Issue #1274

Issue no: 1274

• NOV. 27 - DEC. 3, 2020 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

NATO Ex-Deputy Sec-Gen on Creating New, Associate Member Status for Georgia NEWS PAGE 2

Open Letter on Post-Election Parliamentary Developments

POLITICS PAGE 4

FOCUS ON NEW RESTRICTIONS

The gov’t introduces new restrictions as COVID cases continue to rise

PAGE 2

EU Disburses €100 mln in Macro-Financial Assistance to Georgia to Tackle Pandemic

O

n Wednesday, the EU disbursed €100 million under its macro-financial assistance (MFA) programs to Georgia, helping its balance of payments and alleviating its budgetary financing needs. The MFA is meant to help restore a sustainable external financial situation, as a complement to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) financing. Since 2008, the EU has launched four MFA operations in Georgia.

This support is composed of €75 million from a new MFA program announced in April 2020, and is aimed at limiting the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. The other €25 million comes as a last disbursement of a previous MFA approved in April 2018. Of the total, €95 million is provided in the form of loans at favorable rates, while the remaining €5 million is provided as a non-reimbursable grant.

Continued on page 2 Source: Delegation of the European Union to Georgia

Carrefour Friday Rewards Loyal Customers with High-value Prizes BUSINESS PAGE 7

Tbilisi Hills Restaurant Latvian Chef Arthur Linkevich on New Collaboration & Future Plans BUSINESS PAGE 7

Noxtton – A Georgian Company in the Global Information Technology Industry BUSINESS PAGE 8

Eight-year-old Crushes Age Stereotype about Authorship SOCIETY PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

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2

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 3, 2020

Georgian Gov't Announces Tightened & Expanded Restrictions Source: VOA

NATO Ex-Deputy Sec-Gen on Creating New, Associate Member Status for Georgia

BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

he former deputy Secretary General of NATO and ex US Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow says that the creation of a new status for Georgia and Ukraine may push forward the countries’ NATO membership.

“We must resist Russian aggression in all areas by strengthening NATO. To protect ourselves from political interference and to create cybersecurity, we must help Ukraine, Georgia and now

Belarus to protect their sovereignty,” he said at an event organized by the Atlantic Council, Voice of America (VOA) reports.

Based on the same source, Vershbow discussed the need to increase spending to fight Russia’s aggressive behavior.

Vershbow emphasized that creating a new status, such as associate membership for Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO, might be appropriate.

“We promised that Ukraine and Georgia would become members of NATO, but we did not consider how we could achieve this. It may be possible to create some new, associate member status for them,” he stated.

Book Launch: Roses Down the Barrel of a Gun, Georgia: Love & Revolution

C

RRC, ARISC and American Councils this week, in partnership with Prospero’s Books, presented the 7th talk of the 2020 Fall Series of the Tbilisi Works-in-Progress series, now celebrating its 10th year.

The presentation of "Roses Down the Barrel of a Gun, Georgia: Love and Revolution,” by Jo Seaman, formerly Director of British Council in Georgia, took place online on November 25.

In a change from the usual Works-inProgress format, this session presented an introduction to the new book, and personal reflections on the events leading to the Rose Revolution and on the importance of soft diplomacy.

Jo Seaman (formerly Jo Bakowski) worked for the British Council for almost 30 years, firstly in London and Manchester, with short assignments all over Africa, Asia and the former Soviet Union. She then lived in Egypt, Georgia (where she was director of the British Council in Georgia), Pakistan, Jamaica and France before returning to the UK.

Jo is now a writer/researcher and (with former diplomat husband, Mike, whom she met in Georgia), runs a consultancy firm offering training, project management and analysis. Views expressed in the presentation are purely personal and do not reflect the official views of the British Council or the British Government.

"Not to be missed by anyone interested in Georgia,” Former Georgian Deputy Minister said regarding the book.

“I loved this book – it made a huge impression on me, because Tbilisi was such a different place when I worked there – it is hard to believe that so much had changed in such a short time,” stated Alexandra Hall Hall, former British Ambassador to Georgia.

“Such a wonderful book! Full of detail and color, just like Georgia we have come to love. Thank you for this contribution to the history of contemporary Georgia!

It is a must-read,” said Paul Joyal, Managing Director, Public Safety and Homeland Security Practice at National Strategies, Inc.

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T

he Georgian government has decided to tighten and expand restrictions throughout the country.

FROM NOVEMBER 28 TO JANUARY 31, THE FOLLOWING WILL BE FORBIDDEN IN GEORGIA: Movement of persons from 21:00 to 05:00 on foot or by transport, as well as being in public spaces. Exceptions will be New Year's Eve - December 31 and Christmas Eve - January 6; Regular intercity transportation of passengers, including by rail, bus, minibus.

There are no restrictions on cars (including taxis); Operations of gyms and swimming pools; Activities of sports, art and cultural circles/studios; Holding all kinds of live conferences, trainings, cultural and entertainment events. The above will only be allowed online.

Restaurants and eateries will be fully switched to takeaway service. Allowed services: takeaway, "delivery" and "drive"; In big cities - Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Gori, Poti, Zugdidi, Telavi - and ski resorts Bakuriani, Gudauri, Goderdzi and Mestia, the following restrictions are additionally imposed: Operation of municipal transport within the borders of Tbilisi, Telavi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Gori, Poti and Zugdidi; Shopping facilities (except for grocery stores, animal food stores, pharmacies, veterinary pharmacies, household chemicals and hygiene shops and press booths) will operate only remotely; Outdoor and indoor markets will not operate. Agrarian markets will continue to function; Schools, vocational schools and higher education institutions (except medical education programs) are fully switched to distance learning; Private and public kindergartens will close; The operation of hotels in ski resorts will be allowed only for the arrangement of quarantine spaces. The operation of ski slopes and ski lifts will be suspended until February 1st.

RESTRICTIONS WILL BE EASED BETWEEN DECEMBER

24 AND JANUARY 2: Shopping centers, outdoor and indoor markets will operate; Operation of both municipal and intercity transport will be restored;

FROM JANUARY 3 TO JANUARY 15: All restrictions imposed from 28 November to 24 December shall be reinstated; Public and private institutions will not operate, except for banks and objects and services of strategic importance.

FROM JANUARY 16 TO JANUARY 31 ACROSS THE COUNTRY: Operations of municipal and intercity transport, shops and outdoor and indoor markets (except weekends) will be restored; BUT on weekends, transport, shopping malls and markets will stop working; During this period, transportation by car (including taxi) will not be restricted and the restrictions will not apply to all other economic activities, including: Public and private construction-repair activities- allowed; Banking and financial activitiesallowed; Operation of grocery stores, animal food stores, pharmacies, veterinary pharmacies, household chemicals and hygiene stores and press booths- allowed; Delivery and takeaway servicesallowed; Operation of beauty salons and aesthetic medicine centers- allowed; Car maintenance and technical inspection services- allowed; Home appliance repair services -allowed; The operation of the agrarian markets -allowed.

In recent days, the epidemiological situation in Georgia has become increasingly alarming as the number of newly detected infections continues to rise daily.

The capital of Tbilisi remains a hotspot in terms of virus spread, with the majority of the new cases being detected there, followed by the Adjara and Imereti regions, where the situation is also serious.

The virus-related death toll has also increased, and now about 30-40 fatalities are being reported in the country

on a daily basis.

On Monday, the country recorded 3958 new cases, 3531 recoveries and 36 deaths, with 2157 new cases identified in Tbilisi, 417 in Adjara, and 537 in Imereti.

On the same day, information about a new vaccine developed by Oxford University was announced.

“A large-scale trial of the Covid-19 potential vaccine developed by the University of Oxford has shown that it protects 70% of people from infection,” the BBC reported.

Based on the same source, this figure is much lower than the results of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, although the Oxford University vaccine is much cheaper, easier to store, and is therefore easier to transport around the world.

On Wednesday, Georgia reported 3071 new coronavirus cases, 3366 recoveries and 34 deaths. At the same time, it was confirmed that the government would further expand and tighten the restrictions to slow the spread of the virus.

The economic team of the government has held several meetings with business representatives throughout the week to discuss what kind of restrictions could be imposed in order to result in the least damage to the economy.

Amiran Gamkrelidze, Head of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, on Wednesday confirmed that the Interagency Coordination Council was discussing restrictions on public transport in big cities.

Earlier, the Minister of Health Ekaterine Tikaradze stated that the government was expected to make an announcement on precision-targeted restrictions on Thursday.

On Thursday morning, Georgia reported 3801 new coronavirus cases, 3200 recoveries and 39 deaths.

Based on the regions, the newly detected cases were distributed as follows: Tbilisi 1293, Adjara 475, Imereti 793, Kvemo Kartli 270, Shida Kartli 232, Guria 80, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti 371, Kakheti 129, Mtskheta-Mtianeti 70, SamtskheJavakheti 62, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti 26.

In total, the country's coronavirus cases increased to 118,690; of those, 98,781 recovered and 1124 died. The number of active cases in the country on Thursday reached 18,785.

EU Disburses €100 mln in Macro-Financial Assistance to Georgia to Tackle Pandemic Continued from page 1 The disbursement of €75 million from the COVID-19 MFA program follows the EU’s agreement with the Government of Georgia to conduct reforms in the areas of public finance management, governance (notably to increase the independence, accountability and quality of the judicial system), energy sector and labor market policies. If these agreed reforms are achieved by the Government, a further €75 million could be disbursed under this MFA program in early 2021.

The second part of the disbursement of €25 million comes from the MFA program agreed in April 2018, and is composed of €20 million of loans and a grant of €5 million. The policy conditions agreed and fulfilled for this second tranche enabled reforms on public finance management, the financial sector, social and labor market policies and business environment.

“The EU continues to stand by Georgia in weathering the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are proud to provide these funds, which will provide macro-economic stability to the country so that the Gov-

ernment can focus on best supporting its citizens and companies. This is part of the EU’s wider GEL 1.5 billion EU COVID-19 support package for Georgia.

We also believe the agreed upon reforms linked to this exceptional assistance will contribute to further bringing Georgia closer to European standards in the long term and concrete benefits for Georgians in aspects like the judiciary, labor safety and pensions,” noted EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell.

This disbursement was part of a wider €400 million EU package of disbursements to Georgia, Jordan and Moldova.

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4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 3, 2020

Open Letter on Post-Election Parliamentary Developments

T

he country is currently experiencing a very diff icult situation with regard to the pandemic.

Amidst the Global Crisis, regardless of different positions, it is vitally important that we deal with the numerous current challenges that we face and consolidate our efforts, but today’s polarized political environment prevents this in practice. As

of now, achieving this aim requires the constructive involvement of every political actor in finding a joint and truly effective solution.

Given the pandemic and regional threats, the best tool for solving Georgia’s current internal political dilemma is negotiation and sensible compromise. It is also important that compromises achieved through negotiations reflect the legitimate interest of

every party.

All this would contribute to the effective joint management of the pandemic in a stable environment, which is the country’s most vital interest, and would also mark the beginning of a new stage of Georgia’s democratic consolidation by using parliamentary mechanisms.

This approach serves the Georgian voter’s long-term interests, and complies with our international partners’

expectations.

Making changes through Parliament would undoubtedly support the further successful development of Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration, and would create a stable and value-based foundation for the country’s future. Reality demands that we rise above personal and political ambitions, and that we first of all let ourselves be guided by the country’s

national interests. This would be the most correct, pragmatic and justified path to follow, and it is only by following this very path that we will, as a nation, become stronger, more united and more self-sustainable in the face of our current challenges.

Geocase Think Tank, Do Tank 25 November 2020, Tbilisi

Georgia in the Russian-Turkish Tensions OP-ED BY MICHAEL GODWIN

T

he cessation to the fighting in Nogorno Karabakh seems to have finally brought something resembling a stable peace. However, below the surface, many analysts and defense-minded observers are not getting ready to open the champagne. With Russian forces constructing their positions, Turkish soldiers are also poising themselves for deployment to the region.

These two titans of the South Caucasus have never been the best of friends, and have often found themselves on the end of each other’s bayonets. Now caught between these two is little Georgia, wondering if she will be the next casualty in the geopolitical sparring.

Armenia has petitioned, on multiple occasions, to have Russian combat forces intervene and stop the rout of their forces from the battlefield. Azerbaijan, being tactically and technically superior due to years of investment and affiliation with the West, overcame them. Armenia, stuck in 1990s soviet-style military drills, broke in front of the modern face of warfare. Now, Russian and Turkish soldiers are preparing to watch over each other down in the mountains of Karabakh.

Historically, these two have had a checkered past. Early Slavic and Turkic peoples have traded the thrusts of sabre blows as well as the impacts of musket balls for centuries. For decades, the two wanted nothing more than to throw the other out of the Black Sea forever. However, the end of the First World War saw the demise of both regimes. Fast forward to the post-Soviet world, during which Turkey remained firmly in NATO’s pocket.

For a couple of decades, the two pledged to be arbiters of good in the Trans-Caucasus region. Then came Syria.

On November 24, 2015, a strike team of Turkish F-16s targeted and shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24M attack bomber.

In the ensuing ejection and crash, the weapons systems officer was rescued during an operation carried out by Russian marines. During this rescue, another Russian marine was killed. However, the pilot was surrounded and killed by local fighters. Russia was infuriated, and Tur-

A Russian peacekeeper holds up his hand to stop a photo being taken as a checkpoint is set up at the entrance to Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh's regional capital, on Nov. 13. By Jack Losh for Foreign Policy

key claimed foul. Then Andrei Karlov, the Ambassador to Turkey was shot during a press conference at a museum in Ankara. Again, Russia steamed, but did nothing.

Now, in the wake of the Karabakh war, the two come face-to-face again with arms in hand, and Russia has already theorized what might happen. The Institute for Political and Military Analysis in Moscow published a piece that focused on the events that would unfold should the two come to blows in the Caucasus.

Using strong language, they envisioned armor and air elements engaging in the Karabakh regions, but also in Georgia.

They have proposed that the Armenian government, which has always aligned itself closer to the Russians, will be the instigator in this.

Through lobbying repeatedly to have

Russians interfere in regional affairs, they would bring the two to war in an effort to ride the Kremlin’s coattails to victory and destabilize Georgian interests as well. Being a member of the largely ineffective Collective Security Treaty Organization, or CSTO, Russia would be legally bound to come to their aid should anything arise.

Georgia, while generally friendly with both Azerbaijan and Armenia, has far more investments not just economically but also politically, with the former.

Armenia and their Russian benefactors would use the opportunity to seize control of the Caucasus entirely. A dicey gambit indeed, but one that would be the “holy grail” of the anti-NATO movement.

With Turkey as a NATO member, and Georgia a close ally, the two being sup-

ported by the West would be forced to confront the combined aggression. Even with the 102nd Military Base playing as Russia’s key force in the South Caucasus, the only quick way to support them would be a renewed invasion of Georgia.

The 4th and 7th Bases in South Ossetia and Abkhazia would be first sent into to split Georgia in two along a north-south axis near Tbilisi. Curbing any counter maneuvers from Azerbaijan from the east, and Turkish support forces from the southwest would be next. Heavy fighting in Kakheti and Adjara would ensue, with Russian Battalion Tactical Groups (BTGs) being sheathed in a protective layer of Chechen, Cossack, South Ossetian, and Abkhazian irregular troops.

An alliance of the remaining Georgian regular and irregular forces, Turkish Army forces, and Azeri’s overstretched

military would be left to fight.

Georgia has most notably been neutral in the recent hostilities in the region, and rightfully so. However, they must realize that this does not absolve them of strategic responsibility. It can be all too easy to say the aforementioned events are outside the scope of reality, but the same can be said for many events that have already come to fruition. Strong bonds between Georgia, Azerbaijan, and the Turkish-NATO elements in the region must be reinforced. Russia is already playing their game, under their trademark shadow tactics aptly termed “maskirovka.” As it has been said of Trojans being skeptical of Greeks bearing gifts, so too should Georgians be wary of Russians in the region bearing “MC” (Russian Cyrillic initials for Peacekeeper) on their uniforms.

6

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 3, 2020

No Smoke without Fire OP-ED BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

T

rump is not conceding the election to Biden in habitual solemn verbosity, but he is giving a green light to a peaceful transition of government, because he will never allow there to be fuel poured on the fire – not in his nature of a businessman! Nor would it be characteristic for his distinguishable stance of chief executive of the stillmost-powerful nation of the planet.

America has had more than its share of tumult and commotion this year, and the wisest among the presidential moves would certainly be to give a little slack to his scared and exhausted people.

America deserves a better image to operate on both internal and external politi-

cal arenas, and Americans deserve better setting to carry on with making even better their wonderful country.

But it’s not over yet, and the transition of power cannot be called smooth and happy. A number of decisions and conclusions still await us. Whether we like it or not, the next presidency seems a little lame, if not crippled, because the traditional midway process of going-out and coming-in has been darkened by doubts about the integrity of the American electoral process. As a matter of fact, not only the United States but entire humankind has forfeited the perpetual pattern of fairest and strongest democratic rule, exuding hope for democratic wannabe nations around the world, like our little but resilient Georgia. We, the rank-and-file of this country, may not know exactly what’s happening to our strategic partner; we

only see what we see, and we read just as much as is available in the media.

Only, there is a gut feeling that something more is happening than is seen on the surface or felt underneath. It is simply unbelievable that the democratic elections could have been rigged in the political culture that has been the forerunner in the marathon for democracy since its constitution was adopted in the late 1780s. Just imagine, more than 230 years of time! How could it be possible that somebody would want to stuff the politically sacred ballot boxes without any remorse or pangs of conscience?

How come it was allowed to send the votes out of the country for counting by some unlikely services? How could it happen that somebody lied about the vote count and got away with it? Or threw out the legal ballots, trampling the will of the people that much?

The newly introduced terms like ‘voting machine glitch, software malfunction in voting systems and change of votes while avoiding detection’ seem to be totally wrong for a once pristine and transparent electoral showground like America. But there can’t be smoke without fire! Some of the well-known American political columnists are putting it straight that the 2020 electoral misgivings in the United States go deeper. What they are trying to deliberate on with a purely conservative olfactory sense of politics is not very easy to interpret, especially for a foreign reader like myself, but some of the excerpts from certain publications have forced me into thinking that ‘something is rotten in the Kingdom of Denmark’.

I have known the widely-published American political writer and journalist Bill Thomas for well over 30 years, I have

read every single of his books and articles, including the ones about our Georgia, but I have never heard words like this from his mouth: “It’s time to call the Democratic Party what it really is – an organized crime syndicate that’s been fixing elections for years under the pretense of saving the planet, ending racism, or whatever else sounds like a good cause to divert attention from the heist in progress . . . In fact, Democrats have been getting away with it for so long, they make little, if any, attempt to hide what they’re doing. And why bother when Republicans have always been perfectly willing not to notice? Enter Donald Trump, making an issue of deep state corruption’. Well, this is the evaluation of a real McCoy American, patriot of his country and a talented modern columnist, and I have absolutely no right not to lend an ear to it.

Moldova's Former Minister of Foreign Affairs on Moldova’s New President-Elect & the Country’s Relations with Russia INTERVIEW BY VAZHA TAVBERIDZE

B

y electing Maia Sandu and refusing Kremlin-linked Igor Dodon another term, Moldova seems to have made yet another stride towards the West. Sandu and her team have lofty goals, chief among them being getting rid of the country's rampant corruption and moving even closer to the EU. But does that fit in with the Kremlin’s plans?

What are the red lines for Chisinau in their declared normalization of relations with Moscow? Moldova's Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nicu Popescu, spoke to us about this and more.

HOW MUCH OF A ROLE DID GEOPOLITICS, ESPECIALLY IGOR DODON’S RUSSIAN LINKS, PLAY IN ELECTIONS? In Moldova, you have an electorate that is divided geopolitically, but to a large degree this geopolitical division is not always very strong. I think you have a roughly 40% cluster that is traditionally rather pro-Western, but most of them are not very anti-Russian, and you have the same on the other end of the spectrum, about 35%, who are Russia-friendly but who are not necessarily very antiWestern. And then you have centrist voters who sometimes decide the outcome of elections. What helped Maia Sandu make the leap from her stable electoral basis was to to run a campaign mostly centered on an anti-corruption message, and she also made an explicit effort to reach out to the Russian-speaking population and to more centrist voters. Her message on foreign policy was that she wants to bring Moldova closer to the European Union, but she wants respectful relations with Russia and at no point did she attack or criticize Russia, which enabled her to reach out to completely new voters, which also partly explains her much bigger victory, even over that of any other center-right candidate in Moldova.

MOSCOW SENT A SOMEWHAT CORDIAL CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE, AND EVEN ZHIRINOVSKY STARTED PRAISING SANDU AND BLASTING DODON. DOES IT MEAN THAT RUSSIA IS HAPPY WITH HOW THINGS PLAYED OUT IN MOLDOVA? What to make of it? We should acknowledge that periods of attitudes to Moscow and Russia in Moldova are somewhat calmer and quieter than they would be in Ukraine or Georgia, not least because the active phase of the war in Transnistria, where Russia played a major supporting role in helping the Transnistrian separatism, ended in 92, and time has

certainly calmed emotions on both sides.

Moldova also has a somewhat different geography: it is somewhat further removed geographically from Russia, and in cultural terms we are also much less linked to the Russian language space. So, in this sense, I think the issue is less emotional for Russia; there is some potential for a calm relationship.

Now we’ll see where this leads. At least from the Moldovan side, there is a strong desire not to complicate matters if this can be avoided, but at the same time to do so from a position where Moldovan sovereignty and self-respect is maintained.

THE PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE ITSELF IS VERY LIMITED, LARGELY CEREMONIAL. UNLESS YOU FOLLOW WITH A VICTORY IN THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, SHOULD WE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR SANDU TO ACTUALLY ACHIEVE ANYTHING? We should have moderate but positive expectations. Moldova is a semi-parliamentary republic which gives the president some powers to block certain negative developments, be it in keeping corrupt in positions or appointing corrupt judges: the president has a certain platform through which they can exercise institutional power, and a capacity to filter and control and limit some negative trends. Of course, it also gives you a political platform to raise issues, and the president also has some powers in the national security council, in some of the law enforcement agencies. Politics doesn't work according to a mathematical form, but it also depends on momentum, on emotions, on public opinion pressure, and of course here, Sandu has a lot of momentum with her anti-corruption agenda. There’s a lot of momentum in trying to reconnect Moldova more closely with the rest of Europe, and a lot of public expectation that the political class will be less corrupt.

HOW WILL SANDU BRING MOLDOVA CLOSER TO EUROPE, INCLUDING EU MEMBERSHIP, WHICH WAS ALSO ONE OF YOUR DECLARED AMBITIONS DURING YOUR TENURE AS MINISTER? If we’re pragmatic and we look at the next several years, possibly decade, then the conversation about membership remains very theoretical while countries like Moldova, like Ukraine, like Georgia, still have major governance issues, be it on corruption, be it on political pluralism, be it on the quality of elections.

In a strict Moldovan context, Moldova is one of the most corrupt countries in Europe, among most countries in the world; it is much more corrupt than

Georgia, and if Moldova doesn't radically improve its corruption situation, of course any talk about EU membership will not remain credible. I don't like these sort of philosophical conversations about whether it will happen at some point in 50 years or 30 years; this is all very speculative. What is not speculative is that Moldova has to do its homework. Like in the Olympic games: you can’t come and hope that you will win a medal if you haven’t trained day and night to become strong.

I see the EU accession process from the same prism.

IN SPORTS, EXTERNAL FACTORS CAN AFFECT YOUR PERFORMANCE, LIKE INJURIES. WHAT IS MOLDOVA’S POTENTIAL LIMITING FACTOR IN ITS ASPIRATION TO BECOME AN EU MEMBER COUNTRY? Luck and context play a role in politics, but if you're not well trained, luck won’t help you. We know from recent history that windows of opportunity open and close, but you can only jump through a window of opportunity if you're fit.

Let's imagine that at some point there is a geopolitical context that makes it favorable to join, and if you're not ready, you're not joining. Look at the Balkans.

The Balkans were offered a membership accession promise 20 years ago and some joined the EU: Slovenia, Croatia, but some others have not progressed very much towards the EU, so a promise is not enough.

REMEMBERING 2008 IN GEORGIA, 2014 IN UKRAINE AND, ACCORDING TO YOURSELF, 2020 IN ARMENIA, ALL EXAMPLES OF RUSSIA OPPOSING ITS NEIGHBORS’ WESTERN ASPIRATIONS,

DO YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENING TO MOLDOVA IF YOU TRY TOO HARD TO GO WEST? The honest answer is that we don't know, but we have to try. Moldova, when it comes to domestic reform, has a lot of training to do. I would say there are several things that make Moldova somewhat different: Moldova has been neutral since 1994, and there is no parallel NATO accession aspiration to that of the EU. Most of the population in the political class does not support NATO accession. That removes one of the massive Kremlin concerns that might derail some geopolitical trends around Moldova. Next, to a large degree, Moldova's geography in terms of allowing it to have more geopolitical space to maneuver, including vis-à-vis Russia, is greater than for countries like Armenia or Belarus, and possibly even Ukraine.

Moldova doesn’t have a border with Russia, meaning a different capacity to project military power, meaning different trade links. This puts Moldova in a slightly more comfortable geopolitical context than Georgia, Armenia or Ukraine.

accomplished. Russian groups still remain on the ground, and neutrality has not helped. At the same time, it did help Moldova avoid other geopolitical tensions related to NATO accession that Georgia and uUraine had. I think the balance of that is mixed, but what I also think is worth underlining is that Georgia has tried different strategies, joining the Tashkent Treaty around 1995, a Russian-led military alliance which later became the Collective Security Treaty Organization in the hopes it would help stop Abkhazia and South Ossetia. And being a Russian military ally and legitimizing four Russian military bases on Georgian soil in the late 90s also didn't help Georgia solve this problem. So, in this sense, I think that neutrality was not perfectly efficient, but we see now that Armenia, a Russian ally, did not receive sufficient Russian support. States have tried to align with Russia, to be neutral with Russia, or to be critical towards Russia but in all cases none of them achieved their objective.

HAS THE NEUTRALITY NOTION WORKED IN YOUR BENEFIT, OR HAS IT IMPAIRED YOU? HOW CAN IT BE FEASIBLE FOR A COUNTRY THAT IS NEITHER FINANCIALLY OR MILITARILY STRONG ENOUGH TO DEFEND ITSELF?

DURING YOUR TIME AS A MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, YOU CALLED FOR THE NORMALIZATION OF MOLDOVA'S RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA. A SIMILAR STATEMENT WAS ISSUED BY THE CURRENT GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT. WHAT DOES THIS NORMALIZATION ENTAIL, AND HOW MUCH SAY WOULD MOLDOVA HAVE?

The reason Moldova is neutral, and has been since 1994 when we adopted the constitution, is the hope that this would give moldova an argument to insist and persuade Russia to remove its troops from the Transnistrian region, and I confess those hopes which were tied to Moldovan neutrality have not been

It’s a word that can mean different things in different countries; in the Moldovan context, it meant that Moldova wants to have a stable relationship with Russia; wants to trade more with Russia, but wants this relationship to be based on mutual respect. This does not imply geopolitical concessions to Russia.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 3, 2020

7

Carrefour Friday Rewards Loyal Customers with High-value Prizes

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arrefour — Georgia’s largest hypermarket and supermarket chain — strives to reward its loyal customers with year-round offers and chances to win amazing gifts. Most recently, the brand has launched ‘Carrefour Friday’ — a campaign surprising customers with exclusive prizes and cash-back points.

For the better part of a decade, Carrefour — operated in Georgia by Majid Al Futtaim — has provided citizens with exceptional value on more than 40,000 high-quality food and non-food products, and the best service through customer experience.

Through its latest Carrefour Friday campaign, Carrefour is elevating the shopping experience for its customers once again. Between 20 – 30 November, shoppers will have the chance to walk away with brand new appliances, electronics, kitchenware, or thousands of MyCLUB points. To be eligible, customers simply need to visit any Carrefour store across the country, spend over 35 GEL and scan their MyCLUB card at the cash register to see if they are a lucky winner.

It is important that all customers keep

a close eye on their receipts — this is where their prize will be revealed. After answering a simple question, the customer will receive their prize. There are a total of 1,190 high-value prizes to be won including: outdoor swings, smartphones, vacuum cleaners, pressure washers, hair dryers, blenders, mixers, toasters, irons, teapots, coffee machines, laptops, game consoles, cameras, headphones, refrigerators, tableware sets, boiler sets and suitcases.

Furthermore, customers will have the opportunity to win up to 10,000 MyCLUB points. The MyCLUB card must be scanned at check-out for a chance to win any of the aforementioned prizes. Likewise, customers are encouraged to use Carrefour’s MyCLUB loyalty programme to get the most value from their shopping experience. Easy to use, the barcode from the MyCLUB card is scanned at the cash counter while paying — points accrued can then be redeemed in store.

To join Carrefour MyCLUB, subscribers can either register on the loyalty website www.carrefourmyclub.com, or in store by completing the Carrefour MyCLUB registration form.

CARREFOUR EXPANDS DIGITAL OFFERING WITH CONVENIENT

AND SAFE DELIVERY As the market-leading retailer, Carrefour has underlined its commitment to creating convenient and seamless shopping experiences through its physical and digital expansion while keeping safety front of mind.

Most recently, Carrefour has enhanced its online presence and expanded its delivery service by partnering with nonfood delivery app, Vendoo, and fooddelivery app, Wolt.

Across the country — 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, since 6 November, customers in Tbilisi and Batumi have been able to order a wide assortment of more than 1,000 Carrefour products including fresh fruits and vegetables, household items, and hygiene supplies, on Wolt. Moreover, the brand’s e-payment partnership ensures that when shoppers pay using MasterCard, they benefit from free deliv-

ery for an entire month.

These newly announced partnerships also safeguard customers’ health and wellbeing during the pandemic, allowing them to shop from the safety and comfort of their own homes.

Carrefour’s recent partnerships with Vendoo, Wolt, and Mastercard are aimed at simplifying the lives of its customers and complementing its physical expansion, which saw the opening of six new stores across the country. This combined physical and digital growth once again underscores Carrefour’s position as a trusted local partner creating value for the local industry and economy.

Tbilisi Hills Restaurant Latvian Chef Arthur Linkevich on New Collaboration & Future Plans

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bilisi Hills Restaurant, one of the most popular eateries in the city, has a new chef, Arthur Linkevich, from Latvia, promising even more exciting and varied dishes for its guests.

Arthur has impressive and long-term experience in the kitchen, helped by his innovative spirit and ability to create distinguished dishes every day.

GEORGIA TODAY spoke to the Tbilisi Hills Restaurant chef to find out more.

FOOD ENTHUSIASTS IN GEORGIA WILL BE GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT A NEW EXPERIENCED CHEF LIKE YOU AT TBILISI HILLS RESTAURANT. TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND. After three years of culinary college, I moved to capital of Latvia, Riga, and got straight into fine dining level restaurants.

In my second year I was accepted at the best restaurant in Latvia: Restaurant Vincents, Chef Martins Ritins. I spent almost two years there and decided to go higher and bigger.

A friend of mine invited me to England to a classic local steak restaurant, but it wasn’t for me, and after 6 months of heating spinach in the microwave and cutting 30KG potatoes every day for French Fries, I started to look for Michelin restaurants online. I got the offer to work in a two-Michelin star restaurant in Marlow, the UK, with chef Tom Kerridge.

And there began the long journey of my work in Michelin restaurants. The English weather wasn’t for me and soon I moved to the south of France to another restaurant with stars.

The last 5 years in France I spent in top restaurants on the south coast which had been awarded 1, 2 and 3 Michelin stars, and I had the chance to work with great chefs like Christophe Dufau, Ronan Kervarrec, Arnaud Faye, Jean-Remi Caillon, Jerome Fitour and Arnaud Donckele, who was awarded Chef of the World in 2019.

WHAT MADE YOU BECOME A CHEF? WHAT DOES THIS PROFESSION MEAN TO YOU? It may sound corny, but since I was a little boy I loved to cook. And I spent days with my mum and grandmother in the kitchen cooking.

After joining a proper kitchen, I realized that more than just cooking, I love all the rest of the kitchen life too: the busy service, adrenaline rush, angry chef that reminds you of an American general from the movies, who is asking you to give the best you can give him like its your last service.

And when the service is done and the chef praises you and all the guests are happy, and you can say it was a good day and you gave great service, nothing could be better.

HOW DID YOUR COLLABORATION WITH TBILISI HILLS START? WHAT CHANGES DID IT BRING TO YOUR LIFE? My collaboration came by coincidence, because after years in France, my wife and I decided to spend some time in my home town, and when I got another good offer for work, COVID changed the plan and we got stuck there. After the first wave of Covid, I opened a fine dining restaurant in my town and enjoyed a good summer season. And then came the second wave and slowly all the tourists started to disappear. I realized the season was over and I needed to do something. At that moment along came my friend offering me Tbilisi Hills. And two weeks later, I was here.

It hasn’t changed anything in my life because the Georgian nature is like in France, and I adapt really quickly to new places, so I feel like I’ve lived here for years. The people are amazing and openminded here. I’m really enjoying Georgia, and I think we’ll be here a while yet.

GIVE US YOUR IMPRESSIONS ABOUT TBILISI HILLS RESTAURANT. WHAT DISTINGUISHES IT FROM OTHER

SIMILAR PROFILE FACILITIES? Like I said earlier, I adapt really quickly, and for me it’s just another challenge.

The people here help me in all my needs and it’s one big joy to be here.

The kitchen boasts high level equipment and creative-strong cooks to create new tastes and food journeys for our guests, and the restaurant has good management and good front house workers who enjoy their jobs.

WHAT KIND OF MENU AWAITS VISITORS TO THE RESTAURANT? DO YOU HAVE A SIGNATURE DISH? I’m working on new menu with my new team, and I’ve already made some changes.

By end of the month, we’ll have changed it completely. I’m lucky my cooks have some knowledge of European cuisine,

and I’m teaching them new techniques and sharing my experience with them.

Each of the dishes on the menu will be signature dishes, because I will mostly use Georgian local products and transfer them into French-English cuisine… Step by step, I’m trying to taste new products and find alternatives to European ingredients, for example classic capers in beef tartare replaced with jonjoli.

HAVE YOU TASTED GEORGIAN DISHES? WHAT ARE YOUR IMPRESSIONS ABOUT THE LOCAL CUISINE? Me and my wife love to try new food. She’s my assistant and kind of a restaurateur. If I make a new dish, she has to be the first to try it; if she can’t try it at least she helps me with dish presentation and tells me how it looks. So every single day off, we

try to go to local restaurants and try new tastes. And lots of them are really good.

The most delicious dishes are simply made, and the best is always simple.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS RELATED TO WORKING HERE IN GEORGIA, ALONG WITH THE TBILISI HILLS TEAM? All my youth, I spent traveling and exploring new places, even when I met my wife and our little boy was born, we continued traveling and changing homes. And after thousands and thousands of kilometers driven by car and flown by plane, we decided to find a new home and settle down for longer.

And Georgia is a great country to start a new chapter in. And I’m very lucky to be in a big project like Tbilisi Hills, with its ideas and plans we can do great things!

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BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 3, 2020

Noxtton – A Georgian Company in the Global Information Technology Industry

BY SALOME KUSHASHVILI

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e are living in an extraordinary time, marked by the omnipresent impact of digital technologies, the role, scale, and importance of which is ever-growing. The effective use of technological opportunities has become the ultimate need for businesses wanting to achieve sustainability and success.

Hence, a high demand has arisen for companies specializing in information technologies.

Noxtton is the first Georgian multidimensional tech and consulting company to provide businesses with digital solutions, and a wide assortment of professional services to accommodate the needs of both small and large organizations.

The history of the company began in 2016, in the UK, where a team of Georgians was working on a simple cybersecurity project and a big idea: aiming to create the first Georgian international information tech company.

We sat down with the founder of the company, Givi Chkhartishvili, and Managing Partner Luka Kobalia to discuss the unique features of Noxtton, the path of development, and the vision the company upholds.

“Our first project took place in Great Britain. Like all startups, we were a team of just a few people who did not yet have the face of an organization. The first steps were related to cybersecurity. Later, a technology company was formed with its own strategy and clear plans,” says Givi Chkhartishvili, founder of Noxtton.

According to him, in the first year, the company implemented 10 projects, which showed them the great opportunities and potential of the industry. They soon added other areas of activity and expanded the range of services. After implementing a number of projects and getting familiar with the industry, a full-fledged technological organization was created, which now provides various services and consulting in any digital direction: design and development of mobile applications and websites, development of CRM and ERP systems, e-commerce, IT consulting, technology audit, AI chatbots, digital marketing, Big Data & Ana-

lytics, and cybersecurity, to name a few.

“Our model is not bureaucratic: it is based on a multidisciplinary, team format, where each person, and therefore the team, takes care of the development of their own direction,” Chkhartishvili notes.

After a successful launch in Europe, the company appeared on the Georgian market 18 months ago. The goal is to quickly assimilate the Georgian market and get on board with the brands in Georgia. Extensive experience working with international organizations allows the team to share internationally recognized practices and approaches locally, although the efforts of the company are not limited to Georgia. Part of Noxtton’s team is currently operating in Estonia.

The company has representatives in many other countries, and is working on projects in several regions in parallel.

However, the main focus of the company is Georgia. Noxtton is focused on developing the industry in the country to support small and large organizations in developing digital and technological solutions.

“In general, the digital world has evolved in the West and is slowly shifting to the East. Our industry is now seeing ample opportunities for development in Eastern Europe. It shows great promise in Georgia as well. Our example indicates that more and more companies are interested in using the digital realm and its opportunities to their fullest. For instance, the direction of websites is increasingly relevant, and many companies seek to be well represented in this regard. This tendency motivates us to help as many companies in Eastern Europe as possible, to effectively present themselves via the digital world,” states Luka Kobalia, Managing Partner of Noxtton.

In order for Georgian companies to implement international standards, organizations need to successfully address the growing trend and challenges of digitization processes. As Kobalia states, the need for digital transformation became a necessity during the Covid-19 pandemic. Consequently, it resulted in a number of unsuccessful transitions and problems with the switching process.

“The main problem for most Georgian companies that emerged during the pandemic was the transfer of work to the

online space. For those who started to incorporate the ‘ejail’-structure in the work process in time, it all went more or less smoothly. I would advise companies to study this strategy, conduct research in this area, and then effectively move teams to the ejail-structure, which entails leaving behind the hierarchical bureaucracy in favor of more flexible teamwork. This is not only one of the most effective ways to work offline, but it will also help companies in the online mode,” Kobalia suggests.

The tendency on the market indicates that Georgian organizations are well aware of the importance of digital transformation. However, both organizationally and operationally, they are not ready to move to the digital realm.

“We’ve had cases when a rather large organization has ordered technological products, we’ve done it with absolute completeness and functionality, we’ve adapted digital architecture and the socalled footprint to their organizational requirements, but after the transfer, the services received by the customer were not effectively utilized and implemented in the work process. As experience shows, in the technology sector, there is quite a large division between expectations and earnings, which is due to the lack of research into the internal and external resources and capabilities of the organization and, if necessary, adaptation in the form of restructuring,” Chkhartishvili says.

He further explains this tendency and states that people do not have a clear image of the idea of digital product development. They consider this transfer to be the solution, meaning that after the transition process, everything will automatically be fine.

“This is a Utopian belief. We should understand that any software or digital platform needs proper use, management, adaptation to organizational resources and structures, further support, and development. Which in many cases is never achieved, even by large, experienced organizations,” states the Noxtton founder.

To deal with this uncertainty, Noxtton positions itself as a digital consultingtechnology organization, meaning that they not only create products, but also ensure the merging, development, and synergy of created and existing products

and organizational resources.

“Through us, organizations are given the opportunity to properly assess any technological challenge and related strategic, monetary, or structural risk factors and benefits. In order to take the right steps and effectively adapt to innovations, it is vital to develop digital competencies and knowledge. Noxtton takes care of all this and transforms the global experience into learning modules. Our experienced professionals are adept at listening to the pulse of the industry and knowing exactly what kind of skills development and knowledge acquisition is needed. We also offer a Academy of Digital Industries and a variety of training programs, which have already trained more than 3,500 people,” says Chkhartishvili.

Academy of Digital Industries is one of the business platforms established about 20 months ago, and today offers several training areas: development, marketing, design, and business. There are more than 70 courses, masterclasses, and workshops in all four directions.

Academy of Digital Industries also plans to introduce training programs for a global audience.

The digital product management course is tailored to the needs and requirements in Georgia and belongs to Luka Kobalia.

As the managing partner explains, “The idea for this course is based on the shortcomings identified not only by us, but also by our partners. All of this has been worked out, and an approach has been created to avoid any kind of hindrance to the cause. We have contacts with many Georgian companies, including the largest organizations in the sector, which give us important insight into the challenges of the industry.”

Through this program, attendees are introduced to the digital world, different types of projects and management details,

and learn more about the differences between the technological processes.

They practice the processes happening in the digital sphere to ensure minimal divergence between the expectations and the final product.

“Even though our organization is not yet widely known, there are many digital platforms and products under our holding, infrastructure, and management.

For example, if a person spends at least 5 minutes a day on a social network, she/ he will surely see at least one advertisement, product, or information we target; and this figure, in our case, is growing astronomically,” states Chkhartishvili.

The success of the company can be illustrated in numbers. According to our respondents, only two years ago, the engagement per week was half a million: today it reached 18-20 million. The same can be said for the automation of payments and processes.

“Market uptake is happening with astonishing speed, and companies are actively trying to digitize, hybridize, and mobilize human capital and resources towards digital products. All organizations want to introduce collaborative, automation systems and digital products and services. It is for this purpose that we exist: it is our mission to help companies develop their capabilities both locally and globally,” Chkhartishvili notes.

Noxtton continues to support local and international organizations in the Georgian, European and Asian markets with a full range of services. Achieving the set goals is facilitated through the experience and competence that the company offers. Each task is completed with an in-depth analysis of the most effective available solutions. Noxtton has come to represent a reliable base for many organizations around the globe, providing them with the right navigation in a digital world of immense possibilities.

Efes Georgia Wins CSR Award 2020

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n the initiative of the Georgian Global Compact Network, and with the support of the Swedish Government, the contest Corporate Responsibility Award (CSR) 2020 was held in Georgia for the third time, seeing Efes Georgia awarded in the category: Decent Work and Economic Growth. This is the fifth award the company has received in various CSR contests since 2018.

"I’m proud that the competent jury distinguished us among many interesting and important projects,” said Nikoloz Khundzakishvili, Corporate Affairs Director of Efes Georgia. “I’d like to thank the organizers and each member of the jury for the recognition. This award is an additional motivation not only for the management of the company, but also for its employees. This award proves that the company's activities are based on a high

standard, aimed at sustainable development, and bringing long-term benefits to both the company and the community. At the same time, we’re making a contribution to the development of corporate social responsibility in Georgia.”

Efes Georgia's victory in the category Decent Work and Economic Growth was due to clearly defined priorities and relevant activities, such as its creating a dignified and safe environment for employees, designing individual development plans and the delivery of training for employees, the drafting a code of business ethics based on equality, supporting gender balance, working remotely during COVID-19, organizing online meetings and training, disinfecting the brewery and offices daily, controlling the temperature, and providing staff with gloves, masks and disinfectants.

The contest Corporate Responsibil-

ity Award 2020, in which 70 companies participated, aims to develop a culture of corporate responsibility in the country and encourage business involvement in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda.

Poverty elimination; Quality education; Decent work and economic growth; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Reasonable consumption and production; Partnerships for Sustainable Development: these are the categories in which the winning companies were identified and awarded by international and local jury members.

The CSR Awards were first held in Georgia in 2018. Efes Georgia also won that year in the category of Best Environmental Project. In 2019, in the category Partnership for Sustainable Development, the partnership project of Efes Georgia and the NGO Our House-Georgia by the Natakhtari Fund was named the best.

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 3, 2020

BUSINESS

9

HOME MADE: Quality & Distinctive Design at the Most Competitive Price INTERVIEW BY NINI DAKHUNDARIDZE

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OMEMADE is a Georgian furniture brand offering quality, comfort and original design. In an interview with GEORGIA TODAY, the brand representative shares with us why the demand for the company’s production is ever-increasing.

TELL US ABOUT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HOME MADE. The founder of the company often had to go to China to buy furniture for other businesses, so there was a thought that it would be more convenient to start outdoor furniture production, first for personal business and then for the market. For this purpose, we brought specialists from China and trained the local craftsmen for three months. Then, gradually, the demand grew and we added different directions, getting to the point where we are currently producing practically all ranges of furniture: outdoor, soft, solid wood and metal furniture, lighting and so on.

WHAT IS THE BASIS OF YOUR FURNITURE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY? DO YOU USE GEORGIAN OR IMPORTED RESOURCES? Our main focus is on natural products and modern, simple design. We make products that do not require large tech-

nological capacities, because our furniture is not designed for mass production.

From Georgian resources, we use everything that is produced in the country: metal, leather, clay. However, we also import timber, textiles and artificial rattan. Our designers make products according to order, based on our production capabilities.

local production and our own shop, we have the opportunity to work with low margins, which gives us a significant competitive advantage in our pricing policy.

HOW HAS THE EPIPANDEMIC AND THE ECONOMIC CRISIS AFFECTED YOUR BUSINESS? IF THE WORKING MATERIAL IS FOREIGN, SHOULD WE EXPECT AN INCREASE IN THE PRICE OF PRODUCTS DUE TO INFLATION?

At the moment, we are not actively thinking about increasing our sales channels, because the main task is to expand production in short-term plans, but next year we’re thinking of opening a store in Batumi. As for exports, we have fulfilled orders several times and taken them to neighboring countries, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Before COVID-19, almost 50% of sales were corporate purchases (cafes, hotels, restaurants, etc.), the share of which now has fallen to 20%. However, we have seen an increase in retail sales, which is mainly due to the increase in product diversity, also affected by inflation - the prices of foreign market competitors' furniture imported here have visibly increased. If the Lari does not get depreciated again, we do not plan to increase prices.

HOW DOES HOME MADE COMPETE WITH ITS NUMEROUS FOREIGN COMPETITORS? Home Made has a unique niche, namely, that all large consumers can bring their own design and we will create special furniture for them, or change existing models, size, color, textiles and more.

No foreign competitor has such a service. We are also responsible for the quality, and in case of any problem, we respond immediately. And because of

APART FROM IN TBILISI, WHERE CAN WE FIND A HOME MADE SHOWROOM? DO YOU EXPORT PRODUCTS?

WHY SHOULD CONSUMERS CHOOSE HOME MADE? Quality and distinctive design - at the most competitive price.

WHAT NEWS SHOULD CUSTOMERS EXPECT FROM HOME MADE IN THE NEAR FUTURE? We are constantly changing production and adding new directions. We grow, we learn, and consequently the quantity and quality of production increases. Local production allows us to quickly bring innovations to the market and be flexible.

Accordingly, we offer our customers a constantly updated collection.

You can visit HOMEMADE at Aghmashenebeli Kheivani, 205, where the showroom is every bit as outstanding as the brand’s furniture.

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SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 3, 2020

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.

Tbilisi Central Park Project – Call for More Green Space in the City

BY MARIAM CHACHAVA

P

ressure on environmental conditions has been increasing over the years in Tbilisi due to population increase: according to the National Statistics Office of Georgia (GeoStat), the capital’s population has increased by 8% over the last ten years; and the fact that Tbilisi is the center of Georgian business operations: GeoStat reveals that, by January 2020, 42% of economically active organizations were located in Tbilisi. These two factors are strongly associated with high levels of activity in the construction sector. According to GeoStat, 48% of construction permits issued in 2019 were allocated in Tbilisi.

In many cases, construction projects are notably developing at the expense of city green space. Add to this the news that Tbilisi has the highest share of vehicle holders, with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia showing that 36% of registered vehicles are in Tbilisi.

Given the increasing pressure on the city’s environment, action should be taken to provide a healthier and more habitable space. The development of urban parks is therefore one viable option.

However, the trend over the last decade has gone in exactly the opposite direction, with green space per capita decreasing dramatically. Estimations from Tbilisi City Hall data highlight that per-capita green space decreased from 5.6 to 1.3m2 between 2010-2018 (well below the average European standard of 10-15m2).

URBAN PARKS – A WIDELY SUPPORTED SOLUTION The literature suggests that green spaces and nature-based solutions represent the most efficient approaches for improving quality of city life (World Health Organization, 2017). Urban parks, defined as delineated open space areas, mostly dominated by vegetation and water, and

generally reserved for public use (Maruthaveeran, 2015), are considered an excellent method of expanding urban citizens’ exposure to nature. Historically, the primary role of urban parks has been to improve environmental conditions in cities by reducing urban heat, buffering noise, contributing to better air quality, and supporting ecological diversity. The significance of urban parks, however, is not limited solely to an environmental perspective.

Studies show that urban parks have a key role in supporting socialization and recreation among city residents, and this role has at times even grown to overshadow the environmental impact, with recreation being defined as an experience that results from freely chosen participation in physical, social, intellectual, creative and spiritual pursuits that enhance individual and community wellbeing (Elis, 2016). The international best practices of urban parks, such as New York Central Park, Boston Common, or Monsanto Forest Park in Lisbon, also reinforce that parks can become a key defining feature within a city. Regardless of the differences in their arrangement, a common characteristic of these parks is the diverse array of amusements for visitors, including gardens, museums, and attractions.

Nevertheless, there is always plenty of green space and numerous leisure areas for friends and families to gather, and which attract daily visitors.

Although urban parks are considered valuable for their significant role in social development, they are not usually perceived as profitable investments: They require substantial capital and maintenance costs, which are usually never offset by financial revenue. Consequently, they are rarely an appealing investment opportunity for private investors. Thus, the majority of urban parks are provided by local governments as local public goods. Since local authorities are the main entities responsible for the provision, development, and management of urban parks, it is worth considering city

residents’ preferences during the planning process.

URBAN PARKS IN TBILISI AND SOCIETAL NEEDS The Mayor of Tbilisi recently presented a rehabilitation project for the former Hippodrome Park, aimed at transforming it into Tbilisi Central Park, which would thus increase the availability of recreational zones in the city. The suggested plan has, though, become a highly debated issue. While part of society is excited by the concept, others are strongly opposed to the plan. Most opponents believe that although rehabilitation is required, they fear that the development of a park in the direction suggested will remove its primary recreational function.

Consequently, in order to better examine local societal preferences, we designed a survey and shared it through social media. We asked respondents to offer their opinions on the proposed Tbilisi Central Park project, and on existing parks and green spaces in general. By the end of the exercise, we had collected the responses of 224 Tbilisi residents.

The survey results suggest that the existing parks are quite popular (40% of respondents visit parks and other green spaces several times a week). 93% of respondents claim that they would visit parks more often still if they had such spaces in the vicinity of their work or homes, whereas other respondents who reported that they would not frequently visit local parks said they believe there are already parks and green spaces close enough to their homes and work space.

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the related restrictions, have significantly increased utilization of public parks, and appreciation of this public good; 58% of respondents stated that during the pandemic, it has become more important to be able to visit green spaces. Nonetheless, only 24% reported managing to visit parks more often, largely because they had no access locally to such places.

Finally, 99% of the individuals surveyed

said they believe there is a need for more urban parks and green spaces in Tbilisi.

The respondents were also asked to evaluate the rehabilitation project of the former Hippodrome Park, attributing it a score between 1 to 10. Of the respondents, 52% evaluated the project between 1-5 (a negative evaluation), while the remaining 48% assessed between 6 and 10 (positive), confirming the split public opinion.

Examining the respondents’ answers in greater detail reveals that the main reasons for split public opinions are the characteristics of the suggested park.

The new Tbilisi Central Park is expected to be divided into 26 different zones, including a food zone, an education center, alongside fountains and car parking zones. Thus, many of these “improvements” are likely at the expense of green areas, those currently used by residents for various recreational activities. This, however, is in stark contrast to the priorities highlighted by our respondents; with 61% claiming that the most urgent action should be increasing green space within the existing urban parks (i.e. grass, trees, etc.), followed by the need of multifunctional zones (28%), more space for sport activities (7%), and other basic comfort elements for visitors, such as the provision of drinking water and comfort stations (4%).

Local preferences are further confirmed by the fact that people tend to visit spaces with a greener environment (Graph 1), even if it is far from their living or working areas. Of those who usually visit greener spaces, such as Lisi Lake, the Hippodrome, Tbilisi Sea, etc., 39% state that, even though such places are not near their neighborhoods, they go because they enjoy the environment. Furthermore, most respondents who indicated other preferred locations (beyond the options provided), visit either small parks in their neighborhoods or forest parks, such as Dighomi and Krtsanisi Forest, which also confirms their inclination towards greener environments.

In summary, rehabilitation of the former hippodrome territory itself is a positive initiative. The main reason for any controversy seems to be that the planned infrastructural development does not necessarily meet societal needs or preferences. Our small survey suggests that any benefits could be magnified if the preferences of residents were better incorporated into the Central Park planning process; by minimizing the loss of green areas and preserving as much of the existing landscape as possible in order to maximize people’s exposure to the natural environment in the heart of Tbilisi.

Graph 1. Most Visited Urban Parks and Green Spaces in Tbilisi

Source: Author’s calculations based on the online survey data

More Int’l Recognition for Natakhtari Beer’s New Series ‘Knight in the Panther’s Skin’

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atakhtari’s The Knight in the Panther’s Skin won at the international ‘World Beverage Innovation Awards’ 2020.

The ‘Cans of the Year’ Awards and ‘World Beverage Innovation’ Awards are international contests in which The Knight in the Panther’s Skin series of Natakhtari took part and won international acclaim. Several days ago, in the Beverage Category of Cans of the Year, the brand won a Golden Award and delighted its consumers with yet another success.

“The project presents a new form of relationship between brands and consumers,” said Alphan Akpece, Commercial Director of Efes Georgia. “In this case, we used packaging as an information carrier to remind our customers of eternal values. We take pride that our favorite project was presented at international contests and that Natakhtari cans with modern illustrations of The

Knight in the Panther’s Skin were shown next to the world-famous brands. For us, as beer market leaders, it is important to invest in innovation, consumer needs, as well as in Georgian culture. Natakhtari Beer continues production of its limited series and is planning interesting novelties for the future.”

Efes Georgia presented a new series on the same theme for its leading beer brand Natakhtari at the end of September. The packaging was decorated with works by contemporary Georgian artist David Matchavariani. The project started with Matchavariani devoting four years of work to the illustrations of the graphic novel The Knight in the Panther’s Skin. Four important scenes from this beautiful artwork are available on shelves through the packs of Natakhtari for a limited time only.

Friendship, equality, love, kindness are values visually and aphoristically conveyed on four different packages that are already for sale.

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 3, 2020

11

2nd Wave: Etseri, Svaneti S BLOG BY TONY HANMER

o this is what it feels like, with The Virus gaining ground now.

My set of concentric circles, with “people I don’t know getting infected” on the outside, moving inwards in circles of relationship to “ME getting infected” in the center, now has “people I know, but don’t live with” having been infected. These include people in Georgia and even in my village, as well as people overseas. No family members yet; no-one I know yet who has died from it, either.

I also know people (near and far) who have had The Virus and recovered.

We’re wearing masks when anyone comes into the shop in our house, and requiring them to as well. If they don’t have one, they either have to buy one to enter, or stay outside and order. No exceptions!

Whenever we’re outside, we wear a mask too, as Georgian law requires.

When we go to Zugdidi, 100 km away, to stock up for the shop, I’m aware that, even masked, we are increasing the risk of getting infection each time. So this feels weird.

The recent two weeks of online teaching which we had to have as one of the school staff had The Virus (now recovered) are over. My wife would rather teach classes with some children absent than do the online version, which seems to be universal. Everyone agrees, teachers, pupils, and parents, that online learning is a poor substitute for face to face, though better than nothing if you’re motivated! Even with a reasonably fast internet connection at OUR end, there are frequent dropouts, or some pupils are there only in audio, and the setup is ripe for misuse if they’re lazy or apathetic, which some certainly are.

I try to check worldwide and national infection and death rates online only

once a day, in the morning, and not to follow Georgian TV information too much, as it’s depressing. A balance between knowing the facts and letting them weigh you down. These are people, health systems, and economies getting overburdened. This is Georgia now, with more infections overall than Azerbaijan has, whereas some months ago their infection rate was 20 TIMES ours.

I also try to combat false information online, at least for myself. I can’t do very much for others, whoever they are, if

they’re determined to believe something they’ve heard, seen, read. There’s some awfully slickly produced lies out there, and some people who are predisposed to drink them in. These times are showing this up more than ever, because it can be life or death.

I remind myself that most people who get infected recover! It’s not an automatic or even likely death sentence! Just… worse for older than younger people, or for those with a pre-existing health issue. Although knowledge is still unfolding, and long-

term effects are still unclear in this first year, and I try not to dwell on it.

I do wonder if the occasional stomach aches I sometimes get now are an ulcer forming, due to stress. I look up online how to minimize such a thing by diet.

Local health care is stretched too far to ask its help with relatively minor issues.

I also pray, and remind myself that my Christian faith sees my ultimate fate as sealed. I do have some kind of answer for “Why, if there is an infinitely powerful and all-knowing God, is there any

suffering in the world/universe at all?”.

It works for me. In this I rest, or try to.

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

Eight-year-old Crushes Age Stereotype about Authorship INTERVIEW BY ELENE DZEBISASHVILI

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used to believe that fiction writing was the realm of adults. But this was before I met Ioanna and was introduced to her astounding world of pure imagination and wit. At eight years old, she wrote a story that radiates an amazing combination of creativity, faculties, and confidence that are characteristic of more renowned, consummate authors. Ioanna carefully weaves a plotline that makes her story a real page-turner that anyone with a liking for literature would enjoy and appreciate indulging in.

Essentially, the author lays out a gripping odyssey of a two-tailed lizard who, impassioned to become an astronaut, follows a hurricane only to find himself in Havana, a city in Cuba- not Mars! Anyone eager to indulge in this world of refined fantasy can read The Adventures of Luis, the TwoTailed Lizard on Amazon.

Ioanna Nelson lives in Tbilisi, Georgia.

She is a student at the British International School of Tbilisi, and wants to

study veterinary medicine and be a writer when she grows up. She loves animals, nature, and the color purple.

In an interview with GEORGIA TODAY, the young author talks about her inspiration to write, her favorite author, and her wishes for the future.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THE BOOK? My inspiration came from visiting my grandmother’s garden in Coconut Grove, Florida. In reality a two-tailed lizard did live in her garden for more than 3 years, and my grandmother and I started making up stories about the lizard and named him Luis. We also saw other lizards and added them to our made up stories which we were writing notes about. My grandma told me we should write a book about it one day and then, when Covid came and we both had much more time, we decided to write the book together. We also had the great help of Susana Mueller, who is a professional editor.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE THE READERS TAKE AWAY

PUBLISHER & GM

George Sharashidze COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT

Commercial Director: Iva Merabishvili Marketing Manager: Natalia Chikvaidze

GEORGIA TODAY

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT:

Editor-In-Chief: Katie Ruth Davies

FROM YOUR STORY? To never give up on your dreams, no matter what other people think about them.

I SUPPOSE YOU LIKE TO READ BOOKS BY OTHER AUTHORS, TOO. HAVE YOU GOT A FAVORITE BOOK? WHAT WRITERS HAVE INSPIRED YOU? One book I love is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by my favorite British author Roald Dahl. I also love his Fantastic Mr.Fox and Matilda. I love the fantasy and magic in these books.

IS THERE A PIECE THAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON? I’m not currently working on any new book, as I am very busy again with online schooling; but after Christmas, I’d like to think about the second part of my book.

WHAT ARE YOUR WISHES FOR THE FUTURE? To be able to travel again and see my grandma in Florida. Also, to be able to invite friends to my house again.

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

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