Tush and other locals. This was the number that signed a petition several years back against mass tourism plans and a $88 million mountain road project to connect Georgia’s northern Khevi region with the northeastern Tusheti region, going through the Khevsureti region, and linking up with the Pankisi Gorge.

The Tush petition stated that motorized mass tourism was not at all what the petitioners wanted and that the new road going through virgin territory would

degrade the region’s habitat. Thus, it would damage the highly successful niche adventure, equestrian, trekking and eco-tourism businesses that they had been building, aimed at high-spending international tourists.

“We strongly believe that repairing existing roads is the solution,” the petition stated. Subsequently, this new road project was dropped on the grounds of the complexity of the physical terrain involved.

For the World Bank, skill building is a vital component in mountain development, for everything from landscape management to tourism, farming, forming enterprise structures and encouraging women entrepreneurs, all of which is set out in its report “Development of High Mountain Regions of Georgia 2019-23.”

The World Bank’s aim has been to ensure that any short-term responses create greater resilience and avoid exacerbating existing system failures. The World Bank has thus been funding training and grants and incentives for smalland medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), strengthening all the national and regional government agencies that touch on tourism, from cultural heritage to municipal development and mountain resources, improving tourism management, destination management, branding, marketing, and promotion and training for the development of skilled workforces.

The World Bank report is wide-ranging and detailed on integrated development, and focuses mainly on niche tourism and its spin-offs.

However, it states that “success depends on concentrated investments in transformative improvements of core tourist hubs; connections between these hubs and secondary attractions and any supplementary tourist infrastructure/services in peripheral locations should be carefully assessed and ranked.” While the project does incorporate spending on infrastructure, it is mainly small-scale, such as the restoration of historic buildings, water systems, hospitality structures and tourism facilities (including huts along trails), improved solid waste management, and rehabilitation of selected

access roads (rather than building major new ones).

Its concept “aims to promote a sustainable, green, and efficient use of the available natural and cultural assets to leverage mountainous regions for niche tourism sectors and related economies (e.g., adventure, homestays, gastronomy, agrobusiness, handicrafts, etc.).” Also included is the building of strong partnerships with local government and NGOs as well as with the private sector.

Another angle, in the report “Supportive Tourism,” is the need for “understanding and utilizing tourism as a starting point for other local economic actors,” to increase demand for local services and products and as a supportive platform for the local economy to enter into new markets. For example, tourists wanted regional dishes and local produce, and often these were not available, with supplies having to be brought into the mountains.

Studies in the Kazbegi region showed, the report states, that “[…] while advancement of tourism is rapid, the indicators of agriculture activities are significantly decreasing in the region.”

The absence of professional food processing infrastructure made it challenging for local small-scale farmers to deliver agrifood products that conform to safety standards. Lack of price competitiveness compared to mass-produced, low-quality goods available from outside the region depressed local demand.”

The Tush tourism entrepreneurs had done their homework. Tourist preferences, according to Geostat and the Georgian National Tourism Administration, indicate that while overall international tourists are mostly interested in shopping (67.0%) and in eating and drinking (66.6%), those coming from “high-spending countries” (around 20%) want to “visit nature.” The mountain destinations come near the top on the bucket-lists of high-spending tourists.

There is no shortage of ideas to enhance local production in the reports.

“Supportive Tourism” lists the following ideas, which are designed primarily for building up the local food industry

and organic production to widen the market and farmers’ sales networks for local tourism, as well as ideas for the products, digital markets and e-platforms for local farmers that could be developed locally.

The creation of agri-bazaars and festivals, delivery services for local agrifoods, and cold storage for meat and dairy products are some of the other ideas, including the promotion of the construction of greenhouses to produce a variety of products and to overcome seasonality: a practice already in place in Mestia, Svaneti.

Proper branding and labelling, it continues, especially for organic products, will help overcome resistance to the higher-than-mass-produced prices.

“Ecologically clean products will become distinctive and demanded in the market, which will ensure their recognition by consumers and increase their competitiveness.”

Better communication was a plea from the writers of the Mountain Research and Development journal’s report “Issues with Applying the Concept of Community-Based Tourism [CBT] in the Caucasus” published by the International Mountain Society after surveying mountain villages: “Better communication with locals also helps them to promote and preserve both tangible and intangible culture in mountainous areas. Farmers’ associations and rural tourism development organizations spoke about the role of CBT in the valorization of traditional products, particularly organic, locally produced products.”

They noted that the involvement of CBT practices encourages farmers to restore forgotten traditions, because it increases their awareness of and access to the market.

The World Bank also sees communication as vitally important and wants to help the small mountain entrepreneurs “increase their capacity to be globally (and virtually) connected […] to offer relevant and authentic experiences that would allow them to take full advantage of the growing demands of higher-spending travelers.”

The World Bank wants to “expand the tourism industry to more remote areas of the country” but realizes that this requires “more integrated and innovative approaches to tourism development along selected value chains (e.g., nature and adventure, ecotourism, arts and heritage, educational.”

One area in which it is hopeful is in helping to remedy the depopulation of the mountains. “International experience […] shows that young urban entrepreneurs are willing to move out of cities and back to the countryside when new opportunities for tourism-related businesses and services emerge in remote areas. Previous World Bank–financed regional development projects in Georgia also provide evidence that the tourism industry is particularly amenable to creating employment for women (in Georgia, there is evidence that an estimated 55% of guesthouses are run by women).”

Assistance for women is particularly welcome, as a high number of mountain households are led by women, the men having left. In addition to guest houses, women have been adept at starting new tourism-related businesses that have wider appeal. Another Mountain Research and Development report, “Is Tourism the Beginning or the End? Livelihoods of Georgian Mountain People at Stake” lists one newly established, women-run, small local enterprise producing quality linen in Mestia.

There are signs of other businesses growing out of tourism, ones which are transplantable elsewhere in the country if local demand fails. The same report describes woodworking, stone and block workshops, ice-cream making and confectionery among them.

However, it concludes that this is mainly in the larger settlements, and it will be necessary to introduce measures to “soften existing barriers” (for example, with grants and training) to other economic sectors to prevent mountain residents from relying on tourism as their sole source of income.

Originally published by Investor.ge.

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY JULY 16 - 22, 2021

9

What on Earth Makes Georgia so Attractive?

OP-ED BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

F

rankly, this question doesn’t need to be answered by those who are already in love with Sakartvelo, either because they were born here or because they have learnt something good about it. This is the question asking for a response from an inquisitive, intelligent and sharp-eyed guest who likes Georgia, so I am ready to temporarily assume this unlikely role for myself.

Although the Russians have always been considered either colonizers or occupiers, they have also loved Georgia to death. They want to stay here for months and have fun ‘a la Géorgien.’

They have often stayed to reside here for good. I remember well that in the soviet era, the officials who were lucky enough to be directed by the government to Georgia on business were envied because Russians usually daydreamed of the Georgian hospitality, wine, food, and its beautiful climate and nature.

They literally fought for a chance to find themselves in this country for at least a couple of days. Georgia was like a younger brother who felt obligated to host the senior bro in the most festive manner, and the Russians took all that for granted.

Unbelievable but true, one of the reasons the Russians are angry with Georgians

is that they forfeited the historical chance to sprawl, bathe and relax in the comfortable lap of the Georgian nature where they used to feel totally at home, and this is very symptomatic – the Russians loved Georgia for a reason.

Let’s now take the Americans. They are no less amorous of Georgia than their perennial rivals here. Look at this geopolitical algorithm: Americans like Georgia and want to stay here, and Russians like Georgia and want to come back. Isn’t this wonderful? There can’t be a more peaceful and beneficial rivalry.

Actually, the same kind of sentimental predilection towards Georgia on part of other nations is just as apparent. The Ukrainians, for instance, will never lose Georgians as benefactors, hosts and allies. They are simply rooting for Georgia at every presumable occasion. The kind of people the Georgians are and the sort of a land they dwell on, plus the relics of history and their lovely habit and skill to entertain the visitors, only serve to make this country terribly attractive.

On the other hand, a lot is left to be desired and done here. Tourism industry infrastructure like that of developed European countries would be helpful, and Georgia is trying as hard as it can to get to where its western family members are right now. The hope is that in this much accelerated time, things are happening quicker than they have in previous centuries and years. What mat-

A Georgian feast. Photo by Tony Hanmer

ters most in this case is that Georgia has what one might call a gift of nature and history. What is left now is the wits and physical ability to hurry up and finish building the tourism infrastructure. Not much is left. And it is also true that what one can find here in Georgia is practically impossible to discover in other spots of the Earth because the place is truly unique, a fact which needs to be

better introduced to the rest of the world.

The safety of travelling is also a very valuable thing on top of all that might attract a guest to this magical land. And another thing that one could say about Georgia without any reservations: most people who were born and grew up here have probably seen not more than one third of their own beautiful motherland.

Isn’t it a shame? As such, they also count

as potential tourists. After all, it is absolutely wonderful that so much is left in store for them to see and enjoy. They should even be glad that they have not yet tasted the rich flavor of this beautiful country. It is quite imaginable how much fun awaits all those future guests who are soon to fall in love with Sakartvelo and stay that way for the rest of their lives.

10

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

JULY 16 - 22, 2021

Back on Tour: Etseri, Svaneti BLOG BY TONY HANMER

I

t now seems safe to say that, here in Upper Svaneti, tourism is making a strong comeback after we said goodbye to the last of our winter guests in mid-March 2020, slipping away as Covid gripped the world.

We do require proof of either recent full vaccinations or negative recent tests, but visitors are welcome.

We have re-opened our booking.com calendar, so that people can reserve a spot directly with us in advance. There are also all the other ways of finding us, none of which we have closed during the entire Virus crisis: a sign at the bottom of our road, the footer of my weekly Georgia Today article, 3 Facebook pages, TripAdvisor.com, Google Maps, maps. me, two guidebooks featuring Georgia, a local guidebook on Svaneti, and more.

There are also the unannounced dropins, and we have long learned to be ready for these. Seldom more than two people, they nonetheless require bedrooms and meals always to be ready just in casethese travelers can show up at almost any time.

Having seen off our 18 Poles, we have since hosted people from Belgium, France, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the USA. The Americans were the parents and most of the siblings of a young man who has been with us six times, and whose marriage ceremony it will be my great honor and privilege to perform in a couple of weeks’ time near Tbilisi. While none of these guests was able to add to

our guest book’s list of 64 languages, many of them wrote nonetheless, starting a new year for the guest house, for which we are glad. If the season continues in this vein, we will be most grateful.

Many of our travelers walk the road and footpaths which take them above us to Mazeri, the top of the village of Becho.

It’s about a 7-hour trek, depending on how heavy your backpack is, rewarded from the halfway point onwards by glorious views of Mt. Ushba from its south peak (as long as the capricious weather is cooperating, that is). There is even a small lake just past halfway in which to shoot reflections of the famous mountain, always a bonus for a photographer.

We can also connect our guests with other accommodation in different villages, Becho, Mestia and Ushguli particularly: people we know and trust to receive and look after them well. But sometimes there are just here for the utter peace and quiet which Etseri offers.

One thing which is brand new for us this summer is the inclusion of a village lady helper, whom I mentioned in previous writing. Now, several turns in, she is proving to be a huge benefit in cooking and cleaning, someone worth her weight in Svan Salt and someone we really hope will be in it for the long run of mutual support.

The flowers are coming out in turn; soon, when the elderflowers appear, I will start picking them for both liqueur and cordial. Rose petals have already gone into moonshine and sugar syrup as well as being dried for tea. Mint tea straight from the garden is also a popular choice, especially for those who have

never had it fresh before; some of them, particularly the children, delight in picking it themselves to see where it actually comes from. A quick wash and it’s straight into the cup, seconds out of the soil.

Other green herbs also add a lot to what we can offer locally and organically, as well as sulguni cheese from our neighbors. Local matsoni (yoghurt), my smoked cheese and dried smoked tomatoes, onions, garlic, lettuce, dill, parsley, beetroot, potatoes and more, later to be followed by sweet or sour plums, cherries the same, apples, pears, rosehips, elderberries, raspberries, blueberries, even the spring water which serves the whole village, and that from several mineral sources too… it doesn’t get much better than this.

We are glad to spread the table with all the goodness that our and nearby patches of ground bring, as it adds a thoroughly Svan touch to what Hanmer House provides. The tourism season has fully returned now, and after such a long hiatus, we are as ready as can be for you.

We also hope that all other tourism and hospitality providers in the country are in the same situation, as it has been too long for us to be idle and equally long for travelers not to be on the move!

Tony Hanmer has lived in Georgia since 1999, in Svaneti since 2007, and been a weekly writer and photographer for GT since early 2011. He runs the “Svaneti Renaissance” Facebook group, now with nearly 2000 members, at www.facebook.com/ groups/SvanetiRenaissance/ He and his wife also run their own guest house in Etseri: www.facebook.com/hanmer.house.svaneti

Seeking Pandemic Solutions ‘by the People, for the People’: UNDP Accelerator Lab Announces its Solutions Safari Winners tested a MizMask prototype.

Anna Ghviniashvili developed an online model for an inclusive dance class. Her class supports people with disabilities during the pandemic and helps them cope with the isolation, sense of loneliness and other psychological issues stemming from the pandemic. The online teaching methodology is based on findings from Ghviniashvili’s research and her earlier practical experience teaching face-to-face inclusive dance classes. The Azdak inclusive theatre and the Youth for Social Equality organization are already using her model to great success; currently, over 70 people with disabilities participate in online dance classes thanks to Ghviniashvili’s innovation model.

“Business as usual does not work during a pandemic. We are experiencing extraordinary times that require innovative approaches,” said UNDP Acting Head Anna Chernyshova. “Our competition helps map out and support crea-

O

ver 60 deeply engaged entrepreneurs submitted creative ideas to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Accelerator Lab’s ‘Solutions Safari’, a call for inventions that can ease the pandemic’s burden on citizens and businesses. The competition was funded by the governments of Germany and Qatar. Submissions included a dazzling array of simple and effective solutions that were created ‘by the people, for the people’ to address everyday challenges brought on by the

pandemic.

The Accelerator Lab created the Museum of Georgian Inventions website and Facebook page to profile participants and to promote the idea of people-driven solutions.

To find the most standout proposal from among all submitted ideas, UNDP gathered an esteemed jury composed of Accelerator Lab members and representatives from the private sector, civil society and academic institutions. The jury chose two winners: Davit Mizandari and Anna Ghviniashvili. They will each

will receive GEL 10,000 equivalent support to improve or upgrade their ideas and to put them into practice.

Davit Mizandari invented and patented the MizMask, a reusable and rechargeable respirator that creates a seal around the face to filter out harmful particles.

MizMask is an N99 respirator that provides five levels of protection (including an ultraviolet diode sterilizer). It will be particularly useful for frontline medical personnel, emergency crews and hospital staff who face an outbreak. A COVID19 hospital in Tbilisi has successfully

tive solutions to everyday challenges — solutions that come from people directly.”

“Smart use of innovative methods will help Georgia recover from the pandemic crisis,” said Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Germany Lidija Christmann.

“Germany is pleased to partner with UNDP to help unlock people’s potential to withstand the crisis.”

UNDP Accelerator Labs are now working in 116 countries. Each Accelerator Lab is focused on applying new insights and technologies to solve protracted development challenges. Georgia joined this fast-growing network of innovators and experimenters this year. Georgia’s Accelerator Lab initiatives are focused on supporting the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health to overcome vaccine hesitancy in Georgia, transforming public attitudes towards recycling and waste separation and translating climate data into narratives to transform people’s behaviours.

CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY JULY 16 - 22, 2021

11

Exhibition ‘Life and Death – Glory of Pompeii’ in Vani & Tbilisi elry and plaster figures of the victims of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The exhibition, curated by the Pompeii Archaeological Park, is organized by the Italian Embassy and the Georgian National Museum in cooperation with the Italian company Glocal Project Consulting. The exhibition is a continuation of the exhibition initiatives that have been held in recent years with the support of the Italian Embassy and have achieved unprecedented success: these exhibitions have been visited by 250,000 visitors.

The exhibition ‘Life and Death – Glory of Pompeii,’ which will open on July 17 at the Otar Lortkipanidze Vani Archaeological Museum, provides an excellent opportunity to draw a parallel with the remains of the town of Vani. The exhibition will be open to the public in Vani until mid-September, after which it will move to the capital of Georgia.

TRANSLATED BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

he Italian Embassy continues its cooperation with the Georgian National Museum: this time, an exhibition from Pompeii is visiting Georgia for the first time, which will be first presented at the Otar Lortkipanidze Vani Archaeological Museum, and two months later at the Simon Janashia State Museum in Tbilisi.

This is the first time when an exhibition of this level is hosted by a regional museum.

The exposition offers the viewers to get acquainted with the life of an ancient city destroyed by a volcanic eruption 2000 years ago.

The exhibition features artefacts such as pottery, household items, ornaments, architectural decor, sculptures and frescoes that once adorned the walls of ancient city houses, also, precious jew-

More detailed information regarding the exhibition is available at the Embassy website

Exhibition ‘Life and Death – Glory of Pompeii’ in Vani & Tbilisi

First Svaneti International Film Festival to be Held in Mestia

BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

T

he first Svaneti International Film Festival is to be held in Mestia.

The presentation of the Svaneti International Film Festival was held at the National Film Center, led by Gaga Chkheidze, Director of the National Film Center, Mariam Khachvani, Founder and Director of the Film Festival, and Maia Murachashvili, representative of the Gistola Hotel.

The film festival is scheduled for August 25-29. It will be opened with Dea Kulumbegashvili’s film “Beginning,” the festival will also include special screenings of the following Georgian films: “Shindisi,” “Salt for Svanetia” and “Dede.”

The first edition of the Svaneti International Film Festival will feature international short film competition.

In addition to film screenings, Svaneti Film Festival will host masterclasses.

Source of photo: Svaneti International Film Festival

Basilashvili to Compete in Quarterfinals of Hamburg European Open

SPORTS

BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

N

Source of photo: sportall.ge

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George Sharashidze COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT

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GEORGIA TODAY

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT:

Editor-In-Chief: Katie Ruth Davies

Journalists: Ana Dumbadze, Vazha Tavberidze, Tony Hanmer, Emil Avdaliani, Nugzar B. Ruhadze, Michael Godwin, Ketevan Skhirtladze Photographer: Aleksei Serov

ikoloz Basilashvili, the first and 29th tennis player of Georgia, is in Hamburg and is participating in the ATP 500 Hamburg European Open 2021. Due to being tested positive for coronavirus, Nikoloz Basilashvili’s

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opponent was eliminated from the tournament. Therefore, the Georgian tennis player will compete in the quarterfinals.

The match between Sebastian Baez and Basilashvili was scheduled for Wednesday.

Serbian Laslo Djere will compete with Basilashvili on July 16, while Greek Stefano Tsitsipas plays Serbian Filip Krajinovic. The two matches will decide who goes through to the Semi-Finals.

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