issue1560

Issue no: 1560

• JULY 10 - 16, 2026 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

In this week’s issue...

FOCUS

ON THE LUNGS OF TBILISI Anastasia Udalova on redefining luxury in Georgia through Tbilisi Hills

PRICE: GEL 2.50

PAGE 7

Tbilisi Mayor Pledges to Address Flood Damage after Heavy Rain NEWS PAGE 2

Ukraine Latest: Russia Presses Summer Offensive as Kyiv Expands Strikes on Fuel Infrastructure NEWS PAGE 3

Georgia: A "Small Country" with Regional Influence? Part 1 POLITICS PAGE 5

The Russian Fuel Crisis, Tskhinvali, and Georgia's Role in the Kremlin's Calculations POLITICS PAGE 6

Oxford Study Examines Georgia’s Growing Surrogacy Industry and Challenges Facing Migrant Women

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Adopts Hague SOCIETY PAGE 8 Declaration on Georgia as Delegation Boycotts Vote Seeing Time: A New

Exhibition Retraces an Italian Photographer’s Journey through Svaneti after 135 Years

BY TEAM GT

T

he OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) has adopted the Hague Declaration, reaffirming its support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity while expressing concern over democratic developments in the country and calling on the authorities to safeguard fundamental freedoms.

The declaration reiterates the Assembly's support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and condemns Russia's continued occupation of the regions of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/ South Ossetia.

At the same time, the Assembly expresses "serious concern" over developments in Georgia following the 2024 parliamentary elections, citing what it describes as democratic backsliding, violence against protesters, opposition representatives and journalists, restrictions on independent media, and attempts to ban leading opposition parties. It notes that these concerns are reflected in the OSCE Moscow Mechanism report published in March Continued on page 5 2026.

CULTURE PAGE 9

Football: A Universal Obsession SPORTS PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

DĂƌŬĞƚƐ Ɛ ŽĨ ϬϳͲ:ƵůͲϮϬϮϲ

WƌŝĐĞ

ǁͬǁ

ŵͬŵ

^dK <^

WƌŝĐĞ

ǁͬǁ

' KZ' Ϭϭͬϯϭ

ϵϳ͘ϰϭ ;zdD ϱ͘ϳϴйͿ

ͲϬ͕Ϯй

нϬ͕Ϭй

>ŝŽŶ &ŝŶĂŶĐĞ 'ƌŽƵƉ ; ' K >EͿ ' W ϭϭϱ͘ϰϬ

нϭ͕ϵй

нϵ͕ϰй

'Z /> ϬϲͬϮϴ

KE ^

ϵϲ͘ϯϴ ;zdD ϲ͘ϬϭйͿ

ͲϬ͕ϭй

ͲϬ͕ϭй

'ĞŽƌŐŝĂ ĂƉŝƚĂů ; ' K >EͿ

' W ϰϰ͘ϰϱ

нϲ͕ϯй

нϭϮ͕Ϭй

d ĂŶŬ 'ƌŽƵƉ ;d ' >EͿ

' W ϰϲ͘ϱϲ

нϱ͕ϭй

нϲ͕ϯй

WƌŝĐĞ

ǁͬǁ

ŵͬŵ

ϳϰ͕ϭϲ

нϭ͕ϳй

ͲϮϬ͕ϯй

ϰ ϭϬϲ͕Ϯϰ

нϮ͕ϱй

Ͳϱ͕ϭй

ϭϬϱ͘ϵϵ ;zdD ϵ͘ϬϭйͿ

нϬ͕Ϭй

нϬ͕ϴй

^><Z , ϬϵͬϯϬ

ϭϬϬ͘ϴϰ ;zdD ϳ͘ϮϲйͿ

ͲϬ͕ϭй

ͲϬ͕Ϯй

d ϴ͘ϴϵϰ W ZW

' '' ϵ ϭͬϮ W ZW

ϭϬϭ͘ϭϬ ;zdD ϭϭ͘ϲϱйͿ

ͲϬ͕Ϭй

ͲϬ͕ϭй

KDDK /d/ ^

d ϭϬ ϭͬϰ W ZW

ϭϬϳ͘ϳϴ ;zdD ϵ͘ϮϳйͿ

ͲϬ͕Ϯй

нϬ͕Ϯй

ƌƵĚĞ Kŝů͕ ƌĞŶƚ ;h^ΨͬďďůͿ 'ŽůĚ ^ƉŽƚ ;h^ΨͬK Ϳ

/E / ^

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Source: FB

ŵͬŵ

WƌŝĐĞ

ǁͬǁ

ŵͬŵ

hZZ E / ^

WƌŝĐĞ

ǁͬǁ

ŵͬŵ

^W ϱϬϬ

ϳ ϱϬϯ͕ϴϱ

нϬ͕ϭй

нϭ͕ϲй

h^ ͬ ' >

Ϯ͕ϲϯϱϯ

ͲϬ͕ϯй

Ͳϭ͕Ϭй

&d^ ϮϱϬ

Ϯϯ ϯϳϴ͕ϴϮ

нϭ͕ϲй

нϭ͕ϰй

hZ ͬ ' >

ϯ͕ϬϬϳϱ

ͲϬ͕ϰй

Ͳϭ͕ϵй

нϭ͕Ϯй

нϰ͕Ϭй

' W ͬ ' >

ϯ͕ϱϮϰϱ

ZƵƐƐĞůů ϮϬϬϬ

Ϯ ϵϴϮ͕ϰϵ

Ͳϭ͕ϰй

нϱ͕ϯй

hZ ͬ h^

ϭ͕ϭϰϭϮ

ͲϬ͕ϭй

Ͳϭ͕Ϭй

&d^ ϭϬϬ

Kt :KE ^ ϯϬ

ϭϬ ϲϲϱ͕ϴϴ

ϱϮ ϵϮϱ͕ϭϱ

нϭ͕ϲй

нϮ͕ϵй

' W ͬ h^

ϭ͕ϯϯϱϵ

нϬ͕ϳй

нϬ͕ϯй

нϬ͕ϭй

ͲϬ͕ϴй

2

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

JULY 10 - 16, 2026

With TBC’s Support, Lagodekhi to Host the 10th International Blues Festival

BY TEAM GT

Mayor Kakha Kaladze. Source: FB

Tbilisi Mayor Pledges to Address Flood Damage after Heavy Rain

BY TEAM GT

T

bilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze says all problems caused by the recent heavy rainfall will be addressed after intense downpours flooded several streets across the capital.

Speaking at a meeting of the Tbilisi city government, Kaladze acknowledged that the flooding had caused significant disruption for residents but said municipal services responded wherever assistance was needed.

“As you know, intense rainfall over a short period flooded several streets and created problems for the population.

Our municipal services and district administrations responded to every affected location and remained in communication with residents. I want to reassure the public once again that all problems will be resolved,” Kaladze said.

The mayor said the severe weather had also damaged parts of the city’s infrastructure, adding that repair work would be carried out.

Kaladze attributed the flooding to two main factors: storm drains becoming blocked by fallen branches, leaves, and other debris, and the absence or deterioration of drainage infrastructure in some parts of the city.

He said Tbilisi’s aging underground utility network remains a major challenge and noted that since 2017 the city has prioritized replacing and upgrading underground infrastructure before carrying out road rehabilitation projects.

“We cannot solve every problem at once, but we are addressing them step by step. Wherever rehabilitation works begin, the first priority is replacing and modernizing the underground utility network,” Kaladze said.

Tbilisi City Hall the same day announced a GEL 170,000 state procurement tender for the preparation of design and cost documentation for the construction, restoration and rehabilitation of water supply, drainage and sewage networks across the capital. Companies can submit bids from July 17 until July 20, while the service period is set from the date the contract enters into force until December 25, 2026.

Pet Dogs to Receive Free Sterilization, Microchipping in Regions

T

BC continues to support cultural initiatives across Georgia and, for several years, has been the presenting partner and main supporter of the International Lagodekhi Blues Festival.

This year, the festival celebrates its milestone 10th anniversary season and will take place from July 11 to August 1 at Blues Village in Lagodekhi. Over the course of four musical evenings, audiences will have the opportunity to experience performances by internationally acclaimed blues artists: July 11 – Crystal Thomas and Sobo Blues Band July 18 – JJ Thames July 25 – Lakeetra Knowles August 1 – Leon Beal The 2026 edition brings together one of the strongest lineups in the festival’s history, further strengthening the Lagodekhi Blues Festival’s position on the global blues map.

In addition to the music program, visitors will enjoy a unique gastronomic experience curated by Brand Chef Misha Avsajanishvili and Executive Chef Luka

Kervalishvili.

Supporting culture and contemporary music projects remains one of TBC’s key priorities. For years, the Lagodekhi Blues Festival has served as a platform for worldclass music, international cultural

exchange, and memorable experiences.

With TBC’s continued support, the festival welcomes a growing audience each year while maintaining the high standards that have established it as one of Georgia’s most distinctive music events.

Man Accused of Killing Azerbaijani Woman in Tbilisi Charged in Absentia

BY LANA KOKAIA

G

eorgia’s Prosecutor’s Office has charged an Azerbaijani citizen in absentia over the murder of 21-year-old Fatima Karimova in Tbilisi and says he will be placed on the wanted list.

The agency says the investigation found that on June 25, at about 10 p.m., 30-yearold Emin Aliyev allegedly raped his cousin, Fatima Karimova, in Tbilisi’s Varketili district. Prosecutors allege the crime was committed “on the grounds of intolerance of gender equality.”

The Prosecutor’s Office also alleges that between June 3 and June 25, Aliyev restricted Karimova’s freedom by preventing her from making independent decisions, communicating with family members and other people, and leaving the apartment where they were staying.

“Fatima Karimova tried to leave their shared apartment rented by Emin Aliyev, but she did not have the opportunity to do so independently. Emin Aliyev made decisions on her leaving the house, communicating with other persons, and even on issues related to food, thus illegally trying to prove his superiority over Fatima Karimova as a man,” the Prosecutor’s Office said.

Prosecutors say Aliyev fled to Turkey

after Karimova’s death. He has been charged under Article 109, Subsection “t” of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which concerns murder motivated by intolerance of equality between men and women.

The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment.

The Prosecutor’s Office says Aliyev will be placed on the wanted list following the relevant court ruling.

The case drew public attention after Georgian women’s rights organization ‘Sapari’ spoke publicly about Karimova’s death.

‘Sapari’ has applied to the Prosecutor’s Office to represent the interests of Karimova’s sister in the case but has not yet received a response.

Baratashvili Street Wedding House to Undergo Rehabilitation

BY LANA KOKAIA

Puppies: Source: neaterpets.com

BY LANA KOKAIA

T

he sterilization and microchipping of pet dogs in Georgia’s regions will be provided free of charge as part of a program aimed at addressing dog overpopulation, the National Food Agency says.

The agency held a meeting with representatives of veterinary clinics involved in the program, which includes registering and microchipping owned dogs in a unified electronic database across different regions of Georgia.

Giorgi Iakobashvili, head of the National Food Agency, said cooperation between

the state and private veterinary sector is essential for the program’s implementation.

“To protect human health and public safety, both stray and owned dogs will be identified, registered and microchipped, while sterilization will be carried out when necessary. These services will be provided by private veterinary clinics in cooperation with the agency,” Iakobashvili said.

He added that the involvement of local governments is also important for the success of the initiative.

The meeting was attended by Aleksandre Zurabishvili, deputy head of the National Food Agency, representatives of the agency’s Veterinary Control Department, and veterinary clinics participating in the program.

T

bilisi Development Fund will begin the rehabilitation of a wedding house located on Baratashvili Street, Tbilisi City Hall announced.

Speaking at a Tbilisi government meeting, Mayor Kakha Kaladze said studies conducted on the building found that its load-bearing structures, which were restored in the 1980s, are in an unsatisfactory condition. The facility has been classified as Category III for structural deterioration.

“This is why we decided to partially dismantle it and restore it in an identical form, in line with international safety standards,” Kaladze said.

The mayor noted that the project aims to preserve the historical appearance of the building and improve safety standards in the historic part of Tbilisi.

“I am glad that another building with

Wedding House at Baratashvili Street. Source: Tbilisi Development Fund

the status of a historical heritage monument will be renovated,” he said.

Kaladze added that the rehabilitation works are expected to be completed within 14 months from the date the project is launched.

Tbilisi City Hall did not specify the project’s budget in its announcement.

The Wedding House was a private 19thcentury residence that was converted into a civil registry office during the

Soviet period, when several historic buildings in central Tbilisi were repurposed as marriage houses to promote secular civil marriages as an alternative to religious ceremonies. This smaller venue continued operating even after the larger Palace of Rituals opened. Over the years, it has remained one of Tbilisi's best-known marriage registration offices, combining its Soviet-era architecture with updated interiors and services.

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY JULY 10 - 16, 2026

3

Ukraine Latest: Russia Presses Summer Offensive as Kyiv Expands Strikes on Fuel Infrastructure COMPILED BY ANA DUMBADZE

R

ussia and Ukraine stepped up military operations over the past week, with intense fighting across the eastern and southern front lines and a sharp increase in long-range strikes deep inside each other's territory. Russia kept up pressure in its summer offensive, concentrating on the Donetsk region and trying to expand its foothold around Pokrovsk, Kostiantynivka, and Kupiansk. Ukraine answered with a steady wave of drone attacks targeting Russian military sites and energy infrastructure, adding to the strain on Russia's fuel sector. The week brought more civilian casualties, widespread damage to infrastructure, renewed Western support for Ukraine, and another reminder that the war is increasingly being fought both at the front and far behind it.

Russian forces made slow but steady gains in eastern Ukraine, relying on heavy artillery, glide bombs, and repeated infantry assaults to inch forward. The fiercest fighting remained in the Donetsk region, where Russian troops continued pushing toward Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka, two of Ukraine's key defensive strongholds. Moscow also kept up offensive operations near Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region and along parts of the Zaporizhzhia front. While advances were measured in miles rather than sweeping breakthroughs, military analysts said the constant pressure forced Ukraine to commit more reserves to hold vulnerable sections of the front.

Ukraine acknowledged that fighting

remained difficult along several sectors but said its defenses had prevented any major Russian breakthrough. Commanders reported carrying out localized counterattacks to slow Russian advances and retake tactical positions where possible.

As has been the case for much of the past year, both armies continued paying a high price for relatively small changes on the battlefield.

Long-range strikes remained one of the defining features of the war. Russia launched another wave of missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities, energy facilities, and civilian infrastructure. Kyiv came under repeated attack, with missiles and Shahed drones hitting residential neighborhoods as well as infrastructure. Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, and several central regions were also targeted. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted many incoming drones, but others, along with several missiles, got through, causing deaths and widespread destruction. On Tuesday alone, Russian attacks killed at least four people across Ukraine, including civilians in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia, while dozens more were injured. Ukrainian officials reported additional casualties throughout the week as apartment buildings, industrial sites, and public infrastructure continued to come under attack.

At the same time, Ukraine expanded its long-range drone campaign inside Russia. Ukrainian drones struck oil refineries, fuel depots, and military-linked industrial facilities in regions including Saratov, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, and Voronezh. The strikes are part of Kyiv's broader effort to weaken Russia's logistics by disrupting its refining industry and fuel distribution network. Over

recent months, repeated attacks have forced temporary shutdowns at major refineries, reducing fuel production and putting added pressure on the Russian economy.

The impact of those attacks became more visible this week. Faced with shortages of diesel and gasoline, long lines at gas stations, and rising fuel prices, Russia introduced a temporary ban on diesel exports through the end of July.

Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak acknowledged that the situation remained difficult and said Russia would begin importing fuel to stabilize domestic supplies. The export ban followed months of Ukrainian drone strikes that have significantly reduced Russia's refining capacity, forcing the Kremlin to prioritize domestic demand over exports. It is one of the clearest signs yet that Ukraine's campaign against Russia's energy infrastructure is having broader economic consequences beyond the battlefield.

Fuel shortages continued spreading across parts of Russia. Drivers in several regions reportedly waited hours to refuel as diesel and gasoline became harder to find. Local authorities introduced temporary restrictions on fuel sales, while officials sought to reassure the public that supplies would recover. Although President Vladimir Putin played down the seriousness of the situation, Russian officials increasingly acknowledged that repeated Ukrainian attacks on refineries had created significant logistical problems.

Both sides also continued targeting each other's supply lines. Russia stepped up strikes on railway infrastructure, warehouses, and military facilities supporting Ukrainian operations. Ukraine

focused on ammunition depots, command centers, air bases, and other military targets in occupied territory and inside Russia. Drone warfare remained central to both sides' strategies, with relatively inexpensive unmanned aircraft increasingly shaping the battlefield and allowing precision strikes far behind the front lines.

The humanitarian toll continued to grow. Russian missile and drone attacks damaged homes, schools, hospitals, and essential utilities across several Ukrainian regions. Emergency crews spent much of the week searching collapsed buildings for survivors after repeated strikes. Ukrainian officials again urged Western partners to speed up deliveries of additional air defense systems, arguing that stronger protection from aerial attacks remains the country's most urgent military need.

Diplomatic activity also picked up alongside the fighting. At the NATO summit in Ankara, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with US President Donald Trump, with air defense dominating their discussions. Trump announced that the United States would license Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles domestically, saying Kyiv could begin producing them quickly once US experts provided the necessary technical guidance. The move could strengthen Ukraine's long-term ability to defend itself against Russian ballistic missile attacks while reducing its reliance on imported interceptors. Trump also revealed that the United States plans to purchase Ukrainian-made drones, praising Ukraine's ability to rapidly produce large numbers of unmanned aircraft despite the war. "We would buy their drones," Trump said, adding that Ukrain-

ian manufacturers had demonstrated an "amazing" capacity to build them, even in underground workshops. The two leaders also discussed broader military cooperation and continued support for Ukraine's defense industry.

NATO allies used the summit to reaffirm their long-term support for Ukraine despite continued uncertainty on the battlefield. Member states pledged additional resources for defense production and emphasized continued assistance aimed at strengthening Ukraine's military resilience. Several European governments also announced new military aid packages focused on air defense ammunition, artillery shells, armored vehicles, and drones, while maintaining sanctions and diplomatic pressure on Russia.

Western military assistance remained focused on helping Ukraine withstand Russia's grinding offensive rather than supporting an immediate large-scale counteroffensive. Western officials said that maintaining a steady flow of ammunition, interceptor missiles, and replacement equipment will be essential as the conflict continues to evolve into a prolonged war of attrition.

Russia, meanwhile, continued portraying Western military aid as proof of NATO's direct involvement in the conflict. Kremlin officials criticized the alliance's latest commitments and warned that expanding military cooperation with Kyiv would only prolong the war. At the same time, Moscow pressed ahead with mobilizing additional personnel and expanding domestic weapons production, despite growing economic pressure from sanctions and Ukraine's increasingly effective long-range strike campaign.

4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

JULY 10 - 16, 2026

OP-ED: Quo Vadimus? Broken Georgian Foreign Policy, A Compass in Times of Global Turbulence OP-ED BY NIKOLOZ KHATIASHVILI

T

here are moments when a country must ask itself a simple but painful question: where are we going? For Georgia, this question has never been abstract. We are not a country that can afford geopolitical luxury, strategic confusion, or comfortable neutrality. We are a country with territories occupied by Russia. We are a country whose history is filled with imperial pressure, the struggle for survival, and the repeated return of freedom. That is why Georgian foreign policy is not just the language of diplomacy. It is an instrument of national survival.

For a small state, foreign policy is a compass, which shows the right direction for survival in a ruthless international system, where big states are trying to swallow small states. If the compass breaks, the country may still appear to be moving, but it may be walking toward the edge. Starting from 1999, when Georgia became a member of the Council of Europe, Georgian foreign policy had one undeniable strength: it had direction.

That direction may have sometimes been too fast, too emotional, and not always sufficiently institutionalized, but the country was not lost.

Georgia clearly stated that its place was in the European and Euro-Atlantic family, especially after the Rose Revolution. NATO and the European Union were not treated merely as decorations or campaign slogans; they were the central axis of state-building and sustainable development. This tendency continued under the Georgian Dream government after the 2012 elections, however, the picture has changed dramatically in recent years.

There was also a harder strategic lesson: standing on the right side is not enough if strategy is not carefully calculated, patiently implemented, and institutionally rooted. In the face of confrontation with Russia, Georgia needed not only moral truth, but also cold judgment, long-term planning, and national consensus. So the pre-2012 period should neither be romanticized nor erased. Its assessment should be honest: a correct strategic direction, important reforms, a strong Western choice, but also excessive centralization, democratic deficits, and strategic impatience. Still, one thing is clear: Georgia was moving toward the West.

A Compass. Source: Amazon

Today, the state appears to be standing on the road, while slowly turning the steering wheel in another direction.

Pragmatism and peace are becoming a weapon of propaganda.

The current government often describes its foreign policy as “pragmatism,” “peace preservation,” and “balance.” However, not every “balance” is wisdom. Sometimes balance is simply fear with an attractive name. Sometimes pragmatism is not statecraft, but an escape from responsibility.

The central problem of Georgia’s current foreign policy is that it verbally looks toward Europe, while in practice it moves the country away from Europe and transforms it into a grey zone. This is the most dangerous kind of politics, when declaration says one thing and reality says another.

When the government tells the people that the European path continues, while Western partners say the process has been halted. When the Constitution obliges the state to pursue integration into the EU and NATO, but the actual political course damages precisely that path. This is no longer just a mistake. It is an act of state self-harm.

Georgia cannot be strong if it distances itself from the very space that naturally supports its security, development, and freedom. Georgia cannot be sovereign if it destroys trust with the West while remaining exposed to Russian economic, political, and informational pressure.

That is not balance. That is growing

vulnerability. The greatest danger is that this policy will slowly lead Georgia into strategic loneliness.

For a small state, strategic loneliness can be catastrophic. We have no right to lose Western support while Russia remains an occupier. We have no right to alienate the European Union while the overwhelming majority of our people still support a European future. We have no right to create the illusion that the West can be replaced by other geographies. Trade, cooperation and partnership can exist with many, but the strategic foundation of the state must be sought where freedom, institutions, security guarantees, and respect for sovereignty exist. This is why the current course is catastrophic. It distances Georgia from its natural allies and leaves it inside the same geographic reality where Russia remains the primary threat. It is a policy that places the country’s future not in the service of the national interest, but in the service of political survival. The state does not exist for the government.

The government exists for the state.

WHAT GEORGIAN FOREIGN POLICY SHOULD LOOK LIKE Georgia needs a calm, strong, dignified, and flexible foreign policy. Not hysterical. Not provincial. Not built on fear.

But also not one that erases the country’s historic choice in the name of pragmatism and protection of sovereignty. The main pillar of Georgia’s foreign policy must be Western integra-

tion. This is not only a geopolitical choice. It is a civilizational, security, and state-building choice. The European Union means institutions, the rule of law, economic modernization, and the dignity of the citizen. NATO means security, deterrence, and the possibility that Georgia will no longer stand alone in front of an aggressor, however, before that membership, we must think about the establishment of new military alliances with various countries in order to protect our country during the path to the Alliance.

Western integration does not mean ignoring other geographies. On the contrary, a smart state must work with everyone where Georgian national interests exist. We should work with every region or country where Georgia can gain economic, transit, energy, security or political benefit.

However, here is the essential principle: other geographies must complement Georgia’s Western course, not replace it. Georgia should work with all geographies on the principle of mutual benefit.

We should not be a closed country. We should be bold and not be afraid of economic ties, new markets, infrastructure projects, the Middle and TRIPP Corridors or transport opportunities. On the contrary, Georgia should become a bridge between Europe and Asia, between the Black Sea and the Caspian space, between the South Caucasus and the wider international system. But every bridge needs a foundation. Georgia’s foundation must be the West. If we destroy the foundation and speak only about bridges, in the end we may lose both the bridge and the security of the country.

HOW GEORGIA SHOULD ACHIEVE ITS STRATEGIC GOALS First, Georgia must restore trust with Western partners. This cannot be done through words alone. It requires real political change and return to democratic framework.

Second, foreign policy must become national, not partisan. Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic course does not belong to any single party. It belongs to the Georgian people. It is a historic choice that must not change according to the fears, interests, or propaganda needs of any government. Georgia must become a five-cross stronghold of Western civilization.

Third, Georgia needs a new national consensus on foreign policy. We may argue about many issues in domestic politics, but several things should never

become bargaining chips: territorial integrity, Western integration, liberation from Russian influence, regional cooperation, and democratic development.

Fourth, we must strengthen economic diplomacy. Georgian foreign policy should not be only about statements. It should create jobs, investment, secure infrastructure, educational opportunities, technological development, and international networks. Western integration must become not only a political idea, but a path toward improving the everyday life of citizens.

Fifth, Georgia must become a dignified partner. A dignified partner is a country that does not beg everyone, but also does not isolate itself. A country that can build friendships, cooperate, speak clearly, and defend its own interests.

And the last and very important, Georgia should be transformed from homeland into a modern nation-state, which means turning emotions into institutions, identity into civil unity, and sovereignty into a daily practice. Georgian citizens must realize that they are not guests in their own country, but are co-owners of their future. Only such a state can protect freedom, preserve identity, overcome fragmentation, unite, and make Georgia not merely a place on the map, but a purposeful, competitive, and dignified political nation.

In the end, the most important thing is that Georgian foreign policy must recover its soul. A country that loves freedom cannot live by a foreign policy of fear. A country whose people have repeatedly proven that dignity matters more than force cannot succeed while its government leaves its future in uncertainty.

Georgia does not need loud adventurism. However, it does need courage. It does not need to artificially multiply enemies, but it must not lose its friends.

It does not need provocation, but it does need principle. We should work with everyone, but we must know where our home is. We should be open to the world, but firm in our identity. We should be pragmatic in economics, but unshakable on freedom.

The main task of Georgian foreign policy is simple, yet historically heavy: to return the country to the path that strengthens it, protects it, and places it proudly among free nations. Georgia needs not drift but direction. Not fear, but strategy. Not submission, but dignified partnership.

Above all, Georgia needs its foreign policy compass again.

Former Georgian Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia Sentenced to 2 Years and 6 Months in Prison

BY TEAM GT

Giorgi Bakhuashvili. Source: FB

Former Ivanishvili Security Chief Appointed Deputy Head of Georgia’s State Security Service

BY TEAM GT

G

iorgi Bakhuashvili, the former head of security for Georgian Dream founder and honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili, has been appointed Deputy Head of Georgia’s State Security Service (SSSG), just about a month after being named Deputy Interior Minister.

Based on an official decree signed by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Bakhuashvili assumed the new post on July 6.

Georgia’s Interior Ministry announced Bakhuashvili’s appointment as its sixth deputy minister on June 10.

Bakhuashvili holds the rank of Police Colonel. Over the years, he has served in the Interior Ministry’s Special Tasks Department and the Protection Police.

Before joining the ministry’s leadership, he headed Bidzina Ivanishvili’s personal security team.

F

ormer Georgian Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia has been sentenced to two years and six months in prison after being found guilty in a case related to remarks he made in court about overthrowing the government.

The verdict was delivered by Romeo Tkeshelashvili of the Tbilisi City Court.

Akhalaia was convicted over a statement made during court proceedings in which he said: “I believe Bidzina Ivanishvili and his government should be overthrown.”

Akhalaia did not attend the sentencing hearing and therefore did not exercise his right to make a final statement before the court delivered its verdict.

Prosecutors charged him under Arti-

Bacho Akhalaia. Source: Imedi

cle 317 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which criminalizes public calls for the violent overthrow of the constitutional

order and the state government. The offense carries a maximum sentence of up to three years’ imprisonment.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY JULY 10 - 16, 2026

5

Georgia: A "Small Country" with Regional Influence? Part 1 I would add that given the dynamics of this emerging "disorderly order," the effectiveness of how states influence one another is not static, but variable. Therefore, the status of a "middle power" is not a permanent category; a country's transition from one tier to another is the result of many fluid variables.

It is no coincidence, then, that at specific stages and within highly specific contexts, the list of "middle powers" is quite diverse and eclectic: depending on the context, one might see Egypt and the Netherlands categorized alongside nations like India and Russia.

ANALYSIS BY VICTOR KIPIANI, GEORGIA FIRST / GEOCASE

I

n the everyday geopolitical vocabulary, Georgia is referred to as a "small country." This is understandable, since according to established classifiers and existing indicators, it belongs precisely to the category of "small powers." Here, I must make one essential caveat: in conversation, I refer to our country as a "compact country" rather than a "small country."

I consider this more appropriate.

The point is that despite the smallness of our territory, population, economic and military potential, or diplomatic weight, we are much more than "small," by virtue of our historical past and cultural heritage. Therefore, as I already noted, wherever it is possible and "fitting," I replace "small" with "compact": by doing so, I try to boost our self-esteem as Georgians and raise the bar for our future.

A TERMINOLOGICAL PREMISE But let us set this substitution aside for now as "geopolitical belles-lettres" and use conventional terms for the rest of this discussion. In reality, the issue to be addressed in this short article is far more important than terminological digressions, as it concerns the country's functioning, its evolution into a competitive and modern nation-state, and the future of Georgian state-political culture.

Therefore, I will frame the question as follows: Is it possible for Georgia to transcend the formal status quo of a "small country"? To what extent does it have the capacity, for its own self-sufficiency and modernization, to become a "small country with regional influence" that holds a functionally vital role for the wider Black Sea-Caspian region, practically operating with the status of a "middle power"?

To provide at least a "working" version

HOWEVER...

Georgia. AI image. Source: georgianholidays

of an answer to this question, I will outline a few observations.

ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A "DISORDERLY ORDER" Today, we are witnessing a global realignment of the geopolitical point of balance: the world is shifting from the "American order" (Pax Americana) toward an "unknown order" or a "disorderly order."

This transition period is characterized by a lack of the stability that typically defines both bipolar and unipolar international systems. In parallel, we see a rise in rivalry, transactionalism, and confrontation within a civilizational context, while the factor of the "law of force" [might makes right] is gaining significant weight.

Consequently, an imbalance of power is emerging within this highly complex process, and this new, so-called (dis) orderly order is characterized by: 1. The geopoliticization of the global

economy and finance (e.g., the dollar zone vs. non-dollar zones); 2. Increased pressure on the democratic and international order; 3. Technological processes that are increasingly difficult to manage; 4. The growth of inequality and polarization; 5. The political instrumentalization of climate change; 6. Demographic imbalances and acute social challenges; 7. The intensification and hybrid nature of conflicts and warfare.

In such times and circumstances, a country with the status of a "middle power," or even a "small country" that matches it in functionality, gains an additional advantage. Provided it is leveraged correctly, it receives an opportunity to become more proactive and, consequently, more widely recognized.

EXACTLY SO...

When the right circumstances align, a

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Adopts Hague Declaration on Georgia as Delegation Boycotts Vote Continued from page 1 The Assembly reaffirmed its support for the Georgian people, democratic governance, political pluralism, and the protection of fundamental freedoms. It stressed the importance of safeguarding democratic institutions, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring that political processes remain inclusive, transparent, and consistent with Georgia's OSCE commitments.

The declaration calls on the Georgian authorities to ensure that civil society organizations, independent media, and opposition representatives can operate freely and safely, refrain from violence and politically motivated persecution, promote an inclusive political process based on democratic principles, and swiftly implement the recommendations contained in the Moscow Mechanism report.

It also highlights the report's findings, referring to restrictions on fundamental freedoms and judicial independence through legislative, administrative, and criminal measures that it says are inconsistent with international human rights obligations.

The declaration also points to what the report describes as an alarming pattern of violence, which in some cases allegedly reached the threshold of torture.

The Assembly further called for the repeal of legislation that it says restricts civil society, media freedom, and the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. It urged an immediate end to violence, intimidation, and arbitrary detentions, the release of individuals detained for peacefully exercising their rights, and prompt, independent investigations into allegations of excessive use of force during the 2024 protests, with accountability for perpetrators and compensation for victims.

The declaration also welcomed the visit of a highlevel OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegation to Georgia in March 2026 as a positive step toward strengthening parliamentary engagement and dia-

logue, while expressing support for inclusive dialogue and the peaceful resolution of political tensions.

Georgia's parliamentary delegation refused to participate in the vote, leaving the chamber in protest before the declaration was adopted.

Ahead of the vote, Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee, said the delegation was boycotting the vote because parts of the revised declaration "deliberately distort the political reality in Georgia."

Samkharadze argued that the document misrepresented the facts, ignored what he described as violent attacks on state institutions, and arbitrarily interpreted the findings of international election observation missions and the Moscow Mechanism report, thereby harming Georgia's national interests.

"For this reason, our delegation will not participate in the voting process as a sign of protest. It is particularly regrettable that we are forced to make this decision here in The Hague, the capital of international law," Samkharadze said, requesting that the delegation's position be entered into the Assembly's official record. He also thanked the Dutch parliament for hosting the annual session.

Responding to the statement, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Pere Joan Pons criticized the decision to leave the chamber.

"Thank you very much, Nikoloz. As you know, even in your own country, leaving seats empty was not a good decision, and you are doing exactly the same here. I believe that leaving empty seats in parliament is always the worst option because democracy is, above all, a joint effort to resolve conflicts," Pons said.

Minutes after the Georgian delegation walked out, the Assembly adopted the Hague Declaration, including the resolution on Georgia titled "Protecting Electoral Integrity and Fundamental Freedoms in Georgia." The resolution's principal sponsor was U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson.

"middle power" can significantly increase its influence over its immediate, and, in some cases, wider, neighborhood. This growth in influence manifests in specific ways, ranging from economic leverage to strategic geography, or even a combination of various factors.

By deploying these methods, the relations of "middle powers" (and middleequivalent "small countries") with major powers and other mid-tier states are marked in some instances by highly intensive cooperation, and in others, by open or covert obstruction.

As previously mentioned, the window of opportunity for a "middle power," or a "small country" functionally approaching one, expands significantly in a multipolar world. This is driven by the high degree of uncertainty and instability inherent to a multipolar system. This trend becomes particularly pronounced in eras where brute force becomes an everyday reality. In other words, in times like our own.

To reiterate: possessing the status of a "middle power" does not guarantee the unconditional enjoyment of its benefits.

This was much more difficult during the bipolar global order when the United States and the USSR confronted each other in the Cold War. It is similarly difficult today, in our time, to advance one's own agenda at the intersection of the competing interests of the United States and the People's Republic of China, especially when you may be directly pressured to choose a side.

THE GEORGIAN CASE Following this line of reasoning, I believe the ground has been prepared for us to focus specifically on Georgia. Let me remind you of the core question: despite formally holding the status of a "small country," does it possess the ability to take on more than this status implies?

Can it, in practice, become a de facto "middle power:" a "small country" with regional influence?

It is precisely the clear definition of its own functional purpose that will help Georgia achieve this objective, thereby allowing it to establish itself as a systemic, self-sufficient, and competitive nation-state.

We will discuss this in greater depth in Part 2.

6

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

JULY 10 - 16, 2026

The Russian Fuel Crisis, Tskhinvali, and Georgia's Role in the Kremlin's Calculations about actually ending the war.

That's why he said again in his last interview with Zarubin that the "spirit of Anchorage" is alive and the dialogue with the Americans continues. He hopes that these talks will be returned to, and the process of endless, fruitless negotiations will begin again.

The only thing that could force Putin to end the war is a direct threat to his very existence. And we haven't gotten there yet.

time, just as Armenia is today.

After that, it will take the Kremlin another 10-15 years to bring new, loyal political forces to power in Georgia.

So, in terms of relations with Georgia, annexing Tskhinvali would be a completely pointless, counterproductive step, and this is another reason why I don’t believe that Moscow will do so.

LET'S RETURN TO THE KOVALCHUK SCENARIO. HOW WOULD THIS MODEL WORK, HOW WOULD IT BE ORGANIZED, AND WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP COULD IT HAVE WITH TBILISI IF THE TERRITORY EFFECTIVELY BECAME A KOVALCHUK FIEFDOM?

IF THE SITUATION IN RUSSIA WORSENS BY THE DAY, HOW LONG AND HOW EFFECTIVELY WILL PUTIN BE ABLE TO MANAGE IT ALL?

Ivan Preobrazhensky. Source: RFERL

EXCERPT FROM AN INTERVIEW BY VAZHA TAVBERIDZE FOR RFERL

I

t is much more profitable for the Kovalchuks* to have South Ossetia remain a region that will not be fully integrated into Russia; a region where they can embezzle huge budget funds, set up various businesses, and organize smuggling from Georgia, - Ivan Preobrazhensky, a Russian analyst living in the Czech Republic, who has been declared a foreign agent in Russia, tells Radio Free Europe/RL’s Georgian Service. According to Preobrazhensky, Russia has long been using Georgia’s Tskhinvali region as a black hole, although the appointment of Kambolov, who is close to the Kovalchuks, is likely to create additional opportunities for them.

FIRST, HOW DOES PUTIN VIEW THE CRISES THAT WE SEE IN RUSSIA TODAY - THE STRIKES IN UKRAINE, THE GASOLINE SHORTAGES, THE QUEUES AT GAS STATIONS, AND SO ON? Putin believes that there is no way back.

He will not be able to stop the war.

Whether this assessment is correct or not is another matter. But, most likely, he himself thinks so.

The Russian economy is in a very difficult situation. It is completely militarized. In order to return to the tracks of a peaceful economy, colossal investments are needed, and such money no longer exists. Russia has already spent everything on transferring the economy to military tracks.

Conditionally speaking, if Trump, as, for example, Kirill Dmitriev suggests, had offered several trillion dollars in American investments and this money had actually arrived in Russia, then perhaps Putin would have really thought about ending the war. But he himself does not believe in the existence of these trillions, and, to be honest, he is not mistaken: this is a completely unrealistic scenario.

Theoretically, of course, he can end the war. His one order would be enough.

But he knows that, after that, there will most likely be such serious internal problems that the regime and the system of power he created will collapse.

Therefore, he personally sees this situation as having no alternative. Whatever happens, the situation may worsen, but this will in no way force Putin to think

The so-called resilience resource is still quite high. The Russian economy has been in the process of degradation for many years, and can easily degrade for several more years without actually collapsing.

From Putin's perspective, the army is still fighting, one way or another. At least it's not retreating. Human resources are still more or less available. I have little faith in the assumptions that Russia will definitely have to declare open mobilization. Covert mobilization is already ongoing. They are constantly recruiting new contractors, and they are still mobilizing people based on the 2022 order.

Sending people to war is not just done by grabbing them off the street. It can also be done through economic coercion.

Taxes have increased, small businesses have gone bankrupt. Where will these people go? There are no new jobs. Some of them will definitely go to war.

There is no division in the ruling elite either. We do not see any serious division or conspiracy today, and there are no conditions for this. The system is still manageable.

A large part of the Russian population, about 70 percent, is still as apathetic as before.

The only ones who are unhappy are the most radical supporters of war. They are calling on Putin to take more decisive steps, including the use of nuclear weapons. But they do not pose a threat to Putin, because despite the video messages, none of them will try to overthrow the government.

We should recall his main goals: firstly, maintaining power, and secondly, victory over Ukraine. In this respect, Putin has been acting quite effectively so far.

He is both continuing the war and maintaining power. And it will continue like this for some time to come.

WE’VE BEEN HEARING FROM WESTERN INTELLIGENCE THAT PUTIN WILL TRY TO GAIN A SMALL BUT NOISY TRIUMPH. HOW REALISTIC DO YOU THINK SUCH A SCENARIO IS? I think the intelligence experts who are talking about this are looking at the situation too linearly. They don't care what Putin might do if the war is stopped.

Yet this is precisely the main question for Putin himself. A small victory means a short-term maneuver. But what happens next? Will Putin's other, bigger problems solve themselves? This is ridiculous.

If he gains a small victory somewhere for psychological effect, but that worsens the overall situation even more, then what is the point of such a victory?

Of course, Putin initially planned not so much direct military aggression as a hybrid war against NATO, hoping that

Vladimir Putin with Mikhail Kovalchuk, whose brother Yuri is known as the Russian leader's personal banker. 2018. Source: REUTERS

the alliance would collapse, and that, after conquering Ukraine, he would be able to move towards Europe. But if he fails to conquer Ukraine, this small hypothetical war of victory will cause more problems than benefits. He may instead start a new hybrid conflict, one that will cost him relatively little, but will cause problems for his opponents.

This could happen in the Baltic states, although, in my opinion, a more realistic scenario is Southern Europe and the Balkans, where the situation is much more complicated.

WHERE MIGHT HE TARGET? MOLDOVA? It is very difficult to send troops to Moldova. Armenia does not have a common border with Russia. Changing the current government in Georgia is illogical, because in this way the Kremlin could end up with a government that is much worse [for it] than the current Ivanishvili government. A war with Kazakhstan would be pointless, a waste of resources.

Especially since China would immediately demand that it withdraw its troops, as happened once before when Putin tried to send troops into Kazakhstan before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

He simply doesn't have the stage today where he could play it out. And he doesn't have the resources to do so. That's why I don't believe in this "small victorious war" scenario.

ON TO GEORGIA. WE’VE SEEN THE APPOINTMENT OF MARAT KAMBOLOV AS THE DE FACTO LEADER OF “SOUTH OSSETIA,” FOLLOWING THE SIGNING OF THE MAY 9 AGREEMENT AND THE FAREWELL SPEECH OF GAGLOEV ON AN “UPCOMING” REUNIFICATION WITH THEIR “NORTHERN BROTHERS.” IS RUSSIA PLANNING AN OFFICIAL ANNEXATION? WHAT WOULD IT BRING TO RUSSIA? I would add one more fact to this: the appointment of Gladkov as ambassador to Abkhazia. He is a person close to Sergei Kiriyenko, who today simultaneously oversees both the direction of Abkhazia and Russia's domestic policy.

I think the annexation of “South Ossetia” and Abkhazia are constantly being discussed in the Kremlin. It would cost Russia practically nothing, and it already occupies both "South Ossetia" and Abkhazia.

At any moment, Putin can hold any

form of "referendum" and declare that both are part of Russia. In Abkhazia, this will be met with discontent, but in the end, they will not be able to resist.

"South Ossetia" will most likely not even become a separate entity: it will be merged with North Ossetia and the unified region will be called the "Republic of Alania."

Such scenarios always exist in the Kremlin. They are written down on paper and kept in the appropriate folders.

On the one hand, this wouldn't be bad for Putin. It sounds nice, you can organize celebrations, demonstrate force, and it costs practically nothing.

But, on the other hand, there are other factors to consider; namely, influential clans in Putin's entourage. If "South Ossetia" actually passes into the possession of the Kovalchuk clan, and, in my opinion, this is exactly what is happening, it is much more profitable for them to have a region that will not be fully integrated into Russia; a region where they can appropriate huge budget funds, set up various businesses, and organize smuggling from Georgia.

It's roughly equivalent to buying two kilometers of the state border and doing whatever you want there.

That's why, in my opinion, the Kovalchuks will actively oppose such an annexation. And they have more than enough influence to stop or suppress this process.

Therefore, although the ongoing processes may seem like preparations for the final annexation of the Tskhinvali region and Abkhazia, in reality, in my opinion, this is not the case.

HOW WILL SUCH A STEP AFFECT RELATIONS BETWEEN GEORGIA AND RUSSIA? WHY SHOULD MOSCOW IMPACT RELATIONS WITH TBILISI WHEN THE CURRENT GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT IS PURSUING A NEUTRAL COURSE, AND THE KREMLIN PRAISES IT ALMOST EVERY WEEK? This would be an absolutely senseless step. It would inevitably lead to mass protests by the Georgian opposition and the population, could radically change public sentiment, and may even lead to the dismantling of the current government due to its failure to stop this process, despite the fact that it would actually have had no leverage to stop it.

The second option is that this will cause a sharp deterioration in relations with Ivanishvili's government, in which case Georgia will be lost to Russia for a long

Today, Tskhinvali is already a kind of “black hole” for Russia, but in fact, a dead-end “black hole.” Serious economic or transport flows from Georgia do not pass through Tskhinvali: they move through other channels.

If the Kovalchuks, who obviously know Ivanishvili personally, establish business relationships with the ruling elite, then quite a few opportunities will arise.

First of all, full-fledged transport traffic could be restored, which would, accordingly, lead to a huge flow of smuggling, which Russia really needs today.

At the same time, it can be said that the Georgian government will acquire an intermediary in its relations with Russia in the form of the Kovalchuks. In this case, Georgian products will enter the Russian market precisely through the mediation of the Kovalchuks, and the Kovalchuks themselves will most likely begin to enter the Georgian economy through various representative individuals and companies.

Ultimately, we will accept the processes that are taking place in Armenia today, where a large part of important enterprises are gradually being partially or fully transferred back into the hands of the Russians.

On a more personal level, Ivanishvili will also be happy: through the Kovalchuk family, he will be able to restore his business interests in Russia.

The Kovalchuk family is an ideal channel for direct communication with Putin.

It is through them that agreements can be reached that Ivanishvili may have wanted to reach before, but was unable to.

For example, steps may be taken to restore diplomatic relations. I don't know if Ivanishvili really needs this. I'm not 100 percent sure. But, in general, this is a format that will significantly raise the level of relations with Russia and simplify cooperation. This may also concern additional transport issues.

SO THIS WILL BE A LEVER THAT WILL PROVE BENEFICIAL FOR BOTH SIDES. Yes. Exactly. In fact, an ideal mediator is emerging not only for Russia, but also for the Georgian government. * The Kovalchuk clan refers to the business and political network surrounding Yury Kovalchuk, one of Vladimir Putin's closest allies.

Analysts have suggested that Kovalchukconnected businesses could become major investors in Tkhinvali’s tourism, real estate, and infrastructure as part of Moscow-backed development plans. Although no official agreement has confirmed such a role, this has led some observers to speak of a "Kovalchuk scenario," in which the region is shaped largely by Kovalchuk-linked economic interests.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY JULY 10 - 16, 2026

7

The Lungs of Tbilisi: Anastasia Udalova on Redefining Luxury in Georgia differently with Gen Z, millennials, and other generations. Earlier, business was mainly about salaries. Today, it is about creating emotional engagement and a sense of belonging.

A leader today must provide energy and motivation. In a world of constant social media distractions, you must continuously regain people’s attention and focus. This only works if the leader is fully engaged: people feel it and reflect it. Leadership energy is contagious.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO WANT TO BUILD BUSINESSES AND LEAD TEAMS?

Tbilisi Hills

INTERVIEW BY LANA KOKAIA

L

uxury, for Anastasia Udalova, is not defined by square meters or location, but by silence, fresh air, and distance from constant urban pressure. As CEO of Tbilisi Hills, she has spent the past decade building a residential concept centered on space, community, and a slower rhythm of life outside Tbilisi.

Her path to this role, however, has been anything but conventional: from criminal and medical law and executive leadership in Latvia’s state infrastructure sector to academic business training at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, and navigating the realities of post-Soviet markets, where theory often gives way to crisis. Today, she sees leadership as less about strategy and more about endurance in uncertainty.

TBILISI HILLS HAS BEEN DEVELOPING FOR MORE THAN A DECADE. LOOKING BACK, WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF TODAY? I was CEO of Tbilisi Hills from the beginning, and have held the role for four years. After COVID, I moved to the supervisory board and back to Latvia, and now I have returned to the CEO position.

What I am most proud of is that we have stayed true to the main goal of the development: building a community. We defined luxury as fresh air, a clean and free environment, and a place where you can move and be active before it became a global trend. The FIABCI Prix d’Excellence Gold Award, the most recognized real estate award in Europe, validates that what we build is not a local standard. It is a global benchmark, delivered in Georgia.

Today, this idea is widely recognized as a new form of luxury, and I am proud we understood it 10 years ago. I’m also proud that Tbilisi Hills is now a timetested project in Georgia. People have known us in the market for over 10 years, and we have never broken our promises.

We were never focused on maximizing profit quickly; we develop thoughtfully, considering what we build and what we deliver to residents. Consistency over more than a decade is the hardest thing to build, and that is what makes me proudest.

MANY RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS FOCUS ON SELLING SQUARE METERS. TBILISI HILLS OFTEN SPEAKS ABOUT LIFESTYLE AND COMMUNITY. WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? My first visit to Georgia was 11 years ago, and my first view of Tbilisi was from

Tbilisi Hills. I went there straight from the airport and saw the city from there.

It was breathtaking.

Even today, driving through Krtsanisi or within the project, I still find the view of Tbilisi impressive. The city is vibrant and dynamic, and from Tbilisi Hills you feel a different rhythm: more relaxed and slower.

Tbilisi residents spend around 700 hours a year in traffic. When we started, Krtsanisi was underdeveloped, and many questioned who would come here. But this also meant less traffic and a 25-minute drive to Liberty Square, which is a luxury in itself.

At Tbilisi Hills, life slows down. People can focus on themselves, walk, run, cycle, and feel more present. The environment encourages movement and wellbeing. The golf course and community create a more peaceful lifestyle, and that is why I believe this is true luxury in Georgia.

HOW HAS THE CONCEPT OF PREMIUM LIVING CHANGED IN GEORGIA OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS? Georgia has changed significantly in terms of business, lifestyle, and energy.

But for me, Georgia is not only Tbilisi: the country’s greatest value is its nature and ecosystems.

Globally, people first move to city centers during early economic growth. The next stage of development is moving outside the city, where luxury is no longer material, but linked to mental wellbeing, space, and rehabilitation.

This is a global real estate pattern: business and offices remain in city centers, but premium residential development moves outside. That is why we believe projects outside cities represent the next stage of luxury.

We are not in a rush. We carefully select residents and see them as neighbors, because shared values matter most in our community.

WHAT MAKES TBILISI HILLS RELEVANT NOT ONLY TODAY, BUT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION? We remain one of the largest, most developed, and most premium projects in Georgia and the Caucasus. Most importantly, we keep our word: we are present, stable, and committed.

We survived COVID-19 and global geopolitical instability. That consistency makes us a trusted partner for future generations.

We are essentially a “city within a city,” with our own infrastructure: electricity lines, roads, gas systems, water reservoirs, irrigation systems, and a golf course.

This independence is not only about comfort; it means the community can grow resiliently over decades. This long-

term ownership model ensures sustainability, regardless of external changes.

HOW MANY RESIDENTS LIVE IN TBILISI HILLS? More than 100 families currently live there. Over 100 more homes are under construction or already sold, and around 100 additional families will move in within the next 12 months.

We have completed 130 new apartments, surrounded by parks and green spaces. We aim to be as green as possible, planting trees and greenery across the project.

What matters to us is not only the number, but who those families are. The families who live at Tbilisi Hills tend to be people who value time, air and community more than status. For them, the independent infrastructure and the scale of the masterplan are a kind of insurance: they know this will not become just another dense neighbourhood.

By the end of the year, we expect more than 200 families to be living in Tbilisi Hills. Our long-term vision is for it to become the “lungs of Tbilisi.” And with only around 10% of the residential land developed so far, the most exciting chapter is still ahead – one that will continue to meet the expectations of both current and future residents of Tbilisi Hills.

THE RECENT PARTNERSHIP WITH MIRA DEVELOPMENTS HAS ATTRACTED SIGNIFICANT ATTENTION. WHAT DOES THIS COLLABORATION MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF TBILISI HILLS? We signed an agreement with Mira Verde, and, like every resident and partner, they share commitments aligned with our vision.

They chose Tbilisi Hills because our values are the same, and we see the projects in parallel. This partnership reflects a shared understanding of what the development represents.

WHAT DOES SUCCESS MEAN TO YOU TODAY COMPARED TO TEN YEARS AGO? Success means having two quiet hours in the morning for myself. It means being able to spend time in nature, breathe fresh air in the evening, hear silence, and wake up with birds instead of cars.

HAS YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS, AND WHAT ROLE HAS BEING A WOMAN PLAYED IN SHAPING IT? I manage several projects. Tbilisi Hills is my core project, but I also have a factory in Latvia and sit on the management board of a group operating in 22 countries.

Leadership has changed significantly over the last 10 years. You must work

Do not lose yourself and do not try to be someone else. Trust yourself. Mistakes are normal: you only avoid them if you do nothing. What matters is being ready to fix them.

Women in leadership often face higher expectations. They must constantly prove they are good enough, and are often judged differently in negotiations and decision-making.

That is why solidarity among women is important. I try to support and appoint as many women to executive roles as possible.

COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THE PROJECTS YOU ARE CURRENTLY MANAGING ABROAD? After COVID began, I returned to Latvia.

One of our heritage brands, Dzintars, had gone bankrupt, and I reinvented it.

Today, it is again an international brand selling in Georgia, GCC countries, the UK, Poland, and Uzbekistan, producing over 10 million units annually. We are also bringing part of production to Georgia.

I also serve on the supervisory board of a rolling stock company producing trams and railway equipment across 22 countries.

In Georgia, we operate a hydro power station on the Kintrishi River and work with Georgian Railway and Tbilisi Metro on repair and supply projects.

I am truly inspired to lead Tbilisi Hills as Georgia is a country where ambition and patience are both rewarded. You can still build something large-scale and human-scale at the same time. As a group, we value the business environment here, and especially the importance of personal relationships.

WHAT ARE YOUR KEY PLANS AND PRIORITIES MOVING FORWARD? We plan to expand our hydro power station and continue its development. We also plan to build a school and a hotel within Tbilisi Hills.

We are currently in negotiations with a European school and hope to open a branch within the project. Once the number of residents reaches a sufficient level, we will begin construction.

We are also open to new investments and projects if they align with our longterm vision.

8

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

JULY 10 - 16, 2026

Oxford Study Examines Georgia’s Growing Surrogacy Industry and Challenges Facing Migrant Women

A pregnant woman. Source GettyImages

SOURCE: OXFORD UNIVERSITY

G

eorgia’s rapidly expanding surrogacy sector has become the focus of new research from the University of Oxford, which examines how international recruitment networks, social media, and informal systems of control shape the experiences of migrant surrogate women.

The study, conducted by Dr. Polina Vlasenko of the University of Oxford’s Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS), was published in Mobilities amid continuing debate over the regu-

lation of commercial surrogacy in Georgia. A proposed law in 2023 that would have limited commercial surrogacy to Georgian citizens and residents was rejected.

According to the research, Georgia has become an important destination for international intended parents, with clinics increasingly recruiting women from Central Asia through platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. The study argues that behind the visible medical and legal structures of the industry lies a network of “intermediaries,” including agents, clinic coordinators, and former surrogates, who play a central role in organizing and managing the process.

These intermediaries help women enter

the surrogacy market by arranging contracts, travel, accommodation, and financial matters. However, the research suggests that they may also influence many aspects of surrogates’ lives after they arrive in Georgia, including their daily routines, relationships, and interactions with clinics.

The findings are based on fieldwork carried out in Kazakhstan and Georgia between 2023 and 2024, including interviews with more than 100 surrogates, egg donors, medical workers, agents, and intended parents.

One of the study’s key findings is the growing importance of social media recruitment. Many women interviewed said they first learned about surrogacy

through online advertisements or posts shared by agencies, clinics, or former participants. Some women who previously acted as surrogates later became recruiters themselves, encouraging others to enter the program.

For some women, the financial motivation is significant. Sholpan, a surrogate from Central Asia, said that although surrogacy has become highly profitable for Georgia’s clinics, it can also provide major financial opportunities for participants.

“I can see that surrogacy is a gold mine for Georgia, but it is also very profitable for surrogates,” she said. “Everyone comes here because they have a problem. Nobody comes just for fun. Back home, 300 dollars is an average monthly salary that feeds an entire family; here, I could have it all to myself, saving a final lump sum for an apartment. They also take care of the housing, tickets, tests, everything.”

However, the study highlights concerns about dependence and control. Many surrogate women are required to stay in Georgia during pregnancy and often live in accommodation arranged by clinics.

Researchers found that some women experienced monitoring of their behavior, with reports that clinics and intermediaries encouraged surrogates to report rule violations by others.

The research also describes cases where access to housing and support was connected to recruitment work. Sholpan said that after several unsuccessful embryo transfers, she eventually became pregnant. She later began working as an agent but said a clinic director linked continued housing assistance to her ability to recruit other women.

“He told me: ‘bring other women too’.

If you work well for my clinic, I’ll provide you with housing,” she said.

Some interviewees described difficult personal experiences. Aliya, another surrogate, said: “I almost died, and they treat me like cattle.”

Clinic representatives presented a dif-

H2Ohhh…

BLOG BY TONY HANMER

I

t’s time for me to write about water again.

In this provincial land of the free, with hardly a building or infrastructure code in sight, one can build a garage, renovate a home, install water or electricity, and more, all without clipboard-wielding bureaucratic oversight. Nice… if you know what you’re doing and have all the tools and materials to do what you want or need. If any of these is lacking… H2WOE.

Over the fence and just above our outhouse is a large metal pipe with one entry flow and about six outflow points.

So this receives the water from higher up in the village, and distributes it to us and our neighbors. It’s a point of much heartache and contention, small, muddy, frustrating to get to and work at. I hate the sight of it, though it’s vital to the lives of all of us.

Now, we have two outflow pipes there, one to the house (22 water points in five bathrooms and two kitchens) and the other to the separate building of the café (six points in a bathroom and kitchen).

The house water can flow directly in, or

The water pipe. Photo by the author.

The water pipe. Photo by the author.

go into a 1000L tank, and from there through a pump, to give sufficient water pressure for upstairs showers. (This system works, of course, only when there is electricity). The café water is used primarily for dishwashing, and is all on the ground floor, so, no tank or pump.

When there is a problem at the main metal inflow/outflow pipe, it can affect only one outflow, or all of them, depending on the type of problem. Inflow issues affect us all, outflow ones typically relate

only to one outflow pipe. But if you need to work on your outflow problem, you may need to turn off the entire inflow, without warning, affecting all your neighbors’ outflows. (The same thing happens if you have an electricity issue in your house: you may need to turn off the local transformer, depriving all neighbors connected to it of power while you do your thing). Everyone knows this and puts up with it.

Be as quick as you can!

ferent perspective, highlighting the challenges of managing relationships with surrogate women. Lisa, a clinic manager, said: “They do not like how they are treated. They want to be treated like queens or VIPs. The most difficult part is behaving well with surrogates, not snapping at them.”

The study also shows how personal testimony has become a powerful recruitment tool. Sholpan explained that she uses her own experience to reassure potential surrogates who may fear exploitation.

“I tell them I’ve done the program myself, and nothing bad happened,” she said. “To sell organs or traffic you, they’d need someone young and beautiful, not a forty-year-old woman of ninety kilos like me. You can even video call me. I’ll show you my apartment. When they hear from someone who’s been through it, they start to trust.”

Dr. Vlasenko said Georgia’s surrogacy market has developed in response to growing international demand and a limited local supply of surrogate workers.

“Georgia’s surrogacy hub operates through systems in which intermediaries do more than connect surrogates to clinics,” she said. “They govern emotions, discipline conduct, and supervise communal living.”

The researcher argues that recognizing the role of intermediaries is essential to understanding how the industry functions and how care and control can become intertwined in cross-border surrogacy.

The study concludes that Georgia’s surrogacy sector raises wider questions about regulation, migrant women’s protections, and the balance between reproductive opportunities and ethical safeguards. Researchers say that better data collection and closer attention to the experiences of surrogate workers are necessary to develop policies that address the realities of this growing international market.

It’s important to have extra copies of all parts and materials to hand for these issues, plus preferably tools and knowhow to repair or replace what is needed.

Or you can call a neighbor to do it for you, either paying him (always a he) or accepting that you are now in his debt for a future favor. Best to know, or learn, what to do yourself. Lending out your tools is risky, too, as they may fail to come back without chasing, or may return damaged, in which case an argument may ensue.

ANYWAY… recently, I have had to work on an outflow leak problem from that hated big metal pipe to the café water pipe. This involves possibly getting filthy with mud, not having (or damaging) the necessary parts, jury-rigging something which will hopefully hold for 24 hours while still leaking, and carefully noting/ documenting the parts to buy tomorrow at the big Knauf shop in Mestia. Further woes betide you if they don’t have what you need: then you scrounge around the town’s several other smaller such shops, or realize that you must get what you need in Zugdidi, 110 km away (four times as far as Mestia!). I will hope for the best tomorrow, allow the leak to continue unabated until then, and do what I must to solve the thing. It is no exaggeration to say that, aside from the odd murder or drunk person’s belligerence, nonhandyman that I am, water is my main personal struggle living in such a remote 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 over 2000 members, at www.facebook.com/groups/ SvanetiRenaissance/ He and his wife also run their own guest house in Etseri: www.facebook.com/hanmer.house.svaneti

CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY JULY 10 - 16, 2026

9

Seeing Time: A New Exhibition Retraces an Italian Photographer’s Journey through Svaneti after 135 Years

BY IVAN NECHAEV

U

nlike cities, mountains seem to resist history.

Their silhouettes appear eternal, unchanged by politics, wars, or generations of human lives unfolding beneath them. Yet photography has the remarkable ability to reveal that even landscapes we imagine to be timeless are constantly evolving. A glacier retreats. A village expands. A tower loses its neighboring house. A forest climbs higher up the slope.

A new exhibition at the Zurab Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art in Tbilisi invites visitors to witness precisely this passage of time.

The exhibition brings together photographs taken 135 years apart, creating a visual dialogue between two expeditions separated by more than a century. In 1890, the Italian mountaineer, photographer, and explorer Vittorio Sella traveled through the Caucasus, concluding one of his most remarkable expeditions in Georgia’s mountainous region of Svaneti.

During that journey, he photographed more than thirty mountain peaks, twenty of which were climbed for the first time by his own expedition, as well as villages, defensive towers, churches, and the everyday lives of the Svan people.

Far more than travel souvenirs, Sella’s photographs became invaluable historical documents. They preserve a world that was only beginning to encounter modernity: extended families gathered around ancestral churches, isolated mountain settlements, and domestic architecture whose details now belong as much to ethnography as to living

memory. One striking image even depicts a house whose exterior displays the severed hands of enemies: a symbol of courage and martial honor in traditional Svan culture, reminding contemporary viewers that mountain societies often developed their own moral codes, far removed from those of Europe’s urban centers.

Today, Sella’s photographs are regarded as treasures not only of photography but also of historical geography, anthropology, and cultural heritage. Their very existence is astonishing.

Traveling with a large-format camera and fragile glass negatives measuring roughly 30 by 40 centimeters, Sella carried equipment that weighed dozens of kilograms across glaciers, steep passes, and remote mountain trails. He even designed specialized backpacks and saddles to transport his photographic apparatus safely through terrain that remains challenging even for modern hikers. At a time when photography demanded chemistry, patience, and extraordinary physical endurance, every image represented hours of preparation and considerable personal risk.

Perhaps this is why Sella’s work possesses an almost sculptural quality. Each photograph feels earned. Remarkably, his Svaneti archive remained largely forgotten for nearly a century before being rediscovered and transferred to the National Archives of Georgia, allowing contemporary audiences to encounter one of the earliest comprehensive visual records of the region.

The second half of the exhibition belongs to the present. Between 2025 and 2026, Georgian photographer and videographer Nika Lebanidze retraced Sella’s route through Svaneti, seeking out the precise locations from which the Italian photographer had worked 135

The exhibition. Source: Zurab Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art

years earlier. Using the same viewpoints whenever possible, Lebanidze created contemporary counterparts to Sella’s images.

This “then-and-now” approach has become an increasingly important practice in contemporary photography. Rather than documenting a place at a single moment, it transforms photography into an instrument for measuring time itself.

The paired images reveal not only physical changes in architecture and landscape but also subtler transformations in how people inhabit space. Some villages have grown. Others appear quieter.

Forests reclaim abandoned areas, while roads and tourism infrastructure reshape valleys that were once accessible only on horseback. The exhibition therefore asks visitors to look beyond nostalgia.

Too often, historical photography encourages a simplistic narrative of loss: a belief that the past was inherently more

authentic than the present. Here, however, comparison becomes more nuanced.

Change is neither celebrated nor mourned; it is simply observed. Photography becomes evidence rather than judgment.

In many ways, the project reflects a broader shift within contemporary museums. Increasingly, exhibitions are less concerned with displaying isolated masterpieces than with creating conversations across time. Archives are no longer viewed as static repositories of memory, but as living collections that acquire new meanings when contemporary artists engage with them. Lebanidze’s photographs do not imitate Sella’s work; they complete it.

There is also a quietly poetic connection between Italy and Svaneti that survives beyond the exhibition itself. One of Mestia’s streets now bears Vittorio Sella’s name: a reminder that explora-

tion can create cultural relationships lasting far longer than the journey itself.

Even more remarkable is the fact that Sella completed his final mountain ascent at the age of seventy-six, embodying a lifelong commitment to curiosity rather than conquest.

Ultimately, this exhibition is about far more than mountains. It is about photography’s unique ability to compress centuries into a single glance. Standing before two nearly identical compositions separated by 135 years, visitors experience time not as an abstract historical concept but as something visible. The mountains remain, yet nothing is quite the same: not the glaciers, not the villages, not the people, and perhaps not even the way we ourselves have learned to look at the world.

The exhibition is on view at the Zurab Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art through July 20.

Goethe Institute Launches Free German Cinema Series

BY LANA KOKAIA

T

he Goethe Institute of Georgia, in collaboration with ‘Projection 24,’ is hosting a special summer film screening program, ‘German Cinema: The Fatherless Generation,’ from July 9 to 18.

The free screenings will begin at 9:00 p.m. in the garden of the Goethe Institute

of Georgia on 16 Zandukeli Street. All films will be shown in their original language with Georgian and English subtitles.

The program explores the legacy of the New German Cinema movement and its filmmakers’ efforts to examine German identity in the aftermath of World War II and the Nazi era. The series is inspired by a reflection from German filmmaker Werner Herzog, who described his generation as growing up without fathers or artistic traditions to guide them.

The lineup includes:

July 9: Paris, Texas (1984), directed by Wim Wenders; July 11: Lili Marlene (1981), directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder; July 16: Nosferatu: The Phantom of the Night (1979), directed by Herzog; July 18: Berlin Alexanderplatz (2020), directed by Burhan Qurbani.

Discussions featuring film professionals will follow each screening. The program is curated by Levan Abdushelishvili, with Georgian and English subtitles translated by Mariam Paichadze.

Georgian Artist Becomes First-Ever Two-Time Winner of Hahnenkamm Races Poster Competition SOURCE: HAHNENKAMM RACES

L

asha Inashvili has won Austria's prestigious international poster contest for the second time with his striking design for the 2027 Hahnenkamm

Races.

For the second time in just three years, Georgian graphic artist Lasha Inashvili has won the official poster competition of the legendary Hahnenkamm Races in Kitzbühel, Austria. His winning design for the 2027 Hahnenkamm Races was selected from 286 submissions by 138 artists from Europe, Asia, and North America.

The Hahnenkamm Races are among the world's most prestigious alpine skiing events. Every year, the Kitzbühel Ski Club invites artists and designers from around the world to create the official poster for the following edition of the races. With his latest success, Inashvili has made history: he is the first artist

Lasha Inashvili. Source: hahnenkamm

ever to win the competition twice.

His first victory came in 2024. The jury selected the winning design anonymously, with the identities of the artists remaining unknown throughout the judging process and being revealed only after the final decision had been made, ensuring complete impartiality.

This year's winning artwork is a folded poster featuring a geometric rooster, a reference to the Hahnenkamm ("Rooster's Comb"). Achieving the final result required dozens of attempts.

"To make sure viewers could recognize the geometric rooster, I broke my own principle of visual purity and cut the overlapping letters 'HKR' to create the rooster's eye," Inashvili said.

Along with the title, Inashvili receives €7,000 in prize money and an invitation to attend the 2027 Hahnenkamm Races.

His first visit to Kitzbühel in 2024 left a lasting impression. "When I visited Kitzbühel for the first time and experienced the atmosphere of this authentic sporting festival in such a charming, almost fairy-tale town, I simply fell in

love with it."

Alpine ski racing also holds a special place in the artist's heart. "As someone who unsuccessfully tried alpine skiing as a child, the sport always seemed a little unreachable and, if I may say so, somewhat elite. That's why I still follow ski racing today with great respect and admiration."

10

CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY

JULY 10 - 16, 2026

Berlin Fashion Week Spring/Summer 27: Fashion Trends and Tastes

The Runway Show New Collection SS27 by Selva Huygens

REVIEW BY DR. LILY FÜRSTENOW

B

erlin Fashion Week would not be half as enticing were it not for the locations the labels choose for their runway shows. They are not only revelatory of each brand's identity but also an invitation to discover Berlin behind its façades, opening doors to spaces one would rarely expect to exist.

This was the case from the very beginning with Netzwerk, which staged its runway show at San Gimignano Lichtenberg. Once a former DDR factory left to decay after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the site was later restructured and repurposed by the architects at bplus.xyz / Brandlhuber+ into a safe space for a variety of workshops. In Berlin, where architecture has historically reflected the political regimes that have come and gone, this factory stands as a remarkable exception. Its towers were rescued and sustainably repurposed, preserving their concrete structure and simple forms.

Likewise, sustainability is essential to the creative process of the Netzwerk designers, who work with Beglarian's deadstock haute couture fabrics, offering exclusive selections from more than

Neo.Fashion by UNSATURATED

5,000 deadstock textiles. Driven by a commitment to sustainability, transparency, and community, the company strives to transform the textile industry into a responsible circular economy.

Much like the location itself, saturated with the severe urban poetry of concrete, stone, and thin grass, the collection felt singular. Gender-neutral outfits and a delicate use of fabrics accentuated the human silhouette. Sheer textiles for womenswear created poetic looks, while unusual yet tasteful combinations of bluish tones, black and grey, and red and crimson settled into flowing lines that gave the collection a bold signature charm. It appealed equally to those seeking unconventional color combinations and fluid forms in casual wear, as well as glamorous evening looks.

Ecology and environmental consciousness were equally central to SELVA HUYGENS, a label that consciously incorporates discarded automotive parts into its high-end glamorous creations.

Here too, Beglarian fabrics added considerably to the polished finish of the garments. Dresses in lustrous blues, whites, and browns offered a new definition of sexy: sharp, witty, and executed with cutting precision. These were outfits that celebrated female power while embracing coquette aesthetics through

exaggerated sculptural details in shoes, headpieces, shoulders, and hips. The dramatic silhouettes echoed the architecture of the HKW (Haus der Kulturen der Welt), where the show took place, an iconic building affectionately nicknamed the "Pregnant Oyster" by Berliners because of its distinctive bulging suspension roof floating above a reflective pool.

Speaking of architecture serving as fashion's stage, one cannot ignore West Berlin's most controversial landmark, the ICC International Congress Center.

Widely acclaimed as an exemplary example of futuristic Brutalist architecture, the 1979 building has stood largely empty for almost a decade. Sombre, dark, and reminiscent of a dysfunctional, deserted spaceship, it provided the perfect contrast for Orange Culture's Spring/Summer 27 runway.

Designer Adebayo Oke-Lawal presented fluid textures enriched with elements of African ornamentation, fringed dresses, carefully layered lightweight fabrics, and intricate detailing across both menswear and womenswear. Irregular cuts made every look dreamlike and emotionally charged, creating a singular atmosphere throughout the collection.

Marie-Louise Müller transported guests into her Escapist Garden, presented in a truly hidden oasis on the rooftop terrace of the Lobe Block in the heart of Berlin-Wedding. Surrounded by concrete architecture yet overflowing with greenery in the garden below, the location perfectly complemented a collection filled with floral motifs, pastel colors, and soft hues. Celebrating craftsmanship and elaborate tailoring, the designer paired meticulous construction with witty accessories, including watering cans transformed into handbags and carefully matched footwear.

For those drawn to romantic summer dressing, the collection was a dream come true, resembling Babylonian gardens in Brutalist form, as the architects themselves describe the site, complete with breathtaking views over Berlin.

Straw hats, woven bags, crocheted dresses, and flowing fringes became symbols of innocence, joy, and effortless lightness.

Laura Gerte's Spring/Summer 27 collection embraced sensuality through cut-out silhouettes, long white dresses, and garments that revealed more than they concealed. Presented inside the late nineteenth-century Berliner Ensemble theatre, the historical setting added further intensity to the collection. Made entirely from upcycled materials, Lost to Virtue explored a feminist interpretation of femininity. Transparent fabrics, cords, and sheer layers contributed to a constant dialogue between revealing and concealing, resulting in a sensual yet thoughtful aesthetic.

Designer Jana Heinemann of Impari concluded her runway presentation with a live rap performance by Darell Marley, transforming the show into an authentic encounter between fashion, music, and spoken word. Presented under the glass roof of MOA Berlin, the collection Anima featured richly textured unisex garments combining draping, exceptional craftsmanship, and carefully constructed details across tops and trousers. Flowing sleeves and softly sculpted silhouettes gave the body freedom of movement, almost resembling shamanic garments that allow the skin to breathe. The venue itself, lined with exotic plants and trees, reinforced the designer's vision of reconnecting nature, culture, and the soul.

Last but certainly not least, Neo.Fashion once again provided an important platform for Germany's newest generation of designers, showcasing graduate collections from national and international fashion universities. The Best Graduate Award was judged by renowned experts, including representatives of the iconic Villa Noailles museum in Hyères, France.

Among the graduates, several collec-

The Runway Show New Collection SS27 by Netzwerk

tions stood out as true highlights.

Vivien Vetterkind redefined tailoring as a layered expression of identity and disruption through deliberately raw and rebellious streetwear. Punk references, patchwork details, combinations of raw and flowing fabrics, and heavy embroidery merged into a disruptive aesthetic full of daring new visions of style.

Lilian Brade's collection revolved around monsters, witches, and bitches, an exploration of aggressive femininity that was biting, provocative, and unapologetically on edge. The garments challenged conventional ideas of beauty, while jewelry became an equally important narrative device. Protruding metal mouthpieces, exaggerated claw-like accessories, and towering platform heels evoked the atmosphere of travesty drag performance, combining wit with grotesque theatricality.

Samet Akkus, meanwhile, explored identity through traditional costume elements. Turban-like hats, some with fringes concealing the face, striped gender-neutral garments, and immediately recognizable folkloric references, including oversized beads replacing handbags, created a deeply personal narrative.

Beautifully tailored white shirts cinched at the waist with broad belts, combined with traditional music, made the presentation feel authentic, nostalgic, and deeply moving. It portrayed the experience of negotiating one's identity through cultural heritage and collective memory.

Clothing is skin deep, our second skin.

It is therefore no wonder that Georgian designer Lado Bokuchava, whose eponymous label was presented during Berlin Fashion Week at RAUM Berlin, chose

black leather as the defining material of his collection. It served as a spectacular medium to accentuate the sensuality of the body while conveying an aesthetic of opulence, confidence, and immediacy.

His experimental creations fuse traditional elements with contemporary aesthetics. Lado Bokuchava's work is distinguished by profound artistic expression and a bold willingness to challenge the conventional boundaries of the fashion industry. Established in 2017, the brand embodies an underground style infused with a contemporary twist.

Each collection seamlessly blends classic and urban influences with futuristic details, creating a harmonious convergence of different stylistic directions.

The designer's meticulous attention to pattern-cutting is evident in the complexity of the looks, featuring detachable details that enhance versatility and comfort for various body types and occasions.

The use of refined, minimal materials is a hallmark of the brand.

Across Berlin Fashion Week Spring/ Summer 27, several major themes emerged repeatedly: sustainability, not merely as a production method but as a creative philosophy; gender-neutral dressing; flowing silhouettes; sculptural tailoring; transparency and layering; experimental color combinations; craftsmanship rooted in tradition yet directed toward the future; and, above all, an intimate dialogue between architecture and fashion.

Ultimately, we are, to a great extent, what we wear. Through clothing we express our longings and belongings, whether we choose to reveal them openly or quietly disguise them beneath carefully constructed layers.

SPORTS

GEORGIA TODAY JULY 10 - 16, 2026

11

Football: A Universal Obsession

Sports fans at Brown's Bar Tbilisi. Source: FB

England fans. Source: BBC

BLOG BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

W

hy does football stupefy the world so extensively and overwhelmingly? Why are we so terribly emotional about a simple ball rolling on the field? People are going crazy watching it. They are literally dying for their teams.

Could this be about trivial national pride?

If yes, then globalization does not make any sense. People love only their national identity, not common world ideals. Could this be true?

The following is my humble attempt at an affordable psychological, social, economic, and political analysis of this universal sporting phenomenon. Let us try together to understand why contemporary humans spend so much time, energy, nerve, and money on football (soccer). Maybe this is the reason why thousands of soccer moms are so keen on making their kids the stars of this unusually popular sport.

The world is simply running amok, rooting for it. Why does soccer have so much weight in our local, national, and international life? It sounds as though the whole thing is about human nature.

Right before writing this piece, I asked numerous questions and got answers from experts, fans, and those who do not really care. What I heard is basically what I had always thought but never spoke about.

Avidly watching the 2026 Mundial, at this time on every TV screen in the world 24/7, I am coming to believe that, in the last couple of decades, football has turned into a huge ceremonial event that the peoples of the world are willing to share with each other. About five billion people follow it to a certain degree. No large-scale religious or political event is comparable to it.

Is this because the game is inherently and fundamentally more attractive than other sports? Probably not! It may simply be an accident that football has acquired the image of a source of the deepest human emotionalism, needed for self-expression and physiological satisfaction. It has just developed that way!

Psychologically speaking, football triggers a clear sense of belonging. There is us and there is them. Watching the game, my team turns into my true family. Is it not amazing that the victory of my team might feel very personal even if I have contributed nothing to it?

One of the most salient features of our

time is that it is weakening many traditional identities, such as religion, family, and community, considering them outdated, whereas football exudes enough power to strengthen those perpetual identities. I am Georgia. I am England.

I am Brazil. This kind of identity stays with us for good, creating certainty within us.

How about the perennially dwindling meaning of life? Our everyday routine is so noxious that it renders us terribly nauseous of it: bills, commuting, repetitive work, a stupid boss, and the necessity of putting up with him or her. Against this obnoxious background, football invigorates us, filling our bodies with additional pep and our minds with new stories, giving us new heroes and new triumphs. Villains and defeats too, but that is fairly tolerable. We are, at least, escaping the boring routine that is slowly but surely killing us.

For instance, when my team scores, I feel the simultaneous assault of dopamine, adrenaline, an increased heart rate, cortisol, endorphins, and what not. It feels perfectly all right in terms of my neurology.

I am trying not to miss a more or less important game of the ongoing World Championship, and what impresses me most is the number of tears shed in the

stadiums, whether from the chagrin of defeat or the joy of victory. Yes, both the athletes and their fans are weeping sincere tears. Why are they crying? Because the goal is not simply a scored goal. In every single case, it is the culmination of years of patience, expectation, preparation, and investment. That is why!

Socially, football produces unusually strong feelings of unity. During those two strained hours of the match, we, the crowd of fans, are together with people we had never met before and will never see again, hugging and kissing them like our closest friends and family.

From the religious point of view, a comparison between faith and football might sound quite relevant. Instead of holy places and pilgrimages, there are stadiums and away matches. In place of ritual clothing and sacred songs, there are jerseys and chants. Club legends replace martyrs, club stories replace religious sagas, historic victories replace traditional triumphs, and never missing a home match resembles the devotion of never missing a Sunday at church.

Would not all this be as true as the gospel?

Not to forget, football matches have a proclivity to create national unity, at least temporarily, which may become a huge help to politically divided countries.

All of us watch together. All of us celebrate or mourn together. A big deal!

I was told the universal football obsession does not contradict the process of globalization, but I would still insist that it might appear as a divider between nations. I noticed this clearly while

watching the game between Brazil and Japan. One of the Japanese fans was ready to eliminate any symbol of the Brazilian flag. I can swear upon my remaining life that there is not even a vestige of whimsical witticism in this painful observation!

Finally, economics! The global football economy is worth hundreds of billions of dollars annually. Businesses invest enormous sums because billions of people watch the game, and there are television rights, advertising, merchandise, betting, tourism, hospitality, stadium tickets, video games, youth academies, and sports media. Wow! By the way, why do parents invest so much? The expectation of extraordinary success, equal to a chance to go from rags to riches. Is that not a good enough reason for the mentioned parental infatuation? Yes, it is. Football has the biggest audience of all entertainment events.

Politics? Oh, yes. Leaders frequently associate themselves with successful teams. Football sometimes stops wars, but it also fuels conflict.

Football, being such a big deal, is also very simple: a ball and a field. That simplicity has helped it spread worldwide.

The impression is that the world is running berserk, practicing or following football, but this is only an impression.

In fact, football makes the world a much, much better and safer place to live. This good thought stands firmly on the human need and desire to belong, to compete, and to celebrate together.

Could there be anything more positive and exciting?

Georgia Beats Spain 91–89 in FIBA World Cup Qualifier

BY TEAM GT

G

eorgia’s national basketball team claimed a dramatic 91–89 overtime victory over Spain in a 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifying game played on home court.

Head coach Aleksandar Džikic started the game with Luka Ochkhikidze, Marcquise Reed, Duda Sanadze, Tornike Shengelia and Goga Bitadze.

Spain dominated the opening quarter, building an early advantage and taking a commanding 32–14 lead after the first 10 minutes. Georgia responded in the second period by improving defensively and cutting the deficit through the efforts of Shengelia and Reed, trailing

52–38 at halftime.

After the break, Spain extended its lead to 71–57 heading into the final quarter. Georgia then mounted a comeback, with Shengelia and Reed leading the charge. Reed tied the game with a three-pointer before Shengelia put the hosts in front. Spain equalized late, and Shengelia missed a potential gamewinning shot in regulation, sending the contest into overtime at 83–83.

Spain opened the extra period with a five-point run, but Georgia fought back to regain the lead. Reed scored the decisive basket with 19 seconds remaining, while Spain was unable to convert its final possession, sealing a memorable 91–89 victory for the hosts.

Shengelia finished as the game’s leading scorer with 37 points and 10 rebounds, while Reed added 32 points

COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT

Commercial Director: Iva Merabishvili Marketing Manager: Natalia Chikvaidze EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT:

GEORGIA TODAY

Editor-In-Chief: Katie Ruth Davies

and seven assists. Giorgi Jinjaradze contributed six points, Sanadze scored five, Bitadze and Turdziladze added four each, Merkviladze finished with three, and Ochkhikidze scored one point.

For Spain, Willy Hernangómez led the team with 19 points. Cárdenas added 14, while Saint-Supery finished with 13.

The win gives Georgia a valuable boost in its 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifying campaign and will be remembered as one of the team’s most impressive performances in recent years.

Beating a basketball powerhouse like Spain in such a dramatic fashion, especially on home court, was not only an important result but also a moment of pride for Georgian fans and a reminder of the team’s growing confidence on the international stage.

Tornike Shengelia. Source: FIBA

Journalists: Ana Dumbadze Tony Hanmer Nugzar B. Ruhadze Ivan Nechaev Lana Kokaia

ADDRESS International Relations & Communications 22 Janashia Str. Sofia Bochoidze Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia E: sbochoidze@georgiatoday.ge Tel.: +995 32 229 59 19 Website Editor: E: info@georgiatoday.ge Katie Ruth Davies F: GeorgiaToday

Layout: Misha Mchedlishvili

Webmaster: Sergey Gevenov

Photographer: Aleksei Serov

Circulation Managers: David Kerdikashvili David Djandjgava

ADVERTISING & SUBSCRIPTION

+995 577 72 52 61 E-mail: marketing@georgiatoday.ge

Reproducing material, photos and advertisements without prior editorial permission is strictly forbidden.

The author is responsible for all material. Rights of authors are preserved. The newspaper is registered in Mtatsminda district court.

Reg. # 06/4-309