Issue #1278

Issue no: 1278

• DEC. 25 - JAN. 14, 2020/2021 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

FOCUS

The Reality We Live In: Thoughts at the Year End

ON NEW YEAR HOPE!

POLITICS PAGE 4

The Second Karabakh War & the Information Warfare in Georgian-Armenian Relations

The GT Team wishes its readers Happy, Healthy Holidays and All the Best for 2021

POLITICS PAGE 4

CENN Holds Online B2B Meetings to Support Businesses in Keda Municipality BUSINESS PAGE 5

Carrefour 2020 Achievements BUSINESS PAGE 6

Stingray Launches the Stingray Music Mobile App with Beeline Georgia BUSINESS PAGE 8 Image source: time.com

COVID Mutations: To Worry or Not To Worry?

BY NINI DAKHUNDARIDZE

SOCIETY PAGE 10

O

ut of all the 12 months of 2020, December has been the most hopeful perhaps, with vaccination roll outs starting early in the month, first in Britain, followed by Canada and the United States just recently. These Pfizer shots, with 95% efficacy, and the newer Moderna vaccine said to be just as effective, offered a world on edge hope for a way out of the pandemic. Of course, 2020 being 2020 still gave us bumps on the road: first came allergy warnings against the vaccine, and now Britain and South Africa report a mutation of the virus, which is about 70% more easily transmitted. Worried but not surprised, scientists say there are many layers under the surface.

“The fact is that you have a thousand big guns pointed at the virus,” Kartik Chandran, a virologist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, told the New York Times. “No matter how the virus twists and weaves, it’s not that easy to find a genetic solution that can really combat all these different antibody specificities, not to mention the other arms of the immune response.”

This past weekend, Britain claimed the new, highly contagious variant of COVID had started

New Alternative Space Alterbridge: A Bridge between Education & Employment Meet the Creators of Gorgasali Battle Royale, the First Georgian Board Game CULTURE PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

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circulating in England. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced “when the virus changes its method of attack, we must change our method of defense,” as London and its surrounding areas saw a rapid surge in new cases and the country entered the tightest lockdown since March.

As the news about the new COVID mutation spread, European countries made a move to

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close their borders with the United Kingdom on Sunday. The Netherlands suspended flights from Britain until January 1. While Germany is limiting travel both from Britain and South Africa, Italy has suspended air travel to the UK, and Belgium imposed a ban on train and air arrivals from the country.

Continued on page 3

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2

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 25 - JANUARY 14, 2020/2021

Weekly Political Developments

A New Year Message from GT’s General Manager

T

he global pandemic has impacted the whole world, and, of course, Georgia has been no exception. Hospitality, Georgia’s economic driver, struggled in particular; forced to count on local tourism alone, with the majority of international flights cancelled and international airports in Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi working at limited capacity.

However, we all learned something new from the pandemic, be it personally in our world view, or in terms of work.

Businesses adapted to become more flexible and more creative as their employees and services moved to a distance format of work.

And although GT, like much of the media sector, has also struggled in 2020, with supporting businesses having to cut their advertising and marketing budgets, the GT team has kept working to offer its readers the promised quality latest news and weekly blogs, analyses and opinion pieces in English, in both print and online formats. And not only have we kept GT going, we have two new surprises for you!

First, out this week, the first of an annual business summary in the form of a rebranded Georgia Today Business product: now in magazine format but still focusing on the latest business and economic trends in Georgia and abroad.

Inside the Georgia Today Business magazine, which is especially designed for investors and everyone else interested

in Georgia’s economy, you’ll enjoy discovering useful information in news, interviews and analyses about Georgia’s business and economic achievements, challenges, and development.

In Georgia Today Business magazine, the GT team brings together top Georgian companies and their leaders from different fields, among them investment, banking, finance, entrepreneurship, real estate, hospitality, architecture, new technologies, education, and healthcare – the most vulnerable sector of the economy.

Second, for more digital-savvy readers, we have some very exciting news: www. georgiatoday.ge is very soon to have a brand new website with a modern look and mobile-functionality, where you’ll find all your favorite news categories- Politics, Business, Society, Culture and Sports, as well as links to our weekly newspaper and tourism magazine Where.ge.

I wish you and your loved ones a very happy New Year, one which will see an end to the pandemic and a time of fast recovery, seeing hundreds of new businesses given the opportunity to start up in Georgia and globally.

Thanks for standing by us in 2020!

Georgia Today & Georgia Today Business promises to keep you updated with accurate information and analysis during the next, promising, year of 2021.

My best wishes on behalf of the Georgia Today team.

George Sharashidze, Publisher, GM at Georgia Today Group

BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

his week turned out to be full of interesting political developments in the Georgian reality, with a lot of important events taking place simultaneously.

On Tuesday, the annual meeting engaging heads of overseas diplomatic missions of Georgia, labeled as the 'Conference of Ambassadors 2020 – Foreign Policy Priorities of Georgia within the Global Pandemic, New Challenges and Opportunities,' was held in an online format.

At the event, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia praised the involvement of the US and EU ambassadors in the political dialogue between the government and the opposition, aimed at reducing polarization between the sides.

“Naturally, when the process directly engages the ambassadors of our strategic partners, the EU and US, it clearly demonstrates to our citizens that the democratic process to them, our partners. It is yet another manifestation of the results achieved in recent years. US and EU support to Georgia is higher than ever before, and we need to do our best to maintain this level of backing,” he said.

Further, the PM stressed that the territorial integrity of the country will remain the priority of the highest degree in any conditions of life in the future.

“We need to understand that it is the main challenge of our country. Hard work, policy-making, de-occupation and the territorial integrity of our country will be our top priorities in any condition of life. We need to do our best to let nobody forget our number one challenge: the occupation and territorial integrity of Georgia,” he noted.

On Wednesday, the PM presented the government program for 2021-2024 at a meeting with the parliamentary faction of the Georgian Dream. He pointed out that the government program will

be aimed at enabling the country to quickly recover its economy and return to the starting position of 2019-2020.

Gakharia noted the global pandemic has seriously challenged each public institution, and everyone should "understand that this process will not end soon."

He also noted that during an economic crisis, the key goal of government is to ensure fiscal consolidation and discipline. He added that, in terms of capital expenditures, the level and magnitude will be maintained in the coming four years, irrespective of the economic crisis, as it is essential for streamlining the systemic infrastructure of the country.

The same day, a bill envisaging the abolition of budget funding for boycotting parties and the termination of free airtime was adopted in the first reading at Parliament, amending the Law on Political Unions of Citizens with 84 votes. They also voted on the planned changes to the election legislation and the Rules of Procedure of Parliament.

Following this move, the European People's Party (EPP) said on Twitter that the legislative initiative of the ruling party of Georgia is directed against the biggest opposition party, which is supported by one-third of the Georgian population (the United National Movement - UNM).

“EPP is deeply concerned by the recent legislative initiative of the ruling party of Georgia, directed against the biggest opposition party that is supported by one-third of the Georgian population.

“We urge Georgia to continue moving towards its declared EU values, and instead of restricting the democratic right of the opposition to return to constructive dialogue, to find a compromise solution which would benefit all Georgian citizens,” the EPP stated.

Following the statement, the ruling party responded that the decision to send the draft law on state funding to the Venice Commission is proof that the government is acting under democratic principles.

“The EPP should have instead called

on its associated member parties in Georgia to engage in parliamentary work,” Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, commented.

On Thursday, the US Ambassador to Georgia, Kelly Degnan, urged the opposition to fight in parliament despite institutional shortcomings.

She says she now sees a chance to finally resolve the problems raised by representatives of the ODIHR and other observer organizations, and, therefore, calls on the opposition to enter parliament and use a democratic format.

"But it requires all members to come to parliament and fight for change within the institutions they have created and built. We call on them, no matter what shortcomings these institutions have; no matter how weak they are in the eyes of the opposition: this is a democratic format that took Georgia 20 years to build. That's why we want to use it to make the system better,” the Ambassador said.

On Thursday, Georgian parliament gave a confidence vote to PM Giorgi Gakharia’s Cabinet and governmental program 'Building of a European State' at an extraordinary session.

The Prime Minister informed the deputies about the government program in a session attended only by members of the Georgian Dream faction.

The only new member of the Cabinet of Ministers is the Minister of Justice.

Giorgi Gakharia has nominated Gocha Lortkipanidze for the post.

In parallel with the extraordinary session, civil activists held a rally at the entrance of the parliament building, claiming that the current parliament is illegitimate. They say they intend to continue rallies regularly in future.

Despite several calls from the US and EU Ambassadors, opposition parties are not going to change their decision and enter the Parliament of the 10th convocation. Through this move, they express protest, believing that the incumbent government rigged the October 31 election results.

Pianist Tamta Magradze Wins Liszt Competition 2020

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eorgian pianist Tamta Magradze has won the Online Audience Award of the Liszt Competition Utrecht, after finishing first in an online poll on Monday.

The 25-year-old competed with 13 other musicians in the final stage of the Dutchhosted event, and was declared winner with 1395 votes. She received a cash prize of €1000 and an opportunity to perform at TivoliVredenburg Utrecht on October 30, 2021.

The Liszt Competition Utrecht was founded in 1986 and since has built a reputation as one of the world’s most prestigious piano competitions. The event aims to present, develop and promote piano talent from around the world.

In doing so, it has become one of the prominent gateways to the international

professional classical music scene for young musicians.

Franz Liszt, the pianist, composer and visionary after whom the competition is named, always felt obligated to sup-

port young artists. He was responsible for establishing the way a piano recital is conducted nowadays.

Another Georgian pianist, Mariam Batsashvili, won the same award in 2014.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 25 - JANUARY 14, 2020/2021

On the Holiday Restrictions: Some Easing, Some Staying in Force

BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

he Georgian government this week announced the partial easing of the COVID restrictions from December 24 through January 2: 1. Municipal transport remains shut in Tbilisi, Rustavi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Gori, Zugdidi, Poti and Telavi. Intercity transport nationwide also remains shut. Personal vehicles and taxis are permitted.

2. Markets and fairs will not be reopening. Fruit and vegetable markets will remain operational with full compliance with the safety rules.

3. Retail trade will be re-opening in the above-listed cities from December 24 through January 2 in full compliance with the safety rules. Retailers will operate from 07:00 to 19:00. No more than 1 customer will be admitted per 20 m2.

Queues should be controlled both inside and outside shops (distancing, use of masks). Discounts should be announced for shopping in morning hours and/or online sales. Dressing Rooms will remain closed. Returns or exchanges should be permitted after February 1. Eateries at shopping malls will remain closed.

Responsibility for the above rests with the administrations of the retailers. Violations will result in penalties and suspension of operation.

4. Apart from those in ski resorts, hotels and the restaurants within them can deliver services to guests. Cultural and other entertainment events are prohibited in these hotels. Restaurants within hotels can operate only until 21:00, with room service thereafter.

5. Restaurants and eateries will remain operational only for take-away service throughout the country.

6. The curfew will remain from 21:00 to 05:00 nationwide both for walking and driving. An exception will be made for New Year’s Eve on December 31 and Christmas night on January 6.

Despite these exceptions, the government urges citizens to celebrate the holidays with only their closest family members and avoid mass gatherings as far as possible.

3

COVID Mutations: To Worry or Not To Worry?

Continued from page 1 As Spanish officials addressed the European Union to draw up a coordinated response to banning flights, in total more than 40 countries banned UK arrivals.

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned that the new mutation of the virus, which may be up to 70% more transmissible, is “getting out of control.” There is no laboratory-backed evidence of this transmissibility, however. The Health Secretary is also worried about the still-packed trains in England, calling them “clearly irresponsible.” The number of policemen in railway stations is to increase so they can check that passengers are taking their journeys for essential reasons only. The stringent restrictions might be in place for the next few months, Hancock warned.

South Africa has seen the same version of the virus. Scientists there analysed the genetic sequences of COVID patients taken from midNovember, detecting a mutation similar of that in Britain in up to 90% of the samples. Yet, scientists in nei-

ther Britain nor South Africa rule out the chance that some of the newlyacquired transmissibility might be caused by human behaviour.

The fact that the virus is mutating comes as no surprise: researchers have recorded thousands of tiny modifications in the genetic material of the coronavirus. For it to survive, the virus needs to shift shapes so that the immune system will not be able to detect it or defeat it, but as the experts have said, COVID simply does not need such a big alteration so soon. “It would be a little surprising to me if we were seeing active selection for immune escape,” said Emma Hodcroft, a molecular epidemiologist at the University of Bern in Switzerland, talking to The New York Times.

“In a population that’s still mostly naïve, the virus just doesn’t need to do that yet,” she said. “But it’s something we want to watch out for in the long term, especially as we start getting more people vaccinated.”

Hodcroft says that immunizing about 60% of the population within about a year, and preventing the disease spread as much as possible, will help

minimize the chances of the virus mutating notably.

Influenza, which is considered a fast mutating virus, needs five to seven years to change its genetic code so significantly that it completely escapes immune recognition. Further, a recent report claims that common cold viruses evolve to escape the immune system, but need many years to do so.

Despite this, the scientists perhaps now more than ever need to watch closely how the virus evolves so that they are able to spot if it gets an edge over the vaccines. Flu viruses for one are regularly monitored, and its vaccines are updated after each significant mutation. According to Trevor Bedford, an evolutionary biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, the same should be done for COVID. “You can imagine a process that exists for the flu vaccine, where you’re swapping in these variants and everyone’s getting their yearly COVID shot,” he said. “I think that’s what generally will be necessary.”

Sources: The New York Times, The BBC

H.E. Sophie Katsarava: “Building Trust Comes from Believing in What You Do” which we have never been closer.

HOW DID YOUR CAREER HISTORY ASSIST YOUR CURRENT ROLE? I spent many rewarding years working with the British Embassy in Tbilisi, and through working closely with multiple ambassadors, I witnessed first-hand the power of diplomacy and communications in international relations. Subconsciously, I think even back then, I knew this was what I wanted to do.

Entering parliament in 2016, I became Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

I was Georgia’s ambassador to many countries, and met many people in many different formats. In that role, it is so important that the international community understands the challenges that we face and that they support us as we develop.

My communications experience greatly contributed to my success in this role.

My experience is an added bonus to my current role here in Britain. A diplomat has to be able to truly understand the country they are in. My experience helps me to understand the UK’s priorities and policies, and helps make our relations as positive as possible.

INTERVIEW BY ELEANOR KRAMERS

L

ast week H.E. Sophie Katsarava, Georgia’s Ambassador to the UK, was interviewed on her role, career history and what she wants to achieve, during an event co-hosted by PRCA, the world’s largest industry body for public relations professionals, and Women in Public Affairs, a UK based body for females in the lobbying industry.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CURRENT ROLE. As Georgia’s Ambassador to the UK, my key role is to represent my government in the UK towards key strategic objectives. These include enhancing cooperation in security, defense, trade and economy. and building on on the substantial achievements we have made so far. I work to build on the friendship

between our countries, which remains as strong and important as ever.

A key part of my role is working with the UK to identify shared interest and common ground. We want to raise the country’s profile and to tell as many people as possible what Georgia stands for, what we believe in, as well as explaining our challenges opportunities and aspirations.

We aspire to be a member of the EU and NATO, continuing to develop our country so that it becomes a fully-fledged member of the western community. As a nation with 20% of its territory occupied, we cooperate closely with our strategic partners on security challenges.

Security is an area that unites us, and we work to identify new opportunities to work together in future.

We have a set of ambitious goals to promote and develop our country. Georgia has seen impressive development in recent years, and have a strong future alongside the western community to

WHAT ARE THE PRECONCEPTIONS OF GEORGIA, AND HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THEM? The less you know about the country, the more misconceptions you might have. My role in the UK is to educate my contacts, key stakeholders and new acquaintances about Georgia.

Many view us as a country in conflict.

However, this goes beyond our territorial integrity; it’s important that everyone I meet understands how real people and families are suffering through conflict.

We’re pursuing an agenda of reconciliation, and we see this as the resolution to the security challenge. We’re doing everything we can to contribute to stability in the country, in the region, and beyond. Our stability is intrinsically linked to our prosperity, and ultimately the prosperity of our citizens.

Overall, Georgia is a safe, stable country for British businesses to invest in.

We should use the opportunity of the Free Trade Associations (FTAs) to enhance cooperation in trade and industry. In normal times, we host many tourists from the UK. But in the absence of international travel, I can work to increase the level of understanding so that the perceptions of Georgia are about right.

HOW HAS THE ROLE OF WOMEN PROGRESSED IN GEORGIAN POLITICS? I’m always very passionate about the topic of women in politics, an industry that is very male dominated. Many people don’t know that Georgia has a strong tradition of female MPs; 100 years ago, when we had the first Democratic Republic of Georgia, five women were elected to the national assembly. At that time, women in some European countries didn’t even have the right to vote!

We’re in no way perfect on gender representation, but we’ve made considerable strides so far. We have a female President for the first time, and women are in key positions as MPs, Ministers and Chairs of many committees - like I was. Their visibility provides a strong example to young women.

However, Georgia is in no way complacent. The parliament has adopted recent legislation on gender, and there is a full acknowledgement and understanding of the importance of women’s role in politics.

Women should not be discouraged from taking an active role in the political process. We should be confident about our position and the fact that we will make a difference. Do what you believe in, be dedicated, and be passionate about what you do.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES OF ARRIVING DURING LOCKDOWN? When I was nominated for the role, there were no signs of the pandemic whatsoever, but it had overwhelmed everyone’s agenda by the time I arrived! But, again, we tried to focus on the silver lining.

In eight months, we have accomplished a lot. Our number one priority is looking after our citizens, but on the political

front, we’re business as usual: simply switching to the virtual world. In 2020, we still hosted the UK-Georgia Wardrop Strategic Dialogue, an annual platform for us to discuss all areas of strategic direction. Our Prime Minister took part when the UK hosted the Global Vaccine Summit (GAVI) 2020. On business, we signed an MoU with the London Chamber of Commerce on trade, and we created the first ever virtual trade hub!

It’s been a difficult time and a steep learning curve. Yet, we have to adjust to the new reality: there have been some great opportunities and the situation inspires some creative ideas!

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE IN YOUR TIME AS AMBASSADOR? My daily work is quite intensive, and everything is aimed towards long-term objectives, even if they don’t have tangible results today.

However, when I look back, I want to have gone beyond agreements on paper.

I want to raise Georgia’s profile so that we have many champions of Georgia across the country. I hope to have contributed to an improved understanding and perception of our country in the UK.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO YOUNG PEOPLE ENTERING POLITICS? Believe in yourself, be determined about your job, be consistent, and be passionate about what you do. That sums up my approach to every job and the people I work with.

The other day, I came across Sir Henry Wotton’s quote: “An ambassador is an honest gentleman sent to lie abroad for the good of his country.” However, my philosophy is the reverse; I think that building trust comes from believing in what you do, whether this is diplomacy or politics. It’s only through this you can pursue your career with confidence.

Eleanor Kramers of FTI Consulting, is co-chair of the PRCA Emerging Market Group alongside George Morris Seers. Laura Sainsbury, Chair of Women in Public Affairs, introduced the event.

4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 25 - JANUARY 14, 2020/2021

The Reality We Live In: Thoughts at the Year End

BY VICTOR KIPIANI, GEOCASE, CHAIRMAN

M

uch has been said about this newly emerging wave of global instability and disorder. There are many reasons, factors, and analyses given on a regular and routine basis. Clearly, there is a proper set of orderly reflections on what has happened in regards to global stability and how it must be cured and addressed.

For the purposes of this article, we would rather avoid repetition, and would like to reiterate what to consider to be mainly reflections on global instability, if you will. That being said, let us briefly go through those reasons and considerations that have triggered what we all are facing these days.

When pointing out such in-depth causes, our view is that they all have a common denominator, and bear one and the same semblance. That commonality could well be named, albeit with a name that is quite vague and obscure, but explains a lot: “a disruption of cohesiveness”.

Our world has never been cohesive enough, however, though this notion is relative, as you may appreciate. The Cold War provided for its own cohesiveness when laying down a unique structure of international relationships. The structure was predominantly premised on a near hot-phase conflict of two global powers, but with enough diligence to never cross the line, using a structured, well-oversighted system of proxy wars. The global lot was simple and straightforward enough, although some reasonable intricacies and intrigues were admitted.

With the end of the Cold War and dismantling of the old structure, however,

a whole range of extremely challenging “new normals” and brain teasers in regional and international relations and security have started to emerge. The 2008 war between Russia and Georgia was a farewell salvo, signaling that some remnant of the old deterrents was passing, while the annexation of Crimea was the closing act where the old rules of the game were finally gone. In a very short historical span of time, we have witnessed a process of ‘creative destruction’, along with emerging and re-emerging threats, but also with new opportunities. However, there is not enough indication that a new set of standards are under construction to bring a fresh wave of healthy cohesiveness into the global edifice; nor are there sufficient well-concerted efforts turning new opportunities into tangible gains.

Our view is that the next major rupture will be an excessive fragmentation of the world system pursuant to multiple nonconnected regions. Each region representing – if not completely independent – a mostly independent policy-making center, implanting policy based on not only its own perceptions, but misperceptions as well. Regionalization is not necessarily

bad. Moreover, it brings clear advantages when a certain regional design is well thought and enacted. But if implemented in a hasty and irrational way, it could lead a regional process into the murky waters of real threats and challenges. The recent events in Nagorno Karabakh, which left the respective parties and stakeholders with a rather complex and multi-layered cease-fire agreement, is an example of somewhat contradicting interests and expectations that could backfire at some future point in time.

The next two factors undermining global security and order are the changing peaceful means for resolving trade and commerce disputes, and controversies caused by the use of coercive means to an unabashed degree. Trade wars, sanctions, and embargos have become frequently used language for a diplomacy of “new normals”. This leads to a further fragmentation of global bonds and brings in visible disruptions that make a healing process as painful as one could possibly theorize. This rather unfanciful toolkit for diplomatic dialogue – or, should we say, non-dialogue – coupled with a risky process of retailoring or “creatively destroying” the global supply

chain on a massive scale. This way forward promises to heavily damage the cohesiveness of a global economic fabric which, ultimately, adds to wide-scale security system distortions as well.

Last, but not of any lesser maligned impact, is a “disconnect” between the state and its nationals. Policy-making should act as the true stakeholder to drive national economy or ensure a much-needed social safety support. The more so-called laissez-faire the state has become in this regards over the past years, the more porous and vulnerable our civic composition has become visa-vis various populist, radical and extremist forces. This very fatal process for alienating a given society from its own state institutions, making the former highly self-driven while the latter dangerously detached, presents a deadly blow to global security, threatening to tear down the autonomous cohesiveness of national security cells.

As mentioned, this is a summary of the innate causes of the ongoing instability and a looming larger disorder. Meanwhile various other manifestations, such as conflicts, terrorism, illegal migration and other wrongs, are explicit of those very same causes (as well, as a few others too) boiling just below the surface for some time already.

But how to right the wrongs? Remedies could be various and advice is plentiful these days. Allow us to mention just a few.

Some go to the very basic but well forgotten skills of international politics, which are so badly required for any success when attempting to rebuild a new, stable edifice, expertise, honesty, respect and goal-sharing (but not necessarily value-sharing).

Next, since every large edifice starts from carefully placed blocks, regional

and sub-regional orders must be placed in the right way. This task is even more important when taking into account that the modern world has become so multipolar, and such multipolarity reflects an emergence of various regional centers of gravitation. Among those is clearly the Black Sea region. These days, there are many discussions and initiatives to put the region in a proper prospective.

From our standpoint, let us please raise a proposal for any further discussions, and that proposal is about signing a framework document under the name of the Black Sea Declaration.

The Declaration will emphasize how essential the Black Sea region is for world peace and stability by helping reach the same in our region. Among other possible issues, the Declaration will: 1) underline the importance for regional security partnerships; 2) speak of the region as a “free-area” from maligned influences and “special zones of interest”; 3) emphasize a requirement for concerted efforts for mobilizing funds to diversify the regional infrastructure, and promoting socially and environmentally sustainable projects for the region; 4) touch on frozen and prolonged conflicts as well as express support for sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries in the Black Sea region; 5) provide for local venues for deliberating on regional security threats, terrorism and migration related challenges; 6) emphasize the importance of open discussions on regional free trade agreements and trade associations.

Discussions on shaping a new global and regional order seem to be a neverending process; however, it is a very timely working out some clear contours already and finding a right and wellbalanced exit from the grips of the unfolding turmoil and disorder.

The Second Karabakh War & the Information Warfare in Georgian-Armenian Relations OP-ED BY GIORGI MOLODINI, FOUNDER, GEORGIAN CENTER FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS

I

t may seem unbelievable to some, but the citizens of neighboring countries, whose states have a centuries-old history of coexistence, know each other only by stereotypes and other oral traditions.

This fact often leads them to irrational and sometimes even rational fears about each other. These forms of fear are not mutually exclusive, because you are naturally afraid of what is next to you, but you do not know what it is or what it wants. I’m very sorry to use such an introduction to this article on the information warfare in the Georgian-Armenian relations. My subjective opinion is that in case of intention, after the GeorgiaTurkey issue, unleashing an “information war” between Georgia and Armenia is the easiest thing to do. As for me, this sad reality has deep psychological, historical and cultural roots, where truth and lie are intertwined. I also think that some “third party” contributed to this, and today we look at each other with fear and resentment.

GEORGIANS ARE FAIRLY OFFENDED WHEN: • Nobody can speak Georgian in Akhalkalaki or Ninotsminda; • Famous Armenian politicians speak seriously about Javakheti’s accession; • The leaders of the separatist ideology organization in Javakheti are cherished in Yerevan; • Texts about “Great Armenia” are accompanied by maps showing the territories of Georgia; • They recall the secret negotiations between the Dashnaks and Turks about the return of the disputed territories; • They recall the Russian military bases in Armenia, despite my deep conviction that these bases should frighten the Armenians more than the Georgians.

Add to this the fact the atrocities com-

mitted by the Bagramian Battalion in Abkhazia are perceived among Georgians as a crime committed by the Armenian people; In turn, there are Armenian images of perceiving and understanding Georgians and “Armenian narratives” describing these images. We have to look for its roots in the history. Some of these narratives include: • Accusing Georgians of betraying Armenians in 1918 in connection with the Turkish armed aggression; • Accusing the then Georgian government of inhumane treatment of Armenian refugees; • Talking about the economic and communication blockade imposed by Georgia against Armenia; There are also allegations of occupation of “indigenous Armenian lands” by the Georgian Armed Forces.

If we look at our modern history, we will find a new list of accusations, but here we will see one interesting reality: Georgian-Armenian relations go beyond “Tbilisi-Yerevan” relations; ethnic Armenians living in Georgia have also added diversity to the images and narratives of perceiving and understanding Georgians, and there appeared new accusations, namely: • Getting an education in the Armenian language in Javakheti; • Discrimination in the political or economic sphere; • Legal prohibition of citizenship; • Problems and complaints regarding the ownership of cultural heritage.

In short, as I said above, truth and lie are intertwined here as well, and someone must be very happy with this fact.

These attitudes towards each other are naturally compounded by the foreign policy choices of both states. Official Tbilisi sees and estimates Yerevan more in terms of its relations with Moscow.

In case of another Russian aggression in Georgia, Tbilisi sees Yerevan as neither an ally nor a neighbor with a neutral position. To the contrary: it is perceived as a potential threat. Nevertheless, the governments of both countries are still prudent and unwavering in implement-

Image source: IDFI.ge

ing and firmly supporting the policy of cooperation and good relations. Georgians and Armenians were caught in such a difficult situation by the Second Karabakh War. It would be naive to think that this war would not affect Georgia in any way. Some experts predicted even worse scenarios. This time, we survived the worst.

During the Karabakh war, the Information Defense Legion, a group of volunteers I represent, revealed a key message that sought to discredit Georgia's position during the war and to blacken Georgians in the eyes of Armenians. This message was: “A Christian country that helps the enemy (Muslims)!“ This message was accompanied by supportive communication activities that were supposed to build the trust of the target audience: 1. A video was spread on the internet showing the Georgian police allegedly escorting the Turkish military cargo to Azerbaijan. This story was even covered by the Kremlin mouthpiece, соловьёв Live Show. The story was based on the inscription “Bayraktar” on one of the trucks that appeared in the video. In fact, the inscription on the truck had nothing to do with military production or the existing conflict” “Bayraktar” is a Turkish logistics (carrier) company.

2. A video on Tik-Tok by Armenian citizen Hamsik Eidyan went viral. He and his friend cursed the Georgian government and Georgians in the Russian language. The reason for this had something to do with the decision of the Georgian government not to allow the ethnic Armenians of Javakheti to export second-hand tires from Javakheti to Karabakh.

3. More anti-Georgian misinformation.

Vladimir Khomeriki, President of the Foundation for the Unity of the Russian and Georgian People, and online media “Eadaily,” registered in the Russian Federation, were involved in it. They deliberately spread false information claiming the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia had barred the transit of medical and humanitarian aid from Russia to Armenia.

It is difficult to convey the communication effect of the above-mentioned false information on the population of the two countries, but the complexity of the situation is also proven by the fact that the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Georgia even had to make am extraordinary statement on October 2. The Information Defense Legion finally became convinced of the gravity of the situation when the Georgian organization asked us to dispel the myths for their Armenian partner organization.

They tried to convince their partners that the information that Georgia had obstructed the flow of fuel and humanitarian aid to Armenia was untrue.

It should be noted that the Kremlin is not the only party interested in the deterioration of Georgian-Armenian relations. For years, we have been watching various online media outlets that are actively trying to “cover” the population of Georgia. For example, Kavkazplus is actively trying to stir up anti-Armenian sentiments in Georgian society. In general, Twitter accounts associated with Azerbaijan are constantly active and engaged in anti-Armenian campaigns in Georgia. They clearly redoubled their efforts during the Karabakh War in various directions, namely by generalizing the atrocities committed by the Bagramian Battalion to the Armenian nation.

Even a superficial analysis of the relations between the two countries shows that the flow of information against Georgia, unfortunately, will not disappear without a trace. The narrative about “traitorous Georgians” was revived once again 100 years later and poisoned the minds of many Armenian citizens. This circumstance will not be an insignificant story for Georgia. I do not know how Official Yerevan views this story, but it would be better for the Georgian authorities to make effective use of strategic communications to improve the information space and to neutralize these anti-Georgian narratives that have emerged “thanks” to fake news.

I believe the promotion of good neighborliness and mutual respect should also be the pragmatic policy of Yerevan. Otherwise, we will remain hostages to our stereotypes and irrational fears, which will put a negative strain on the state and inter-ethnic relations between the two countries. It is noteworthy that the Caucasus is the home to peoples who, due to purely human relations, can also cause serious geopolitical shifts in the region. But, again, due to the peculiarities of the people living in this region, it is not necessary to consider the words I use, “serious” and “shifts,” only as words with a positive connotation.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 25 - JANUARY 14, 2020/2021

5

Let’s Sum It Up! OP-ED BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

T

heglobalbackgroundagainst which Georgia lives and works is too spacious and imposing, compared to which this small country is just too small and too quiet. Yet, it still makes sense to have a brief and casual look at what has happened to us in 2020, and to the world that has something to do with us. And the world has been consumed with a rampant pandemic, looking at the Creator with scared and prayerful eyes, in desperate search of a way out of the lethal malady.

Georgia is as preoccupied with it as the rest of the planet, suffering the horrible consequences of the infection as any other nation on earth. People are dying in droves, and death is turning into a daunting routine that quickly started being taken for granted by us all.

The disease has caused social and eco-

nomic commotion, hitting almost every country worldwide with public upheavals, business lockdowns and stock market crashes. In principle, the world has not known an economic disruption of this magnitude since the well-known pre-war Great Depression of the bygone 20th century.

The calamities have not ended there: tropical cyclones, the disastrous effects of climate change, wildlife on fire in Australia and the US, and other mishaps of the sort, have hit hard life on our troubled planet. Thank God, we have not felt in Georgia much of those blows from our Mother Nature. Moreover, we have done our-level utmost to handle this rigid medicinal limbo, so that the country goes on, not yet having run out of food, fuel, electricity, or, most importantly, the human energy to survive, although Georgia is not the richest country in the world, suffering from a myriad almost unsolvable problems.

At the same time, political bouts and geopolitical quakes have not stopped

around the world, some of them turning into a factual threat to regional or even global security. For instance, Georgia’s most dedicated and helpful strategic partner, the United States of America, has been going through unheard-of fits and starts in its democratic process, leaving the impression that not all is in the finest order in the world leader’s overall political life and centuries-old constitutional order: from the sitting President’s shocking impeachment, to the allegedly rigged elections.

Coincidentally, Georgia’s political tissue is going through the same painful allegations of distorted electoral results so badly that the losers have forfeited their appetite for a political struggle within the existent legal framework, practically turning the Georgian parliament into a mono-partisan political system. There is one big difference, though, between the Georgian and American electoral situations: in Georgia, it is the opposition that protests the outcome of elections, which sounds natural for an

oppositional political force, thus the fraud is less believable. In America, it is the current government that wants to overturn the elections, almost recognizing that the governmental system they are running is catastrophically faulty, which sounds preternatural for a functioning administration, thus the scam is more believable.

On a softer level, the world had its ears perked and eyes open when his Royal Highness Prince Harry and her not very Royal Excellency Meghan Markle quit Her Majesty the Queen’s regal caboodle for a layman’s life. There was no significant popular reaction to this in Georgia, because we must have had our own headaches to sooth.

It was also notable that the film ‘Parasite’ swept all possible Oscars, but because of the pandemic, we could not enjoy a chance in Georgia to watch it on the big screen as we used to do in happier times,

so this outstanding cinematographic event of true international importance went by almost unnoticed.

And on a sadder note, the shining basketball star Kobe Bryant's death shocked the entire world and Georgia too, proving the tradition of a sporting life and rooting for remarkable athletes is still alive.

Georgia is currently going through a series of pungent political battles between various political forces for a better place under the sun. However, this is not exactly news for us, watchers of the arena. This has been our political lifestyle in the last thirty years. We probably need more time for actual political maturation, and to acquire a sharper eye to see through the mist made by the ‘combat powder,’ and to catch what is better for the people of Georgia. With any luck, all our hopes and dreams are set to come true in the approaching Happy New Year.

BUSINESS

CENN Holds Online B2B Meetings to Support Businesses in Keda Municipality

BY ELENE DZEBISASHVILI

R

ural development strategy that encourages economic diversification, and has a bottom-up approach, which puts the local communities at the heart of decision making has a great potential for inclusive and sustainable development.

On December 19, CENN and the Tbilisi Startup Bureau held online Business2Business (B2B) meetings with local entrepreneurs from the Keda Municipality, as part of the Keda Leader and Digital Caucasus projects. The aim of the event was to support entrepreneurs working in the tourism and agriculture sector in Keda, to establish new business relations, expand partnerships, promote diversification, and foster investment and innovation.

The local business representatives that participated in the meeting are the beneficiaires of the EU (ENPARD) supported project Keda LEADER which sees rural development through bottom-up strategic planning. The entrepreneurs spoke with leading companies and experts in the field of tourism and agriculture, established new connections, and received important advice for their busi-

ness operations. Among the purposes of the event was the strengthening of cooperation between entrepreneurs.

The speakers and leading companies were mobilsed by the Digital Caucasus project after conducting a needs analysis. The project is being implemented

by CENN and its partners in Armenia and Azerbaijan via a grant awarded by USAID’s E&E Bureau, Economic Development, Governance and Enterprise Growth (EDGE) Project, aims to ensure

the digital transformation of SMEs (small and mid-sized enterprises) for smart economic growth in the Caucasus tourism sector.

The Digital Caucasus project promotes the online presence of the Caucasus region by creating a Caucasus Tourist Destination Portal, targeted at creating and sustaining strategic partnerships between regional and local authorities in the target areas and national administrations active in the fields of tourism.

Ana Petriashvili, CENN Project Officer, presented the core goal of the meetings: “The aim of the event is to further increase Keda Municipality’s development potential through increasing visibility and the collaboration needed to sustain already existing businesses and projects. Rural and agricultural policies should build on the identity and tendencies of rural areas through the implementation of integrated strategies and multi-sectorial approaches.”

The event was attended by 18 small and medium-sized businesses from the hospitality, winemaking and beekeeping sectors. Entrepreneurs had an opportunity to conduct business negotiations with potential business partners and discuss prospects for cooperation. They were introduced with successful examples of businesses and projects in the framework of Georgia’s rural development.

Nodar Kereselidze, National Project Manager for Improving Rural Development in Georgia (an ENPARD-supported program), spoke of the importance of revitalizing rural areas and boosting the country’s potential in agriculture and rural development by improving the livelihoods of communities and creating employment opportunities. “We believe that an effective approach to rural development should involve the interrelation of social, economic, environmental and political factors,” he said. “Our support for this cause already involves many grants programs; in the near future, we

plan to introduce the Green Grant in order to contribute to environmental conservation in the country. We work to address the structural and systemic challenges that hamper rural development in Georgia, and ensure that more diverse rural services are delivered to the population in an efficient, effective and sustainable way.”

The online B2B event presented ample opportunities for the industry representatives, and local entrepreneurs to discuss recommendations to foster innovative business models that can support sustainable growth and job creation in Georgia’s rural areas. The event explored the existing opportunities to develop supportive rural business environments and make collaboration a key to success in the field of rural entrepreneurship.

The meetings were organized within the framework of the EU ENPARD Program and the grant awarded by USAID's Europe and Eurasia Bureau for Economic Development, Governance and Enterprise Growth (EDGE) project.

6

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 25 - JANUARY 14, 2020/2021

Carrefour 2020 Achievements

C

arrefour, operated in Georgia by Majid Al Futtaim, like many other retail brands, has had a trying year. Despite obstacles posed by the pandemic, the brand was able to — due to its years of experience and existing company vision — introduce approaches and implement changes that allowed it to overcome the worst of the crisis while also enjoying numerous successes.

Notably, Carrefour was able to launch a new stage in its operation history by expanding its physical and digital operations while actively helping out its Georgian community. This combined physical and digital growth underlined Carrefour’s position as a trusted local partner creating value for the local industry and economy.

Some of Carrefour’s 2020 noteworthy achievements include:

THE OPENING OF 20 NEW STORES As part of its ongoing physical expansion, Carrefour opened 20 new stores across the country this year. As a result, it helped raise the employment rate by creating jobs for approximately 2,000 people and maintained its position as one of the largest job creators in the local market.

The brand’s expansion further underscored its commitment to increasing Georgians’ accessibility to quality products at exceptional value by creating more convenient and safe shopping environments for more customers.

MAINTAINING JOBS FOR COMPANY EMPLOYEES As a people-first brand, the wellbeing of employees is the number one priority.

During the pandemic, Carrefour did its utmost to maintain jobs. Proudly, salary reductions were avoided and not a single employee was left without a source of income.

Positively, the company employed up to 600 additional people throughout 2020 and promoted 300. In total, Carrefour provides jobs for more than 2,000 Georgians.

Employees not only showed exemplary

courage and dedication during this difficult period but ensured that every Carrefour was a safe working and shopping environment for fellow colleagues and customers.

It’s worth mentioning that Carrefour Georgia opened learning and development center for employees offering more than 50 different trainings and customized development programs. New training center is the main driver of talent identification, people development and career advancement of Carrefour employees in Georgia.

EXPANDING DIGITAL OFFERINGS, WITH CONVENIENT AND SAFE DELIVERY As the market-leading retailer, Carrefour is dedicated to creating convenient and seamless shopping experiences through its digital services, while keeping safety in mind.

Recently, Carrefour enhanced its online presence and expanded its delivery service by partnering with non-food delivery app, Vendoo, and food-delivery app Glovo and Wolt.

Countrywide, from Tbilisi to Zugdidi; Batumi to Rustavi, Carrefour customers can now purchase imported non-food items through Vendoo, an online shopping platform that enables users to easily cross post and sell items on multiple marketplaces. Through Vendoo, Carrefour customers are able to enjoy a smoother and more streamlined retail journey, with delivery straight to their doors.

Similarly, customers in Tbilisi and Batumi can order a wide assortment of more than 1,000 Carrefour products, including fresh fruit and vegetables, household items, and hygiene supplies, on Glovo and Wolt.

These partnerships have allowed customers the convenience of shopping from the safety and comfort of their own homes during the pandemic.

CARREFOUR LOYALTY PROGRAMME MY CLUB Loyalty programme MyCLUB is yet another important achievement of Carrefour, allowing customers to earn and accumulate points while shopping.

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.

Collect more, save more! – This is the main motto of MyCLUB. Currently, Carrefour has 328 000 MyCLUB customers, with 133 000 of them joined in 2020.

INTRODUCING SELFCHECKOUT SYSTEM TO ENSURE MAXIMUM SAFETY Creating a safe work environment for its employees and offering a great shopping experience to customers has always been a priority for Carrefour hypermarkets and supermarkets.

Particularly in the face of the global pandemic, safety remains front of mind.

As such, the brand introduced a new self-checkout service at its Tbilisi Mall and Isani stores. The self-service counters give customers the option of contactless payment, allowing them to use debit/credit card and "MyClub" loyalty points to pay. Self-service cash counters will be rolled out in other Carrefour stores in the near future.

The introduction of self-service cash counters also provides customers with a faster and more efficient shopping experience by eliminating queuing time.

SUPPORTING THOSE IN NEED The safety of the elderly has been critical during the coronavirus pandemic.

Starting November 30, the Georgian Red Cross relaunched its campaign in support of vulnerable single elderly people and families affected by COVID-19.

Carrefour continues to actively participate in the above initiative with the aim of bettering the living conditions for members of its communities. With the Red Cross’ support, Carrefour gave its customers the chance to improve the lives and wellbeing of the vulnerable elderly living in Georgia.

Together with the Georgian Red Cross Society and nutritionists, a package with essential items was created to include about ten days' supply of food as well as medicine and hygiene items. These included: sugar, rice, tea, pasta, buckwheat, oat flakes, wheat flour, oil, salt, and primary consumption items.

As part of the ongoing campaign, customers visiting the Carrefour stores in Tbilisi Mall and East Point will be able to purchase any product from the special list of needs developed by the Georgian Red Cross and participate in this charity drive. Citizens can buy one or more of the products on the list which will then be delivered to those most in need.

The package will be delivered to livealone elderly people with the help of trained volunteers and regional administration employees. The campaign is organized on the recommendation of the Interagency Coordination Council.

Other Carrefour stores are due to join the charity campaign in the future.

Notably, in the first stage of the initiative, 10,000 elderly people received with Carrefour being the first to join the Red Cross and Tbilisi City Hall campaign.

Through additional partnerships with organizations such as the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Environment and Agriculture, Tbilisi City Hall, the Autism Research foundation, and Emmaus Georgia, Carrefour played a big role in helping people with disabilities, single mothers, socially vulnerable families, orphans, war veterans, children with serious illnesses, and the elderly.

Additionally, an important memorandum was signed with international charity, Emmaus, which helped provide unwanted clothes to socially vulnerable families.

Recently, Carrefour became the first brand to respond to charitable organization ‘Life is Beautiful’ and commit to supporting the ‘We Are Here for You’ campaign.

Joining forces to support disadvantaged and at-risk members of the local community, representatives from the Life is Beautiful Foundation and Carrefour visited five multiple-child families and gifted them food products, hygiene items and home appliances. Each of the families visited had no less than six children each, and attest to the scale and severity of the challenges many families across Georgia face, especially in the wake of COVID-19.

CARING FOR ENVIRONMENT: THE BRAND’S ONGOING SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY Carrefour is one example of a brand that is very active when it comes to Sustainability and Corporate citizenship.

Having held more than 50 events in the last two years, Carrefour prides itself on its commitment to bettering the lives of its surrounding communities and is guided by its desire to operate in an environmentally and socially-responsible manner.

Most recently, Carrefour took another important step forward in its sustainability pledge. Throughout November, the brand ran a campaign which saw it introduce reusable bags for fruit and vegetables. Customers were allowed to use recyclable bags while shopping for loose fruit and veg and had the chance to get a F&V bag for free when they purchased a scrolling bag. This initiative added to the various kinds of reusable bags already available at Carrefour’s chains.

“Honor Nature. Purchase a bag and get infinite benefits,” was the main motto of the campaign.

The campaign aimed to minimize plastic usage throughout Carrefour stores by increasing sales of Foldable Wheeled Bags and F&V eco-friendly bags, while continuing to raise awareness on how detrimental plastic bags are to the environment. It is another notable move by the brand who have already replaced single use plastic bags in its chains with compostable ones.

Launched in April 2018, Honor the Nature was a campaign to educate Carrefour customers on the environmental harm of plastic bags and the advantages of using reusable bags. Since the launch, sales of Carrefour reusable bags have increased by 120 per cent. As an added

incentive, Carrefour rewarded all customers who chose to use a reusable bag.

During the campaign more than one and a half million customers were offered rewards. The launch of these campaigns in Carrefour stores have since marked a 80 per cent reduction in the use of single-use bags.

Interestingly, Carrefour Georgia was the first to introduce locally produced reusable bag - MADE IN GEORGIA. Later, it also launched reusable bags with wheels.

EDUCATING THE YOUNG GENERATION ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Educating the young generation about the importance of environmental protection is an important issue. For this reason, Carrefour released the first Georgian coloring book about the harmful effects of plastic on the environment.

Brand representatives distributed these coloring books to school children and public-school students.

CARREFOUR’S MAIN AMBITIONS AND CHALLENGES FOR 2021 Continued regional growth and expansion remain a priority for the brand going into 2021. There will be a focus on expanding operations in Tbilisi and preparations to open in new cities, with a goal to reach minimum 150 stores by 2022. In terms of digital expansion and growth, Carrefour is looking to launch an efficient e-commerce solution as well as collaborate with more partners in the market.

Furthermore, Carrefour will actively work to attract new customers while retaining loyal ones by delivering an unrivalled shopping experience and improved loyalty program.

Commitment to people will remain a key focus throughout 2021. The brand is planning to recruit 1000 Georgian citizens and will continue to retain, develop and attract new talent across all areas of the business while still activating campaigns and initiatives that support those in need and socially vulnerable families.

Lastly, Carrefour aims to increase its sustainability initiatives by organizing more cleanup activities, encouraging customers to use reusable bags and engage younger generation as part of Carrefour’s zero plastic bag journey.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 25 - JANUARY 14, 2020/2021

7

THE ISET ECONOMIST A BLOG ABOUT ECONOMICS AND THE SOUTH CAUCAUS

www.iset-pi.ge/blog

The ISET Policy Institute (ISET-PI, www.iset-pi.ge) is an independent think-tank associated with the International School of Economics at TSU (ISET). Our blog carries economic analysis of current events and policies in Georgia and the South Caucasus region ranging from agriculture, to economic growth, energy, labor markets and the nexus of economics, culture and religion. Thought-provoking and fun to read, our blog posts are written by international faculty teaching at ISET and recent graduates representing the new generation of Georgian, Azerbaijani and Armenian economists.

COVID-19 & Food Safety in Georgia and FBO’s ability to comply with food safety standards. The current systemic challenges within the Georgian food quality infrastructure (e.g., limited access to certain laboratory tests and veterinary services, limited institutional capacities) have long hindered FBOs from meeting food safety standards and requirements, even prior to the pandemic. The corona virus is, nevertheless, a timely reminder of the importance of good hygiene practices and quality infrastructure for food safety.

ENSURING FOOD SAFETY DURING COVID-19

BY SALOME DEISADZE

I

t has been a year since the world started struggling with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Countries are following the recommendations and precautions provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to prevent the spread of the virus. While various businesses, schools, and other educational institutions have switched to remote work, unlike other enterprises, food production and delivery cannot be operated from the home. Consequently, during a pandemic, providing safe food to consumers, as well as ensuring employee health, are the biggest challenges faced

by Food Business Operators (FBOs) (FAO, 2020).

THE ROLE OF FBOS IN ENSURING FOOD SAFETY IN THE EU In broad terms, Food Business Operators are “undertaking, whether private or public, for profit or not, the carrying out of any of the activities related to any stage of manufacture, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution of food, imports and including food services, sale of food or food ingredients” (Dudeja, P. & Singh, A., 2017). Thus, the foremost responsibility of FBOs is to ensure compliance with food laws, in particular, the safety of food (European Commission, 2020).

The European Commission defines the key obligations of FBOs as follows: • Safety – FBOs should not place unsafe food or feed on the market; • Responsibility – FBOs have a responsibility for the safety of the food and feed which they produce, transport, store, or sell; • Traceability – FBOs should be able to identify and trace any supplier; • Transparency – FBOs should immediately notify the relevant authorities if they have a reason to believe that their food or feed is unsafe; • Emergency – FBOs are obliged to

withdraw or recall food or feed in the case of an incident; • Prevention – FBOs should identify and regularly review the critical points in their processes and ensure that appropriate measures are taken at these points; • Co-operation – FBOs should co-operate with the competent authorities to take action and reduce or eliminate risks related to food safety.

To support these principles, the competent authorities within EU countries must ensure an adequate and effective control system. EU legislation is based on the principle that prevention is better than cure, and aims to prevent outbreaks of food-borne diseases through establishing comprehensive standards relating to good hygiene, adequate labelling, own-controls, official controls, etc.

The management and crisis preparedness associated with food and feed safety is intended to eliminate or minimize the economic and health effects of possible crises. FBOs have to perform their ‘owncontrols’ on the production process and food, to check that the applied measures are effective, and thus should demonstrate that such preventive measures are taken during food production. They are also required to implement the regulatory requirements, a code of good hygiene practice, and a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).

In response to COVID-19, the European Commission, in coordination with local EU authorities, adopted a regulation allowing member states to carry out controls, despite movement restrictions,

so that food safety would not be compromised. Furthermore, the European Commission published the details within their questions and answers to COVID19 and food safety document, covering production, food in shops, and food at home, which informs consumers and FBOs and addresses the main questions related to COVID-19 and food safety.

FOOD SAFETY IN GEORGIA DURING THE PANDEMIC Under the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, Georgia is required to harmonize its food safety regulations and legislative basis with the EU standards and requirements. Therefore, FBOs are obliged to fulfil their legal requirements and to continue operations in an equal and competitive manner on both internal and EU markets. Through the efforts of the Georgian government, and the active participation of private stakeholders and civil society organizations, numerous regulations have been implemented to approximate a legislative basis for the EU food safety regulations and standards.

The National Food Agency (NFA), established in 2010, implements all food safety, veterinary, and plant protection endeavors. In response to the pandemic, the NFA published several restrictions and recommendations for food producers, retailers, open agrarian bazaars, as well as restaurants and other food facilities. Among the good hygiene practices, required at all stages of food production, the most relevant are the cleaning and disinfection of food facilities and equip-

ment at different stages of food processing. These protocols that safeguard employee health include: wearing gloves, masks, and special hygienic clothes and shoes when required; social distancing at work; personal hygiene, such as washing and disinfecting hands; and the recommendation to stay at home when employees first show symptoms of sickness.

The NFA is responsible for the official control activities that ensure FBOs comply with the required food safety standards. As expected, COVID-19 limited the control of the application of hygiene and food safety standards in food businesses, as certain official activities were postponed due to risk of infection. Between March-June 2020, when Georgia implemented restrictions on movement and even announced a lockdown in April, the number of inspections of FBOs conducted by the NFA decreased by 30% compared to the same period of 2019 (Table 1). From June, COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed and, resultingly, the number of inspections increased by 22% in July-September 2020 compared to the same period of 2019. Meanwhile, as the number of inspections increased, the number of FBOs with food safety violations also increased by 22%; notwithstanding, the cases of critical violations decreased by 39%. It appears that even though official controls are notable within a safe supply chain, the current limitations did not affect the safety of food.

Factors other than the pandemic also seem to affect the country’s food safety

Table 1. Number of inspections conducted by the National Food Agency

2019 March-June

2020 JulySeptember

MarchJune

JulySeptember

Change MarchJune

JulySeptember

Number of inspections

3256

1778

2265

2175

-30%↓

22% ↑

Number of FBOs with violations

2858

1537

1921

1874

-33%↓

22%↑

Critical violations

185

206

109

126

-41%↓

-39%↓

Non-critical violations

2856

Total number of non-critical norms 18,984 violated Source: National Food Agency, Momxmarebeli.ge, 2020

1531

1916

1866

-33%↓

22%↑

10,424

12,528

12,456

-34%↓

19%↑

While food safety is primarily the responsibility of FBOs, an efficient safety system relies on the commitment of all actors within the food chain, from farm to fork.

Building a resilient food safety system requires the engagement of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), as well as farmers’ associations, to each bring together necessary resources, data, technology, and public-private partnerships. During the pandemic, the activities of CSOs, NGOs, and farmers’ associations should complement FBO work to increase awareness and enable solutions that improve transparency, traceability, and the safety of the food supply chain. It is particularly important to: • Increase awareness – While the population in urban areas is better informed of COVID-19 restrictions and prevention measures, in rural areas information on the virus is limited. Therefore, CSOs, NGOs, and farmers’ associations should provide FBOs with information and guidelines regarding food safety standards; especially, for rural FBOS and family farmers, to ensure they place safe food and feed on the market; • Conduct training – During the pandemic, CSOs, NGOs, and farmers’ associations can support FBOs by conducting online training related to food safety and hygiene (food traceability, cleaning management, procurement, and checking), which would improve the effectiveness of food safety and hygiene practices; • Work with the media – There is a rising concern that COVID-19 might be transmitted through food, yet messages from the media are largely driven by inaccurate and incomplete evidence.

Thus, CSOs, NGOs, and farmers’ associations should closely collaborate with the media to provide accurate information to consumers to prevent unwarranted fears leading to unnecessary action such as the needless destruction food; • Build partnerships – Ensuring food safety during the pandemic requires the serious commitment of building a greater understanding of food safety among government authorities, food business operators, supply chain actors, and consumers.

CSOs, NGOs, and farmers’ associations can facilitate the process of building partnerships among different stakeholders in adopting food safety standards to ensure that people have sufficient access to safe and nutritious food. *** This blog has been produced within CARE Caucasus “COVID19 response and adaptation project”, funded by CARE International Emergency Relief Fund.

The document has been created in close cooperation of ISET and CARE Caucasus teams. However, its contents are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of CARE International.

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BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 25 - JANUARY 14, 2020/2021

Stingray Launches the Stingray Music Mobile App with Beeline Georgia

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eeline Georgia mobile subscribers can now access more than 2,000 handcrafted music channels for free since the Stingray Group Inc. (TSX: RAY.A; RAY.B), a leading music, media, and technology company, on December 15 announced that its music mobile app had launched with Beeline Georgia, a mobile service company part of VEON, a leading global provider of connectivity and internet services active in nine countries and reaching over 200 million customers in Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa.

As of December 15, Beeline Georgia’s 1.3 million mobile subscribers have access, free of charge, to more than 2,000 channels lovingly curated by a music expert for every moment, place, and mood. The Stingray Music app offers an unparalleled listening experience of hundred

genres, among them rock, pop, hip-hop, indie, electronic, and jazz. The comprehensive channel selection covers all styles and tastes, from the most mainstream to the most niche.

“Stingray’s value proposition is to bring the top music entertainment to customers, and provide instant access to their favorite artists,” said Eric Boyko, President, Co-Founder, and CEO of Stingray.

“We are delighted to partner with Beeline and to bring our music curation expertise to its subscribers in Georgia.”

“We are very pleased to partner with Stingray and give our subscribers access to the best curated music experience,” said Andrzej Malinowski, CEO of Beeline Georgia. “Beeline is at the forefront of providing top notch digital products to customers in Georgia, and creating unparalleled additional value for them.”

Mtevino’s Hospitality Direction

W Re|Bank Launches a New Year Campaign

I

t’s the best time to get a Top|Card.

From December 24 – January 2, we have doubled free installment, effective 0% periods at all Re|Bank merchants, so that you can buy presents for everyone and even save money for any other needs. This means that your Top|Card spending will be split by two times more months and you will have more money left for even more gifts.

After the campaign finishes, you can use Top|Card for online shopping at Re|Bank’s partner merchants and choose anything you need from selfcare, electronics, apparel, building materials, toys, etc. The payment will be spread over several months without any extra charges.

The same conditions apply for online shopping on any international or non-

partner web pages. The free installment period here will be 45 days. Even more, if you get your Top|Card now, you can enroll in the campaign of interest-free 6-month installments at any store with your first Top|Card purchase.

- Top|Card is totally free of charge. The card has no service or commission fees.

- The limit up to 10,000 GEL is confirmed once, and then you’re free to shop with our merchants and divide your payments over 3, 6, or 12 months.

- You’re free to withdraw your credit limit from any ATM. If you have no Top|Card yet, check out the terms and conditions at rebank.ge and order your Top|Card online. rebank.ge | +995 32 222 25 25 | *2525

inery Mtevino is a new wine production company located in the village of Khashmi, Sagarejo district, Kakheti region.

In addition to wine production, Mtevino also has a hospitality direction - a hotel, a wine veranda, a tourist area for culinary masterclasses, a meeting room, and a wine shop.

Winery Mtevino’s HoReCa (hotel/restaurant/café) direction started operating in June 2020, after the removal of regulations made it possible to open hotels and cafes-restaurants.

In Khashmi, in a quiet and beautiful environment surrounded by vineyards, is Hotel Mtevino, which has five very comfortable rooms. The rooms offer views of the vineyards and mountains and are equipped with all the necessary items and facilities to make the guest's stay perfect.

Hotel guests have the opportunity to relax in the space and enjoy delicious wines with Georgian-European and traditional Kakhetian dishes.

The tourist area a place for winemaking in the Mtevino area, where any guest has the opportunity to taste Mtevino wines, participate in culinary masterclasses: bake Shoti bread, make khinkali, roast Mtsvadi (Georgian barbecue) and make churchkhela.

The meeting room is designed for 20 people and is ready to host any kind of business or corporate meeting, seminar or and workshop.

The wine shop in Mtevino offers a variety of wine choices to guests visiting Khashmi. It is possible to buy Mtevino wine on the spot.

2020 has been quite productive. Mtevino hosted a lot of guests at the hotel,

Natia JiJiashvili – HoReCa Business Development Manager

with a maximum stay of three nights.

Many holidays were celebrated on the wine veranda - celebrations, weddings, corporate events, and birthdays.

Autumn was especially busy in Mtevino. The harvest began mid-September, and the vineyard received lots of guests - family, friends, and schoolchildren, who picked grapes, baked bread, made churchkhela and had a very exciting few days.

The Mtevino team also organized conferences, workshops, team building, various tours, etc.

“2020 was a very difficult year for our country. Yet, despite the constant change of regulations, we were able to fully comply with the rules and to host many guests, offering the highest quality service, and a warm and family environment. Mtevino has been discovered and loved by many people in just a few months, who often visit our spaces for a second and third time.

“We think that 2020, despite the difficult challenges, turned out to be quite interesting and important for Mtevino,” note the representatives of the brand.

Bridging the Digital Gender Gap for an Inclusive Recovery

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omen in remote and rural communities will benefit from a new $350,000 initiative spearheaded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to improve access to digital services as part of Georgia’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new 18-month project focuses on ensuring that women and vulnerable groups enjoy equal access to digital public services and benefit from online training and employment opportunities.

Funded by a UNDP rapid response facility, it will be run in partnership with the Parliament’s Gender Equality Council.

“COVID-19 has accelerated the shift to online services, both globally and in

Georgia,” said UNDP Head Louisa Vinton. “Building on what we’ve learned during the pandemic, our aim is to apply digital tools to address persistent gender gaps in access to public services and the labor market in rural areas.”

The COVID-19 pandemic hit Georgia just as a major digital reorientation in the governance system was underway.

Pandemic-mandated restrictions on physical contact have accelerated this shift towards the delivery of public services online. More than 700 public services are currently delivered through online platforms, from telehealth to communication with municipal representatives.

The pandemic showed, however, that the benefits have been uneven, leaving

rural areas and at-risk groups underserved. Less than half of the rural population uses the Internet every day, compared to 65 percent in urban areas. Usage rates are lower for women in both urban

and rural settings (Source: NDI).

This digital gender gap creates obstacles for women seeking public services in pandemic conditions, particularly in rural areas. And it exacerbates structural barriers that predate the pandemic. The average monthly wage for women in Georgia is just 64% that of men, and 37% of women aged 15 to 29 are not in employment, education or training (NEET), against 25% for men (Source: UN Women) To help close these gaps, UNDP will work with the Parliament, the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure and local municipalities to expand access to electronic public services in remote and rural areas, improve job opportunities for rural women by offering new online training and coaching

opportunities, and support the roll-out of online business services for women entrepreneurs.

“Digitalization gives us the tools we need not just to adapt to the pandemic but also to infuse innovation into the economy,” said Nino Tsilosani, who serves on the Parliament’s Gender Equality Council. “This new project complements our other joint efforts with international partners.”

The new UNDP project, “Improving access to digital services for a genderequal recovery,” will be managed through the wider UN Joint Programme for Gender Equality, implemented by UNDP, UN Women and the UN Population Agency with funds from the Government of Sweden.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 25 - JANUARY 14, 2020/2021

9

Purpose of Domestic Visits in Georgia – an Overview The same logic can be applied to the category "holiday, leisure and recreation", however, with lower magnitude: The number of visits in this category decreased by 13.1% and its share in total visits decreased by 2 percentage points in 2020 compared to 2019. Contrarily, "visiting another house (cottage, etc.)", which is arguably the least likely category to provoke travel fears, saw a huge growth in the number of visits, increasing by 45.4% in 2020 compared to 2019, and increasing its share from 12% in 2019 to 18% in 2020.

The region in which the number of visits declined the most in Q3 of 2020 compared to Q3 of 2019 is the most popular seaside destination, Adjara (-22.4%), and the expenditure category which has declined the most is "holiday, leisure, recreation, cultural and sporting activities" (-25%).

HOTEL PRICE INDEX In November 2020, in Georgia the hotel

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted tourism all over the world. In the event of closed borders and close to zero international visitors, it was hoped that as people could not go abroad for holidays, domestic tourism would expand and partially compensate for the lost international visitors. In Georgia, this hope was more prominent, as the country entered the holiday season (July-September, which also coincides with the third quarter of the year) with a favorable epidemiological situation for traveling. However, based on the National Statistics Office of Georgia's domestic visitor survey, the number of visits in Q3 of 2020 has decreased by 5.6% compared to the corresponding period of 2019. Nevertheless, even if the domestic tourism failed to compensate for lost international tourism, 2020 Q3 still produced impressive numbers, especially when considering major adverse factors such as fear of traveling due to the pandemic, and the

price index1 decreased by 5.8% compared to October 2020. The 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotel price index decreased by 6.9%, while for guesthouses, the price index decreased by 7.8%.

In November 2020, compared to November 2019, hotel prices in Georgia decreased by 5.2%. The prices of 3*, 4*, 5* hotels decreased by 8.8%, while the prices of guesthouses decreased by 2.6%.

AVERAGE HOTEL PRICES In Georgia, the average cost of a room2 in a 3-star hotel was 113 GEL per night in November 2020, while the average cost of a room in a 4-star hotel in Georgia was 176 GEL per night and the average cost of a room in a guesthouse3 was 67 GEL per night.

The average cost of a room in a 5-star hotel in Georgia in November 2020 was 350 GEL per night. In Tbilisi, the average price was 415 GEL, followed by Kakheti - 397 GEL, Samtskhe-Javakheti - 390 GEL and Guria – 387 GEL.

outbreaks in 2 popular tourist destinations, Mestia and Batumi during the holiday season. Moreover, Q3 of 2020 registered a decline in the number of visits only because of a strong performance in Q3 of 2019. In fact, Q3 of 2020 was the best performing year in terms of domestic visits apart from 2019 in the past 5 years.

Looking at domestic visitors by the purpose of their visits, "visiting friends/ relatives" has proved to be a dominating category, with at least 45% of total visits attributed to it in the Q3 of the years 2016-2019. However, when compared to the same period of 2019, in Q3 of 2020 the number of visits in this category declined the most, both relatively (-19.8%) and in terms of volume (-373 thousand visits). As a result, the share of this category in total visits declined by 6 percentage points, from 45% in 2019 to 39% in 2020. People likely were the most cautious about traveling to their friends and relatives, and this cautious behavior could explain a large part of the decline.

1 The calculation of the hotel price index is based on the recommendations given by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The elementary aggregate price index is calculated by Jevons index (Consumer Price Index Manual-Theory and Practice (2004), Practical Guide to Producing Consumer Price Indices (2009)).

2 The results are based on the surveying of standard double hotel room prices of 3, 4, 5-star hotels and guesthouses in 10 regions of Georgia. Hotels were chosen arbitrarily according to random sampling principle. The study contains 71% (312) of all 3, 4 and 5-star hotels and 25% (456 guesthouses) of all guesthouses registered on www.booking.com The 3, 4 and 5-star hotel price data was collected by contacting hotels individually, while the prices of guesthouses were taken from booking.com. The average prices are arithmetic mean of standard double hotel room prices.

3 Guesthouse: a type of accommodation that is characterized by having a small number of rooms and services are usually offered by the resident family.

4 * Preliminary results

10

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 25 - JANUARY 14, 2020/2021

New Alternative Space Alterbridge: A Bridge between Education & Employment

D

are to be Alter! Dare to be the first! Dare to be that one who starts studying at Alterbridge! - These are the main messages of the educational space Alterbridge, which has quickly managed to earn people’s trust due to its innovative teaching methods, unique approach towards each student, and long-time experience and deep knowledge of the professionals employed there.

‘ALTERBRIDGE’ - the International Teaching University of Management and Communication, was founded in 2018 by the Educational Center ‘PR Academy’, which has been operating on the Georgian Education Market since 2012, to conduct consultancy services, corporate and individual training courses and certified programs in the sphere of general management, strategic communications, organizational studies, human resources and other in-demand directions.

PR Academy’s services are used by international and local organizations, small and medium businesses, non-governmental and public sector representatives, among them TBC Bank, the Parliament of Georgia, Georgian Post, Georgian Railway, National Center of Manuscripts, Ministry of Agriculture, Civil Service Bureau, and international organizations GIZ, UNDP, USAID, NDI, and UNICEF. The main goal behind its establishment was the introduction and development of transformational teaching methods in the country, contributing to youth employment and the career advancement in the above-mentioned fields, which, considering the number of graduates and their success stories, has been successfully implemented.

Located on Tskneti Highway in Tbilisi, in a modern design building which fully satisfies the authorization standards of a higher educational institution and creates maximum commitment for research, teaching and development, Alterbridge represents a bridge between employment and education.

Among the competitive advantages are the multi-year experience of the founding and managing team, its solid reputation and recognition, and loyal staff; the best prerequisite for establishing another educational center oriented on employment and self-realization in Georgia, to create educational programs tailored to the requirements of the labor market, and to generate a competitive, qualified

human resource via transformational teaching methods.

Behind Alterbridge, there is a team that knows how to achieve its goals. The Alterbridge environment is designed for students to feel free to study, work and find their alter-selves.

Alterbridge programs give students the knowledge and self-confidence they need to help them to be brave.

The educational institution teaches its students how to apply and use knowledge in practice.

Most importantly, its partner organizations are ready to welcome and employ its students. As a link between companies and human resources, based on best practices and experience, Alterbridge can offer companies highly motivated staff, with exactly the competencies they need in the workplace.

GEORGIA TODAY spoke to Affiliated / Associate Professor Mako Jaoshvili, the Vice Principal of the University, to find out more exciting details about the innovative educational platform, its teaching methods, achievements and novelties.

Mako herself is a mentor and business trainer. She is the director of two academic programs and conducts lectures at Alterbridge. Her second profession is Positive Psychotherapy consultant, and she believes that using positive approaches and a model of balance while teaching are among the most important issues for achieving tangible results.

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY AS A BUSINESS? The private university itself, as an idea, already means social responsibility, and it’s quite a big responsibility to establish the university and enter an academic space. During this process, our team was fully aware of what specifications and characteristics to consider when entering this market and, at the same time, to achieve our goals and ideas. Our main motivation was the long-time experience our team has gained in terms of public relations, and in the field of communication in general. Our 7-year history within the framework of the PR Academy gave us the motivation to try our abilities on a different level, contribute to the development of the field, and initiate changes and novelties in terms of academic education. Naturally, the university was the best way for this. Accordingly, at the first stage of establishing the university, we

were guided by certain programs in which we are professionals and the development of which is our priority.

From the very beginning, the PR Academy brought together people who have extensive practical experience in the field of public relations and communications in general. Most of them are the main team of Alterbridge today.

For the bachelor’s program, we developed a Public Relations and Communication Psychology program, and for the Master’s program, Strategic Communication. By teaching through these programs, we consider our students as our future “ambassadors,” who will bring changes to this market and, at the same time, be the supporters of the development of our university.

WHAT IS THE MAIN MISSION OF ALTERBRIDGE? Actually, our mission is to be a bridge between education and employment, professional and personal development, and self-realization. The clear example of it will be what we, as a team, and our lecturers and students together, will be able to achieve. Although Alterbridge is a private university, we always adhere to the requirements of law and those norms existing in the educational field.

The existence of international educational standards is very helpful to make our work even more organized.

We not only serve education, but promote the development of issues that are relevant and important to society. Naturally, the activity related to the university also includes scientific-creative and research directions. The development of management and communication are the two main directions our university offers to all interested parties.

At the university, there is also a Training Center operating, which gives students and the adults even more opportunities to develop and acquire new skills. We’ve already started collaboration with various international organizations and scientific establishments. Sincerely, we’re proud because, although the university is still newly established and we gained authorization only a year ago, we already have an impressive number of local and international partners.

Another exciting detail about the university is that within the framework of the Master’s Program, we’ve elaborated so-called Micro Masters, which has also been approved and certified abroad. It represents an additional opportunity for

those who have limited time, or couldn’t manage to pass entrance exams in summer. Through our Micro Masters, students can receive academic knowledge in a relatively short time, per semester.

In general, our programs stand out for the fact that the elements of practice are integrated in each teaching course, and naturally, this one is no exception.

Apart from this, we actively work in terms of professional development. We’ve recently received accreditation in the field of professional training and retraining of a public servant of both 4th-3rd rank and 2nd-1st rank. Regarding our teaching methods, a characteristic niche that we’ve managed to occupy: we know how to manage the profession and how to establish effective communication through training. Programs consist of 70% practice and 30% theory.

We allow our students enrolled in the Master’s Program to get involved in various projects and be initiators of activities themselves, to get maximal knowledge which will be useful for them in the workplace. It’s a brilliant opportunity for them to test their abilities and grow both personally and professionally.

For this purpose, we also actively use coaching techniques and principles, meaning that students give each other exact questions to verify the other party’s responsibility in the decision making process. This approach is helpful for developing the important skills of asking questions in the right way, active listening and observation, which are important for them in future during collaboration and negotiation with business partners.

DO YOU HAVE ANY LIMITS IN GETTING THE STUDENTS? We do not have age limitations. In terms of training format, even schoolchildren and adults can take on our teaching courses. Regarding the academic education level, of course, in this case, students should have a general education and have passed the entrance exams. One of our important directions of strategic development is integration into international programs, including exchange programs. We want to further develop the direction of psychology, which is quite important for communication. This direction is an integrated part of our bachelor’s program, such as the learning courses, Person’s Psychology, Social psychology, Psychological Aspects of Leadership and other disciplines.

At the same time, we’re introducing a separate post-graduate direction, the Existential Psychology. At the preparatory stage the webinars will be launched in spring. The program itself lasts five years and is aimed at students becoming a professional existential psychotherapist. After completion of three years of the program, a student receives a Psychology Consultant diploma. The selection process is implemented on the basis of an interview.

This program will launch in summer.

Further, we’re in negotiations to cooperate with one of the leading private universities in Poland, as many programs and our vision coincide; there are many aspects in which will be exciting and beneficial for both sides. The university expressed interest in collaboration with us, which makes us proud. This partnership will also include exchange programs, and will provide additional opportunities for our students to study abroad and self-develop. In general, we’re planning on expanding partnerships with educational institutions throughout the region, which will be mutually beneficial for the

youth of its countries.

HOW HAVE STUDIES BEEN AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC? Of course, we adhere to regulations, and studies are being conducted remotely.

We were something like pioneers in this direction. In spring, when the pandemic reached Georgia, we immediately switched to remote teaching. Another important direction of ours is the innovative education center, within the framework of which we developed a project ‘The Challenges and Opportunities of Online Learning,’ and we are actively using our experience in this direction.

Many of the participants of our trainings are school teachers, and our experience in this field turned out to be useful for them in their professional activities. It happens that sometimes we have certain knowledge, but we are afraid of novelties. Practical work is important at this time. At our innovative education center, our slogan is ‘We learn by doing, we improve the result,’ meaning that the fear of novelties can be overcome by practice. We just show them different approaches and methods. Our skills were useful in this process.

As for my second profession, Positive Psychology Consultant, it really helps me not only to adapt to the changed conditions of working due to the pandemic situation, but also to use its instruments as a lecturer, mentor or trainer during online teaching and managing processes.

We had quite a busy month in December in terms of online trainings and webinars for those interested in personal and career development, and of course, this active work will continue in the coming months. Alterbridge has a lot of exciting future plans and our team will continue their dedicated work to implement them.

On December 18, at the initiative and with the organization of the International Teaching University of Management and Communication Alterbridge, an online webinar was held on the topic: “Management of Institutions in a Pandemic - Best Practices.” The purpose of the event was to share best practical examples, to support universities, vocational colleges, educational centers and institutions in the country.

Here, I should also mention two interesting masterclasses for our students held by our foreign colleagues: one was regarding the negotiation strategies by Dr. Joshua N Weiss, negotiation and conflict resolution expert and the cofounder of a negotiation program at Harvard University, while the second dealt with organizational changes during the pandemic and post crisis period, conducted by Klaus Wittkuhn, founder and managing partner of Performance Design International, with whom we have collaboration through the workshops of USAID/HICD 2020.

As far as you see, despite challenges like this pandemic, our team remains fully motivated to share their knowledge and experience with students. 2021 and lots of new challenges are ahead. Now, this is what I teach my lecture or training course participants: start by overcoming the barrier that frightens you the most; give up your comfort zone; do not be afraid of difficulties. Because exactly this is what gives us the courage to develop; this is how we grow personally, and this is how we form our own alter-me. Alterbridge gives such an opportunity to us all, if only we are ready for better changes. Let's start together!

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 25 - JANUARY 14, 2020/2021

11

White over Black: Etseri, Svaneti BLOG BY TONY HANMER

W

ho has experienced a Christmas like this one? Maybe great numbers of individuals have been cut off from one another before; there have been world wars which covered this season; there have been pandemics before. Even, say, the Black Death in the Middle Ages.

But, in living memory, has the whole world been affected so drastically?

I remain upstairs in quarantine, my wife downstairs untouched by The Virus, for which we’re grateful. The winter in our village has been so mild so far, with snow not yet remaining even when it fell, and daytime temperatures above freezing, that it’s surreal.

Last night, the flakes coming down were so thick and fast from the day’s rain, that I expected everything to be white this morning. Most of it melted during the night! So strange, so late. It continued snowing throughout today, but lightly, and I was able (nothing else to do) to watch and shoot with my long lens from all sides of the house.

The contrast was extreme: just a thin layer of pure white on everything, which seemed nearly total black by comparison. Every surface and texture delineated in silence. A bit of mist coming and going, simple magic.

A couple of days later, a bit more snow

on one of my favorite scenes from upstairs.

Here I had to have several things come right: daylight; a person walking into the scene, for scale; and the “mountain wall” in the background clear enough of cloud to be visible, for drama. With plenty of watching and waiting (quarantine is good for such times), I saw it all coming together and was able to be ready.

The white was, for me, hope. It comes every year, sooner or later, covering the dead-looking trees and ground which have lost all the fall colors anyway. It’s a natural process, just some of the solid forms that water takes below freezing.

But… never a snowflake repeated, from the xillions (new word) every year, in all history?

It comes now, as the year (in the Northern Hemisphere) rolls towards its shortest day. Into this darkness comes white.

I want to use the verb “trumps”, but alas, that word has been sullied (no matter your leaning) for perhaps many years to come.

No matter one’s worldview, religion, or lack thereof, hope seems to be around the corner. Not just because vaccinations are coming! But when we emerge from this worldwide isolation, we and the world will have changed or started towards change, hopefully in most ways for the better. Not everything will have been corrected as if by a magic wand.

But have we not had time to think about what we can work to change in ourselves, and whether we need help with this or not? I, these weeks, have had

nothing BUT time.

The symbolism, as well as what I believe to be the history, of Christmas speaks like a bell to me. Whether most of it can be “proven” or not is not the issue for me. The birth was so unexpected in detail that most missed it, except the wise or prophetically warned. No palace. He wasn’t the political leader to throw off the Roman yoke: He was the King who served instead of being served. Living to die, at the appointed time and place, and in the manner foretold. Pointing to children as best examples of faith instead of the religious leaders of His day. And the latter, as He expected, collaborated with their own oppressors to have Him put to death. But only because He allowed it, holding back the legions of angels He could have summoned.

“Unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulders…” some fulfilled already, some yet to come. We wait, in darkness and cold, but also in hope, as silent snow falls and the days grow longer again. Merry Christmas, world.

kingdoms, stories and adventures.

The game mechanics are built to derive unpredictable outcomes every time a new card is served or a new movement fulfilled. The abundance of cards, movement mechanics, character abilities and the rest of the game elements provide the players with unlimited variants of action possibilities and scenarios. Even with the least favorable situations, players are still able to turn the game around by coming up with alternative strategies to strengthen their positions.

Battle Royale by enriching it with additional elements. At the same time, we’re negotiating with foreign publishers to raise awareness about our product on the global market. We’re also working on a computerized version of the game.

We’re happy to announce that Gorgasali Battle Royale will soon be available for purchase on Amazon!

Our main goal with Gorgasali Battle Royale was to intertwine the best aspects of both worlds: visual pleasure from video games and thought-provoking, well-formulated board game scripts. We hope people all around the world will enjoy the game as much as we enjoyed the process of creating it.

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

CULTURE

Meet the Creators of Gorgasali Battle Royale, the First Georgian Board Game INTERVIEW BY ELENE DZEBISASHVILI

I

t’s impossible to deny the explosive growth of Battle Royale games over the past decade. In this golden age of gaming, the frantic action of last-man-standing mayhem has dominated the industry. While we’ve seen many games join the excitement over the past years, not many have sought to truly break the mold; but Gorgasali Battle Royale is aiming to do just that.

Founded in 2019 by a group of six friends, Gorgasali Battle Royale is the first Georgian board game that offers a perfect synergy of the Battle Royal genre and the board game world; a combination which is quite revolutionary. Gorgasali Battle Royale is working towards an experience that balances skill, strategy, and depth that is fun for all gamers.

And it has already achieved substantial success in Georgia. Now, Gorgasali Battle Royale is preparing to establish itself globally. Soon, anyone eager to immerse themselves into this world of refined fantasy, inspired by Georgia’s rich culture, will be able to purchase the game on Amazon.

We sat down with the creators of Gorgasali Battle Royale, Tazo Giorgadze and Vakhtang Inoridze, to understand the specificities of the game, their mission to put players at the forefront of everything they do, and how they’ve managed to create a unique Battle Royale experience they can be truly proud of.

TELLS US THE STORY OF GORGASALI BATTLE ROYALE’S CREATION. Our team is composed of six friends from different professions. As a group of enthusiastic board gamers and childhood friends, our hobbies varied from time to time; however, playing board and video games never left our circle of interest.

The idea to create a board game was born in 2018, and soon after, we decided to give it a go. We succeeded at turning our shared hobby into a daily activity that could entertain and benefit other people as well.

Today, after more than a year of hard work, we are confident that Gorgasali Battle Royale is ready to be shared worldwide. We’ve put immense effort into perfecting the game and eliminating all the risks that could possibly get in the way of our aim.

WHAT HISTORICAL EVENT DOES GORGASALI BATTLE ROYALE COVER AND WHY DID YOU WANT TO DESIGN A GAME AROUND IT? In the process of creating the game, we saw the prospect of entering the international market, which, first of all, made us want to make a modest contribution to the popularization of Georgia. We decided to name our game after the invincible Georgian king, Vakhtang Gorgasali, whose name is associated with the unification of the country, the establishment of the capital city, and the attainment of the autocephaly of the

PUBLISHER & GM

George Sharashidze COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT

Commercial Director: Iva Merabishvili Marketing Manager: Natalia Chikvaidze

GEORGIA TODAY

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT:

Editor-In-Chief: Katie Ruth Davies

Orthodox Church. After his mysterious disappearance, tensions between the kingdoms increased, and they started to fight for individual gains. We created a fictional world whereby ten characters from ten different kingdoms fight to gain his place.

We use many other elements in our game to better introduce Georgia’s culture to the world; these include Armazi, the supreme pagan deity of the Kingdom of Iberia, and Medea, the Colchian princess of Greek mythology. The goal of popularizing our culture has been one of our main motivators throughout the one-year working process.

WHAT ARE THE MECHANICS OF THE GAME? Although the design of the game has received great feedback on social networks, we believe that the main charm of the game is its mechanics. The process of perfecting those mechanics took about a year. During this period, we played more than 200 test games, and after each test, the game was perfected further.

Gorgasali Battle Royale is an RPG board game, where you play as a chosen warrior of your kingdom. The game includes 10 fictional characters. Players can pick their own characters and determine their unique strategies throughout the game, until a single winner is identified. All ten heroes in the game are distinguished by unique supernatural powers. We considered it vital to take care of the identity of each player. This is why we put huge effort into creating an alternate reality replete with interesting characters, their

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

WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE? At this stage, we’re working on a new game, the mechanics of which are ready and under intensive testing within the company. We’ve also been working hard to perfect the existing product Gorgasali

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

If you’re interested in Gorgasali Battle Royale, you can order a copy from the official website: https://www.gorgasalibr.com/

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