Issue #1264

Issue no: 1264

• SEPTEMBER 18 - 24, 2020 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

Qatar Airways Charters Additional Two Special Flights from Tbilisi Airport NEWS PAGE 2

The Economic Normalization Agreement between Serbia & Kosovo POLITICS PAGE 4

FOCUS

ON THE UNWTO Georgia promotes itself as a green zone by hosting the 112th UNWTO Session

PAGE 2

Economy Minister Vows Wizz Air, Ryanair Will Resume Flights to Georgia in Coming Weeks

BY ANA DUMBADZE

I

n a few weeks, low-cost airlines Wizz Air and Ryanair are expected to resume flights to Georgia, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Natia Turnava announced.

She noted that regular flights will be resumed in stages over a few months and clarified that Wizz Air will resume operations to Georgia from September, and Ryanair from the end of October or the beginning of November.

"This month flights to certain safe destinations will be resumed by Wizz Air from Kutaisi International Airport. We are also confident that Ryanair will resume flights from late October or early November. We will work with the airlines on frequency of flights and directions," Turnava told Euronews Georgia.

Image: avianews.ge

Your Receipt Is Profitable!

- Carrefour Rewards Loyal Customers With Infinite Points, Gifts & Promotions on Its 8th Anniversary!

BUSINESS PAGE 7

August Dynamics of Hotel Prices in Adjara & Guria BUSINESS PAGE 8

PMCG’s Janelidze & Bolkvadze Lead OSCE Conference Supporting Turkmenistan’s Potential WTO Membership BUSINESS PAGE 10

Helios Georgia: Why Go Solar with Thy Neighbor?

SOCIETY PAGE 10 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

Markets As of 14ͲSepͲ2020

w/w

m/m

w/w

m/m

Bank of Georgia (BGEO LN)

GBP 9.11

Ͳ1,9%

+9,6%

GEOROG 04/21

101.19 (YTM 4.75%)

Ͳ0,7%

Ͳ1,0%

Georgia Capital (CGEO LN)

STOCKS

GBP 3.62

Ͳ5,4%

Ͳ4,9%

GEORG 04/21

102.51 (YTM 2.43%)

Ͳ0,2%

Ͳ0,2%

TBC Bank Group (TBCG LN)

GBP 9.74

+6,2%

+9,3%

COMMODITIES Crude Oil, Brent (US$/bbl) Gold Spot (US$/OZ)

Price

Price

BONDS

Price

GRAIL 07/22

105.21 (YTM 4.72%)

Ͳ0,1%

+0,4%

GEBGG 07/23

104.52 (YTM 4.30%)

Ͳ0,1%

+1,8%

w/w

m/m

39,61

Ͳ5,7%

Ͳ11,6%

GEL / USD

3,1451

+1,9%

+2,3%

1 956,86

+1,2%

+0,6%

CURRENCIES GEL / EUR

3,7275

Price

+2,2%

w/w

+2,4%

m/m

GEL / GBP

4,0409

Ͳ0,5%

+0,5%

INDICES

Price

w/w

m/m

GEL / CHF

3,4595

+2,7%

+2,4%

FTSE 100

6 026,25

+1,5%

Ͳ1,0%

GEL / RUB

0,0418

+2,7%

Ͳ0,9%

FTSE 250

17 677,26

+0,2%

Ͳ0,3%

GEL / TRY

0,4199

+1,4%

+0,6%

DAX

13 193,66

+0,7%

+2,3%

GEL / AZN

1,8502

+1,9%

+2,3%

DOW JONES

27 993,33

Ͳ0,5%

+0,2%

0,0065

+3,2%

+3,2%

NASDAQ

11 056,65

Ͳ2,3%

+0,3%

GEL / UAH

0,1124

+1,2%

Ͳ0,1%

142,94

+0,3%

Ͳ8,9%

EUR / USD

0,8429

Ͳ0,4%

Ͳ0,2%

1 104,27

MSCI EM EE

GEL / AMD

+0,9%

+1,0%

GBP / USD

0,7785

+2,5%

SP 500

3 383,54

Ͳ1,3%

+0,3%

CHF / USD

0,9084

Ͳ0,8%

Ͳ0,1%

MSCI FM

2 244,85

+0,3%

+2,1%

RUB / USD

75,2579

Ͳ0,7%

+3,3%

GT Index (GEL)

1 582,68

Ͳ

Ͳ

TRY / USD

7,4885

+0,5%

+1,6%

GT Index (USD)

1 208,13

Ͳ

Ͳ

AZN / USD

1,6988

Ͳ

Ͳ

MSCI EM

+1,9%

2

NEWS

Corona Updates: School Starts Online as Cases Continue to Rise

BY TEAM GT

M

arina Ezugbaia, the Medical Director of the Tbilisi Infectious Diseases Hospital, told reporters on Thursday that of 179 new cases of coronavirus detected in Georgia on September 17, 126 are related to the Adjara region, while 15 cases were reported in Tbilisi.

"Today, we have 179 new cases and 2937 confirmed cases so far. Based in the regions, 179 cases are distributed as follows: Adjara 126, Imereti 16, Tbilisi 15, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti 7, MtskhetaMtianeti 7, Guria 4, Kakheti 4. The number of recoveries has increased by 10 to reach 1422," she explained.

The Georgian government continues consistent steps in the fight against coronavirus, Head of the Administration of the Georgian Government Natia Mezvrishvili stated during a briefing after the day’s meeting of the Interagency Council, with “most of the activities presently concentrated in Batumi.”

“Generally, in terms of enforcement and regulations applicable to various events, control has been upgraded significantly, including in Batumi. We would like once again to inform the public that no state of emergency or lockdown is planned in the country, including in Batumi, at this point. Therefore, there is no reason to be concerned. However, restrictions do apply locally as needed.

In Batumi, for example, specific restrictions are in force, and so are special restrictions related to the learning process,” Mezvrishvili said.

On September 15, the educational process resumed remotely in most cities and villages of Georgia.

Due to the increasing number of COVID19 cases throughout Georgia, studies resumed remotely in Tbilisi, Rustavi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Gori, Poti, Batumi, and Kobuleti, and in the Khelvachauri, Khulo, Keda and Shuakhevi municipalities, in the village of Matani in Akhmeta municipality, and in the villages of Zoti and Chkhakuri in Chokhatauri, challenging both teachers and parents following last Friday’s government decision not to send children back to school in the above locations until October 1st.

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 18 - 24, 2020

Georgia Hosts 112th Session of UNWTO

T

he 112th session of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) took place on September 15-17 in Tbi-

lisi.

Following the official opening on the 16th, on September 17, a discussion of the investment climate was held, after which the delegation visited Tsinandali in Georgia's Kakheti region.

The event will be attended by representatives of Romania, Spain, Greece, and other countries, and safety measures will be strictly observed,” Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration, Mariam Kvrivishvili stated prior to the event. “All attending delegates will undergo PSR testing and the event will be held with the full involvement of Georgian epidemiologists and under strict supervision.”

Kvrivishvili emphasized that the fact the UNWTO selected Georgia as the host country once again confirms that it still remains a 'green zone' amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"Due to the importance of the event, representatives of such influential media outlets as the New York Times, BBC Travel, Euronews, Spanish Forbes, EFE News, Diplomat, and others will come to Georgia. Consequently, Georgia will once again be in the focus of the world press as a country safe from the pandemic, where the UNWTO is holding its first post-pandemic high-level meeting," she said.

"I'm glad that Georgia has become the most distinguished, representative meeting place of the tourism sector," Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated in his speech at the opening ceremony. “Georgia and the World Tourism Organization are connected by many years of successful cooperation, which is becoming more and more fruitful. It is very important for us that this session is held for the first time outside the borders of Spain, and that it is taking place precisely in Georgia.”

The session hosted by Georgia is the first event with an unprecedentedly high level of representation in the post-pandemic world. It is usually held biannually in Madrid. In 2020, however, its organizers made an unprecedented decision to choose Tbilisi instead of Madrid as the venue for this year’s Executive Council Session.

“Tourism is one of the sectors that suffered the greatest damage worldwide as a result of the spread of the pandemic.

However, while the Georgian tourism sector was also damaged during the crisis period, in previous years, Georgia was one of the world leaders in terms of tourism development and, most importantly, the tourism sector formed 8.1 percent of the country's economy,” Gakharia said. “In 2019 alone, Georgia received a record number of international travelers: 9.4 million visitors, which, of course, is a great success for a country

of 3.7 million.”

The Prime Minister said that from the outset, Georgia set two main goals in the fight against the global pandemic: The protection of the health and the lives of its citizens, and the survival of its economy.

“We are actively developing infrastructure in Georgia which stimulates rapid economic growth and the development of the country, as well as the development of the tourism sector. In addition, we facilitate the raising of awareness of the country through active campaigns and international events; we ensure the improvement of the quality of service; the creation of a safe and favorable environment in the country; and the promotion of employment in the tourism sector. We also work to create new tourism products and facilitate new direct flights which, of course, contributes to the integration of the country's economy into

the global economy, as well as the development of the tourism network,” the PM noted.

He went on to note that tourism has played one of the main roles in the government's Anti-Crisis Plan, and it will continue to do so until global tourism recovery trends begin to emerge. “We supported the tourism sector and will continue to do so with various programs, benefits, tax deferrals, and other instruments,” Gakharia emphasized.

“Further, Georgia has managed to keep the status of a green country,” he added.

“Today, Georgia is one of the safest destinations in the international arena, and that enables us to launch a new postpandemic phase of the country’s economic development. One of the most important global events in the postcrisis period will involve strong emphasis on reviving tourism, and we want to be pioneers in this process.”

Qatar Airways Charters Additional Two Special Flights from Tbilisi Airport

A

irline Qatar Airways is pleased to announce it will be operating two special flights from Tbilisi to its award-winning hub in Doha on 16 and 30 September. Due to the global pandemic and the restrictions in place, Tbilisi Airport remains closed; however, Qatar Airways has two special flights to honor the airline’s commitment to bringing people home. Passengers can travel via the Best Airport in the Middle East to over 85 destinations across the globe, including eight destinations in the US, among them Boston, Los Angeles and New York.

Qatar Airways Acting Vice President in the Middle East, Levant and Caucasus, Bennet Stephens, said: “We are delighted to offer two special flights from Tbilisi, offering Georgians once again an unparalleled service in the sky. Passengers from Georgia will be able to connect via the Best Airport in the Middle East, Hamad International Airport, to the largest and broadest network in the region, with over 650 weekly flights to more than 85 destinations across the globe.

Qatar Airways has become the largest international carrier during this crisis, taking home over two million people and developing unrivalled experience in carrying passengers safely.”

Since the onset of the pandemic, Qatar Airways has worked closely with governments, airports and private companies to fulfil its mission of taking people home safely and reliably. While many airlines suspended operations during this crisis,

Qatar Airways has continued to operate flights wherever possible. Throughout the pandemic, Qatar Airways’ network has never fallen below 30 destinations, with continuous services to five continents.

The airline’s young fleet of sustainable aircraft has enabled it to continue flying throughout the pandemic and rapidly rebuild its global network to more than 650 weekly flights to over 85 destinations

According to the latest IATA data, Qatar Airways has become the largest international carrier since April offering more global connectivity than any other airline to help take people home. This enabled the airline to accumulate unmatched experience in carrying passengers safely and reliably, and uniquely positioned the airline to effectively rebuild its network.

The carrier has stringently implemented the most advanced safety and hygiene measures on board its aircraft and in Hamad International Airport (HIA).

Qatar Airways’ onboard safety measures for passengers and cabin crew include the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for cabin crew

and a complimentary protective kit and disposable face shields for passengers.

Business Class passengers on aircraft equipped with Qsuite can enjoy the enhanced privacy this award-winning business seat provides, including sliding privacy partitions and the option to use a ‘Do Not Disturb (DND)’ indicator.

Qsuite is available on flights to more than 30 destinations, including Guangzhou, Kuala Lumpur, London, Paris, and New York. For full details of all the measures that have been implemented onboard and in HIA, please visit www.qatarairways.com/safety.

To ensure travellers can make plans with peace of mind, the airline has

extended its booking policies to offer even more choice to its passengers. The airline will allow unlimited date changes, and passengers can change their destination as often as they need if it is within 5,000 miles of the original destination.

The airline will not charge any fare differences for travel completed before 31 December 2020, after which fare rules will apply. All tickets booked for travel up to 31 December 2020 will be valid for two years from the date of issuance. For full terms and conditions visit www. qatarairways.com/RelyOnUs. Qatar Airways’ home and hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA), has implemented stringent cleaning procedures and applied social distancing measures throughout its terminals. Passenger touchpoints are sanitized every 10-15 minutes and boarding gates and bus gate counters are cleaned after each flight. In addition, hand sanitizers are provided at immigration and security screening points. HIA was recently ranked “Third Best Airport in the World”, among 550 airports worldwide, by the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2020. HIA was also voted the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for the sixth year in a row and ‘Best Staff Service in the Middle East’ for the fifth year in a row.

FLIGHT SCHEDULE: Wednesday 16 September 2020 Tbilisi (TBS) to Doha (DOH) QR285 departs: 03:10 arrives 05:20 Wednesday 30 September 2020 Tbilisi (TBS) to Doha (DOH) QR286 departs: 03:10 arrives 05:20

4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 18 - 24, 2020

The Economic Normalization Agreement between Serbia & Kosovo ANALYSIS BY LEVAN KIPIANI

T

he United States recently brokered a deal that at the very first glace is aimed at normalizing the economic relations between Serbia and Kosovo. However, despite being labeled as an agreement of a solely economic nature, the content of the deal itself pinpoints several political issues. Under the terms of the agreement signed, for a period of one year, Serbia will completely suspend its entire efforts, both official and unofficial, directed at encouraging other states to either not recognize Kosovo or to revoke already existing recognition, while Kosovo will refrain from applying for new membership in international organizations for the same time period. In a nutshell, the deal, consisting of 16 points, further covers issues such as the commitment to find and identify missing persons from the 1998-1999 Kosovo conflict, and the agreement from both the Serbian and Kosovar side to move its Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This last is a much anticipated move considering the deal is brokered by President Trump, who three years prior, on December 6, 2017, announced the United States’ recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and ordered the planning of the relocation of the US Embassy there from Tel Aviv. Another interesting aspect of the agreement is the ‘economic deal’, namely the provision where both Serbia and Kosovo designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.

The world did not take long to react to the deal. The provision on the relocation of the embassy has faced fierce opposition from several parts of the globe. The Arab League and Palestine have heavily criticized the decision of Serbia and Kosovo to open embassies in Jerusalem rather than Tel Aviv, while Turkey stated that the deal was a clear violation of international law due to the relocation of the embassies to Jerusalem.

On top of the hostile stance that the Muslim world has taken with regards to this controversial provision, the EU has further voiced serious concern in connection with the Serbian commitment to relocate the embassy. A rather tailored approach was offered by the EU, with its foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano saying that, “In this context, any diplomatic steps that could call into the question the EU’s common position on Jerusalem are a matter of serious concern

Image source: Arab News

and regret.”

Even though the deal is viewed by many as a landmark in Serbian-Kosovar relations, Official Belgrade denies any claims that it had somewhat resorted to the recognition of Kosovo as an independent state. According to Ivica Dacic, the Foreign Minister of Serbia, there is no agreement whatsoever in this regard.

Meanwhile, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic further said “there is no possibility for me to sign any document that implies the recognition of Kosovo, and I have clearly said that to both the Albanians and Americans”. As anticipated, the Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti views the current development of this saga as a road to mutual recognition, unlike the Serbian perception, stating that they have made a huge step forward toward full normalization of relations that should lead eventually to mutual recognition between the two countries.

Such a swift turnaround in developments has led to a significant question being raised: Does the deal to any extent manifest for the recognition of Kosovar autonomy by Serbia? In the given light, one may argue that the whole pre-text to the deal, along with its content and how some of its main actors see it, stresses the fact that this landmark may not yet be the cornerstone of the endlessly debatable case of mutual recognition, but at least a huge stride taken towards it.

According to Serbian officials, their American counterparts have been systematically making their intentions clear

with regards to the recognition of Kosovo

by Serbia. The provisions of the deal that have no connection whatsoever to economics further increase suspicion among the sceptics that the deal may be a perfectly disguised ‘Trojan Horse-like maneuver’ that to at least some extent, directly or indirectly, recognizes the Kosovar sovereignty. If true, the accumulated damage produced by such maneuver may be irreversible for Serbia, and may eventually prove lethal.

This may well have been anticipated by many, considering the deal was from the beginning to end anchored from the Oval Office, and considering that we have USA and Russia on the opposite sides of the wobble board. Russia has nearly always been a close ally to Serbia, with its President Vladimir Putin never shy of expressing his support towards Serbian territorial sovereignty. He has openly stated in the past that any support for Kosovo's unilateral declaration is immoral and illegal, as well describing the recognition of Kosovo's recognition by several major world powers as a terrible precedent that breaks up the entire system of international relations. It quite realistically seems that if the provisions of the deal are implemented, its consequences may lead to a reduction in the influence of Russia and China in the Balkans, as the US will arguably increase its sphere of influence at their expense. This will more likely be achieved through the multi-billion dollar investments in the infrastructural projects, both in Serbia and Kosovo, dubbed

the ‘Balkan Marshall Plan’ by many. This is a rather new approach taken by the USA, a far cry from the approaches of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush towards Serbia and, instead of unilateral support for Kosovo, seeing it acting as an independent arbiter who does not carry any threat. However, as the name ‘Balkan Marshall Plan’ suggests: everything new is actually well-forgotten old.

Russia arguably benefits from confrontation between the Orthodox Serbs and Muslim Kosovars so as to be able to strengthen its influence along the southern borders of NATO, the membership of which Serbia does not seek, under the pretext of guaranteeing the security of fellow Slavs. Therefore, the normalization of the Serbian-Kosovar relations will once again arguably diminish the role of Russia in the region and act hand-in-hand with the abovementioned economical interference of the USA. As for the Chinese case, China is interested in Serbia in the context of its ongoing Belt and Road Global Transport and Investment Initiative, which the US sees as a tool for spreading Beijing's influence. In addition to the intensification of the spread of soft power, Chinese support towards Serbian territorial integrity may also be greatly influenced by the fear of a precedent for the activation of centrifugal tendencies in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Tibet, and Hong Kong.

On another note, it is worth mentioning that the majority of the points agreed are not binding, due to no existing guide-

lines as to how they will be implemented, or by when. Compliance on Belgrade’s part, given the strong ties to Russia, further increases the question mark over the implementation of the provision therein. This arguably diminishes the role of the deal as a landmark, and strongly advocates for the position that the underpressure Serbian president expressed, who described it as merely an “exchange of letters of intent” between Serbia and the US. For some, it may be a sign of the deal already falling apart. This aligns well with the fact that both Aleksandar Vucic and Avdullah Hoti signed papers titled ‘Economic Normalization’, but they were not the same. In the Serbian copy, the last point concerns the transfer of the Serbian embassy, while in the Kosovar copy it refers to mutual recognition of Kosovo and Israel. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, signed only a ‘thank you’ note. Therefore, it remains unclear whether Serbia and Kosovo signed an agreement with each other, with the US, or with anyone at all. Vucic further elaborated that Serbia signed the letters of intent with the United States, knowing the content of what the opposite side signed. Speaking on television, he added that in the dialogue held with the Albanians, the words he used to describe the Kosovars was solely in front of the American side. The letters of intent, as per definition, are simply a mechanism by which the parties give reassurance of their intentions and the provisions are generally not binding, unless explicitly stated so. In some instances, they may be interpreted as binding if they beyond the doubt resemble a formal contract and have no clear disclaimers.

Some experts, such as Milos Hrnjaz, Assistant Professor of International Law at the University of Belgrade, highlights that pursuant to the publicly available information, the deal does not represent an international treaty, and therefore it has no binding force on its participants.

Once again, analyzing the deal in the legal context may not be of much importance, as even though the document may be not binding, the political impact and socio-economical influence it may have is arguably bigger than those sharing Vucic’s position might reckon. Whether the deal carries a meagre symbolic value rather than being a precedent creating real progress in the relationship between the two parties will likely depend on how skillfully the involved parties intentionally avert the straightforward discussions on the elephant in the room: mutual recognition.

Leslie Ennis-Schulten & Her Legacy OP-ED BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

T

he Georgian-American strategic partnership did not come out of the blue.

This Georgian-American amity has roots, and the roots are deep enough to hold the Peace Tree erect, and worthy enough to go down in history. Undoubtedly, there would not have been any camaraderie between the two countries had the Soviet empire not collapsed, but there is something more to this bygone sociopolitical tremor which took place more than thirty years ago. That is the time when one lovely American couple, who both resided in Georgia, fell in love with Georgia. One of these two namesakes happens to be the American Georgia, and the other is this one, our country in the South Caucasus.

The coincidence has proved to be a truly felicitous twist of fate, and here

is why: believe it or not, Leslie, the creator of the celebrated Peace Tree, ventured to send a letter of goodwill to the then Soviet leader Gorbachev, who was incredibly popular in the world in the final years of the dwindling geopolitical giant known as the USSR. Her attempt to indicate to soviets the American benevolence towards them was responded to with the same munificence.

She reached out to President Shevardnadze and his family too, and the reaction in this case was also prompt and elated.

Popular public figure and the president’s speech-writer, Gela Charkviani was also actively involved in the incipient process of mutual understanding between the United States and the Soviet Union, personified and materialized in Sakartvelo. Encouraged by the unimaginable soviet compassion and the enthusiastic nod from Georgians, Leslie went ahead and communicated with the offices of the Atlanta mayor Andrew Young, and the city council, as well as

Friendship Force, headed by the late Reverend Wayne Smith, the famous international organization promoting peace and friendship all over the globe by means of family exchanges and using a tool for this called ‘Kitchen Diplomacy’.

On top of all that, Leslie contacted Harvey Mars, the president of WXAITV Atlanta, a.k.a. Channel Eleven, for which the author of these words worked as a journalist for several years, finally receiving the regional Emmy Award for television excellence. Leslie’s entire endeavor, based on the sincerest love for our Georgia, yielded into an exchange of delegations between the American and the Soviet Georgias.

Incidentally, the word ‘Soviet’ used as a determiner of ‘Georgia,’ which irritates most of us today, was then the only way to distinguish this Georgia from that one, because the world did not know anything about us as a nation and we were compelled to use the term for others to tell between the two.

The exchange of delegations grew into the wonderfully significant twinning of the cities of Tbilisi and Atlanta, followed by many good things for both sides. For instance, Leslie and Scott Schulten gave a valuable gift to the kids of the Georgian capital: the Children's Dental Clinic, saying nothing about computers and other gadgets so much needed then for the post-soviet development of the country which was starting life again, almost from scratch.

Remarkably, it was Leslie and Lamara (Tatulia) Margvelasvili, the guru of national education, who made things happen together. The sister-city relationships did a lot to lay a firm foundation for future Georgian-American rapprochement and cooperation, which has today burgeoned so much that any exchange of goodwill between the two nations is taken for granted by all of us.

Since then, a lot of water has passed under the bridges of both nations; things have changed; we have grown older, and new generations have come around

with new attitudes but with no idea of what had happened between Georgia and America more than forty years ago.

Suffice it to say that the journalistic exchange between the two Georgias was one of the most outstanding projects, launched at the twilight of the soviet regime and which had a huge affect all over the USSR. And I was the lucky one to have played a pivotal journalistic part in that brilliant project, put together by Chanel Eleven of Atlanta and the Georgian State Television. And notably, without Leslie Ennis-Schulten’s almost fanatical attempt to turn hatred into love, nothing of the sort would have happened. She is now 65 years of age and never stops dreaming to be back in Georgia to again relay the torch of love and friendship, lit generations ago between Georgia and Georgia, for our progeny to carry on towards our better visions turned into reality.

In memory of those Americans whose lives were taken by 9/11 tragedy.

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6

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 18 - 24, 2020

Making Peace & Winning the War against Coronavirus OP-ED BY RAN GIDOR, AMBASSADOR OF ISRAEL TO GEORGIA

G

eorgia is fortunate not only to enjoy peaceful relations with almost all of its neighbors, but also to have managed the COVID-19 crisis better than most. However, Georgia, too, was also quick to recognize the potential for using the deadly virus as a diplomatic tool. Tbilisi offered Yerevan assistance back in June (despite a previous diplomatic spat), and generously opened up its medical facilities for residents of the breakaway enclaves of Abkhazia & South Ossetia.

It’s interesting to compare this to recent developments in the Middle East. The peace agreement between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain is a historic moment that brings together some of the most prominent states in the Middle East for the good of humanity. Combining forces and finding common ground has never been more urgent than now, in the midst of a global pandemic, and the Abraham Accord is set to generate immediate results.

The leaders of Israel, the United States and the UAE hailed the agreement as an “historic diplomatic breakthrough that will advance peace in the Middle East”, “chart a new path”, and “unlock the great

potential in the region”. Moreover, the Health Ministers of both Israel and the UAE have already agreed to cooperate on healthcare issues, particularly coronavirus, as well as to set up business delegations and a student exchange program.

In the first commercial agreement after Israel and the UAE announced the normalization of relations, an Emirati investment firm and Israeli tech company signed an agreement to jointly research

and develop a coronavirus testing device that will diagnose the disease more quickly and precisely. The two countries have also committed to work together on medical research and pharmaceuticals, collaborating particularly in the development of treatments and vaccine trials for COVID-19. The same Emirati investment firm has further signed a memorandum of understanding with a leading Israeli hospital, setting up Israel as a new major destination for medical

tourism from the UAE. Both countries have suffered under the ongoing coronavirus crisis, and it is therefore fitting that the first field of cooperation be in healthcare.

Israel and the United Arab Emirates are both young countries that have managed to develop dynamic and thriving economies in just a few decades.

Both are at the cutting-edge of innovation and technology and share in the same entrepreneurial spirit, and both

will gain from the expansion of trade and commercial ties. The Israeli Ministry of Economy predicts that exports and investments between Israel and the UAE could soon reach some hundreds of millions of dollars-worth per year. The fields of cyber security, energy, medicine, finance, communications, and agriculture are just some of the sectors expected to benefit in particular from the newfound expansion of trade and investment between Israel and the UAE. These initiatives and collaborations represent just a drop in the ocean of what is to come in the normalization of relations between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain. The citizens of all three countries will undoubtedly see their lives enriched as a result of this agreement, paving the way for increasingly more countries in the region to realize the vast potential that exists in making peace with Israel. The United States remains a central player in the region and a true ally of all sides, and played a key role in brokering this accord.

The challenges we are facing today know no boundaries, as the situation in the Middle East and also in the Caucasus, demonstrates almost on a daily basis.

It is, therefore, imperative that we combine our capabilities for the benefit of all of our citizens. We call on all those following this historic moment to voice their support for the agreement, and to encourage others to do the same.

Nord Stream is a Bad Dream, & Europe Needs to Wake Up OP-ED BY MICHAEL J. GODWIN

G

as pipelines into Europe are generally seen in a negative light by the modern populace due to our increased understanding of modern environmentalism. The idea of a land littered with energy-gathering wind turbines and solar farms brings a glitter to most progressive energy-minded European eyes. While natural gas energy is still not without its merits, sustainability is one among many factors to be considered. Recently however, so is Russian influence in the region.

In this next segment of EuropeanRussian relations, and the complex issues that have plagued that relationship, Germany is now under heavy critical pressure. In the wake of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, the Counter-Putin politician now in a German hospital, tensions have once again risen. However, this rise is different for one major reason. Russia is now reaching out of its borders in another attempt at attaining further influence, through the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline.

Nord Stream 2 began its evaluation stage in 2011, and in 2015 the plan was ready for implementation. Poland soon blocked this in 2017, and Nord Stream AG was forced to operate on its own, with only financial backing from other European companies. Next, the US imposed crippling sanctions on not just Nord Stream AG and its Russian project partner, Gazprom, but any company that so much as touched the project. Soon,

key underwater construction companies such as Allseas Group S.A., began slowly backing towards the exit. As a result, Russia was left on the gas pipeline playground with no friends.

But Russia isn’t done yet. They’ve introduced a ship, the AKADEMIK CHERSKIY, to be tasked with installing the remaining pipeline. Docked in Mukran, Germany, the ship needs to undergo a major refitting project to be up for the new tasks. As a result, the German port involved, as well as the government, is under fire for hosting this aspect of the condemned project. Now that it seems Russia is on the hook for finishing the project, they will have to perform the tasks otherwise handled by experienced and highly-specialized contractors.

Clearly, there is a litany of problems with this. The Russians involved with the project have no experience with the tasks required to complete the project.

The companies that walked out were specially equipped and trained to lay, install, test, and complete the pipeline.

The environmental repercussions of this could be catastrophic, to say the least. As an added worry, the area is still known to have its share of WWII unexploded ordinance still populating the seafloor.

All this together, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline influence reaches global stages when the peripheral consequences are considered. Gazprom, a majority stateowned natural gas giant, stands to reap millions from the completion. Buried under layers of transactional covers, much of the money used to fund the rapid military modernization and territorial incursions Russia has been

Image source: kremlin.ru

engaged in recently has been made possible using funds brought in from ventures like this. Incursions including Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Many Europeans are aware of this.

Among the biggest detractors of this project are the Poles, who still remember all too well the sight of Soviet T-55 tanks in their streets. While at first this may seem farfetched in our modern era, the residents of Eastern Ukraine and the villages in Georgia’s own South Ossetia must have had similar thoughts. Doubling the European dependence on Russian energy resources gives the control to Putin. This control puts the yoke around the EU’s neck, and pulls them farther from western society in the long term.

The ripples of this reaches even Geor-

gia. The desires for Georgia to become closer politically, culturally, and economically with the West, particularly the EU itself, is not missed by anyone.

Moving the EU closer to the Kremlin is not going to help with any of that. If the EU is more and more beholden to the whims of Russia, the plan to gradually include the Georgians drifts farther and farther until, sometime in the near future, it simply falls off the table. If this happens, there is no outside support besides the US and Japan, both of which are geographically incapable of responding to emergencies.

Some may argue that Georgia is better off with the support of Russia, since the West has been so slow in its inclusion plans. It’s true that the West moves slower, much of this based on its funda-

mental political structures and inherent caution about making quick decisions.

But Russia offers nothing. The battered spouse should never return to the abusive (and genocidal at times) Soviet husband.

The stability of the West is more important than any quick and temporary fix.

Losing the EU to the Russians will tear the world apart in more ways that could be calculated. The US loses a series of important allies (and a continent of friendships); the Chinese lose their massive investments in Georgia; Japan loses an economic partner; and the list goes on. Nord Stream 2 is more than just an energy resource problem; it’s a global strategy problem that must be avoided.

Georgia has to make its voice heard on an issue that will surely impact them.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 18 - 24, 2020

7

Your Receipt Is Profitable! - Carrefour Rewards Loyal Customers With Infinite Points, Gifts & Promotions on Its 8th Anniversary!

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arrefour— the largest hypermarket and supermarket chain in Georgia — is on the verge of celebrating its eight year of serving Georgian customers and communities. For the most of a decade, Carrefour, operated in Georgia by Majid Al Futtaim, has provided Georgians choice and quality across a range of more than 100,000 food and non-food products. With the number eight resembling the symbol of infinity, Carrefour has been inspired to celebrate its eighth anniversary by rewarding loyal Georgian customers an “infinite” amount of surprises to celebrate the brand’s eight-year relationship with the very people it caters to: its customers.

From Wednesday 9 September to Tuesday 6 October, Carrefour will welcome customers to each and every one of its branches across Georgia and offer them the opportunity to join in the brand’s anniversary celebration. Customers will get the chance to earn “infinite” points, win “infinite” gifts and take full advantage of “infinite” promotions. This extends the brand’s long-held tradition of dedicating its birthday to its customers.

Customers will be treated a selection of prizes as wide as Carrefour’s range of quality products.

For the duration of the celebration from 9 September to 6 October - customers are encouraged to use “MyCLUB” – Carrefour’s loyalty programme (start using the MyCLUB barcode at the cash counter while shopping in Carrefour, or get the MyCLUB card at Carrefour stores)

in order to get in the running to win a variety of exclusive prizes. All shoppers are also encouraged to keep a close eye on their receipts which customers will also be able to use to win a slew of prizes.

How to participate in the raffle: Customers can visit any of Carrefour’s stores across Georgia and use their MyCLUB card at the cash register to verify whether they are eligible for a reward and check out the prize that appears on their receipt.

There are two types of prizes awaiting loyal Carrefour customers: 1. Points: 100,000; 50,000; 20,000; 10,000; 1,000 etc. Redeeming these points, customers can shop to their heart’s content at any Carrefour store and buy the products they want.

2. Large and small appliances: if customers pay by Mastercard they can win a TV, smartphone, laptop, or games console. Customers can also pick up a refrigerator, washing machine or vacuum cleaner; in addition to a camera, blender, coffee machine, or hair dryer. Headphones, speakers, furniture, utensils much more – are also available.

In addition to the above, customers can take to a special Wheel of Fortune to win a one-of-a-kind prize.

The Wheel of Fortune will be spun several times a day, with the customer standing at the cash counter with the same number that appears on the wheel getting back 80% of their purchased products through points.

MyCLUB was launched in Georgia a year ago, on Carrefour’s seventh anniversary, when Carrefour decided to

reward its loyal customers by offering them the opportunity to earn points and redeem them in Carrefour discounts through a unique loyalty programme.

For those who have not yet become a member of this money-saving club, all you need to do is register with the Carrefour Georgia application on the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.

1. Register through the Carrefour Georgia App to start using the MyCLUB barcode at the cash register when shopping at Carrefour, or get a MyCLUB card at any Carrefour store.

2. Customers will accumulate 1 point for every 1 GEL spent, on selected categories of "MyCLUB." 3. 100 points = 10 GEL

4. Customers must have at least 100 points on their account to spend points.

5. Collect more, save more!

Download the Carrefour App: ANDROID: https://bit.ly/2Gyc4Ta IOS: https://apple.co/2MwjSLP

Address: 24 Zandukeli T: 595 50 39 30 facebook.com/thaiboxtbilisi

THE NEW CRAFT OF TASTE

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BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 18 - 24, 2020

August Dynamics of Hotel Prices in Adjara & Guria Graph 1: Average prices of accommodations in August in Adjara

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he edition of July edition featured an overview of accommodation prices in Georgia overall, while in our August update, we focus our attention specifically on Adjara and Guria, two prominent seaside destinations of Georgia, and arguably two of the most in-demand regions in August.

As regular flights are still restricted and the number of countries whose citizens can enter the country is still limited, Georgia hosted only 34,567 foreign tourists this year in August, a month which has otherwise boasted the highest number of visitors for more than a decade, registering 1.4 mln arrivals in 2019. Even though domestic tourism is not enough to compensate for such a high number, given that those Georgians who were planning to spend their summer abroad turned instead to Georgian resorts, the number of potential tourists is significant. In fact, our estimates suggest that the number of domestic visitors in Adjara in Q3 will amount to approximately 40-55% of the same figure in 2019. Thus, seaside hotels have faced substantial demand even in the face of the pandemic; however, as Georgians tend to have less purchasing power than foreigners, and as the number of visitors was not to be fully compensated by domestic tourists, hotels had to lower their prices in order to attract domestic visitors.

The analysis of the yearly Hotel Price Index implies that hotels in Guria (-32.1%) and Adjara (-21.7%) decreased their prices

the most, followed by Samtskhe-Javakheti (-20.1%), Racha (-12.5%) and MtskhetaMtianeti (-12.2%). The YoY decline was even higher for 3, 4 and 5-star hotels compared to the decline in the prices of guesthouses: in Guria, the prices for 3, 4 and 5-star hotels declined by 39.4%, while the hotels decreased their prices by 30.1% in Samtskhe-Javakheti and by 28% in Adjara.

In addition to the Hotel Price Index, the average prices of accommodation in the two regions were analyzed in August 2020, 2019 and 2018. In Guria, the average prices for both guesthouses and 3-star hotels1 increased in 2019 compared to 2018, by 17% and 23% respectively. In August 2020, both types of accommodation suffered a major drop compared to 2019, with the average prices of guesthouses declining from GEL 161 to GEL 67 (-58%) and the average prices of 3-star hotels declining from 185 to 120 (-35%).

In Adjara, the average prices of 3-star hotels and guesthouses have been declining for past two years. The average price of guesthouses in August decreased by 11% in 2019 compared to 2018, and by 2% in 2020 compared to 2019, while the average price of 3-star hotels declined by 10% in 2019 compared to 2018, and by 20% in 2020 compared to 2019. In Batumi, the average prices of guesthouses decreased by 4% in August 2020 compared to 2019, while the corresponding figure for 3-star hotels was 24%, which is significantly larger decline than in Adjara overall.

The picture is quite different for 4 and

Graph 2: Average prices of accommodations in August in Guria

5-star hotels in Adjara2. The average prices of both grew in August 2019 compared to August 2018, by 8% and 17% respectively, and they both suffered a major drop in August 2020, compared to August 2019. The prices of the 4-star hotels declined the most in 2020 compared to 2019 (by 38% on average), while the prices for 5-star hotels declined by 25% on average. In Batumi, the average

prices of 4-star hotels decreased by 34% in August 2020 compared to 2019, while the corresponding figure for 5-star hotels was 13%, which is a significantly smaller decline than in Adjara overall.

In August, Georgian seaside hotels adopted the strategy of lowering prices and kept their facilities relatively occupied, not stopping their activities.

Whether this strategy pays off or not

largely depends on the future of the pandemic.

1 https://www.interpressnews.ge/ka/ article/617524-giorgi-kakaurize-8-tvismonacemebit-turizmidan-migebuli-shemosavlebi-78-it-aris-shemcirebuli-rac-daaxloebit18-miliard-dolarian-klebas-nishnavs/ 2 Due to small sample size, 4 and 5-star hotels in Guria are excluded from this particular analysis

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 18 - 24, 2020

9

Batumi View: a Project Tailored to Your Highest Standards

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he fabulous residential complex of Batumi View is located on Batumi’s New Boulevard, just 20 meters from the beach. It will integrate a hotel-type apartment complex and a five-star hotel, with an outdoor swimming pool, panoramic terrace restaurants, a spa, a playground for children, underground and above-ground parking, and a tennis court. The Batumi View sales office has a special offer for buyers: purchase apartments until the end of this month and get a 10 % discount.

Batumi View Apartments are tailored to your highest standards.

Situated just 2 km from Batumi International Airport and 600m from the city center, Batumi View offers private, tranquil and quality living in one of the best cities on the Black Sea coast. Construction of the complex will be successfully completed by the end of this year. The unique project of Batumi View covers a land area of 15,000 m2, and contains four buildings divided into three residential buildings- A, B and C, and one Hotel with 280 rooms. There are 810 apartments with parking, a green area, outdoor

swimming pool and a playground for children.

Apartments start from net 32/sqm and all come with balconies offering different views of the beautiful Batumi landscapes and skyline: the sea, the boulevard, the mountains… Additionally, each block of the complex has its own parking area.

To maximize the level of comfort and safety of their clients, Batumi View offers 24/7 security and a front desk service to both residents and hotel guests.

Batumi View is implemented by Rekon Group Georgia. The investment company, founded in 2014 in Georgia, is owned by the branded network of Rekan Group and Hawkary Group, and their main activity is the construction of residential complexes and trade facilities.

The company’s Head of the Sales and Marketing Department, Irma Kamadadze, shared with us her insight into the new project.

“The Batumi View complex will be surrounded by developed infrastructure, which is key to a comfortable life, including facilities such as an open swimming pool, SPA, tennis court, dining areas, a gym, a playground for children, and a

comfortable parking system. All the ground floors of the three residential buildings will have stores and markets,” she told us.

"Customers have the ability to purchase apartments with a full payment or cover the cost gradually by paying a 20% down payment and paying interest-free instalments for up to 36 months. Batumi View for sale represents 810 various types of apartment, with a starting price for 1sq. meter of $1320 (with mountain view) and $1700 (with a direct sea view) .”

Talking about the benefits of becoming a resident at Batumi view, Kamadadze emphasized the uniqueness of the project: “Batumi View complex is a dream home for everyone. The project is unique, there is no residential complex in Batumi closer to the sea, it is a place where you can enjoy the very best comforts in life.”

“In addition, those who buy apartments at Batumi View can benefit from their own investments by renting out their apartment independently or transferring it to a Management Company, which will provide 24-hour online-control of rental and a professional service,” she added.

While in this economy, especially after

the pandemic, becoming a home-owner might sound a bit risky, it should be considered that due to the high rental demand in the city, having an apartment in Batumi is pretty much guaranteed to always bring in some income. Buying an apartment in

Batumi View really is a profitable investment. Its location and the complex concept make it attractive to those looking to rent, with the rental service giving you the chance to get a return on the apartment cost within six years.

The Nobels in Georgia: Oil, Pipelines & Geopolitics. Part I

BY EMIL AVDALIANI

I

n 19th century Georgia, the development of economic relations, based on the principles of capitalism, brought many foreign entrepreneurs and investor companies to the country. The following story is a perfect example of this process and concerns such giants of the financial world as the Nobels, Rotschilds (the mightiest financial family in Europe) and Rockfellers (founders of the biggest American oil company ‘Standard Oil’). Often, the competition was unfair and the breaching of laws usually brought about long court litigations hindering business development in Georgia. Agreements were made between the Nobels and Rotschilds, between the Rockfellers and Rotschilds, and sometimes even between the Nobels and Rockfellers. Everything was done to destroy the third party. The battle of these three families has gone down in history as the so called ‘Thirty Years War.’ The cause of it all? The Transcaucasian Railway and oil.

The Nobels started their business in Russia in the 1840s, which turned out to be financially unsuccessful. When Emanuel Nobel left Petersburg, his sons Ludwig and Robert decided to remain (Alfred returned to Europe to work on nitroglycerin). The two brothers opened in the Russian capital a military factory, meeting the tsars’ orders by producing cannon shells, barrels and rifles. The industry was entirely dependent on foreign raw material and in order to find new resources and make the production cheaper, Robert Nobel travelled in 1873 to the South Caucasus.

The Georgian National Archives have a number of interesting documents concerning the Nobels and their activities in Georgia. One of them attests to how, in March 1873, Robert addressed the local

authorities in Tiflis (Tbilisi), persuading them as to the benefits of the newly invented dynamite for constructing railroads, clearing rocky regions, and underwater. Supporting his case by appealing to the Caucasus’ rocky landscape and wide use of dynamite across the world, Robert asked for permission to import 500 pounds of dynamite to the Caucasus on a tax-free basis. Although Robert was the first of the Nobels to visit the Caucasus, it was not him, but Ludwig, who eventually became the founder of the Russian oil industry. In 1875, he bought

in Baku a kerosene plant and oil-rich territories for 8000 Rubles from the ‘Tiflis Society.’ In May 1878, by the special imperial degree of Alexander II, the Petroleum Production Company Nobel Brothers, Limited was formed, known as Branobel, with an initial capital fund of 3 million Rubles.

During the 1880s, the Nobels transported oil and kerosene from Baku to Europe either via the small Georgian city of Poti, or through the Baltic Sea ports. Using these routes involved huge financial costs, and therefore oil indus-

trialists sought a new, much cheaper, way. Batumi was considered the best option. However, while the city was in Turkish hands, the route could not be used. The situation changed dramatically after the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, with Batumi reintegrated into Georgia, thus creating favorable conditions for oil export through the city.

The completion of the Batumi-Samtredia Railway connected Batumi directly to Tiflis, considerably increasing the city’s industrial and export growth prospects. The Berlin Peace Congress of 1878

also contributed to this process by declaring Batumi a “porto franco” – “free port”.

Nobels’, Rotschilds’, German and English investments flowed into the city. It is also worth noting that Baku’s cheap kerosene made it eventually unprofitable to produce it in Georgia and, as evidence suggests, by 1902, this industry had entirely disappeared from in the country.

This led to the so-called ‘Thirty Years War’ of financial and political competition between the major financial families for the control of the Georgian transit corridor and Caspian oil.

10

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 18 - 24, 2020

PMCG’s Janelidze & Bolkvadze Lead OSCE Conference Supporting Turkmenistan’s Potential WTO Membership

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n September 2-4, PMCG’s representatives, Mikheil Janelidze and Bondo Bolkvadze, led a regional conference entitled ‘World Trade Organization (WTO) Membership as a Balance of Rights and Obligations: Best Practice of OSCE Participating States,’ hosted by the OSCE Center in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

The main objective of the seminar, which followed Turkmenistan’s acquisition of observer status in the WTO, was to enhance the national economy of the country, to strengthen international cooperation, to intensify and optimize foreign trade, and to boost its investment climate.

During the conference, Mr. Bolkvadze overviewed the role of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), their functions, organizational structure, budget, decision-making process, membership conditions and relations.

“This conference played a crucial role in promoting steps toward achieving the economic security and stability of Turkmenistan through economic liberalization and full integration into the world trading system, as a major priority of the country’s foreign economic policy. This year, as in the previous year, we used this platform to make a con-

tribution to regional trade facilitation and constructive cooperation, which serve as guarantors of the economic growth and stability of the region,” said Mr. Bolkvadze.

Meanwhile, Mr. Janelidze was specifically focused on the case of Georgia, which has some of the best practices of OSCE-participating states, and shared the country’s experiences establishing WTO membership and the implementation of its commitments. He discussed the three waves of Georgia’s trade policy liberalization, its path to EU market integration, and the impact of its 20-yearlong WTO membership on the country’s business environment, investment climate, and the role of the trade and transit corridor.

"Turkmenistan has decided to gradually integrate into the world’s trade and economic system in order to diversify trade relations and increase the country's investment attractiveness,” said Mr. Janelidze. “It is taking steps to join the WTO and this year has been granted observer status. The experience of Georgia in terms of joining the organization, the fulfillment of commitments and, in general, the outcomes of its liberal trade policy, have aroused great interest among the representatives of the official structures of Turkmenistan, who participated in the seminar. It is important for Turkmenistan to study the experiences of different countries and to acquire expert

knowledge before starting the accession process. I believe that the information received during the seminar will help them in this regard.”

The conference was opened by Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, and Vepa Khadzhiev, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmen-

istan, and was attended by the representatives of a number of Turkmenistan’s ministries, financial institutions, and other relevant agencies.

SOCIETY

Helios Georgia: Why Go Solar with Thy Neighbor?

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ovid-19 is not the only pandemic we’re fighting: according to recent studies, loneliness is another global “illness” that threatens us all. Dr. Vivek Murthy, former Surgeon General of the United States, wrote earlier this year that “Loneliness and weak social connections are associated with a reduction in lifespan similar to that caused by smoking 15 cigarettes a day”.

The cigarette comparison makes it clear, leading us to the realization that we should all be committing to our social connections, leaning on them a little more for our wellbeing, emotional or otherwise. This does not only apply to our personal everyday lives, but also to solving the problem of loneliness” it can be argued that individuals and parties in different sectors should encourage social relations and strive to make their businesses more communal.

Founded in 2017 to employ the use of solar energy, Helios Georgia is a company that adapts its operations to general ideas that can improve society. The business was built on the idea of freedom: allowing each citizen in Georgia to be energy independent. Now the company has taken a step further to serve the Georgian community by introducing community solar energy to the country: solar power plants whose electricity can be shared by more than one property.

Helios Georgia’s community solar has one main goal: to allow as many members of a community as possible to use the benefits of solar power even if they are not able to install solar panels on their own roofs or their general property.

To date, everyone in Georgia who wished

to go solar had but one option: install a private PV station for themselves. With community solar, a few members of the community can now share a joint solar power source, minimizing the cost of the plant’s installation as they divide it among themselves, while also reducing or completely eliminating electricity bill.

Let’s also not forget that going solar means you are playing your part in building a sustainable future for your local and global communities.

Company founder Tornike Darjania, who thanks to his self-installed PV station has not paid for electricity for four years now, sees community solar not only as a way for people who do not own a property/roof space to go solar, but as a way for people to (re)connect. Helios Georgia has just finished its first community solar project in the country: two neighbors now have a shared, sustainable alternative source of energy. They have both long wanted to make a sustainable

change and switch to solar energy, but they were not able to afford it alone. Cutting costs and being responsible towards the environment together establishes a stronger sense of integrity among the neighbors. It is as if they now own a shared vineyard: they both look after it and as the time of the harvest comes, they do it side by side, sharing even the benefits.

“We’d like to imagine this starts a chain reaction,” Darjania says. “As a stronger sense of the importance and the power

of sharing is established by the two neighbors, more members of their neighborhood join in, installing community solar and building a stronger, energy independent community.”

In the post-pandemic world, priorities have changed, especially our need to cut costs and tighten social connections. We can do both, plus care for our planet, by taking up Helios Georgia’s initiative, and together with our neighbors go community solar.

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 18 - 24, 2020

11

Inspiring Women: Nana Chkareuli, an Akhalgori IDP Bringing Hope to Tserovani

BY MELANIE HAMILTON

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mere 40km north of Tbilisi lies one of Georgia's largest IDP settlements, Tserovani. Following the 2008 war, Tserovani was one of the many IDP settlements created as housing for the thousands of those who were forcibly displaced from Tskhinvali, Akhalgori, and elsewhere in South Ossetia. Rapidly constructed in just six months following the war, Tserovani holds over 7,000 inhabitants in 2,000 homes, making it the nation's largest IDP settlement.

Seemingly overnight, thousands of families caught between the crossfires of Russian and Georgian forces were thrust into a new existence full of challenge; and the pre-war days of calm and routine were reduced to rubble literally

and figuratively. In addition to mourning the loss of loved ones, their old lives, and grappling with a new reality, many were dealing with the onset of mental illness. According to a study done by the University of Adelaide, PTSD, depression, anxiety, or a combination of them became prevalent in a whopping 1/3 of Georgia's IDP population in those who previously had no mental illness. This results in even steeper hurdles within a new community such as Tserovani, or any one of Georgia's IDP settlements.

Nana Chkareuli, an Akhalgori native displaced in Tserovani, made it her personal mission to change that.

Nana recalls the days, weeks, and ultimately years following the conflict as being full of confusion and pain. She found herself frustrated, waiting for help, and searched for ways to build a community, a real community, from scratch.

Seeing and experiencing the struggles

that her newfound community was facing, particularly women, she knew she had to make a change. She wanted to create something that would strengthen ties between neighbors, foster creativity, build trust, and create hope for a better future. That's where Ikorta comes in.

This female-driven social enterprise, founded by Nana in 2012, specializes in minankari, a traditional style of Georgian jewelry dating back to the 8th century.

This medieval technique for jewelry is truly a labor of love, as each piece takes several hours of slow and steady design.

Each piece is handcrafted and designed by local female artists determined to bring change within their community. Ikorta uniquely combines the medieval technique with modern and traditional design, resulting in jewelry that is as stunning and colorful as it is historic and meaningful. Speaking of historic and meaningful, the name holds significance as well. Ikorta comes from the 12th-century church and burial ground located around halfway between Tskhinvali and Akhalgori, the once homes of Tserovani's residents.

When asked what one of the most important aspects of Ikorta within Tserovani is, Nana replies, "dignity. " "From 2008, we had so many visitors who wanted to see how miserable it is to be an IDP,” she tells us. “It is important to share this reality, but often we don't feel good from it. Ikorta gives Tserovani a chance to share something good that has happened despite the war, and to show how strong we are and that we can achieve something and be proud.

We can have dignity. " There's something uniquely painful about being stripped of everything: home, a sense of belonging, and, oftentimes in war, family and loved ones. Hope becomes

fear; routine becomes chaos; and oncecommon pleasures, like fresh bread from your favorite baker or leisurely walks through one’s family village street, becomes obsolete. Places like Ikorta ease that discomfort and offer a sliver of normalcy in an otherwise abnormal way of life. It brings a sense of belonging to those who may feel isolated and misunderstood, and gives a sense of camaraderie in the shared struggle. In Tserovani's early days, domestic violence was on the rise, and many women were in need of trustworthy companionship and sisterhood. Waiting on the government for assistance oftentimes felt like a cruel shrug and emotional stability on par with a day to day lease. Over time, it became a place for local women to connect, vent, and empower themselves in ways previously thought impossible.

Thanks to Nana, Ikorta currently employs ten of Tserovani's IDP's, nine

of which are women. Eight years after its inception, Ikorta has continued to evolve as a haven for Tserovani's residents to connect over a love of art and shared cultural plights. Additionally, Ikorta offers workshops to help stimulate Tserovani while teaching the unique art of minankari and the history of the people making up the settlement. Their jewelry can be found at a variety of local stores located on their website.

Ultimately, Nana Chkareuli is the community leader we should all aspire to be.

She brings people together, she mends bridges, and creates hope where there is none. She's an empowered and determined woman overflowing with love and pride for her community in Tserovani that goes beyond the realms of a good neighbor, and it's contagious. It's safe to say that people like Nana Chkareuli don't come along every day, but when they do, something pretty special happens.

newly renovated or still-in-progress classrooms. The indoor bathroom complex is still being built, but assuming the water runs, it will be a first for us, infinitely better than the old pair of outhouses, which I could not bring myself to use once in the several years I cotaught English there. (Home is less than 100m away in any case.)

In our isolated conditions, it is unlikely that our school and the many like it in Georgia’s mountain villages will have to close due to being ground zero for a new Virus outbreak. In this way, we are in a far better position than schools in many other countries in the developed world, which are starting and stopping faster than a revolving door spins.

How the pupils will cope with maintaining distance from each other remains to be seen; it sounds increasingly less possible as one descends the age ladder. But this too may be less of a dangerously infectious issue than one fears, again given our relative isolation as a community.

In the coming days there are schedules to be ironed out, and things in general to put into as much order as can be done.

And then the new school year will be back to whatever passes for the New Normal, a year unlike any other in the experience of all of us: students, teachers, parents and onlookers. Whether the education being received is mostly as a result of classroom time or of other factors, we hope it will be sufficient to prepare young minds and hearts for the uncertain world which awaits them sooner or later.

School at Last: Etseri, Svaneti

BLOG BY TONY HANMER

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ne would be forgiven for a certain amount of confusion regarding the re-start of the Georgian educational year. After all, there were rumors flying in various media, all contradicting one other. September 15 was to be the date for public schools outside the country’s seven largest cities. These would start on October 1,

preceded by two weeks of online education, as we had all experienced from early spring until the end of the last school year. But the day arrived, and in our village of Etseri, it was business as usual.

Usual, to the extent of the ongoing renovations (which did start in midsummer for once instead of concurrent with the school reopening!), with at least a week of dust, noise and disruption left.

And also with a certain administrator’s absence, possibly a first for the opening day, but not in general. Probably new

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Commercial Director: Iva Merabishvili Marketing Manager: Natalia Chikvaidze

GEORGIA TODAY

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT:

Editor-In-Chief: Katie Ruth Davies

this year was a much greater sense of relief that the long vacation from school is actually over and can we get back to something approaching Normal now, please?

When I arrived at about 10:30 am, my wife was seated at a desk just inside the school’s main door. She and a colleague, standing, were both masked and faceshielded. He took the temperature of each person entering using one of those instantresult thermos-guns, and she recorded it, along with the person’s name and surname. Extra face masks were ready for any adult, though the children were not asked to wear one; disinfectant liquid was both on the desk and on the wall.

The eight grade 1 entrants were in their class, accompanied both by a few parents and their mentor-teacher, having received their new books and the customary laptop each; mostly entirely and blissfully unaware that this phase of their young lives is to continue for twice as long as the current extent of those lives. Grade 1 numbers are a good way for us to gauge the population health of the village, comparing them with previous years to get a handle on whether we are growing or shrinking. Eight is about average for us in the last few years, a sign that things are looking pretty normal.

Elsewhere, other grades were receiving their books and discovering their

Journalists: Ana Dumbadze, Vazha Tavberidze, Nini Dakhundaridze, Tony Hanmer, Emil Avdaliani, Nugzar B. Ruhadze, Beka Alexishvili, Elene Dzebizashvili Photographer: Aleksei Serov

Website Manager/Editor: Katie Ruth Davies Layout: Misha Mchedlishvili Webmaster: Sergey Gevenov Circulation Managers: David Kerdikashvili, David Djandjgava

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

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