issue1576

Issue no: 1576

• OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 5, 2026 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue... Georgia Approves Tax Breaks for Casinos Hosting International Gambling Tournaments NEWS PAGE 2

Ukraine Latest: Counteroffensives Challenge Russia as Trump-Putin Energy Deal Divides Allies NEWS PAGE 3

EU Delegation Outlines How Georgia’s €38 Million Aid Package Will Be Spent

FOCUS ON THE ELIXIR OF ILLUSION AT THE TBILISI OPERA Nearly two centuries on, Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore continues to reveal how illusion, exaggeration, and the theater of everyday life shape our emotional worlds

BUSINESS PAGE 5

Hospital Management and Healthcare Reform in Georgia BUSINESS PAGE 6

PAGE 10

Bakhmaro: Guria’s Unforgettable Jewel. Part 3

Gaetano Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. Source: Tbilisi Opera and State Theater

Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue Rehabilitation Body Before the Expected to Finish by End of November The Word: Wim Vandekeybus SOCIETY PAGE 7

and his Unfinished Myths in Tbilisi

BY TEAM GT

T

bilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has reaffirmed that the rehabilitation of Rustaveli Avenue is expected to be completed by the end of November, apologizing to residents for traffic restrictions and other disruptions caused by the large-scale project. “As we promised residents, the project will be completed by the end of November. These are large-scale works, and certain problems have arisen in terms of movement during the rehabilitation. We understand how difficult this is. Carrying out works on this scale without certain restrictions and inconveniences is impossible. I apologize to the residents of the capital,” Kaladze said at a government meeting. He said the completed project would improve the avenue and its surroundings, describing it as set to become one of the city’s most beautiful thoroughfares. City Hall also plans to begin a comprehensive rehabilitation of buildings and structures along the avenue next year, after the

CULTURE PAGE 9

The Enchanting World of Dolls CULTURE PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

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Rustaveli Avenue. Source: GT

current roadworks are finished. The rehabilitation began at midnight on July 23, 2026, with vehicle traffic fully restricted on Rustaveli Avenue and part of Merab Kostava Street. The project has involved roadworks, sidewalk improvements and the replacement of aging water and sewage infrastructure.

PROJECT COSTS RISE AS SIDEWALK WORKS EXPAND In August, Tbilisi City Hall increased funding for the rehabilitation by GEL 7.8 million through two additional tenders published on the State Procurement Agency’s website. Continued on page 2

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2

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 5, 2026

Georgia Approves Tax Breaks for Casinos Hosting International Gambling Tournaments health, minors, financial stability and family relationships, as well as the increased risk of suicide associated with gambling-related harm. The office also criticized the bill’s explanatory note for lacking a separate assessment of its impact on public health, an analysis of potential social harm and the costs of preventing it, input from relevant experts and organizations, and an overview of other countries’ experience. The Public Defender further questioned the basis for the explanatory note’s conclusion that the proposed changes would not affect children’s rights. The office argued that the assessment of the legislation should consider potential consequences for health and social well-being, rather than focusing solely on anticipated economic benefits.

BY TEAM GT

G

eorgia’s Parliament has approved legislation allowing casinos to organize international gambling tournaments, introducing tax exemptions for some events despite objections from the Georgian Orthodox Church and the Public Defender over potential social and human rights risks. The bill, introduced by lawmakers from the ruling Georgian Dream party, passed its third and final reading on October 28, with 73 votes in favor and five against. It was considered under an expedited procedure over two plenary sessions. Under the legislation, an international gambling tournament is defined as an event organized by a casino, with a prize pool guaranteed in advance and at least 80% of participants being foreign nationals. The threshold was raised from 70% during parliamentary deliberations. The tournaments may be held at casinolicensed venues or elsewhere. Organizers will be exempt from the gambling business fee on a gaming table used exclusively for a qualifying tournament if its prize pool exceeds GEL 3 million. Income earned by individuals participating in international gambling tournaments will generally be taxed at 20%. However, foreign nationals’ income from tournaments with prize pools exceeding GEL 3 million will be exempt from tax. Organizers who violate licensing conditions will face a GEL 50,000 fine. A proposed GEL 150,000 fine for organizing a tournament without authorization was removed from the final version

A table at Casino Iveria Batumi. Source: Casino Iveria

of the bill.

GOVERNMENT CITES TOURISM BENEFITS Shota Berekashvili, chair of Parliament’s Economic Policy Committee and one of the bill’s sponsors, argued that international gambling tournaments should be viewed more as sporting competitions than gambling in the conventional sense. He said similar events were held in European cities and argued that the initiative could attract foreign visitors and support tourism during the off-season, particularly in Adjara. Berekashvili also said the legislation would impose restrictions on Georgian participants. At least 80% of tournament participants must be foreign nationals, leaving a maximum of 20% for Georgian citizens, who would remain subject to the restrictions established under existing gambling legislation.

The bill’s explanatory note identifies tourism development, attracting foreign participants and increasing economic activity as its main objectives. It also states that the number of permits issued and tournaments held, along with the size of prize pools and the use of tax exemptions, will determine the measure’s eventual impact on the state budget.

PUBLIC DEFENDER WARNS OF SOCIAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS RISKS Georgia’s Public Defender urged Parliament not to proceed with the bill when it was considered at first reading on October 27, warning that the expedited process did not allow sufficient expert involvement or a comprehensive assessment of potential human rights risks. The Public Defender highlighted the potential effects of gambling on mental

PATRIARCHATE SAYS IT WAS NOT CONSULTED The Georgian Orthodox Church Patriarchate also expressed concern, saying it had not been consulted before the legislative initiative was introduced. Archpriest Andria Jaghmaidze, head of the Patriarchate’s Public Relations Service, told InterpressNews that the proposal had come as a complete surprise. He said the Patriarchate had been directly involved in efforts to regulate the gambling sector since 2017, a process that included research, the collection and analysis of statistical data, and the presentation of findings to the public. The government subsequently adopted a package of gambling regulations that the Church welcomed. Jaghmaidze said the Patriarchate had not yet discussed the new legislation in depth, but could not remain on the side-

lines. He added that he largely shared the arguments raised by the Public Defender and hoped dialogue with the bill’s sponsors would produce a positive outcome. Metropolitan Anton of Vani and Baghdati also said the Patriarchate would discuss the legislation with bishops before settling on a common position. “From what I can see on the surface, I perceive certain risks,” he said, adding that the Church would examine the proposal before reaching a conclusion.

OPPOSITION QUESTIONS EXPEDITED PROCEDURE Opposition lawmakers also questioned the speed with which the legislation was passed and whether its potential social consequences had been adequately considered. Giorgi Sharashidze of the For Georgia party criticized the expedited procedure, saying lawmakers had received the bill only the previous evening and had insufficient time to examine it. He questioned whose interests the legislation served and why it needed to be rushed through Parliament. Eka Sepashvili of People’s Power, a party aligned with the parliamentary majority, raised concerns about the possible social costs of the initiative. She warned that the legislation could encourage the undesirable promotion of gambling, which she described as a significant social problem. The For Georgia parliamentary faction did not support the bill. The legislation was passed despite the Public Defender’s call for a more comprehensive assessment and the Patriarchate’s concerns about the lack of prior consultation.

One in Four Children in Georgia Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue Rehabilitation Lives Below the Poverty Line Expected to Finish by End of November Continued from page 1

Illustrative photo: A child sits alone in a neglected courtyard, highlighting the issue of child poverty.

BY NANUKA MAGLAKELIDZE

N

early one in four children in Georgia lives below the poverty line, data from the Social Service Agency and the National Statistics Office of Georgia show. The Social Service Agency’s latest figures, for September, show that 219,054 children aged 0-18 receive subsistence assistance in the country. Meanwhile, official data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia show that 970,609 people in this age group are registered in the country. The figures indicate that nearly one in four children receives subsistence assistance. By region, Tbilisi has the highest number of children receiving the benefit, at

52,694. Kvemo Kartli ranks second with 39,923 children, followed by Imereti with 25,356. The number of children aged 0-18 receiving subsistence assistance by region is as follows: • Tbilisi: 52,694 • Kvemo Kartli: 39,923 • Adjara: 22,668 • Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti: 22,015 • Kakheti: 15,816 • Shida Kartli: 15,799 • Guria: 7,152 • Mtskheta-Mtianeti: 6,389 • Samtskhe-Javakheti: 5,389 • Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti: 1,960 By age group, the number is significantly higher among children aged 6-18, with 168,595 receiving subsistence assistance. Among children aged 0-6, the figure stands at 50,459.

The tenders concerned sidewalk rehabilitation along the stretch between Chovelidze Street and Rustaveli Metro Station. Applications were open until August 17. According to business news outlet BM.GE, the main rehabilitation works are being carried out by Smart Solutions LLC under municipal contracts worth nearly GEL 20 million. The company had been expected to complete the project by November, although its director, Levan Gogsadze, previously told BM.GE that meeting the original 100-day deadline would likely prove difficult. Separately, Georgian Water and Power (GWP) has invested GEL 12.5 million in replacing drinking water and sewage infrastructure along the avenue. The utility works form part of the broader effort to modernize the aging infrastructure beneath one of Tbilisi’s central thoroughfares.

tions four times for failing to carry out work around the clock, as required under the contracts. Documents published on the State Procurement Agency’s website recorded four instances in July and August when inspections found that work was not being conducted continuously across designated sections of Rustaveli Avenue and Kostava Street. The first inspection, on July 23, found that work was not being carried out around the clock between Chovelidze Street and Merani shopping center. Further inspections on July 29 identified the same issue on that stretch and between Merani and Besiki Street. An inspection on August 7 found that work was not being carried out continuously between Besiki Street and Freedom Square. In each case, the fine amounted to 0.02% of the relevant contract value. The four penalties totaled nearly GEL 5,000, according to Radio Liberty.

CONTRACTOR FINED OVER WORKING HOURS

BUILDINGS TO BE REHABILITATED NEXT YEAR

The rehabilitation has also faced scrutiny over compliance with contractual requirements. Radio Liberty reported in August that Tbilisi City Hall had fined Smart Solu-

Kaladze has said the next stage will focus on buildings and structures lining Rustaveli Avenue, with work scheduled to begin in 2027, after the current rehabilitation is completed.

Rustaveli Avenue. Source: GT

The avenue, which runs through central Tbilisi and connects Freedom Square with the area around Rustaveli Metro Station, is one of the capital’s principal streets and a major location for cultural institutions, public buildings, businesses and demonstrations. The current rehabilitation was planned to address outdated infrastructure and improve the avenue’s public spaces. However, the closure of the road has severely disrupted traffic in the city center, prompting the mayor’s apology. The unfinished roadworks have also raised concerns about pedestrian safety. With no designated walkways for people to cross the construction zone, pedestrians must navigate uneven surfaces, loose stones and fragments of paving. In rainy weather, the ground becomes muddy and slippery, increasing the risk of slips, falls and injuries. The lack of safe, clearly marked pedestrian routes poses a particular concern for older people, children and those with limited mobility. With the end-of-November deadline approaching, completion of the roadworks remains the immediate priority. However, ensuring safe pedestrian access through the construction area is also an urgent concern while rehabilitation continues.

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 5, 2026

3

Ukraine Latest: Counteroffensives Challenge Russia as Trump-Putin Energy Deal Divides Allies COMPILED BY ANA DUMBADZE

U

krainian forces reported territorial gains across several contested sectors this week as Russia continued attacks on cities and energy infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelensky said recent operations had strengthened Ukraine’s battlefield position, while diplomatic efforts to resume negotiations in November remained uncertain. A separate energy arrangement between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has also raised concerns in Kyiv and European capitals over sanctions and the financing of Russia’s war. The heaviest fighting continued in Donetsk region, particularly around Pokrovsk, Kostiantynivka and the defensive belt protecting Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. Ukraine’s General Staff reported 181 combat engagements on October 28, including 38 in the Pokrovsk sector. Russian forces carried out 55 airstrikes, dropped 188 guided aerial bombs and deployed more than 5,200 attack drones, according to Ukrainian military figures. The battlefield claims could not all be independently verified. Ukraine also reported counteroffensive successes. North of Lyman, Operation Vivaldi reportedly cleared Russian infiltration groups from approximately 75 square kilometers and recaptured another 10 square kilometers. The operation was intended to disrupt Russian preparations for an advance toward Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, although the extent of Ukrainian control could not be independently established. Near Kupiansk in Kharkiv region, Ukrainian troops conducted Operation Veles, using underground gas pipelines

to move more than 15 kilometers behind Russian positions. Conflict-monitoring organization ACLED reported that Ukrainian forces killed more than 100 Russian soldiers and captured over 30 during the operation. Further south, Ukrainian counterattacks in the Oleksandrivka sector reportedly recaptured settlements including Komar and Fedorivka. The gains could disrupt Russian supply routes supporting operations toward Huliaipole, where fighting continued. Russian strikes continued across Ukraine. During the night of October 21-22, Ukrainian officials said Russia launched 21 ballistic missiles against Kyiv, damaging residential buildings, energy facilities and transportation infrastructure. Three missiles reportedly carried cluster munitions. At least four people were killed across the affected areas, and dozens were injured, including five children. Attacks also hit Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Odesa regions. On October 26, Russian drones struck industrial facilities in Odesa region, causing fires and damaging emergency equipment. In Zaporizhzhia, attacks damaged homes, a hotel and vehicles, injuring four civilians. Zelensky said Russia had carried out approximately 170 strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure since October 11, threatening electricity, heating and water supplies as winter approaches. Kyiv accused Moscow of exploiting diplomatic discussions while continuing attacks on civilian infrastructure.

TRUMP-PUTIN DIESEL DEAL ADVANCES AS ENERGY TRUCE FALTERS The energy dispute has moved beyond criticism of the agreement itself. The first tanker carrying Russian diesel to the United States has departed, while the temporary pause in attacks on energy

infrastructure announced by US President Donald Trump has failed to stop Russian strikes on Ukrainian facilities. Trump announced the diesel arrangement on October 9 following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying Russia would supply more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel initially, followed by further shipments. The US Treasury subsequently issued a temporary license authorizing transactions involving Russian-origin diesel, including imports into the United States, through April 7, 2027. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the agreement as “a weak decision by strong partners,” arguing that allowing Russia to earn more from fuel exports would help finance its war against Ukraine. The first shipment, carrying approximately 40,000 metric tons, was reported to be heading for New York, with arrival expected on November 7. The cargo amounts to about 7% of US daily diesel consumption. Russian officials have said further shipments will follow. On October 29, Reuters reported that Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak had said a fourth tanker was due to depart on Wednesday. The deal has also begun to affect Russia’s domestic fuel industry. Reuters reported on October 26 that Russian refiners had increased diesel production after the government introduced export quotas linked to the agreement. Output, which fell to around 160,000 metric tons per day in early October, rose toward 180,000 tons after the quotas were granted. Industry sources estimated that more than one million tons a month could be available for export, although some supplies would be needed by neighboring countries. Analysts have questioned whether the shipments will significantly reduce US fuel prices. The separate energy ceasef ire announced by Trump on October 11

proved short-lived. Trump said the two sides had agreed to stop attacks on energy infrastructure, but Kyiv said it had not received a clear agreement from Moscow. Russia continued striking Ukrainian energy facilities, including power infrastructure, while Ukraine initially paused attacks on Russian refineries. On October 15, Ukraine struck a Russian refinery after Zelensky said Kyiv was no longer prepared to support a truce that Russia was not observing. Zelensky said at a closed-door briefing on October 27 that Ukraine had paused refinery attacks for three days while Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure continued. The episode has reinforced Kyiv’s concern that Washington is easing pressure on Moscow while urging Ukraine to limit attacks on Russian fuel facilities. The first diesel shipment has now made the commercial consequences of the agreement more tangible, even as the proposed energy truce has failed to deliver a sustained halt to attacks. Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil infrastructure appeared to slow in the second half of October. Reuters reported on October 27 that Russian refinery processing had increased by approximately 25%, recovering to around five million barrels per day. Zelensky acknowledged that Ukraine had paused refinery strikes for three days, while Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities continued. Ukraine also maintained its long-range drone campaign. Russian authorities claimed that air defenses intercepted 808 Ukrainian drones during attacks on October 21-22, including approximately 630 directed toward Moscow. Another wave was reported overnight on October 28-29, when Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said defenses had intercepted most of 613 drones approaching the city. Washington has continued efforts to restart negotiations. Following discus-

sions involving US envoy Steve Witkoff, Russia and Ukraine indicated a willingness to resume US-mediated talks, potentially in the first half of November. Major disagreements remain. Moscow demands that Ukraine withdraw from territories Russia claims to have annexed, while Kyiv rejects territorial concessions and insists on credible international security guarantees. Zelensky has said a ceasefire along existing front lines could provide a starting point for negotiations. Russia maintains that fighting should not stop before a comprehensive agreement is reached. A limited humanitarian agreement offers a separate opening. A localized ceasefire in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in Kherson region was scheduled to begin October 29 to allow humanitarian deliveries and civilian evacuations. The agreement followed consultations involving US First Lady Melania Trump. The town’s remaining residents, estimated at 1,700 to 2,000 people, have faced severe shortages of food, medicine and clean water. On October 28, the United Kingdom announced an additional £10 billion package of economic and military support for Ukraine, including £500 million to strengthen air defenses during winter. The package includes £7 billion in economic support over three years and £3 billion in additional UK Export Finance capacity, prioritized for military support. Britain has also maintained its commitment to provide £3 billion annually to Ukraine for as long as necessary. Kyiv has renewed appeals for Patriot interceptor missiles and other systems capable of countering Russian ballistic missiles and drones. Uncertainty over American military and intelligence support has also concerned Ukrainian officials, particularly following disruptions affecting satellite communications used in battlefield operations.

4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 5, 2026

On the New “Geopolitical Order” in the Region and Georgia’s Ultra-Realistic Capabilities. Part 4 same: under modern conditions, it is essential to establish a well-functioning operating system at the national level and to develop a national “ecosystem” focused on tangible results and free from unnecessary ideological clichés. We Georgians must also take this “moral” into account and put it into practice.

WE MUST START WITH OURSELVES

A Svaneti guard tower. Photo by Tony Hanmer

ANALYSIS BY VICTOR KIPIANI, GEORGIA FIRST

A

nother striking trend has emerged, one that has intensified particularly under President Trump. It is the conflict between two geopolitical “ecosystems,” in which: 1. On the one hand, there is a global system based on multilateral participation, which we may provisionally call “World First.” 2. On the other hand, there is a system based on the primacy of the nation-state, which, depending on the country in question, can be given the corresponding national designation. Before discussing what we need to do, let us begin with the second “ecosystem,”

which is of particular importance to us. It is gaining momentum, is likely to remain dominant for the foreseeable future, and, obviously, Georgia cannot remain outside this process. The underlying logic of this system, in simplified terms, goes something like this: the state creates a specific problem and, accordingly, only the state itself can solve the problem it has created. Moreover, “nationalists” believe, probably not without justification, given the experience of the past couple of decades, that “globalist” governance, despite its resources and extensive institutional structures, has only multiplied the challenges. Furthermore, in their view, a problem without a “national passport” is, a priori, beyond resolution. In any case, the “moral” and the conclusion to be drawn from the confrontation between these two trends are the

The path traversed by the Georgian state since the restoration of its independence for the second time teaches us that, when it comes to practical nation-building: • Excessive nostalgia for the past is a poor ally. • Romanticized assessments are the enemy of objective reasoning. • Talking about tomorrow while sacralizing the day before yesterday leads nowhere. As for the lessons offered by the newly emerging, or perhaps already emerged, “abandoned order,” or, if you will, “disorderly order,” Georgia, if it wishes to remain a relevant actor with a future, must first and foremost possess its own self-sufficient and well-organized state organism. Moreover, given that: • The policies of the leading country of the Western world have deviated from the predictability we had hoped for. • Modern alliances have become highly conditional, while their timely adaptation has lagged behind the pace of change. • Relying exclusively on international law and institutions amounts to a dangerous “moralistic experiment.” • The emerging order requires geopolitical and military hedging against, and insurance against, anticipated uncertainties and risks. We need a state that, while securing external support, relies first and foremost on itself. In other words, Georgia needs a national “ecosystem” of “self-help,” which, in my view, entails the following: 1. Maximizing the development of sovereign capabilities, supplemented by additional, so-called “complemen-

tary” coalitions. 2. Prioritizing defense spending and developing our own military-industrial complex. 3. Deepening cooperation with our strategic ally, the United States of America, while simultaneously hedging against future risks and uncertainties. 4. Mastering the art of transactionalism in international relations, that is, bargaining to secure our own interests. 5. Being prepared to pay the so-called “premium” for support and assistance in matters of national security. At the same time, in the economic and business spheres, development ambitions must remain grounded in reality. This requires: 6. Diversifying trade relations and reducing dependence on any single market. 7. Recognizing, a priori, that no universal economic model exists and developing a clear understanding of two fundamental questions: (a) What can our country offer the outside world? (b) What can the government do to make that possible? 8. Managing our transport and logistics infrastructure so that it does more than serve as a mechanical conduit for transit. It must also enable Georgia to connect with, and participate in, the commercial flows moving through the country via that infrastructure. 9. Maintaining control over our own critical infrastructure assets and, wherever possible, developing them using our own resources. 10. Given the small size of the Georgian market, providing targeted assistance to Georgian companies seeking access to external markets. 11. Establishing Georgia as a solid and reliable link in the supply chain. 12. Attracting foreign loan capital if, and only if, the projects being financed can generate real income. 13. Strengthening the resilience and fostering the subsequent growth of our national economic ecosystem by scaling up assets that are already being successfully utilized, for example, a port, a free economic zone, a so-called “national

champion” company, or other assets, and have already established a “success story.” Therefore: Any viable future can be built only on a self-sufficient, realistic, and effective state, one that fulfills its essential purpose and vocation through deeds, not merely words. Without such a foundation, talk of “development,” “successful economic growth,” “sovereignty,” “national identity,” and the like amounts to little more than political posturing and shameless manipulation of people’s minds.

DIFFERENTIATING THE GENUINE FROM THE FAKE This is particularly critical in an environment surrounding our country in which “might makes right” prevails over “right makes might.” Under such circumstances, the risk of vulnerability for a small country in a difficult region increases manifold. In the coming years, Georgia must invest both material and non-material resources in the fundamental pillars of its state system, including the economy, diplomacy, defense, intelligence and counterintelligence, and in forms of cooperation built around converging interests. All of this is particularly important in a world where the “consistency of interests” is challenged by the “asymmetry of interests”; where others’ attitudes toward you may be one thing today and something entirely different tomorrow; and where the so-called “grand strategy” is increasingly being replaced by an evolving and unpredictable strategy. Therefore, the time has come for our country to pursue a multi-vector and bilateral foreign policy characterized by a niche-focused, initiative-driven leadership approach; the diversification of relations according to interests; domestic and foreign risk hedging and reinsurance; and the art of transactionalism. Today, and for the foreseeable future, Georgia’s ability to exist as a functional state rather than merely a geographical entity on a map depends on its agenda of ultra-realistic capabilities.

Amnesty Int'l and GYLA Raise Concerns over Alleged Abuse in Georgian Prisons mnesty International and the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) have raised concerns over allegations of sexual violence and physical abuse in Georgian prisons, calling for independent investigations and stronger oversight. Their joint statement addresses allegations involving prisoners Giorgi Davitadze, Davit and Giorgi Feikrishvili, Lasha Chachinidze and others. The organizations urged authorities to “break the cycle of impunity” and establish an independent mechanism to prevent violence. “Georgian authorities must protect prisoners from violence and reprisals, ensure prompt, effective, independent, and impartial investigations into all credible allegations of torture and other ill-treatment, and bring those against whom there is reasonable suspicion of responsibility to justice in fair proceedings,” the statement said.

reported that Davit Feikrishvili had been beaten by cellmates at Gldani Prison No. 8. The lawyer said Feikrishvili had been placed in a cell with Vato Kipiani on October 16 and that Kipiani allegedly attacked him with others. The lawyer cited a history of conflict between Kipiani and Feikrishvili and his twin brother, Giorgi. Feikrishvili was taken to the Vivamedi clinic twice. On October 19, he was admitted with four fractured ribs, broken facial bones and a skull injury. The following day, he was treated for a hand wound reportedly caused by self-harm. The Special Penitentiary Service and Kipiani’s lawyer denied the allegations. The Justice Ministry’s General Inspection opened an investigation on October 20, which was later transferred to the Prosecutor’s Office. On October 26, the Prosecutor’s Office recommended suspending Special Penitentiary Service head Giorgi Pataradze. Pataradze resigned that day, saying the decision was his own. Feikrishvili’s mother and lawyer had called for his removal.

ALLEGED BEATING OF DAVIT FEIKRISHVILI

GIORGI DAVITADZE ALLEGES SEXUAL VIOLENCE

On October 19, lawyer Paata Gogiashvili

Giorgi Davitadze, held at Rustavi Prison

BY TEAM GT

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No. 6, and his family have accused prison staff of sexual violence. At an appeals court hearing on October 2, Davitadze alleged that an escort officer raped him in a de-escalation room. “They took me to the de-escalation room and raped me, with a finger, with a hand. […] Ten men, escort officers, raped me. Everything is visible on camera,” he said. The Special Penitentiary Service said Davitadze had been placed in a deescalation cell on December 21, 2025, and denied his account. It released video footage of the incident. The Public Defender’s Office said it had found no evidence of violence in the footage.

OTHER ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AND REPRISALS Amnesty International and GYLA also raised concerns over alleged violence against prisoners at Rustavi Prison No. 6 who expressed solidarity with Davitadze after his allegations became public. On October 5, lawyer for Lasha Chachinidze said his client and four other prisoners had been assaulted for protesting in solidarity with Davitadze. Chachinidze reportedly said he was beaten with batons on his arms and legs on October 2. After being transferred

to Batumi Prison No. 3, he had visible injuries and complained of severe headaches. On October 16, another prisoner, Beka Tsertsvadze, reported being assaulted during his transfer to a de-escalation cell. He alleged that staff beat and verbally abused him before placing him in a vehicle and transferring him to another prison. The Special Penitentiary Service denied the allegations and rejected claims that prisoners had been placed in de-escalation cells because of their solidarity protests. It said the transfers were lawful security measures following attacks on prison staff on October 2 and 4, and released footage showing prisoners physically attacking staff in two separate incidents. The organizations’ concerns come as questions remain over whether force used against prisoners and restrictive measures imposed on them were nec-

essary and proportionate. Prison authorities have a duty to protect both staff and inmates, but alleged misconduct by prisoners does not justify retaliatory violence or other ill-treatment. A Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture report published in February 2026 raised concerns about the frequent and sometimes prolonged use of de-escalation cells in Georgian prisons. It warned that confinement could amount to punishment in practice and said such cells should be used only for agitated or aggressive prisoners, for the shortest possible period and under medical rather than prison staff supervision. Amnesty International and GYLA warned that failures to investigate allegations of torture effectively reinforce impunity. They called for independent complaint mechanisms, accountability for those responsible and guaranteed justice and compensation for victims.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 5, 2026

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EU Delegation Outlines How Georgia’s €38 Million Aid Package Will Be Spent American Express Payments Now Available through TBC in Georgia BY TEAM GT

Illustrative photo: European Union and Georgian flags outside the EU Delegation to Georgia.

BY NANUKA MAGLAKELIDZE

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he European Union has allocated €38 million for projects aimed at supporting families and local communities across Georgia, with funding focused on farmers, small and medium-sized businesses, skills development, returning migrants, and women and girls who have experienced gender-based violence. Nicholas Cendrowicz, head of the Cooperation Section at the EU Delegation to Georgia, said the new funding package is part of the EU’s “EU with You” approach and reflects its commitment to Georgia’s European and democratic future. “One of the key areas of this package is support for farmers, people living in rural areas, and small and medium-sized businesses. Particular attention will be given to businesses and farms managed by women. We will also support skills development and create new opportuni-

ties in towns and small cities across the country. “We are also helping people who are returning to the country and want to rebuild their lives here. In addition, we will provide significant support to women and girls, creating new opportunities for them, including those who have experienced gender-based violence,” Cendrowicz said. The EU will work with trusted partners, including relevant agencies from EU member states and United Nations agencies, to deliver the assistance, he said. The new support is expected to begin making a difference for people in Georgia early next year. Nicholas Cendrowicz also highlighted the EU’s long-standing assistance to Georgia, saying that the bloc had provided more than €2 billion in support over more than three decades of cooperation. “Over the past five years alone, we have supported 280,000 small and mediumsized enterprises, helping create 38,000 jobs. Another project we are particularly proud of concerns access to drinking

water in Khashuri and neighboring municipalities, where 44,000 people have benefited from the initiative. “A significant part of our support has also gone toward the East-West Highway. You may have noticed that, thanks to EU assistance provided through the European Investment Bank, travel time between Tbilisi and Batumi has decreased considerably. In addition, we are equipping the country with 10 air quality monitoring stations,” he said. Asked about his message to Georgians regarding the country’s European future, Sandrowich said Georgian and European identities were not mutually exclusive. “I know that many Georgians would like to see a stronger EU presence in the country, but they also want to offer the EU what makes Georgia so unique and special. In reality, there is no contradiction between these two identities. You do not have to choose whether you are Georgian or European. The people of this country are already both Georgian and European,”Nicholas Cendrowicz said.

Georgia Approves Consumption-based Household Tariffs for Water and Natural Gas BY NANUKA MAGLAKELIDZE

Illustrative Photo. Source: IPN

sion, which was due to expire on January 1, 2027, will now remain in force until January 1, 2036. The explanatory note to the bill says the changes aim to protect household consumers, including vulnerable groups, preserve access to essential services and reduce social risks by introducing tariff changes gradually. It adds that the amendments do not alter the basic principles of tariff regulation but establish a mechanism for the transitional period.

SANDRO RTVELADZE, DIRECTOR OF RETAIL BANKING AT TBC BANK, SAID: “We are delighted to partner with American Express and expand Card acceptance to the American Express network in Georgia. This collaboration reflects our commitment to delivering our Merchants simple, convenient and secure payment experiences, while giving customers greater payment choice. It also creates new opportunities for Merchants to serve a broader customer base, including international visitors, while contributing to the continued development of Georgia’s payments ecosystem.”

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eorgia’s Parliament has approved amendments authorizing the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission (GNERC) to set differentiated tariffs for household water and natural gas based on consumption volumes. The amendments to the Law on Energy and Water Supply were passed in the third and final reading, with 75 votes in favor and five against. Under the new rules, GNERC will be authorized to introduce different service rates depending on household consumption. The commission will be able to apply differentiated tariffs for natural gas until January 1, 2038, and for water supply until January 1, 2036. The amendments also extend GNERC’s authority to distribute the costs of water supply and wastewater services among different consumer categories in different proportions. This transitional provi-

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merican Express and TBC Bank, one of Georgia’s leading financial services institutions, have announced an agreement enabling TBC Bank to accept American Express card payments, both in-store and online. This agreement is intended to further grow American Express acceptance in Georgia and marks an important step forward in TBC Bank’s commitment to expanding access to simple, convenient and secure payment solutions for consumers and businesses: • For Card Members: Local and international American Express Card Members will be able to use their Cards across a wider range of Merchants, both in-store and online, providing greater payment flexibility. • For Businesses: Through TBC, Merchants will be able to welcome American Express’ local Card Members as well as international Card Members traveling to Georgia, helping them reach more customers and unlock new opportunities for growth. Today, American Express Cards are accepted at more than 190 million Merchant locations worldwide1, an increase of approximately 20 million locations this year. The number of Amex-accepting Merchant locations outside the U.S. has more than doubled over the last four years, reflecting American Express’ continued commitment to expanding Merchant acceptance worldwide.

The different deadlines reflect the tariff regulation cycles in the two sectors: three years for water supply and five years for natural gas. The bill was introduced by members of the parliamentary majority: Shota Berekashvili, Giorgi Barvenashvili, Tornike Berekashvili, Levan Machavariani, Anton Obolashvili and Irakli Mezurnishvili. Under the current rules, water tariffs already differ between metered and unmetered consumers.

SONIA DEVANI, VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER, GLOBAL NETWORK SERVICES EMEA AT AMERICAN EXPRESS, SAID: “We’re committed to expanding the number of places where our Card Members can use their American Express Cards around the world. Our collaboration with TBC Bank is intended to further grow American Express acceptance in Georgia and represents another impor-

tant step in providing greater payment choice for our Card Members while creating new opportunities for Merchants across the country.” For further information about accepting American Express payments through TBC Bank’s channels, please visit www. tbcbank.ge or contact (+995 32) 2 27 27 27. 1. Locations in force (LIF) estimate as of July 2026, including an estimated 80 million Merchants that accept American Express in China and Brazil (including through digital wallets). LIF represents proprietary and partner acquired Merchant locations where the Merchant is enabled to accept American Express. LIF estimates incorporate data provided to us by certain third parties and include Merchants that accept American Express through payment facilitators and digital wallets.

ABOUT TBC TBC Bank is a member of the TBC Bank Group PLC – a London-listed financial services group serving 7.2 million digital monthly active users across Georgia and Uzbekistan through two complementary business models focused on simplicity, accessibility and customer experience. TBC Georgia is the country’s leading financial services provider – a digitallyled franchise across retail, MSME and CIB with a nationwide footprint and a long track record of profitable growth and strong shareholder returns. TBC Uzbekistan is building Central Asia’s leading digital financial ecosystem, serving consumers and businesses through a fully digital model. Founded in Georgia in 1992 and operating in Uzbekistan since 2020, TBC Group has evolved from a national leader into a regional financial services group. TBC Group is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index and is also included in the FTSE4Good Index Series and the MSCI United Kingdom Small Cap Index.

ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS American Express (NYSE: AXP) is a global payments and premium lifestyle brand powered by technology. Our colleagues around the world back our customers with differentiated products, services, and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Founded in 1850 and headquartered in New York, American Express’ brand is built on trust, security, service, and a rich history of delivering innovation and membership value for our customers and partners. We seek to provide the world’s best customer experience every day to a broad range of consumers, small and mediumsized businesses, and large corporations, and we build and manage relationships with millions of merchants and partners across our global network.

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BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 5, 2026

Hospital Management and Healthcare Reform in Georgia ANALYSIS BY YEVHEN POLYANOVSKYY, GUEST WRITER

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ealthcare reform changes funding, regulation, and the services available to patients. Inside a hospital, its success also depends on how teams organize their work, share information, and take responsibility for the next stage of care. A new information system does not, by itself, improve care. A new building does not automatically create better patient pathways. New equipment does not solve unclear responsibilities. And a new quality standard has limited value if it is not translated into everyday clinical and managerial processes. Georgia has spent more than a decade expanding access to publicly financed healthcare while operating a health system in which private providers play an unusually important role. According to a 2025 World Health Organization analysis, approximately 85% of hospital beds in Georgia are in the private sector. This creates both an opportunity and a management challenge: public health objectives, private investment, clinical autonomy, and financial incentives must ultimately work within the same system. Alongside investment and policy changes, hospital leaders need to assess whether patients receive more reliable care and whether staff have the support they need to provide it.

FOLLOWING THE PATIENT THROUGH THE HOSPITAL Hospital transformation often begins with organizational charts, IT systems, or individual departments. A more useful starting point is the patient's journey. Who receives the initial information? Who decides what happens next? Where are diagnostic results available? How is responsibility transferred between departments? What happens when information is incomplete? Who is responsible for discharge and follow-up? Mapping this pathway frequently exposes problems that are invisible in formal organizational structures: duplicated work, unnecessary waiting, missing information, unclear responsibilities, and decisions that depend too heavily on individual employees rather than reliable processes. The hospital can then decide where

technology would help and which problems require changes in working practices. Georgia's experience with telemedicine offers a useful example. The WHO describes a program connecting rural primary care with specialist expertise, supported by staff training, operational standards, financing arrangements, and monitoring. These supporting arrangements matter when hospitals introduce their own digital services.

USING DATA TO MAKE DECISIONS Hospitals collect large amounts of data. Managers need to know which figures warrant investigation and who can act on them. A useful performance indicator needs at least five things: a clear definition, a reliable data source, an accountable owner, a measurement period, and a baseline against which change can be assessed. These details allow teams to check whether an apparent change reflects a genuine improvement, a reporting problem, or a difference in the patients being treated. For example, a rise in waiting times should prompt an investigation into where delays occur and who is responsible for addressing them. If operating room utilization falls, is the constraint scheduling, staffing, diagnostics, bed availability, or another process? If readmissions increase, who examines the patient pathway rather than simply reporting the percentage? A useful performance review should end with an agreed action, a person responsible for carrying it out, and a date for checking the result.

QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN DAILY PRACTICE Quality management is sometimes treated as the responsibility of a separate office that prepares documentation for inspections or accreditation. Quality should influence how a hospital designs clinical pathways, reports incidents, manages infection prevention, introduces new technology, trains staff, and reviews outcomes. A strong quality system also creates a feedback loop. Problems are identified, analyzed, and translated into changes in practice. Those changes are then measured again. Hospital management should not inter-

Visualization of a hospital in Tbilisi. Source: keppiedesign

fere with medical judgment. Equally, clinical excellence cannot compensate indefinitely for organizational weaknesses surrounding a medical team.

MAKING PROFESSIONAL TRAINING USEFUL Healthcare organizations across Europe face workforce pressures. The European Observatory's 2024 review of Georgia identifies an acute nursing shortage and an uneven distribution of doctors, with rural and mountainous areas underserved. Training needs to address the skills and working practices that an institution can realistically put to use. International fellowships, study visits, and professional exchanges are most valuable when they begin with a clearly defined learning question: What should this person or team be able to do differently after returning to their institution? The answer may concern a clinical procedure, quality management, team organization, simulation-based education, hospital governance, or another specific capability. The next question is equally important: What conditions must exist at the home institution for the new knowledge to be put into practice? If these questions are not answered, international training risks remaining an individual experience. If they are answered, it can become an instrument

of institutional development. Germany and other European health systems can contribute valuable experience, but international cooperation should not be based on copying one national model and transplanting it into another country. Healthcare systems are shaped by their own financing structures, workforces, regulations, demographics, and institutional cultures. Cooperation is more useful when it focuses on specific methods and skills, with time set aside to adapt them to local conditions.

CONNECTING HOSPITAL CARE WITH OTHER SERVICES The World Health Organization's recent vision for hospital transformation in Europe emphasizes stronger integration between hospitals, primary care, and other health services, alongside digitalization, workforce development, resilience, and effective governance. Hospital leaders should consider how proposed investments affect these relationships, including the services available to patients after discharge. A hospital cannot optimize inpatient care indefinitely if primary care, rehabilitation, and follow-up remain disconnected. It cannot solve workforce shortages through recruitment alone if processes continue to consume professional time inefficiently. It cannot achieve

meaningful digital transformation if clinical and administrative workflows remain fragmented. For hospital leaders, this means asking a different question. Instead of “Which new project should we launch?”, the question becomes: “What should work differently for patients and staff when this project is finished?” Answering it requires a baseline, clear responsibilities, and a way to assess results. Teams also need to agree on how new technology will fit into existing workflows and how staff will put their training into practice. Georgia already has many of the ingredients required for the next phase of healthcare development: a substantial provider sector, expanding digital capabilities, international cooperation, and an established national direction toward improved access and quality. Progress should be visible in everyday care, including the way departments exchange information and arrange followup for patients. That is a practical standard against which hospital owners, managers, and clinical teams can judge their work. *Yevhen Polyanovskyy is a co-owner of MedCare24 GmbH, a Düsseldorf-based company working in healthcare management, professional education, and international cooperation.

Oktoberfest Is in Your Hands – Löwenbräu Hosts Authentic German Festival on October 3-4 BY TEAM GT

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n October 3-4, Tbilisi Oktoberfest was held at ZECHE. Löwenbräu continued its tradition of bringing the spirit of Munich’s celebration to Georgia. The festival kicked off on October 3 with the traditional beer keg opening ceremony. Over the two days, guests enjoyed a festive atmosphere, a variety of German dishes, fun activities, and live music, along with Löwenbräu beer. Guests also took part in various entertaining games and activities. On the evening of October 3, The Skittles Band and Sherekilebi set the mood with live performances. On October 4,

DJ Alfreda Stieglitz opened the festival’s musical program, which was brought to

a close by DJ Jackie. “Oktoberfest is the world’s largest fes-

tival, attracting a huge number of people,” said Nikoloz Khundzakishvili, Cor-

porate Affairs Director of EFES Georgia. “In Georgia, we are trying to develop beer culture and the beer industry, and this festival serves that very purpose. Of course, Oktoberfest is also a celebration of friendship, coming together, and sharing emotions and joy. Oktoberfest is unimaginable without Löwenbräu.” Oktoberfest is a 200-year-old German tradition that has evolved into a global celebration of beer, food, and culture. Every year, beer lovers from around the world gather at the festival to enjoy an unforgettable Munich experience. Oktoberfest is one of the world’s largest festivals, attracting more than 6 million visitors annually. Löwenbräu is one of only six breweries permitted to participate in Oktoberfest. Notably, Löwenbräu beer has been served at every Oktoberfest since 1810.

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 5, 2026

7

Bakhmaro: Guria’s Unforgettable Jewel. Part 3 BY TATJANA MONTIK*

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akhmaro, nestled high in the mountains of Guria, is a place where the promise of physical well-being goes hand in hand with a special way of life. For generations, people have come here to breathe the mountain air, escape the summer heat, and enjoy a slower pace of life. But Bakhmaro's appeal goes far beyond its climate. Its traditions, the warmth of its people, and the sense of freedom that permeates everyday life are just as much a part of its identity. Regular visitors to Bakhmaro insist that a course of treatment at this highaltitude resort must last at least twentyone days because, as they say, all the blood in the body is bound to renew itself within that time. Where did this figure come from? And is there any truth behind this long-standing belief? The idea is not entirely without a historical basis. Classic 24-day and 28-day treatment courses were also used in high-altitude regions as part of Soviet and European sanatorium and spa practices. These approaches drew on genuine physiological adaptation mechanisms, although they also became mixed with a considerable amount of medical mythmaking. According to the theory of adaptation reactions, the body needs about three weeks to pass through the stages of its response to new climatic and altitude conditions, from the initial alarm response and resistance to stable adaptation, or acclimatization. Furthermore, in neurology and psychophysiology, it is believed that consolidating a dynamic stereotype, meaning the restructuring of biorhythms, sleep patterns, and cardiovascular and respiratory functions under new conditions, requires about three weeks of regular exposure. Clinical observations suggest that under high-altitude conditions, where the air is thinner and the partial pressure of oxygen is lower, compensatory mechanisms begin to function more consistently by the end of the third week. These include an increase in hemoglobin levels, a rise in the number of red blood cells stimulated by erythropoietin, and changes in the capillary network. This is why classic sanatorium packages in the Soviet Union and at European resorts traditionally lasted at least 21 days. The first 7 to 10 days were devoted to gentle acclimatization and overcoming "altitude stress," while the remaining days helped consolidate the health benefits. However, the claim that blood is completely renewed in 21 days is a myth. There is no single moment when all the blood in the body is replaced within three weeks. Blood components renew continuously and at different rates. Red blood cells have a lifespan of about four months, white blood cells can live anywhere from a few hours to several days, and platelets typically survive for seven to ten days. Yet the appeal of Bakhmaro cannot be measured in days or explained by physiology alone. Ask those who return year after year, and they will tell you that the true magic of this mountain resort lies just as much in its people and traditions as in its healing air.

THE SPIRIT OF BAKHMARO If you have visited Bakhmaro but have not experienced that sense of unity that envelops vacationers in the evenings around the campfire, you haven't truly felt the spirit of the place. In the evening, when the daytime hustle fades away, everyone gathers with friends by the living fire, or kotsoni, singing to the accompaniment of the chonguri and panduri, traditional Georgian instruments, talking, and simply enjoying the moment. Student Elene, a permanent summer resident of the village, told us about this wonderful, almost camp-like tradition. "After long mountain hikes, there is nothing better than returning home, sharing warmth with your loved ones, and talking about inti-

The true magic of this mountain resort lies just as much in its people and traditions as in its healing air mate things," Elene confessed. "For me, this is the most wonderful part of life in Bakhmaro: we bake potatoes and corn, make mtsvadi, and in those moments, you feel a genuine sense of unity." Thirty-five-year-old Tornike recalls: "Back when we were kids, we used to play and have fun until we dropped, and then we would head into the forest for firewood. And we always had a competition: whose bonfire would turn out the biggest. A fire burned by almost every house in the evenings." But perhaps the main and warmest tradition of Bakhmaro is visiting one another's kotsoni. Even complete strangers, travelers, or someone else's guests could knock on an unfamiliar door, and they would invariably be welcomed with astonishing openness, seated by the fire, and surrounded by sincere warmth. In Bakhmaro, people often talk about a friendship that can be born literally in a single night. "We call this the 'superpower' of Bakhmaro," Elene explained to me. "Imagine: you study at university with certain people for four years, and after graduation, your paths part forever. But here, by the kotsoni, you meet someone by chance, just for a single evening, and remain friends for the rest of your lives!" And this tradition, too, holds a special magic of Bakhmaro, making it an attractive and warm place for a summer getaway.

Bakhmaro in winter. Photo by Ezz Gaber

ible momentum, explosive speed, and fearlessness during maneuvers across rugged mountain terrain. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to make it to the races this year. But locals told us that nowadays the organization of this event leaves much to be desired: the landscape by the river where the races take place is far from ideal, and as a result, many horses suffer severe injuries and sometimes even perish.

HORSE RACES

BAKHMARO: YESTERDAY AND TODAY

Bakhmaro is not just about healing air and relaxation. The Gurian lands have long produced energetic, daring people, among whom were many valiant horsemen. Every year on August 19, horse races are held in Bakhmaro, drawing riders from all over Georgia. As it turns out, Gurian horsemen became famous as early as 1892 in the legendary Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. They first performed in Great Britain (where they captivated Queen Victoria herself), and in 1893 they arrived in the United States for the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Due to the peculiarities of the Russian Empire at the time and to add an air of mystery for the American public, posters presented them as "Russian Cossacks." However, American newspapers and audiences quickly noticed their unique riding style, striking national costumes (chokhas), polyphonic singing, and breathtaking stunts, such as dzhigitovka. These tours lasted for over thirty years. The Gurians became stars of American shows, and their mastery had a massive influence on the riding style and tricks of future American cowboys and rodeo participants. The unique riding style of the Gurian horsemen, enthusiastically called the art of dzhigitovka by Americans and Europeans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, differed radically from both dignified European dressage and classic cowboy riding of the era. This was not merely about staying in the saddle, but an incredible symbiosis of absolute fusion with the horse, acrobatics, and martial arts. The hallmark features of the Gurian riders' style included complete merging with the horse through body and weight control, dizzying dzhigitovka and acrobatic stunts at a full gallop, ranging from hanging beneath the horse's belly to leaping from one steed to another, as well as incred-

From Ilia Tsintsadze’s book Bakhmaro (1982): "In 1896, the prominent Georgian writer, traveler, and ethnographer T. Sakhokia visited Bakhmaro. According to his accounts, the path to Bakhmaro was first forged by shepherds searching for new pastures. Following them, residents of Guria, Adjara, and Samegrelo, escaping malaria, built private dachas here. In 1895–1896, the first practicing physicians, A. Vadachkoria, A. Davidyants, and I. Dzidziguri, arrived in Bakhmaro. Convinced of the miraculous properties of the local climate, they built medical stations where they treated patients.” In subsequent years, various scientists who researched Bakhmaro's climate during numerous expeditions recognized it as an "ideal place for recreation." The first road to this resort was laid out in 1911. A proper motor highway from Chokhatauri to Bakhmaro appeared in 1948. The first health resort (sanatorium), built in 1925, welcomed cardiac patients as well as those suffering from tuberculosis, bronchial and lymphatic system disorders, and other ailments. The same book notes that from the very beginning of the resort's existence, problems related to the encroachment of civilization on wild nature arose time and again. In particular, after valley dwellers arrived in an area largely dominated by forests and mountain pastures, the situation regarding deforestation worsened. The philanthropist Ioseb Kikodze fought against this back in tsarist times. Since my friend Zurab Kikodze's family originates from Guria, I grew curious whether this was a reference to his relative. I must confess, I did not expect such an answer from him: it truly was about his great-grandfather, Ioseb Kikodze, who served as the chief forester in Western Georgia! According to Zurab, his great-grand-

father actively opposed the noblemen who ordered the destruction of the forest, for which he was frequently threatened. According to family lore, Ioseb Kikodze's work was valued so highly in society at the time that his salary in the tsarist era was 250 rubles in gold. Then the revolution happened, everything changed, and Bakhmaro's forests passed into state ownership. Today, the problem of civilization's encroachment is no less urgent. In particular, fierce debates are underway over whether chaotic and ill-conceived development, such as that experienced by Bakuriani and Gudauri, should be allowed here. The cause for alarm is entirely real: a large developer was handed land in Bakhmaro for the construction of a massive hotel complex. Today, local residents are waging a genuine struggle to preserve the unique appearance of this "ideal vacation spot." Tornike Antidze—along with relatives, friends, and like-minded individuals—is one of the participants in the protest against large investor projects in Bakhmaro. Whoever we asked about this project stated unanimously: Bakhmaro must undoubtedly remain a family resort with its own unique appearance and special way of life. Moreover, who better than the locals to know that since the local season is short, maintaining large-scale hotels will become an obvious miscalculation for investors. Yet even a single giant hotel of this kind is capable of disfiguring the village beyond recognition. If one imagines even the parking lots required to service it, it is easy to understand what this once-cozy nook lost in the mountains will turn into, and restoring Bakhmaro to its former appearance will no longer be possible. As Tornike is convinced, "pushing through such projects without consulting local residents is simply unacceptable." "Bakhmaro is a place not for such investments, but a place for rest and healing," our interlocutor believes. "People come here for their health, because the local climate requires a full 21-day course, where the first three days are needed just to acclimate to the altitude and adjust the body. But most importantly, Bakhmaro remains an island of absolute freedom. Here, there are no fences between houses and no social barriers: on the narrow paths, you can run into businessmen, officials, and billionaires alike, yet Bakhmaro erases all

Fierce debates are underway over whether chaotic and illconceived development, such as that experienced by Bakuriani and Gudauri, should be allowed here boundaries." The situation surrounding the hotel construction remains tense and uncertain, and the protesters are troubled by yet another serious problem: a complete lack of transparency and an unwillingness to bring the project to public discussion. Local residents are convinced that Bakhmaro genuinely and urgently needs investments, but funds should be directed primarily toward infrastructure development—organizing garbage collection, laying utilities, and solving other basic tasks. "If we truly want to develop this place, it is much more valuable for the Gurians, locals, and cottage owners to move toward aesthetics," they emphasize. "Yes, vacations here will become more expensive then, but random people will never come here: Bakhmaro will attract thoughtful, conscious guests who truly appreciate this unique region." Tatjana Montik, journalist, author, and passionate admirer of Georgia, has spent the past 15 years living in and reporting on this captivating South Caucasus country. See more of her experiences in her new travel diary and cultural guide, Georgia: A Tapestry of Time and Space, which now has a Georgian edition, available in Auditoria bookstore and Rainer`s Hotel.

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SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 5, 2026

Beyond Borders: A Thousand Years of Turkish-Georgian Cultural Encounters. Part 1 and local relationships. A particularly significant chapter began after the Russo-Ottoman War of 18771878, when many Muslim Georgians left their ancestral homes and migrated to Ottoman territories. The movement, remembered in Georgian history as Muhajiroba, was accompanied by displacement, uncertainty, and the difficult task of rebuilding family life. Communities established themselves in the Black Sea and Marmara regions, including parts of present-day Ordu, Sakarya, and Düzce. Their descendants gradually became part of Turkey's wider social landscape, often while preserving memories of their Georgian ancestry. Marriage offers a revealing example. Among some immigrant communities, marrying within the group had long helped maintain family connections and inherited customs. Over time, changing social circumstances and relationships with neighboring populations altered these practices. Research on the Georgian-descended community of Sarıaliç in Ordu, for instance, documents both the survival and transformation of marriage traditions. The relationship between the Georgian princess in Konya and these later families is not one of direct ancestry. Their experiences belong to different historical worlds. Nevertheless, they reveal how family relationships repeatedly brought Georgian and Anatolian societies into contact. For many descendants of Georgian migrants in modern Turkey, identity still carries several layers: Turkish citizenship, Georgian family origins, memories of villages in Adjara, and sometimes a language spoken more fluently by grandparents than by younger generations.

BY DR. MURAT KAAN YILDIZ, GUEST WRITER

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n exiled king in Trabzon, a Georgian princess in medieval Konya, wooden mosques in Adjara, and family traditions preserved across generations. The history of Turkey and Georgia can be read not only in chronicles and treaties, but also in the lives of people who crossed their borders.

THE KING WHO NEVER RETURNED HOME In 1815, a Georgian king died in the Ottoman port city of Trabzon, far from the country he had struggled to defend. Solomon II, the last reigning monarch of Imereti, had sought refuge in Ottoman territory after losing his kingdom to the expanding Russian Empire. He spent his final years seeking international support for the restoration of his throne. He never succeeded. For 175 years, his remains rested in Trabzon. Only in 1990 were they returned to Georgia and reinterred at Gelati Monastery, near Kutaisi. His story raises an intriguing question: how much of Georgia's history remains on the other side of its modern border? In October 2025, archaeologists working at Artanuji Castle, in present-day Ardanuç, northeastern Turkey, discovered a burial chamber beneath a medieval church. Turkish researchers suggested that it might be the long-lost tomb of Ashot I Kuropalates, one of the most significant rulers of ninth-century Georgia. Georgian heritage specialists welcomed the discovery but emphasized that further investigation was needed: the chamber contained neither human remains nor an identifying inscription. Separated by almost a thousand years, these two burial stories illuminate a historical landscape in which Georgian rulers, merchants, craftsmen, religious communities, and ordinary families left their traces across what is now Turkey. It is a history shaped by war and imperial rivalry, certainly, but equally by marriages, commercial relationships, religious architecture, migration, and the routines of everyday life.

A GEORGIAN PRINCESS IN KONYA, AND FAMILIES ACROSS CENTURIES In thirteenth-century Konya, one of the most influential women at the Seljuk court was a Georgian princess. Her name was Tamara, although Anatolian history remembers her as Gürcü

Solomon II, the last reigning monarch of Imereti. Source: gov.ge

Hatun, the Georgian Lady. She was the daughter of Queen Rusudan of Georgia and a prince from the Seljuk ruling family of Erzurum. Her marriage to Sultan Ghiyath al-Din Kaykhusraw II was arranged amid the politically turbulent circumstances of the 1230s, when the Georgian monarchy faced serious external pressures. For Tamara, the marriage meant entering a court with different religious and cultural traditions. Contemporary Georgian accounts indicate that arrangements concerning her Christian faith formed part of the marriage negotiations. Yet Tamara was not merely a diplomatic bride whose story ended at the palace gates. Historian David Durand-Guédy has identified a remarkable document con-

cerning a caravanserai established under her patronage around 1238, probably near Antalya. The foundation served the commercial road connecting the Mediterranean coast with Konya. It also formed part of Tamara's efforts to strengthen her son's dynastic position. The document offers an unusually concrete glimpse into the life of a Georgian princess participating in the economic and political institutions of medieval Anatolia. Centuries later, connections between Georgian and Anatolian families developed under very different conditions. During the Ottoman period, Georgian aristocrats and administrators entered imperial service, while communities in the borderlands encountered one another through settlement, migration,

All CHange BLOG BY TONY HANMER

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eaving our wonderful holiday time in Switzerland (abbreviation CH), an observation, based on a commonly found railway station sign. Its meaning, in four languages (German, French, Italian and English, though not in Romansch) is “Don’t cross the tracks!” But, alluding to last week’s revelation of this rich, powerful, stable country as also far too high in the suicide statistics, I re-interpret this sign as “I need a hug.” Lali came in through a women’s conference she had been at in Prague, so she returned to Georgia that way. I traveled through Istanbul both ways. She went straight from Kutaisi to her ailing mother in Kakheti, getting over a stroke. I had to go from Kutaisi straight back to Svaneti

to wrap up things for the winter at Hanmer Guest House alone for the first time. Which is strange. I am aided by copious notes, and also by my wife’s advice on the phone. Also new this time, our renovation guy has still to finish the two bathrooms he’s installing for us upstairs. So he will have to close down all the Photo by the author

Photo by the author

house water to prevent it from freezing, per my instructions, when he’s done. Ditto with electricity, leaving on only the chest freezer and exterior cameras/ internet. A final new moment is that our very last guests for the season will be coming through AFTER I have left the house empty: five people from a Georgian tour company who will be booking with us next year. They had wanted to see the place and learn the main hiking trail to

WHEN THE BLACK SEA WAS A MEETING PLACE A merchant arriving in medieval Trabzon might have encountered sailors from Genoa, traders connected with the Caucasus, and caravans arriving from the Anatolian interior. The city was an important commercial gateway, linking the Black Sea to roads extending toward Iran and the Caucasus. Its political history was closely connected with Georgia. In 1204, Queen Tamara supported Alexios and David Komnenos as they established control over territories along the southern Black Sea, contributing to the formation of the Empire of Trebizond. During the following centuries, Genoese and Venetian merchants became increasingly involved in the region's commercial networks. Georgian territories participated in this wider economic Ushguli, to be ready for the coming season. So our former best helper lady will serve and host them in our absence. All in all, a unique wrap-up time. Our two weeks in Switzerland gave us a lovely experience of that country’s autumn colors at the expense of seeing our own; not that we’re complaining! It was a worthy exchange. Potatoes to dig, lay out to dry and bag to take: eight bucket-loads, an afternoon’s work, the smallest such crop in the village. Followed by pears and apples, a few buckets together. Note: store the fruit apart from the potatoes! The tubers give off a gas which spoils the fruit! Beets, herbs, marigolds. Coffee machine, miscellaneous kitchen things. Plenty to do. Move everything from all three other freezers to the big chest freezer, which will now be totally full; switch off the other freezers/fridges. Take perishables from house and shop. Pack clothes for myself and the wife, and other personal items. Stock a plug-in cooler with as much frozen things and/or Swiss cheese as possible to take cold. Visit my bee-keeping neighbor and best friend in the village, with a gift of Gruyère, which he declares delicious, giving me two big bags of his own tra-

Tamara Gürcü Hatun, (c. 1224 – c. 1286), was a Georgian princess of the Bagration dynasty and queen consort of the Sultanate of Rum having married Sultan Kaykhusraw II. Source: FB

environment through routes leading from the Caucasian interior toward maritime markets. But trade involved much more than merchants exchanging merchandise. Goods traveling between ports and mountain settlements depended on caravan drivers, interpreters, sailors, craftsmen, warehouse operators, and local intermediaries. Commercial exchange created opportunities for people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds to work together. The ports of Trabzon and Batumi played changing roles in these networks. Their political circumstances, commercial partners, and economic importance evolved considerably under successive states and empires. The Ottoman conquest of Trabzon in 1461 and the growing Ottoman involvement in the eastern Black Sea altered the political environment without eliminating the region's geographical importance. The nineteenth century brought further changes as Russian expansion transformed the Caucasus and maritime transportation developed. Today, Trabzon and Batumi operate within a very different economic world. Modern highways, border crossings, and international trade agreements have replaced many of the institutions that once governed commerce. Yet the Black Sea continues to bring neighboring communities into contact. It is perhaps the clearest example of how geography can encourage repeated encounters even as political systems change. ditional Svan cheese, which turns into an admirable raclette or fondue. Visit the family of our local old tractor driver, who used to come shopping by this machine, heard half a kilometre away. He died after a stroke while we were away, and we missed the funeral. A toast in his beloved memory. Plenty to do to wrap up here. Then, pick up where we left off in Tbilisi and Kakheti, with family, friends, churches, art, theater and more. I feel a little like legendary Persephone, who lived half her life in the Underworld, the other in the land of the living; except that for us both parts have their own wonders as well as downsides. Such IS our life, by choice, so we have little about which to complain. And much for which to be thankful. 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

OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 5, 2026

9

The Body Before the Word: Wim Vandekeybus and his Unfinished Myths in Tbilisi BY IVAN NECHAEV

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efore the body becomes a character, it is an event. It loses balance, anticipates danger, resists another body, or submits to a force it cannot control. These movements precede explanation. They belong to a form of knowledge that is neither entirely rational nor adequately described by language: the body’s capacity to register the world before consciousness has organized experience into a story. This is the territory explored by Belgian choreographer Wim Vandekeybus, whose company Ultima Vez brought Infamous Offspring to Tbilisi’s Griboedov Theater on October 24 as part of the 29th Georgian International Festival of Arts GIFT. Combining contemporary dance, spoken poetry, music, and film, the production revisits Greek mythology not as a collection of stories safely preserved in the classical past, but as a living system of desires, rivalries, violence, and familial contradictions. Vandekeybus has spent nearly four decades investigating what happens when movement becomes an independent dramatic language. In Infamous Offspring, that investigation encounters one of Western culture’s most enduring narrative structures: the Greek pantheon, a family whose divine status does little to protect its members from jealousy, ambition, rejection, and the consequences of power. The result is significant not only as an international dance event in Tbilisi, but as an example of how contemporary performance can bring together different disciplines to reconsider the cultural inheritance of antiquity.

WIM VANDEKEYBUS: CHOREOGRAPHY AT THE EDGE OF DANGER Born in 1963, Vandekeybus founded Ultima Vez in the mid-1980s. His first major production, What the Body Does Not Remember (1987), established the principles that would become central to his artistic identity: physical unpredictability, the confrontation between bodies, and movement that appears to emerge from immediate instinct rather than from the illustration of a predetermined narrative. The work received a Bessie Award, an important distinction in American dance, and established him as a significant figure in contemporary performance. His subsequent production, Les porteuses de mauvaises nouvelles (1989), also received the award. Vandekeybus’s importance lies in his refusal to treat choreography simply as the organization of beautiful movement. In his work, movement becomes a dramatic and philosophical proposition. What does a body do when it encounters resistance? How does an individual behave when the stability of a group is threatened? Where does instinct end and conscious decision begin? These questions connect his practice to a broader history of twentieth-century performance, in which artists increasingly challenged the separation between dance, theater, visual art, and film. But Vandekeybus’s approach remains distinctive because of the intensity with which he places the physical body at the center of the theatrical event. His choreography often appears to operate at the threshold of catastrophe. Sudden changes of direction, collisions, unstable balances, and the rapid negotiation of physical space create a sense that the performers are responding to conditions that cannot be completely controlled. The resulting tension is not simply a visual effect. It gives movement a psychological dimension without requiring conventional psychological realism. Over the course of his career, Vandekeybus has developed a more explicit

relationship with narrative, text, and cinematic imagery. His theater is no longer concerned exclusively with bodies moving through abstract conflict. It can also accommodate recognizable characters, mythological structures, and complex social relationships. Yet physical impulse remains its underlying principle: the story develops through bodies rather than being merely illustrated by them.

THE GODS AS A DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY The premise of Infamous Offspring is deceptively familiar. Zeus and Hera occupy the center of the Greek pantheon, surrounded by descendants whose relationships are shaped by desire, rivalry, rejection, and competing ambitions. But Vandekeybus approaches these mythological figures less as remote symbols of divine order than as participants in an unstable family system. The distinction matters. Greek mythology is not a single, consistent body of doctrine. Its stories survive through different literary versions, competing genealogies, contradictory explanations, and successive acts of reinterpretation. The gods themselves are frequently less models of moral perfection than embodiments of forces that human societies struggle to understand: fertility, destruction, sexuality, authority, jealousy, and the arbitrary distribution of fortune. Infamous Offspring uses this instability as an artistic resource. Its mythological world is a network of conflicting perspectives rather than a fixed sequence of events. The descendants of the gods inherit both their power and their dysfunctions, producing a family whose internal relationships reflect the contradictions of the larger world. This is where the production’s contemporary relevance emerges. Myth is often treated as a repository of universal truths, but its endurance may depend precisely on its capacity to accommodate incompatible interpretations. The same story can explain the origins of an institution, expose the violence concealed within it, or give a voice to a character previously relegated to the margins. The production’s focus on divine offspring also shifts attention from the authority of the parents to the consequences of their actions. Zeus and Hera, who appear on screen rather than as conventional stage characters, remain distant presences. Their children must inhabit the world created by their parents, negotiating identities and relationships within structures they did not choose. This is not merely a contemporary psychological reading imposed on ancient material. Greek tragedy has long explored the destructive transmission of violence between generations. Vandekeybus extends that inquiry into the physical vocabulary of dance, allowing inherited conflict to become something visible in the relationships between performers.

Photo by Zurab Oboladze. Source: GIFT - Georgian International Festival of Arts in Tbilisi

ments to a single explanatory narrative, Vandekeybus allows them to interact. The result is closer to a montage than to a conventional dramatic sequence: meaning emerges through juxtaposition, contrast, and the accumulation of physical and sensory information. This approach has implications beyond aesthetics. Cognitive science has increasingly examined the relationship between bodily action, perception, emotion, and the formation of knowledge. The concept of embodied cognition, although encompassing several competing theories, challenges the idea that thought can be understood entirely as an abstract process separated from physical experience. Vandekeybus’s theater should not be mistaken for a scientific demonstration of any particular theory. Its importance is artistic rather than experimental. Nevertheless, it offers a compelling way to experience a related proposition: the body does not simply execute decisions made elsewhere. Movement itself can generate meaning. A performer who recoils, reaches, falls, or struggles against another person communicates through the organization of space, weight, and time. The audience interprets these actions partly through its own bodily understanding of balance, effort, proximity, and vulnerability. This is one reason physical theater can produce an unusually immediate response. Its meaning does not depend entirely on the spectator’s knowledge of the language being spoken or the cultural references being invoked. It can reach the audience through an embodied recognition of tension and risk.

HEPHAESTUS AND THE POLITICS OF EXCLUSION The production’s treatment of Hephaestus offers a particularly revealing example. In Greek mythology, the god of fire and craftsmanship is associated with physical impairment and rejection, yet his technical abilities make him indispensable to the divine community. In

Infamous Offspring, the character is portrayed by Scottish artist and contortionist Iona Kewney, whose unusual physical vocabulary offers an alternative to conventional representations of the mythological figure. The casting creates a productive tension between the body as an object of judgment and the body as a source of agency. Hephaestus is rejected because he does not conform to the expectations imposed on divine perfection. His skill, however, becomes a form of power that cannot simply be dismissed. The significance of this interpretation lies in its refusal to equate physical difference with dramatic deficiency. Kewney’s presence redirects attention from the notion of a body that must be corrected toward the expressive possibilities of a body that moves according to its own logic. This is also consistent with Vandekeybus’s broader approach to choreography. His performers are not simply instruments of a standardized physical ideal. Their distinctive capacities, limitations, and ways of occupying space become part of the work’s expressive language. The mythological figure of Hephaestus thus becomes a way of examining exclusion, usefulness, and the conditions under which a community recognizes an individual’s value. The question is not merely whether someone belongs, but who has the authority to determine what belonging requires.

GIFT AND THE CULTURAL POLITICS OF INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE The presentation of Infamous Offspring at GIFT is significant precisely because it brings an ambitious, interdisciplinary performance into direct contact with the cultural life of Tbilisi. Vandekeybus’s work represents a particular approach to contemporary theater, one in which choreography is not an isolated discipline but a means of connecting physical expression with mythology, poetry, sound,

THE BODY AS AN INSTRUMENT OF THOUGHT One of the production’s most intriguing artistic decisions is the integration of different expressive media. The text was written by British poet Fiona Benson, whose work reimagines mythological material through a contemporary poetic sensibility. Music includes contributions from Warren Ellis and the Australian group Dirty Three, alongside ILA; film and sound design further expand the theatrical environment. The combination is significant because poetry, music, film, and dance do not communicate in identical ways. Poetry can compress historical associations into a single image. Music establishes patterns of expectation and interruption. Film can introduce a perspective that exists outside the immediate space of the performers. Dance makes meaning through the body in time. Rather than subordinating these ele-

Photo by Zurab Oboladze. Source: GIFT - Georgian International Festival of Arts in Tbilisi

film, and philosophical inquiry. For a city with a substantial theatrical tradition, such an encounter creates an opportunity to reconsider what performance can communicate and how its different elements can be organized. It also makes visible the diversity of contemporary European stage practice, which cannot be adequately represented by conventional dramatic theater alone. The importance of GIFT’s curatorial work lies here: in creating the conditions for Georgian audiences and practitioners to encounter artists whose methods challenge established categories. The arrival of Ultima Vez is valuable not simply because the company has an international reputation, but because its work introduces a distinct artistic language that can be examined, debated, and potentially become a point of reference for future creative exchange. International programming is most productive when it does more than import prestige. It expands the vocabulary available to a local artistic community, exposing audiences to different ways of organizing movement, narrative, sound, and space. Such encounters also demonstrate that cultural exchange need not depend on a common language or a shared national history. It can emerge through the direct experience of an artistic problem.

MYTHS THAT REFUSE TO REMAIN IN THE PAST The achievement of Infamous Offspring lies in its treatment of mythology as an unfinished artistic process. Its gods are neither untouchable objects of reverence nor convenient symbols with predetermined meanings. They are figures through which contemporary performers and audiences can examine the persistence of power, inherited conflict, exclusion, and the fragile construction of identity. Vandekeybus’s physical theater is particularly suited to this material because it makes conflict visible before it becomes an explanation. Bodies negotiate hierarchies, establish alliances, and reveal vulnerabilities. Poetry and film expand the field of interpretation, while music gives the action an additional structure of tension and release. The production ultimately proposes a different way of understanding the relationship between movement and thought. The body is not merely the instrument through which a character expresses an already formed idea. It is one of the places where ideas emerge, where social structures become tangible, and where inherited stories can be tested against the immediate reality of human presence. The gods may be immortal, but their stories are never finished. Every generation changes the angle from which it sees them. Vandekeybus makes that act of reinterpretation physical, immediate, and inseparable from the living bodies onstage. In doing so, he reminds us that the oldest stories can remain contemporary not because their meanings are universal and unchanging, but because they are capable of exposing contradictions that each new generation must learn to recognize for itself.

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CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY

OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 5, 2026

The Elixir of Illusion: Gaetano Donizetti, Fernando Botero, and the Tbilisi Opera

Gaetano Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. Source: Tbilisi Opera and State Theater

REVIEW BY IVAN NECHAEV

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hat is a love potion if not a work of artifice? In Gaetano Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love), a traveling charlatan persuades a lovesick young man that a bottle of cheap wine can resolve the most difficult of human problems. The deception is transparent, the comedy irresistible, and the outcome unexpectedly profound. Nemorino believes he has purchased a shortcut to another person’s affection; what he actually acquires is the courage to inhabit his own feelings. The opera returned to the stage of the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theater on October 22, with further performances on October 23, 24, and 25, 2026. The production, first presented in Tbilisi in 2017, takes its visual inspiration from The Circus, a painting cycle by Colombian artist Fernando Botero. The encounter between nineteenth-century Italian opera and Botero’s distinctive pictorial universe provides an opportunity to consider how visual art can reshape our understanding of a familiar musical work. The significance of this production lies not simply in its colorful theatrical world but in the affinities between two artistic languages. Donizetti enlarges human emotion through melody, rhythm, and vocal expression; Botero transforms the human figure through volume, proportion, and the manipulation of space. Both artists understand that exaggeration need not distort the truth. It can reveal it. Premiered on May 12, 1832, at Milan’s Teatro della Canobbiana, L’elisir d’amore was composed by Donizetti to a libretto by Felice Romani, adapted from Eugène Scribe’s libretto for Daniel-FrançoisEsprit Auber’s French opera Le Philtre. Its creation belongs to a period when Italian opera was developing an increasingly refined relationship between vocal virtuosity and psychological characterization. Donizetti reportedly composed the opera in approximately two weeks, an extraordinary feat that should not obscure the sophistication of its construction. Beneath the apparent simplicity of its plot lies an exact understanding of theatrical timing and emotional contrast. Comic exchanges give way to lyrical introspection; social posturing is interrupted by moments of genuine vulnerability. The characters embody contrasting forms of power. Adina is intelligent, wealthy, and independent. Belcore, a

self-assured military sergeant, relies on the authority of his position and the confidence of a practiced suitor. Dulcamara, the itinerant quack, possesses perhaps the most sophisticated understanding of the group: he knows that people will often believe what they desperately want to hear. Nemorino, meanwhile, has neither social status nor rhetorical skill. His sincerity appears to him a disadvantage in a world where confidence and money seem to determine success. The opera’s celebrated aria, “Una furtiva lagrima,” reveals the emotional architecture beneath the comedy. Nemorino’s response to a tear he believes he has seen in Adina’s eye is not the triumphant declaration of a conventional romantic hero. It is a moment of astonishment, in which the possibility of being loved becomes real enough to transform his understanding of himself. The music does not merely describe his emotions; it allows the audience to experience their gradual emergence. This is one of bel canto’s essential achievements: the voice becomes an instrument of psychological time, extending a fleeting feeling into a sustained musical experience. Born in Medellín in 1932, Fernando Botero developed one of the most recognizable visual languages of modern

art. His paintings and sculptures are distinguished by their monumental, rounded forms, emphatic volumes, and carefully controlled proportions. His subjects range from domestic scenes and musicians to religious imagery, historical compositions, and political violence. The style is often described as Boterismo, although its significance extends far beyond the repetition of a characteristic silhouette. Botero’s figures are not simply enlarged versions of ordinary people. Their proportions alter the relationship between bodies, objects, and the space they occupy. Volume becomes an expressive principle in its own right, transforming familiar subjects into images that can be humorous, sensuous, monumental, and occasionally unsettling. His Circus series, developed from his fascination with circus performers, is particularly relevant to the theatrical imagination. Acrobats, clowns, musicians, and animal trainers inhabit a world of carefully staged appearances. The circus is simultaneously a place of entertainment and a system of performance: its inhabitants must present themselves to an audience, transforming ordinary gestures into public spectacle. This tension resonates with L’elisir d’amore. Belcore performs masculinity through military authority and confi-

Gaetano Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. Source: Tbilisi Opera and State Theater

Tbilisi Opera and State Theater (facebook)

dence; Dulcamara performs expertise through the rituals of commercial persuasion; Nemorino struggles to make himself visible without the social instruments available to his rivals. Each character inhabits a role, and each hopes that the role will produce a desired response. A visual concept inspired by Botero therefore does more than establish an attractive setting. It offers a way of interpreting the opera’s social comedy. The exaggerated physicality of the circus world becomes a counterpart to the exaggerations of romantic behavior, where confidence can be mistaken for strength and theatrical display for genuine feeling. The relationship also raises an important question about the translation of painting into stage design. A painting fixes its figures within a carefully composed image; theater must animate space through movement, duration, and the interaction of performers. The challenge is not to reproduce a painter’s compositions literally but to translate their visual principles into a living environment. In this sense, the production’s artistic premise is most interesting when considered as a meeting of media rather than as an exercise in illustration. Botero’s visual world and Donizetti’s score approach human behavior from different directions, yet both depend on the expressive possibilities of exaggeration. The production has a particular resonance in Tbilisi because L’elisir d’amore belongs to the city’s longstanding operatic history. According to the theater’s historical record, the opera was presented in Georgia during the 1854–55 season at the Karvasla Theatre. Its return in the twenty-first century thus belongs to a tradition extending across more than 170 years. The history of the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theatre illustrates the importance of cultural exchange in the development of Georgian musical life. International repertory has never simply arrived as a finished product to be preserved unchanged. It has entered a local institutional culture shaped by its own performers, audiences, artistic ambitions, and historical circumstances. The Botero-inspired production introduces another dimension to this exchange. An Italian opera, composed in the early nineteenth century, is reconsidered through the visual language of a Colombian artist and presented by a Georgian institution. The result is not a straightforward encounter between national traditions but a more complex dialogue among different histories of artistic representation. Such dialogues matter because repertory theater faces a persistent problem: familiarity can become a form of inertia. A work repeatedly performed may retain its popularity while losing its capacity to surprise. A new interpretive framework can interrupt that process, directing attention toward elements that familiarity has rendered almost invisible. The purpose of reinterpretation, however, is not novelty for its own sake. A visual concept must remain responsive to the structure of the music and the psychological relationships of the drama. The strongest theatrical ideas do not compete with the score; they give the audience additional ways of perceiving it. Among the performances on October 22, Sofia Mchedlishvili’s portrayal of Adina deserves particular recognition. Her performance gave the female lead a welcome prominence, drawing attention to a character whose intelligence and independence are essential to the opera’s emotional logic. Adina can easily be reduced to the conventional function of a romantic heroine: the woman whose affection ultimately validates the male protagonist. Donizetti’s characterization is more interesting. She begins from a position of relative social and emotional author-

ity, capable of observing the behavior of those around her without immediately surrendering to their expectations. Her relationship with Nemorino must therefore develop through more than his persistence. Mchedlishvili’s performance made Adina a significant presence in the evening’s dramatic landscape. This distinction matters because the opera’s resolution depends on the agency of both lovers. Nemorino’s transformation would remain incomplete if Adina were merely a prize awarded for his suffering. Love becomes meaningful when the person being loved is equally free to choose. The musical writing reinforces this complexity. Adina’s coloratura passages require technical precision, but virtuosity alone cannot communicate her character. The brilliance of the vocal line must coexist with intelligence, playfulness, and the capacity for emotional change. Her music reflects a woman whose apparent self-assurance gradually gives way to a more vulnerable recognition of her own feelings. Mchedlishvili’s contribution brought this dimension of the role into focus. Rather than treating Adina as an accessory to Nemorino’s development, the performance invited the audience to consider the emotional independence that makes their eventual union convincing. That is a crucial distinction in a comedy whose apparent simplicity conceals a sophisticated understanding of relationships. Neither love nor self-knowledge can be purchased, and neither can be imposed on another person. Both require a willingness to relinquish the safety of performance. The lasting appeal of L’elisir d’amore lies in its understanding that deception and revelation are not always opposites. Dulcamara’s potion is fraudulent, but Nemorino’s belief in it changes his behavior. The illusion gives him confidence, allowing him to discover a capacity for courage that was already his own. Botero’s artistic language offers a compelling parallel. His figures depart from naturalistic proportion, yet their exaggeration can make aspects of human behavior more legible. The artificiality of the image does not necessarily distance us from reality; it can sharpen our perception of it. This is where the production’s visual premise and Donizetti’s music converge. Both transform ordinary experience into heightened form, revealing the emotional structures that remain concealed beneath everyday gestures. The circus becomes a metaphor for society, the opera becomes a study of self-presentation, and the love potion becomes an emblem of the stories people tell themselves in order to act. For the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theatre, the return of this production also demonstrates the value of maintaining a repertory capable of supporting more than one level of engagement. Audiences can enjoy the immediate pleasures of romantic comedy while discovering a deeper conversation between music, painting, and theatrical representation. Nearly two centuries after its premiere, L’elisir d’amore remains persuasive because it recognizes that human beings are both performers and spectators in their own emotional lives. We construct appearances, interpret gestures, and invest ordinary objects with extraordinary significance. Art does not necessarily free us from these illusions. At its best, it teaches us how to see through them. Nemorino’s elixir never possessed the power he imagined. The transformation it sets in motion, however, is real. That paradox is the opera’s enduring gift—and the reason its meeting with Botero’s painted circus remains an intellectually fruitful encounter between two arts devoted, in very different ways, to the expressive possibilities of exaggeration.

CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY

OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 5, 2026

11

The Enchanting World of Dolls

Maia Aladashvili. Source: FB

BLOG BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

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he well-known creative spirit and artistic lineage of Sakartvelo fairly define its national identity and ethnic heritage. Hence, it is hardly surprising that we are so much in love with the arts, expressed in myriad fascinating ways. At the same time, not many of us may have given much

thought to the significance of certain unusual art forms that deserve a great deal of our attention. That said, let me introduce a Georgian lady of outstanding talent whose artwork deserves a much, much wider audience. In May 2018, twenty beautiful handmade dolls were exhibited at the Kutaisi Parliament Palace. They had been created by Tbilisi-based doll artists, including Maia Aladashvili. In the wake of that interesting exhibition, she initiated the opening of Miniseum in Tbilisi, a gallery

of international standing devoted to handmade, individually crafted dolls by forty artists. Aladashvili’s creation stood out and was chosen as the favorite of both the jury and the visitors in a competition called Journey Through Time. Her work has attracted attention not merely as an example of craftsmanship but also as an artistic creation capable of communicating something meaningful to its audience. This opened up exciting prospects for introducing her work to international audiences through photographs, exhibitions, interviews, and the whole palette of contemporary Georgian doll art. To make clearer what we are talking about and to present Maia’s work once again to art lovers, we must start with a comprehensible, though not always correctly understood, branch of art: fascinating, different, and somewhat outlandish. A doll is not exactly a toy. It is not necessarily something we buy at a children’s store to make our kids happy. A doll can certainly be a toy, but it can also serve as a ritual object, a theatrical character, a collectible, a sculpture, a portrait, or simply a work of fine art. That is how versatile and complicated the subject is that we have embarked on today. The Georgian Ministry of Education, Science and Youth has explicitly recognized so-called author dolls as a conventional art form in their own right. The face, eyes, expression, posture, clothing, proportions, and gestures all contribute to the personality of the figure. A slight tilt of the head, a particular expression, or an unusual combination of colors can completely change how we perceive it. Dolls can also become instruments of cultural identity through historical dress, embroidery, fabrics, and social customs. Artists like Maia Aladashvili are com-

pelled to make difficult decisions about which elements to reproduce, which to simplify, and which to reinterpret. Dolls occupy an unusual place in human experience because they can mean different things to people of different ages. Why might Maia Aladashvili’s work be particularly interesting to the worlds of art and craftsmanship? And, most importantly, what makes Maia’s dolls recognizably hers? Do they possess distinctive faces? Are they humorous, elegant, melancholic, fantastical, theatrical, or realistic? Yes, they definitely are all of these! Georgia is often introduced to international audiences through its mountains, cuisine, wine, ancient churches, language, writing, polyphonic singing, and traditional dance. All of this makes perfect sense, but these things represent only part of the country’s contemporary cultural life. Maia’s work could offer a different perspective on this nation: not simply as a country preserving its past, but as a place where contemporary artists continue to create and experiment. Maia Aladashvili’s art is about giving a doll a soul, drawing upon her extraordinary, innate artistic power to do so while working within a fascinating national artistic tradition. Her creations belong to a world of limitless imagination and inexhaustible artistic expression. She masterfully invests every detail of her creations with character: the countenance, hairstyle, position of a hand, garments, and colors. To create amazing doll figures with vivid personalities, Maia brings together several artistic disciplines, including painting, costume design, textile work, miniature craftsmanship, and even sculpture. Her technical skill is unbelievable, transforming ordinary materials into something pro-

Harlequin and Columbine. By Maia Aladashvili

foundly expressive. What makes Maia Aladashvili genuinely individual? The answer is simple: her absolutely individual and clearly recognizable style, with practically no recurring themes, attracts tens of collectors around the globe. Her works feature in numerous private collections in America, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Israel, Russia, and elsewhere. She loves to create representations of historical, religious, and mystical personalities, such as Queen Tamar of Georgia, Shakespeare, Alexander the Great, Louis XIV, the Archangel, Saint Cecilia, the Egyptian goddess of justice, and others. Maia Aladashvili is a self-taught artist who began creating her astonishing dolls at a relatively mature, yet contemplative, age—between thirty and thirty-five. When asked how she manages to perform her incredible magic, her answer was that she does not even know how it happens. The idea simply occurs to her brilliant mind, and then her mastery takes over. As simple as that! When you talk to her, she strikes you as a delightful and adorable lady, devoted to her wonderful family. But once you find yourself in the enchanting world of her dolls, you immediately realize that she is far above the ordinary. And all of this is happening right here, in Sakartvelo!

Bitadze: Museum Modernization and Stronger Educational Role are Policy Priorities BY NANUKA MAGLAKELIDZE

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ulture Minister Maia Bitadze visited the Sighnaghi Historical-Ethnographic Museum with Kakheti regional and local officials to review its activities and infrastructure needs. Museum Director Mariam Inanashvili presented a report on the institution’s work and existing challenges. Discussions focused on renovating the building’s facade, improving accessibility for people with disabilities and upgrading the lighting system. “Museum modernization, the introduction of contemporary standards and strengthening their educational role will be priorities of our policy,” Bitadze said, emphasizing the importance of addressing the museum’s infrastructure and technical challenges. The museum will mark the 80th anniversary of its establishment and the 20th anniversary of its incorporation into the Georgian National Museum in 2027. Cultural and educational events are planned to highlight its history and collections. The museum houses archaeological finds from Kakheti, historical documents, ethnographic objects and works

Telavi Theater. Source: FB

Telavi Theater to Undergo Major Rehabilitation, Culture Ministry Says BY NANUKA MAGLAKELIDZE

T Culture Minister Maia Bitadze

by Georgian artists, including Lado Gudiashvili, Elena Akhvlediani and Ketevan Magalashvili. It has also hosted

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international exhibitions, including exhibitions dedicated to Pablo Picasso and Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.

he Vazha-Pshavela Professional State Drama Theater in Telavi, eastern Georgia, will undergo major rehabilitation to modernize its facilities and support the development of regional theater, the Ministry of Culture said. Culture Minister Maia Bitadze visited the theater to review the condition of the building and the planned rehabilitation works. The building, which has a total area of 4,703 square meters, is currently in an emergency condition. “At the initiative of the prime minister, the theater will undergo large-scale rehabilitation. We will create a theater space that meets modern standards. The

Municipal Development Fund will implement the project,” Bitadze said. “This will be an unprecedented investment in scale and significance for the development of regional theater. Once the rehabilitation project is complete, Telavi will have a fully renovated theater equipped with modern technologies and meeting high standards,” she added. Bitadze said the renovated venue would allow the theater company to expand its work and host international festivals and theater companies, contributing to cultural life and tourism in the region. The rehabilitation project will include a comprehensive assessment of the building, with particular attention to preserving its architectural authenticity. The theater will also be adapted to modern standards, including the installation of engineering and technological systems required for its full operation.

Journalists: Ana Dumbadze Tony Hanmer Nugzar B. Ruhadze Ivan Nechaev Nanuka Maglakelidze Emil Avdaliani

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