Issue #1231

Issue no: 1231

• FEB. 28 - MAR. 2, 2020 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

CoE Ministerial to be Held in Strasbourg, Not Tbilisi NEWS PAGE 2

Georgia to Increase Fines for Environment Pollution NEWS PAGE 3

NDI President: Georgia Has Chance to Reaffirm Position as Democratic Leader POLITICS PAGE 4

With Changes in Abkhazia, Tbilisi Hopes for Progress POLITICS PAGE 4 Image source: bloomberg.com

FOCUS

ON CORONAVIRUS Georgia joins the list of infected countries as authorities call on citizens not to panic

PAGE 2

Economic Conference: Georgia & The World 2020

BY BEKA ALEXISHVILI

O

n February 26, Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace hosted an economic forum with the title: 'Georgia and The World 2020’. The conference was attended by a number of high-officials from both the government and the private sector. The event was moderated by George Sharashidze, the publisher and the founder of the Georgia Today Group, which owns the Entrepreneur and The Economist annual magazine franchises in Georgia.

The convention was held under the media support of The World in 2020, The Economist magazine’s annual publication, and was organized for the second time by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. This year’s conference was attended by nearly 200 participants and invitees, including the distinguished economist, Professor at the Warsaw School of Economics, former Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister, and Chairman of the National Bank of Poland, Mr. Leszek Balcerowicz.

Continued on page 5

Glovo Joins USAID, CENN Environmental Campaign #SayNoToPlastic BUSINESS PAGE 6

Wizz Air Reduces Flights from Kutaisi to Italy due to Coronavirus BUSINESS PAGE 7

Skiing in Georgia in 2020 – Awesome Terrain with Growing Pains SOCIETY PAGE 9

Hilton Worldwide - The Brand with 100 Years of History in Hospitality to Open its First Hotel in Tbilisi CULTURE PAGE 11

Levan Gelbakhiani Wins European Shooting Stars Award CULTURE PAGE 11

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NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2, 2020

CoE Ministerial to Be Held in Strasbourg, Not Tbilisi

BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

he meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will be held in Strasbourg instead of Tbilisi, Georgian Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani announced at a special briefing on Wednesday. He said the decision was made at the meeting of the Deputy Ministers of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

“At the meeting of the Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg, a decision was made to move the Council of Europe's Ministerial to Strasbourg. In November 2019, when we took over the Chairmanship of CoE from France, we expressed our desire for the Ministerial to be held in Georgia and to be hosted by Tbilisi; an important high-level event that would be truly unprecedented in the history of independent Georgia. We have done everything since November 2019 to consult with our partners, as well as with the General Secretariat of the Council

of Europe and the Secretary General, in order to avoid damaging our reputation as Chair of this organization and act in accordance with its Charter. We have an obligation to hold a ministerial meeting in accordance with the rules of this organization. At the same time, we had to respect our legislation,” he said.

Zalkaliani added that if the ministerial had been held in Tbilisi, Georgia would have had the responsibility to ensure the participation of all countries in the event.

“Our legislation and the participation of the Russian Federation was an issue, though we were obliged to ensure the participation of all members in this event.

We held numerous consultations to discuss all possible scenarios, using all resources. When I met with the Secretary General in Geneva, we talked about this issue and they absolutely understand why this ministerial needs to be held in Strasbourg and there is a precedent for President countries to hold the ministerial in Strasbourg,” the Georgian FM concluded.

As the President of the Council of Europe, Georgia was to host the 130th

session of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers in May, however, uncertainty was raised over the possible participation of the Russian delegation

in the event, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who has repeatedly violated the Law on Georgia's Occupied Territories. Part of the Georgian public

protested against the possible arrival of the Russian delegation in Tbilisi, which raised the need to hold the meeting in Strasbourg.

Coronavirus Hits Georgia

BY THE GT TEAM

O

f all the continents, Antarctica now is the only one not affected by the novel coronavirus that emerged from Wuhan, China, in December. Now, more new cases of the virus are being reported outside of China than within its territories, with at least 44 countries reporting confirmed cases of Covid-2019.

On Tuesday, we reported the disease had spread to the Middle East and was bubbling up in Italy as the death toll and overall number of infected continued to grow. However, there had been no cases of coronavirus infection reported or confirmed in Georgia. Well, if there’s anything to take from the coronavirus it’s this: a lifetime of things can change in a day: on the evening of February 26, the first case of coronavirus was reported in Georgia. The infected is a man of 50, a Georgian citizen who travelled from Iran to Georgia through Azerbaijan by land, and caught the virus there. The man is now being treated in the Tbilisi Infections Hospital, is isolated and is reported to be in a satisfactory condition. 10 others are being carefully watched at the Hospital, five of whom travelled from Italy, and five who came from Iran.

No other cases but that one have been confirmed in Georgia as yet.

However, one case was enough to send chills of panic into the majority of the Georgian population. The information about coronavirus entering the country spread like the disease itself: fast. Just 30 minutes after the coronavirus case was announced, many rushed to pharmacies and shops to purchase face masks and stock up for the “coming apocalypse”, though the authorities repeated numerous times that there was no reason to panic. It didn’t take long for the pharmacies to go short of face masks. It was reported that on Pekini Street in Tbilisi, only one 24/7 pharmacy had face masks to sell roughly 40 minutes after Tikaradze made the announcement. Since the lines were only getting longer, the pharmacist was told to set a limit of 10 masks per customer, each costing 0.95 GEL.

As Georgia joined the rest of the world in the shortage of masks, at a special briefing on Wednesday night, the Health Ministry assured people that it would help pharmacies to import face masks since the demand had increased so dramatically.

On Thursday morning, the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia followed up on its the promise. The ministry reported that it had ordered producers and importers to fill up their stocks of medical face masks immediately. However, they couldn’t say when the shortage would be filled. They also called on the companies to sell masks at the appropriate prices. It has been highlighted by many that masks should only be worn by those coming down with flu-like symptoms, not by those seeking to be protected from the virus.

At Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze once again assured the population that panic was not necessary, as the chances of a widespread outbreak in the country had been

reduced by the timely detection of the virus.

“We continue our coordinated work.

We have enough places to quarantine citizens who were in close contact with the infected and those coming from highrisk areas. We check they are in good health. There are several hospitals mobilized in Tbilisi, as well as in Kutaisi and Batumi. I assure our citizens that at this stage there is no risk of a widespread outbreak of the coronavirus in Georgia.

We will continue to work twenty-four hours a day,” the Minister said.

She added that 13 patients, who are not infected with the virus, were taken to a quarantine zone from Tbilisi Infectious Disease Hospital.

On Thursday morning, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia also tried to ease Georgia’s anxiety, saying that there was no reason to panic, and that the relevant agencies were controlling the situation.

“The first case of coronavirus was reported in the country yesterday. First of all, I want to emphasize that we have no reason to panic. The Ministry of Health, relevant agencies, and the Inter-

agency Coordination Council are fully controling the situation. We should all follow the WHO recommendations.

"I would also like to say that the work of the Interagency Coordination Council, which was established on January 28, is still in progress. Thanks to the effective work of this Council, it was possible to report the first case of the virus at the border, without his coming into direct contact with our citizens. We have to thank each and every employee of the Ministry of Health, as well as the border guards and customs officials,” said PM Gakharia.

On Wednesday night, the Georgian government followed up on its restriction of flights from Iran by limiting land traffic between the two countries after the coronavirus case was confirmed in Georgia. Turkey, Armenia, and Pakistan, who are all neighboring countries of Iran, sealed their borders late on Sunday.

“At the meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council, the Prime Minister listened to representatives of all agencies about the current and planned measures to prevent the spread of the

virus,” the PM’s press office reported on Wednesday. "A decision was made to restrict entry from Iran by vehicles, along with air traffic. The Iranian side has already been informed through the relevant channels”.

The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia on Thursday said it sees no sufficient grounds for closing Georgian schools in the face of the novel coronavirus, considering such measures disproportionate to the actual threat. Instead, it is tightening sanitary standards in schools to ensure effective prevention and risk management “The process of monitoring schools through local educational resource centers will become more intense so as to avoid any complications,” the head of the General Education Department, Ekaterine Khutsishvili. said.

The Ministry has once again called on the school administration to ensure properly maintained hygiene in schools, for which it issued a number of conditions.

After the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Georgia was announced, there was a rush of customers to hypermarkets throughout the country, especially in the capital city of Tbilisi. Despite the fact that no quarantine has been announced, citizens have begun mass-buying products with a long shelf life, such as cereals, flour, honey, salt, and sugar.

GEORGIA TODAY spoke to representatives of AgroHub, Goodwill and Carrefour, each of whom confirmed that though there had been an increase in customers and purchases, there is no current risk of food shortages.

Georgia is not the only country to announce its first case of the novel coronavirus. The disease also hit Estonia, Brazil and Norway for the first time this week.

The death toll in Italy and Iran continues to increase. South Korea on Wednesday said the 11th person had died of the disease there. Globally, over 80,000 people had been diagnosed with the illness, as of February 27. The most recent data reports that 78,497 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in China, while 2744 have died from contracting it. Outside of China, in at least 44 countries, at least 3225 people have been infected and 57 patients have died.

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2, 2020

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Georgia to Increase Fines for Environment Pollution

BY TEA MARIAMIDZE

G

eorgia will soon see increased fines for environment pollution thanks to a draft bill which has already been submitted to Parliament by authors, members of the Georgian Dream (GD) ruling party, Goga Gulordava and Sulkhan Makhatadze.

The draft law envisages doubling or more fines for dumping waste. New obligations are also coming into play for companies.

When the bill is approved by Parliament, any individual dumping up to two kilograms of waste, including cigarette butts, will be fined GEL 200 instead of GEL 100. For throwing litter fro a car or from public transport, the fine has been raised from 120 to GEL 250, while a GEL 500 fine will be imposed on individuals who dump environmental waste of more than 2 kg. Currently, for the same offense, the law envisages a GEL 150 fine. For the same pollution, legal entities will have to pay GEL 1500 instead of the current 1000.

Dumping tires will cost GEL 500, and if more than five tires are dumped, then the fine can hit up to GEL 2,000.

The fines will also be tightened for improper disposal of construction waste.

Individuals will be fined 500 GEL for one cubic meter of waste, and legal entities will be fined GEL 2,000. However, the amount of waste here is significant: the maximum sanction is to be GEL 30,000 for legal entities.

Additional liabilities for companies mentioned in the draft bill require companies that generate more than 400 tons of waste to develop a waste management plan. Until now, only those companies producing more than 1,000 tons of waste had this obligation.

The bill also includes a new feature: placing animal remains in municipal waste containers will be considered as environmentally hazardous.

The fine for individuals who dump animal waste of up to 20 kg will be GEL 500, up from the current GEL 150, while for the same offense legal entities will have to pay GEL 1500 instead of the current 1000 GEL. In case of environmental pollution of a large amount of waste (including vehicles, electrical equipment, construction equipment or other similar equipment), individuals and legal entities will be fined four times above the current amount. Physical persons will receive a fine of GEL 2000 and legal entities GEL 6000.

Persons who contaminate premises with a small amount of fecal matter belonging to a dog or other domestic animal, shall be fined 200 GEL. Contamination of an area with fecal matter of up to 1 cubic meter or sewage waste will result in the fining of a person to the amount of 500 GEL instead of 150 GEL and a legal entity to the amount of 1500 GEL instead of the existing 500 GEL. The authors of the draft law explain that despite penalties for specific offenses in the Waste Code, individuals and entities are still dumping different types of waste.

Image source: hiveminer.com

"It is a fact that the penalties imposed by law are not a deterrent to offenders.

Despite the penalties, they still continue to contaminate the environment. The only way to stop this is by increasing the existing fines,” they said.

Environmental NGO CENN believes that increasing penalties will not work, as sanctions are still high. According to the representative of the organization

Kakha Rukhaia, the problem is in enforcing the law. He notes the situation is even more difficult in the regions, where waste management is even more disorderly.

“Local government services need to up their activities. Current failings come from a lack of equipment and lack of highly qualified staff. The solution is to enforce the existing norms of legisla-

tion and to tackle the problems that hinder its enforcement,” he said.

In 2018, approximately 3200 violations were reported in the municipality of Tbilisi, of which 150 offenses were committed by legal entities.

Last year, around 3800 violations were reported in the municipality of Tbilisi, including 500 violations by legal entities.

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POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2, 2020

NDI President: Georgia Has Chance to Reaffirm Position as Democratic Leader

BY TEA MARIAMIDZE

D

erek Mitchell, President of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide, says that as parliamentary elections approach in October 2020, Georgia has a chance to reaffirm its position as a democratic leader in the Eurasia region.

“NDI will remain steadfast in its commitment to supporting Georgian democracy during this critical year, and for years to come,” the NDI President said when summarizing his visit.

Mitchell released the statement after visiting Tbilisi and Marneuli on February 24-26, during which he met with the Prime Minister, the President, the Speaker and MPs, heads of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) and opposition political parties, representatives of the non-governmental sector, mayors and City Council members, the Chair of the Central Election Commission, and representatives of the diplomatic corps.

The President of the organization said that Georgia’s friends in the West, including NDI, will be closely following elec-

toral preparations.

“Building public confidence in the process this year will require reaching timely and broad-based consensus on the country’s electoral system; respecting the rights of all candidates and parties to participate without fear of politicized prosecution; safeguarding the rights of civil society organizations to organize, operate and speak freely; empowering women to participate safely and equally; creating space for the constructive engagement of youth; and avoiding political polarization that can degrade national unity and invite external nonliberal influence,” Mitchell stated.

His statement also reads that NDI has worked in Georgia since 1994, and responds to requests from its Georgian partners.

“NDI collaborates closely with the governing party and parties in opposition alike, and favors none over any other.

The Institute’s interest, as always, is in transparent, accountable and inclusive democratic processes, not particular electoral outcomes,” he said.

The National Democratic Institute regularly conducts public opinion research to provide decision makers and activists with reliable information about citizens’ opinions and priorities. However, it is not unusual for Georgia’s ruling party to question the accuracy of the surveys and it has many times declared

Image source: flickr.com

non-confidence in them.

The NDI statement reads that the Institute’ssurveys and focus groups are designed with input from representatives of the Georgian government and from parties

across the political spectrum. Mitchell noted during his visit that the findings have been used extensively by members of parliament, as well as local elected officials, to inform their legislation and policy-

making processes, and by the ruling and opposition political parties to assist their development of organizational, including electoral, strategy.

Gia Volski, the First Deputy Speaker of Georgian Parliament, commented on Mitchell’s statement and noted that the message is clear: Georgia needs to strengthen its position; however, he added that Georgia is in a very advanced position already.

The politician added that Mitchell’s call to “respect the rights of all candidates and parties to participate without fear of politicized prosecution” is not needed, and that he does not think anyone has a fear of persecution or being prevented from expressing their positions freely in Georgia.

Volsky further said that Georgia’s position, as a democratic state, is very strong and will get even more so in future.

Georgian Dream MP Roman Kakulia also commented on the NDI statement, saying in response to Mitchell that if Georgia has a chance to reaffirm its position as a democratic leader, NDI also has a chance to “restore its reputation”.

“As to the possibilities of the approaching elections, I would like to tell NDI that they also have the opportunity to regain the reputation they unfortunately lost years ago. My recommendation to them would be this," the MP said.

With Changes in Abkhazia, Tbilisi Hopes for Progress OP-ED BY EMIL AVDALIANI

O

ver the past several years, there have been hints in the media on the Russian political elite’s growing discontent with the way Abkhazia is being run, how effectively Russian money is spent, and the predatory nature of the Abkhaz political elite with regards to their gaining economic benefits from Moscow. High level corruption and the black market in Abkhazia have overshadowed various attempts

by Moscow to control the effectiveness of money-spending.

There is an increasingly worsening criminal situation in Abkhazia concerning Moscow, as the region has always been a popular summer destination for Russian tourists. But in 2017-2019, several Russian citizens were killed in Abkhazia.

As a result, there were numerous accusations from Moscow, while the Abkhaz public responded grudgingly to Russian interventions.

Yet another, rarely mentioned, reason for Moscow’s discontent was the Abkhaz leader Raul Khajimba’s intransigence.

Though for years regarded as Moscow’s favorite, he, like his predecessors, nevertheless was a staunch defender against Moscow’s encroachments. Most notably, he resisted allowing wealthy Russians and businesses to buy large swathes of land in the region.

Khajimba was also closely associated with Vladislav Surkov, the Kremlinappointed curator of the Russia-controlled empire of separatist regions in Ukraine and Georgia. Surkov’s resignation might well fit into the overall narrative of growing discontent in Moscow with how Abkhazia has been run over the years.

Vladislav Surkov with President Putin. Source: voanews.com

Surkov was also less interested in economic issues. Then comes his notoriety for being stubborn in negotiations with Abkhaz politicians. Little is known on his thinking regarding Abkhazia overall, but from various statements, political moves and written pieces, it is possible to grasp several important features.

For Surkov, Abkhazia was an integral part of Russia's South Caucasus policy, as it has served as a roadblock to Georgia's aspirations to become a full mem-

ber of the European Union (EU) and Nato. Yet Surkov was unable to solve long-term issues: with Tbilisi's westward ambitions thwarted for the moment, what should be done with Abkhazia?

Should Moscow continue trying to entice neighboring states to recognize Abkhazia's independence? With the failure of the recognition policy, another possibility for Moscow and Surkov was to develop Abkhazia economically into a proper entity. This would have prevented the

fleeing of the population to the Tbilisicontrolled territory for medical, trade and educational reasons, which, in the long run, would create troubles for Sokhumi as the population decreased and a positive image of Tbilisi among the Abkhazs emerged.

It is likely that dissatisfaction with Surkov’s Abkhazia policies was building up even before the January crisis.

Khajimba was Surkov’s choice, but the final moments of the crisis showed how

the Kremlin worked to cut Surkov’s influence.

Beyond the dissatisfaction with Surkov’s policies laid out above, there is also a larger problem with how he viewed Abkhazia. As with his vision of eastern Ukraine, Surkov regarded Abkhazia in the same ideological, even geopolitical, prism, and he was less interested in the economic, security or military problems of the region. For his successor, on the other hand, which is likely to be Marat Khusnulin, economic undercurrents will be essential. Indeed, Khusnulin’s portfolio involves economic cooperation between Russia and Abkhazia. In years where Russia’s economy is being strained under western sanctions, coupled with an ineffective political system, spending on Abkhazia, along with other Russiacontrolled unrecognized territories, is a burden for Russia.

Nevertheless, with Khajimba and his master Surkov now gone, Moscow’s overall approach towards Abkhazia is unlikely to change. Still, it is larger geopolitical trends in and around the South Caucasus (as is the case with eastern Ukraine) that will formulate Moscow’s position. As the region is likely to remain one of the theaters of Russia-West military and economic competition over the former Soviet lands, the Kremlin will continue to regard Abkhazia as an important tool to limit Georgia’s westward ambitions. Moreover, in Moscow’s thinking, the military build-up it is pursuing in Abkhazia will also prevent any large non-NATO military cooperation between Tbilisi and the West.

What we are then likely to see in Abkhazia is a change of tactics rather than strategy. Moscow will try to pull strings on large expenses, limit corruption schemes and help improve the security situation for Russian tourists.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2, 2020

5

Economic Conference: Georgia & The World 2020 Continued from page 1 The conference covered three panels, with guests allocated according to the discussion themes.

Before the panel talks kicked off, the conference began with welcoming remarks from the Georgian Prime Minister, Giorgi Gakharia. Leszek Balcerowicz also offered welcoming remarks to the audience, which will be detailed later in the article, after which Giorgi Khistovani, a representative from PMCG (Policy and Management Consulting Group), delivered a presentation on ‘Georgia’s Economic Outlook’.

The first panel, with the title ‘Economic Development Model of Georgia – Balanced Interests Between the Public and Private Sector’ included the participants Ivane Machavariani, the Minister of Finance of Georgia; Selim Cakir, the Resident Representative of the International Monetary Fund for Georgia; and Leszek Balcerowicz.

The second panel of the conference covered the topic ‘Competitiveness of the Georgian Economy in a Global Context, Infrastructure Development: and its Role in Increasing Competitiveness’.

The invitees for the second panel were Maya Tskitishvili, the Vice-Premier and the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure; Natia Turnava, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, and Sebastian Molineus, the World Bank’s Regional Director for the South Caucasus.

The third panel included participants from different sectors, including the government, EU and assorted NGOs.

The title of the third panel was ‘Georgia in the EU Market – Achievements and Existing Challenges,’ and the speakers were Genadi Arveladze, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development; Carl Hartzell, the EU Ambassador to Georgia; and Nino Zambakhidze, President of the Georgian Farmers Association.

The event was also attended by representatives of international donor organizations, as well as delegates from the private sector and economic experts.

The Economic Conference panel discussions took a look at the model of Georgia’s economic development, balancing state and private sector interests; the competitiveness of Georgia’s economy in the global context, its infrastructural development and role in bolstering competitiveness; and spotlighted the challenges and relations between the Georgia and EU markets- overall, analyzing Georgia’s progress, and reviewing and discussing current challenges and new opportunities in the global context.

“We are not here to discuss just the Georgian government’s achievements,” Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said. “We are more interested in discussing the achievements of Georgian business, because we all understand that the cornerstone and backbone of our economy is free business: strong Georgian business that creates jobs. Creating new jobs is our economy’s systemic challenge. Without balanced relations and policies between the private sector and state interests, it is impossible to achieve any serious results. Given the overarching and global title of our conference, Georgia and the World 2020, we naturally focus on the economy, and I must emphasize that we see our country, Georgia, as an economically robust platform providing larger economies with services”.

The Head of Government, in underlining the significance of the conference, pointed out that it enables every delegate and stakeholder to engage in open discussions on the challenges and achievements of Georgia’s economy.

The Prime Minister spoke about free trade agreements and emphasized that Georgia is the only country to enjoy such agreements with China and the EU respectively, together with all of its neighbors.

“Georgia is committed to signing a number of free trade agreements. Georgia is the only country to enjoy such agreements with China, the EU, and all of its neighbors. We are actively negotiating, and are about to finalize, similar agreements with Israel and India. Consequently, we will have a very strong FTA

portfolio. Why? We all understand well that Georgia is a small market and yet we want our country to emerge mainly as a platform and hub for trade and business activities between larger economies, and for investment services. And that is exactly why we are putting together a strong FTA package,” the PM stated.

Gakharia then underscored that the Government of Georgia spares no effort to ensure an exceptional business climate in the country, especially in the area of services.

“In addition, everything related to transport, transit, and logistics is a priority for our economy. And that is exactly why the Government of Georgia, above all else, does everything to put in place an exceptional business environment in all areas, especially in the field of services. Services are the future of our country and economy. We all understand that it takes years, and that services require exceptional competences, but a service-oriented economy is the future of our country.

“That is exactly why conferences of this kind are vitally important for us together: business, the expert community, and the government, to pinpoint the country’s proper role in global and regional contexts.

“The participation of Georgia’s European friends in such discussions can hardly be overestimated. Today, Georgia is a transitional economy, and its key political aspirations lie in Euro-Atlantic integration, while its economic aspirations aim at an open market economy,” PM Gakharia concluded.

Continued on page 7

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BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2, 2020

Glovo Joins USAID, CENN Environmental Campaign #SayNoToPlastic

W

e throw away billions of utensils every year. Like many plastic items, plastic cutlery often finds its way into the environment, where it poses dangers for animals and can take hundreds of years to break down.

Currently, plastic cutlery is listed as among the items “most deadly” to sea turtles, birds, and mammals, and alternatives have proven particularly hard to come by, though not impossible.

To target the issues related to plastic cutlery and reduce its use among Georgian society, on October 25, 2019 with the support of USAID and CENN, the large-scale environmental campaign #SayNoToPlastic was launched. The campaign aims at reducing environment pollution from plastic. Active and motivated youth, CENN partner organizations, embassies operating in Georgia, international organizations, well-known actors and journalists and other stakeholders are getting involved in it.

The #SayNoToPlastic is a social media campaign, calling on the public to reduce their consumption of disposable plastics

in their daily lives and to replace them with reusable items. The participants of the campaign upload photos depicting their changes in behavior on social media under the title #SayNoToPlastic.

One of the largest companies that has recently joined the campaign to contribute to environment protection throughout the country is Glovo, a multi-category lifestyle app with food delivery being the most popular offering, which is actively used by Georgian customers due to its comfortable and quick service.

As part of joining the campaign, Glovo has added an eco-friendly category to its application, within this category the customers can either refuse to order single-use plastic cutlery or, if available, order wooden alternatives.

Along with Glovo, the following partner restaurants have joined the campaign: Kiwi Vegan Café, Gobi, Gomi da Kveli, Manji, Macaroni, Greek Point, Pazza, Nocco, Soup Culture, Pho, and Frieteria.

GEORGIA TODAY spoke with Shalva Iosava, the Head of Glovo Georgia, about the company’s collaboration with CENN,

the various activities it implements in terms of environment protection, and future plans in this direction.

GLOVO JOINED THE #SAYNOTOPLASTIC CAMPAIGN. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BE A PART OF IT AND WHAT STEPS DOES GLOVO TAKE WITHIN THE NEW PARTNERSHIP? One of the Glovo's core values is “Care,” which is shared by all employees of the company. It not only means to care about app users, but also to have a sense of global citizenship and social responsibility. In all countries where Glovo operates, the company always strives to reduce the negative impact on the environment and it helps numerous local and international NGOs. Since active care to raise awareness on plastic pollution in society, and taking concrete steps to address this problem, is essential in the delivery service industry, Glovo decided to join USAID/ CENN’s Waste Management Program, and we hope that many other partners will join this social responsibility project in the future.

GLOVO ADDED AN ECOFRIENDLY CATEGORY TO ITS APP. TELL US WHAT IT MEANS. Glovo and several of its partner restaurants have joined the campaign against polluting the environment with plastic waste, #SayNoToPlastic. The involved restaurants in the app will be placed under the filter: ‘No to Plastics’, while users of these facilities will be able to refuse plastic containers and utensils, use only eco-friendly items instead, thereby reducing environmental pollution. Customers who have the most orders from restaurants involved in this campaign will be given a Glovo gift card and various other gifts each week. By doing so, we strive to encourage both our partners and customers to take care of the environment together.

IN ADDITION TO REDUCING THE USE OF DISPOSABLE PLASTIC CUTLERY, WHAT ACTIVITIES DOES YOUR COMPANY PLAN TO FURTHER EXPAND ECO-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES IN FUTURE? We are starting with the #SayNoToPlas-

tic campaign; however, Glovo will always join any social responsibility campaign aimed at reducing the ecological footprint in the delivery industry, with pleasure. *** GEORGIA TODAY also spoke with representatives of restaurants involved in the campaign to find out more about their motivation and the activities they implement in order to reduce environment pollution from plastic.

“Kiwi Vegan Café has always been

careful about its environmental impact and we have always tried our best to choose the most eco-friendly products and the greenest ways of doing things,” says co-founder and director Soroush Negahdari. “That said, we were more than glad to join the #SayNoToPlastic campaign. I believe that campaigns like this will help restaurants to avoid using unnecessary plastic items without causing any customer dissatisfaction. Before this campaign, and since Kiwi’s earliest days, we have been using paper and aluminum dishes, bags, containers and straws instead of plastic, and we have always dedicated a portion of our income to buying more expensive but more environmentally friendly alternatives.

We do not use plastic dishes or bags for our takeaway orders, and even before the campaign, we provided our clients with disposable cutlery only when they asked for it. Besides, most of our take away meals are prepared in a way that they can be eaten without any need for disposable cutlery (e.g. wraps, sandwiches, burgers, etc.)

In the ‘no plastics’ category, customers will also find Georgian-Asian and vegan restaurant Gobi.

“Our company decided to get involved

in the campaign primarily because we are a vegan restaurant, contributing to the popularization of vegan cuisine, which means that we care about animals and ecology in general,” said Gobi founder Nato Kvavilashvili.

“This is essential today for our coun-

try and environment. For this purpose, everyone should try to reduce the consumption of plastic and polyethylene as much as possible. We wanted our company to contribute to the implementation of this project, to protect the environment and also to encourage others to do so”.

With this campaign, everyone can contribute to protecting the environment. It is a part of the Waste Management Technology in Regions (WMTR) program implemented by CENN with the support of USAID. The program assists the Government of Georgia to modernize the country’s waste management sector and supports sustainable development and inclusive economic growth, ensuring responsible management of natural endowments that minimize adverse impacts from waste on human health and natural resources.

“The #SayNoToPlastic campaign is aimed at companies just as much as individuals. If companies and organizations can establish sustainable practices and give their customers an option to choose environmentally friendly products, the results will be much bigger and systematic. Often, as consumers, we are faced with the issue of not having other options and this is an excellent example of how businesses can offer that choice and encourage positive change in behavior, one that yields real results and has a lasting impact,” note representatives of CENN.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2, 2020

Wizz Air Reduces Flights from Kutaisi to Italy due to Coronavirus

BY ANA DUMBADZE

H

ungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air has reduced the number of flights from Kutaisi Airport to several Italian cities due to the coronavirus outbreak. The company representatives claim that the reason for the restriction is a decline in demand for flights to Italy.

The Georgian Airports Association has reported that only one out of four flights per week will remain in the direction of Milan, each Friday during the period from March 12 to April 2.

As for Rome, only one (the Saturday flight) of the two flights will be carried out from March 18 to March 25.

In Bologna, only one flight will remain per week from March 17 to March 24, while for Bar, three flights have been canceled from March 12 to April 2.

Economic Conference: Georgia & The World 2020

Continued from page 5 In his own opening remarks, Mr. Balcerowicz spoke about the last decades of Georgia’s economy, although he did not confine his words to this country alone. The Polish economist is an expert in helping post-soviet economies flourish and exceed in their regions. He noted the challenges of today’s world economy, and what countries like Georgia can do to avoid the financial fluctuations and to sustain progression.

“Economic development is of crucial importance to transitional economies like Georgia. […] We can confer on two types of power: there is systematic power and crisis. The latter slows down progress.

There is a lot of blaming the market when a crisis occurs, although we must remember that it’s like a race, and crises are like crashes, which we can learn from, and which logically slows down the speed of the momentum of progression.

“The systematic powers include employability and productivity, which depends on innovation and reforms in the economy. I think Georgia has achieved a lot, and I’ve been following the progresses of your country. To further speak about institutional fundamentals, an economy must be private, and state ownership is a risk in its own right. Consequently, politicization is very easy and risky, and we must avoid it. Privatization is what we can use to counter the detrimental economic forces. […] Competitiveness is very important to combat monopolies. And the regulations adhering to the EU market, must be pushed to the maximum,” he said.

“The rule of law is of foremost importance, which means that institutions must be independent from politicians. Rule of law is interconnected, and

involves not only businesses but individuals,” Mr. Balcerowicz concluded.

The Prime Minister then again stressed the importance of the EU’s support to strengthen connectivity in order to enable businesses to translate political achievements into concrete profits.

“Presently, we enjoy the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the EU, as well as access to a vast market with the highest standards, and all that in harmony with our political aspirations,” Gakharia stated, adding that Georgia will spare no effort to raising the bar across a variety of areas.

“We are holding extensive discussions on factors conducive to bolstering our economic growth, and, of course, there are structural reforms and institutional empowerment,” the Prime Minister said.

He also accentuated the challenges and the importance of assistance from European partners in overcoming challenges.

“Connectivity is a challenge to overcome, something which we need assistance for first from our European colleagues. Georgia has an ideal legal framework, agreements with the EU, but though it is very close to Europe from the institutional and value-based point of view, Georgia does not have a land border with the EU and so faces physical connectivity issues. Consequently, it is important for us to have support from eminent representatives of various fields of the economy and science, on different EU platforms. Today, Georgia needs EU support firstly to boost connectivity, be it by means of the Black Sea, direct flights, railroads, or other transport, so that we can enable our economy and business to translate our political and institutional rapprochement and achievements into concrete profits,” the Prime Minister stated.

Puri Guliani – this is what our ancestors called pastries that they earnestly created all over Georgia with variety of fillings. These pastries were later shared with important and beloved people, marking the significance of the dishes.

That’s why we call our Sakhabazo (bakery) and kitchen Puri Guliani.

Here we bring history to life and contribute to the everlasting tradition of Georgian baking. Every day our team creates new variations of traditional dishes, Guliani breads, pastries and mouthwatering desserts by using only Georgian wheat and regional products.

Saarbrucken Square, Tbilisi Call: 577 00 00 83 9:00AM - 11:00PM

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GEORGIA TODAY

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2, 2020

Sleeves Still Up: Etseri, Svaneti BLOG BY TONY HANMER

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fter five mostly successful firings, the 2nd week of the clay workshop has been focusing on decorating the pieces, mostly with gouache and spray-on varnish. A few of them exploded in the Svan-stove-kiln, likely due to hidden air pockets; but overall there was about a 96% success rate. Not bad, considering the quick buildup to full temperature and lack of insulated ceramic shelves which are necessary features of this kiln and firing. The fittest pieces survived. The future daughter in law of the teacher made and presented me an adorable caricature monster of myself, complete with CYMRU toque, glasses and blue slippers.

Here, too, with gentle music in the background, there was a really good creative atmosphere. Teacher and children alike were delighted to see their work come out of the kiln, and ready to paint it. We couldn’t use actual ceramic glazes because a) They aren’t readily available in Georgia’s mostly unglazed clay culture and b) I have no facilities for firing potentially messy glazed works, which might drip and leave residue on what is mostly an oven for food preparation!

The learning curve for what will make it intact through a firing and what won’t is a bit difficult when you only have a few days per year to work and learn from your mistakes, but this is the current situation, and a whole lot better than no ceramics lessons and workshops at all.

The whole spectrum of colors is available to the children, as well as gold and silver, and brushes of all sizes, and even texturizing items like sponges and patterned surfaces. Nothing to limit the active imaginations of these children who are thrilled to be able to spread some paint around, get a bit spotted with it, and actually make and decorate something permanent of which they can genuinely be proud. Some parents have dropped in as well, not doubt hearing the rumors of strange bohemian goingson in the Hanmer household, and been impressed with that their youngsters are creating.

A local school bus driver for Etseri’s furthest away hamlet, Hebuti, some 7 km away, volunteered the information that clay has been mined above his place, and offered to bring us a sample. Great, we responded, expecting something in spring when snow would be gone, and the very next day he appeared with a bag of it! A bobcat had been digging in the area, despite the winter season, so some had been exposed and he grabbed some. It seems to be pretty good, although it will need a thorough process of washing and fine-mesh sieving to purify it of sand, stones and other debris, and then make, dry and fire a test object. This will show us its necessary firing temperature range, plasticity, and other characteristics, and tell us whether to call it an earthenware (low temperature: lighter and more porous) or, best, a stoneware (high temperature: stronger and denser).

To be able to have some hand in reinvigorating a purely local source for mining clay, as well as more of an interest

in using it to make totally local pottery and hand-built pieces or sculptures, would be a great privilege. Such are the thoughts which arise when one dips a toe into the waters of creativity in an area which is… still rather too apathetic, needing some kind of stimulus to get it further and more so on its own feet. May one dream long-term of an industry to rival that of Shrosha, in the dividing pass between east and west Georgia, and another reason for local young people to stick around and make a living and a

life? Such are indeed my dreams for this place.

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

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2, 2020

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Skiing in Georgia in 2020 – Awesome Terrain with Growing Pains INTERVIEW BY AMY JONES

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tepping off the marshrutka after a stomach-lurching 2-hour ride into the mountains, you are greetedwithmightysnowypeaks and tourists, speaking Russian, English and other languages, trudging back to their chalets after a long day on the slopes. You’ve arrived in Gudauri, Georgia’s most-developed ski resort.

Word is traveling fast that Georgia is a top skiing destination within easy reach of Europe. Last week, CNN published an article titled ‘Why Georgia is one of the world’s most underrated skiing destinations,’ further propelling Georgia’s image as a top winter sports destination.

Currently, only 11% of tourists enjoy Georgia’s skiing opportunities, but this is changing fast. The number of skiers increased five-fold from 2018 to 2019.

With Bakuriani set to hold the FIS Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding World

Championships in 2023, Georgia’s popularity as a winter sports destination is sure to continue increasing.

We sat down with Taylor BeckwithFerguson, founder of Vagabond Ski School, to find out more about Georgia’s skiing potential and any growing pains the resorts may have.

WHAT FIRST ATTRACTED YOU TO GEORGIA’S SLOPES? The snow. At that time, it was a much less popular destination and I wanted an adventure somewhere that I didn’t know anything about and that not many people had heard of. I saw some really cool ski videos so I could tell that the terrain was amazing – big wide open terrain and good snow.

DID IT LIVE UP TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS? The terrain did for sure – it’s incredible.

Georgia is also an interesting place to live. But the snow is not always very good.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RESORT IN GEORGIA? Goderdzi. It’s a very different place, more local, and with fewer tourists. The access to the mountains is very easy and you can hike everywhere or go by snowcat.

Skiing in the forest is great and there’s much more snow in that part of Georgia.

The terrain is flat and not so exciting, but it’s still a lot of fun thanks to the forests and powder. There’s so few tourists that it’s very easy to connect with people and ski with them the next day.

It takes so long to get to that it feels kind of like you’re at the end of the universe.

IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE WELL SET-UP TO WELCOME INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS? In Gudauri – almost. Although I love Gudauri, it still has some growing pains.

For example, the gondolas and chairlifts work well but the different base areas are not connected. It’s stressful to deal with the taxi driver mafia since there’s no app like Bolt or Yandex available and there’s no public transport between the base areas. It needs toilets on the mountain as at the moment there’s just squatters, and squatting in ski boots is not ideal. The medical facilities are also poor here. The doctor has misdiagnosed five of my friends who were severely injured, yet were told by the doctor to just walk home.

As a ski instructor here, I can also say that the beginner facilities are terrible.

First-time skiers are limited to one tiny slope at the top of the gondola which is poorly maintained and not suitable for all ages, especially kids. If Gudauri wants to be an international ski resort it needs to have a beginner facility which is designed by an expert who knows about

Photo by Taylor Beckwith-Ferguson

teaching skiing.

Other than that, when there’s good snow in Gudauri, it’s amazing. Gudauri is great for intermediate skiers, there’s a huge selection of runs. It’s cheap and there’s good food. It has awesome potential to be a world-class skiing destination and, with a bit more attention to detail, it could be the same quality as the Alps.

Ultimately, that’s why I’m still here.

HOW DOES GEORGIA COMPARE TO OTHER WINTER SPORTS DESTINATIONS?

It’s more chaotic which is both good and bad. It’s kind of nice that there are no rules and you can ski anywhere without red tape. If you know what you’re doing, it’s an incredible place to ski. Georgian food is also the best ski food. As it’s above the treeline, the terrain has an epic feel – everything is huge and steep. The slopes aren’t groomed very regularly which isn't good for the average tourist, but is lots of fun for advanced skiers. Ultimately, you get much better value for money in Georgia than in the States or Europe. You pay a lot less but the quality is still pretty good.

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GEORGIA TODAY

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2, 2020

WHAT’S ON IN TBILISI THEATER

TBILISI ZAKARIA PALIASHVILI OPERA AND BALLET THEATER 25 Rustaveli Ave. TEL (+995 32) 2 99 04 56 February 29 GAETANO DONIZETTI'S OPERA L'ELISIR D'AMORE Two-act ballet A co-production of the Auditorio de Tenerife, Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theater and Teatro Comunale di Bologna Conductor: Levan Jagaev Stage Director: Pablo Maritano Scenographer: Serena Rocco Costume Designer: Lorena Marin Lighting Designer: Virginio Levrio Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theater Choir and Orchestra Start time: 19:00 Ticket: 10-200 GEL MOVEMENT THEATER 182 Agmashenebeli Ave. February 28 PARADISO Directed by Irakli Khoshtaria Author: Ketevan Chachanidze Choreographer: Lasha Robakidze Start time: 20:00 Price: 10 GEL February 29 THE TEMPEST Based on the work of William Shakespeare Directed by Ioseb Bakuradze Composer: Sandro Nikoladze Choreographer: Lasha Robakidze Scenography: Kakha Bakuradze Start time: 20:00 Price: 10, 15 GEL March 1 SILENCE, REHEARSAL! One-act spectacle behind the scenes, showing various short novels: "Good Morning", "Cinemat", "Welcome-Host",

"Shirley Beis", "Painter", "Bohemian Rhapsody" Directed by Kakha Bakuradze Start time: 20:00 Price: 10, 15 GEL Every Wednesday A LO CUBANO NIGHTS Cuban dancers’ masterclass Start time: 20:00 Ticket: 10 GEL MUSEUM

GEORGIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM SIMON JANASHIA MUSEUM 3 Rustaveli Ave. TEL (+995 32) 299 80 22, 293 48 21 www.museum.ge Exhibitions: GEORGIAN COSTUME AND WEAPONRY OF THE 18TH-20TH CENTURIES NUMISMATIC TREASURY EXHIBITION STONE AGE GEORGIA ARCHEOLOGICAL TREASURE NEW LIFE TO THE ORIENTAL COLLECTIONS March 5 – December 5 Ammunition, memorials, paintings, sculptures of oriental deity and household items - The Georgian National Museum presents THE UNKNOWN COLLECTION OF GENERAL ZURAB KOBIASHVILI IOSEB GRISHASHVILI TBILISI HISTORY MUSEUM - KARVASLA 8 Sioni St. TEL (+995 32) 2 98 22 81 February 25 – March 10 EXHIBITION "FLIGHT #4/12" BY KETI BATIASHVILI AND TEONA PAICHADZE. The exhibition combines two artists with different visions, outlooks, biographies and styles around one world, one birthday, one race as a child and a profession.

February 26 – March 10 EXHIBITION "NEGLECTED MEMORY"

BY IA MCHEDLISHVILI The exposition includes paintings, video and installation. The exhibition aims to present original form and idea to the general public.

MUSEUM OF SOVIET OCCUPATION 4 Rustaveli Ave. TEL (+995 32) 2 99 80 22, 2 93 48 21 www.museum.ge The exhibition hall is equipped with monitors, where visitors can see documentaries of various historical events.

MUSEUM OF ILLUSIONS 10 Betlemi Str. Discover the Museum of Illusions Be brave and jump into an illusion created by the Vortex, deform the image of yourself in the Mirror Room, free yourself in the Infinity Room, resist the laws of gravity and size, and take selfies in every possible pose. Enjoy the collection of holograms and discover optical illusions.

HOLOSEUM 10 Betlemi Str. At the new Museum of Holograms in Tbilisi, 120 projectors splash art onto the walls, the characters turning, twisting and moving as visitors watch, bringing art to life.

The museum has opened with an exhibition of NIKO PIROSMANI'S ART. Ticket: 19.50 GEL, children: 12.5 GEL, students: 14.5 GEL GALLERY

THE NATIONAL GALLERY 11 Rustaveli Ave. TEL (+995 32) 215 73 00 GRAND MASTERS FROM THE GEORGIAN

NATIONAL MUSEUM COLLECTION XIX – XX CENTURY Until February 29 Georgian National Museum and the Embassy of Italy in Georgia present the exhibition ROMA AETERNA. MASTERPIECES OF ROMAN SCULPTURE FROM THE DINO AND ERNESTA SANTARELLI FOUNDATION National Gallery features 33 sculptures depicting the stages of artistic or stylistic evolution from the Roman Republic to Neoclassical era.

SPHERO City Mall Saburtalo, Veranda, II Floor SPHERE A domed cognitive-entertainment space where you can become part of an impressive 360-degree panorama image. For all ages.

TBILISI DIGITAL SPACE Tbilisi Mall The first museum of digital art in Tbilisi, where you will meet three different spaces: Vazha-Pshavela's "Dried beech", the world of torches, and a digital space decorated with various graphic and visuals effects.

In the main hall, decorated with video projections and mirrors, you will discover that there is no boundary between Man and nature.

THE GEORGIAN ROOM FOREST OF LIGHTS MAIN HALL WITH VIDEO PROJECTIONS AND MIRRORS DIGITAL EXHIBITION OF GUSTAV KLIMT The work of art nouveau painter Gustav Klimt is brought to life by digital technology in Tbilisi in an immersive exhibition that marks the 120th anniversary of the painter’s. See his works brought to life with sounds and music, and colors exploding throughout Digital Space’s immense projection surface

for a one-of-a-kind experience.

Ticket: 5-20 GEL MUSIC

TBILISI STATE CONSERVATOIRE 8 Griboedovi Str. February 28 SERGEY BELYAVSKY I L. W. Beethoven- Sonata A-flat major, op.26 S. Prokofiev- Sonata N6 A Major, op.82 II F. Chopin- Polonaise F-sharp minor, op.44 C. Debussy- "Bergamasque Suite", "L'Isle joyeuse" F. Liszt- Hungarian Rhapsody N2.

Start time: 19:00 Ticket: 15-25 GEL February 29 SCARLET ANGELS Artists Union Concept Art presents a project created by the synthesis of music and speech.

Collaboration of renowned artistsGiorgi Zagareli (viola), Giorgi Gigashvili (piano) and Erekle Deisadze includes Sergei Prokofiev, Arvo Part, Dmitri Shostakovich, Ioseb Bardanashvili, Giya Kancheli and Nikoloz Rachveli’s masterpieces and William Shakespeare, Paul Celan and Erekle Deisadze’s texts.

Start time: 20:00 Ticket: 15-35 GEL SPACE CLUB 22 Bakhtrioni Str. February 28 PVP BATTLE FINAL: TAHA VS MONTANA Line Up: DJ Slack tah Kontra, Cas, OzzyDaGr81, Kay G, FlowFlow, Kid L, Taha.

Start time: 19:00 Ticket: 15-25 GEL KHIDI 10 Saakadze descent February 28 TREEBAL: OZORA ONE DAY IN TBILISI with ASTRIX Start time: 23:00 Ticket: 40-75 GEL TBILISI CONCERT HALL 1 Melikishvili Ave. March 3 HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAIA– RESTART Start time: 19:30 Ticket: 10-50 GEL MOVEMENT THEATER 182 Agmashenebeli Ave. JAM SESSION Improv music Every Tuesday Musical director- Sandro Nikoladze Start time: 21:00 Price: 10 GEL February 22 RECITATIVE IN THE CITY BY KAKHA BAKURADZE ALBUM PRESENTATION Musical evening with a recitalTicket: 5 GEL Album price: 30 GEL Start time: 20:00

CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 2, 2020

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Hilton Worldwide - The Brand with 100 Years of History in Hospitality to Open its First Hotel in Tbilisi

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ilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. is an American multinational leading hospitality company, founded by Conrad Hilton in May 1919. Hilton Worldwide comprises 17 brands in more than 117 countries, with around 6000 properties and 954,000 rooms all over the world.

The first Hilton Garden Inn, targeting as a business scale hotel, will start operating in the first quarter of 2020 in Tbilisi, at 64 Chavchavadze Avenue, the downtown of the vibrant Georgian capital. The hotel offers 170 fabulous rooms of different categories, suitable for the needs of business segment travellers as well as leisure guests.

The hotel offers eight meeting spaces with natural daylight and a spectacular view over the main Avenue, ideal for any kind of event- business or social. All meeting rooms are located on the second floor with a common spacious prefunction area.

On the spot, guests will have a chance to enjoy delicious international cuisine with Georgian highlights, as well as special dishes from the Chef in the hotel’s restaurant “Andazi”. Also, having a gym and “The Shop’’ 24/7 will make our guests’ stay even more comfortable and enjoyable!

All Hilton’s 17 distinct hotel brands, including Hilton Garden Inn, participate in Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty program, which gives guests the unique opportunity to gain points and use them afterward in any Hilton brand hotels worldwide or convert them into Amazon points.

We look forward to welcoming you in our modern and trendy hotel soon!

Levan Gelbakhiani Wins European Shooting Stars Award

BY ELENE DZEBISHASHVILI

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evan Gelbakhiani, the main actor of ‘And Then We Danced’ (a luminous drama film by Levan Akin) received the European Shooting Stars Award 2020 as part of the program at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Winner of best actor prizes at the Sarajevo and Valladolid festivals for his part in the same film, Georgia’s young talent is now recognised along with nine other actors in the selection of "the best upand-coming young actresses and actors

from Europe".

“At only 21-years-old, he is already a master of physical elegance and psychological sensitivity", the European Film Promotion jury team said while commenting on their selection of Gelbakhiani.

The plot of ‘And Then We Danced’ tells of Merab (Levan Gelbakhiani) who has been training at the National Georgian Ensemble with his partner Mary (Ana Javakishvili). However, when Irakli (Bachi Valishvili) arrives, he becomes both his rival and strongest desire.

European Shooting Stars is an initiative of the pan-European network organization European Film Promotion and is the oldest and most renowned Europewide event to cast a spotlight on the most talented, up-and-coming performers.

Levan Gelbakhiani is not the first Georgian actor to be named among Europe's rising stars. Irakli Kvirikadze was likewise named as Europe’s Rising Star in 2018 for his leading role in Rezo Gigineishvili's film, Hostages.

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