issue#1519

Issue no: 1519

• SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2025 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

Leopard Spotted in Georgia’s Algeti National Park for the First Time in 20 Years NEWS PAGE 2

Activist Megi Diasamidze Released on Bail After Banner Vandalism Case POLITICS PAGE 4

“Operation Provocation” - Robert Pszczel Explains Why Moscow Sent Drones into Polish Airspace POLITICS PAGE 5

FOCUS

ON RESTORING THE FLOODPLAIN SABUKO’s gabion brings life back to the Iori Valley

PAGE 8

Tensions Rise in Georgia Ahead of Mass Rally for European Integration

BY TEAM GT

Over 200 Women Entrepreneurs Present Products at Expo Georgia BUSINESS PAGE 6

The Septuagenarian Golden Tenor’s Incredible Bel Canto CULTURE PAGE 10

Virsaladze Opens Autumn Tbilisi CULTURE PAGE 11

A

s summer turns to fall in Tbilisi, the mood on Rustaveli Avenue is anything but calm. Behind the familiar cafés and fluttering EU flags, something is stirring—a sense that Georgia is on the verge of a political showdown. Opposition leaders, civil activists, and thousands of ordinary citizens are preparing for what they say will be a historic moment: a massive October 4 rally that, in their words, will mark Georgia’s “return to European integration.”

But the protest isn’t just about Europe. It’s about power, corruption, and a bitter contest over the future of the country.

Levan Sanikidze, a longtime figure in the United National Movement (UNM), stood in front of cameras earlier this week and laid it out plainly.

“October 4 is the day we get back on track,” he said. “The day we say, ‘enough.’” Despite UNM chairman Levan Khabeishvili being behind bars, his presence looms large.

Continued on page 4

Strength in Work, Strength in Sport, That's Temo Abulashvili SPORTS PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

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2

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2025

Leopard Spotted in Georgia’s Algeti National Park for the First Time in 20 Years Tbilisoba 2024. Source: 1TV

Tbilisi to Celebrate Tbilisoba 2025 with Music, Markets, and Citywide Festivities

BY TEAM GT

T

bilisi is preparing to celebrate Tbilisoba, the city’s signature autumn holiday, with a two-day festival full of music, markets, performances, and cultural showcases. The celebrations will take place on September 20–21, with Rike Park and Orbeliani Square serving as the main festival venues.

Mayor Kakha Kaladze announced the programme at a municipal government session, noting that the holiday will bring together citizens of all ages in a vibrant city-wide celebration.

Visitors to both locations will find themed decorations, large-scale installations, photo zones, artisan markets, open-air cinemas, and food and wine festivals. Children’s concerts, theatrical performances, and sports activities will run throughout the day, while evenings will feature diverse musical programmes, from folk ensembles to pop concerts and electronic music.

Highlights include:

September 20, 8:00 p.m. – Ceremony honouring Tbilisi’s Honorary Citizens, broadcast live.

September 21, 8:00 p.m. – Gala concert “Everyone Sings for Tbilisi” at Europe Square.

Orbeliani Square will host open-air cinema screenings, food stalls, artisan and sweets markets, women entrepreneurs’ showcases, and a full lineup of children’s and evening performances.

Italian Street, Giorgi Atoneli Street, and Anton Purtseladze Street will feature separate stages for children’s concerts, theatrical shows, and electronic music.

Rike Park will be the hub of gastronomic and wine festivals, artisan fairs, attractions, and sports competitions including Georgian wrestling, krioba, chess, backgammon, table tennis, and mini-golf. Fairy-tale characters, open-air cinemas, and children’s entertainment will fill the afternoons, followed by concerts of Georgian pop artists in the evenings.

Inviting citizens and guests alike, Mayor Kaladze emphasized the spirit of community: “This is the day of our city. We look forward to celebrating together and sharing the diverse soul of Tbilisi.”

Vehicle Numbers Increase as Tbilisi Faces Shrinking Parking Capacity

The leopard. Source: 1TV

BY MARIAM RAZMADZE

T

he Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture confirmed that a leopard, a species listed in the Red Book, has been captured on camera in Georgia’s Algeti National Park, marking only the third recorded sighting of the animal in the country in the past two decades. The Ministry also noted that two photo traps near the perimeter fence of the National Wildlife Agency’s red deer breeding facility recorded the rare predator.

Revaz Bezhashvili, Head of the National Wildlife Agency, explained that the leopard likely inhabits the Trialeti Ridge and

has long remained undetected due to its elusive nature. “Leopards are extremely cautious and avoid people. Two of the dozens of photo traps placed along the 4-kilometer fence managed to record the animal moving along the perimeter.

The facility itself is fully protected, with 72 hectares enclosed and equipped with 40 photo traps and 30 video cameras.

The deer are safe, while outside the enclosure the leopard has abundant natural prey,” Bezhashvili said. He added that the sighting shows the importance of Georgia’s protected areas and the necessity of maintaining them.

Zoologist and professor Zurab Gurielidze emphasized the broader ecological importance, saying that the sighting reinforces Georgia’s role on the biodiversity map of Eurasia. “The

species Panthera pardus, included in the IUCN Red List, was once widespread in Georgia during the Middle Ages. Due to poaching, it has been considered extinct in the country since the mid20th century. Historically, Georgians referred to the leopard as ‘vepkh’, Gurielidze said.

Georgia currently has 100 protected areas across six categories, covering nearly 930,000 hectares. The government is also working to expand the network, with four new protected territories planned in Samegrelo, Svaneti, Kakheti and Guria, along with the enlargement of Racha’s protected areas. Officials stress that keeping rare ecosystems, plants and animal species safe remains a central mission of the country’s conservation policy.

‘Tinder Swindler’ Simon Leviev Arrested at Batumi Airport

BY MARIAM RAZMADZE

I

A Tbilisi street. Source: 1TV

BY MARIAM RAZMADZE

T

he number of cars on Georgia’s roads continues to grow, increasing pressure on Tbilisi’s already limited parking infrastructure. Data from the Service Agency shows 1.964 million registered vehicles in the country as of late August, an increase of 16,000 in just one month.

While the car fleet has expanded rapidly, the capital’s parking supply has gone in the opposite direction. Tbilisi now has 28,516 parking spaces, down by 958 compared to 2021 when 29,474 spots were available. Today zonal and non-zonal areas make up an almost equal share.

Vice Mayor Giorgi Tkemaladze talked to BM.GE and stated that the municipal-

ity’s parking policy depends on closer cooperation with the private sector. He noted that new construction permits strictly define the number of spaces developers must provide, often exceeding residential needs to include commercial parking.

The city also plans to expand the zonalhourly parking system which the Vice Mayor described as an ‘unalternative direction’ for managing demand.

Meanwhile, enforcement has become a growing revenue stream. Parking fines in Tbilisi reached over GEL 7.5 million in the first half of 2025, nearly triple the figure recorded five years ago.

Parking fines issued, January–July: 2021 – GEL 2,135,828 2022 – GEL 2,294,965 2023 – GEL 9,371,318 2024 – GEL 10,209,374 2025 – GEL 7,588,940

sraeli national Simon Leviev, infamously known as the ‘Tinder Swindler,’ was detained upon his arrival at Batumi International Airport. The information was released by Leviev’s lawyer.

Leviev, born Shimon Yehuda Hayut, first gained worldwide notoriety after the 2022 Netflix documentary ‘The Tin-

der Swindler’ detailed his elaborate scams. The film alleged that he posed as the son of diamond tycoon Lev Leviev to deceive women he met on Tinder, deceiving victims and banks out of an estimated $1 billion through a Ponzi-style scheme.

The reasons for his arrest in Georgia remain unclear. Speaking to the Israeli outlet ‘Walla’, his attorney said: “I spoke with him this morning after he was detained, but we don’t yet understand the reason. He has been traveling freely

around the world.”

This is not Leviev’s first brush with the law. In 2019, he was arrested in Greece and extradited to Israel where he was convicted of fraud, forgery and theft. He received a 15-month prison sentence but served only five months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following the documentary’s release, Leviev denied wrongdoing in an interview with CNN, insisting that the allegations against him were unfounded.

Training in Gori Municipality on GenderResponsive Disaster Preparedness

BY MARIAM RAZMADZE

A

training session focused on strengthening community capacities for genderresponsive disaster risk reduction was recently held in Gori. The initiative was organized by UN Women in partnership with the Women’s National League, with financial

support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

The program emphasized that women and girls often face more vulnerability during disasters due to economic, social and cultural factors. To address these challenges, the training increased women’s participation in disaster risk prevention, preparedness and response, while also contributing to community knowledge of gender-responsive approaches.

Participants were introduced to a range

of practical skills, including first aid, preparing emergency bags and providing psychosocial support. In addition, the training explored the gender dimensions of disaster risk.

The event is part of the broader ‘Gender in Disaster Risk Reduction’ (GDRR) project which aims to equip communities with tools to respond more effectively to emergencies while ensuring women’s voices are central to disaster risk management.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2025

3

Ukraine Latest: Western Arms Bolster Ukraine as Battles Intensify COMPILED BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

his week saw intensified military clashes, strategic maneuvers, and sustained international support for Ukraine as the conflict with Russia entered another critical phase.

Both sides reported significant losses, and the war continued to take a severe toll on civilian populations and infrastructure. While Moscow claimed advances across multiple fronts, Kyiv asserted that Russian offensives have largely stalled, highlighting the ongoing struggle for control over contested regions.

In eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian forces successfully repelled Russian attacks near Kupiansk, where Moscow had attempted to infiltrate positions using underground gas pipelines. Ukrainian troops responded by flooding the pipelines and strengthening access points, effectively preventing Russian incursions.

Meanwhile, in southern Ukraine, Ukrainian counteroffensives continued to target occupied territories, with officials reporting gradual progress despite entrenched Russian defenses. Localized skirmishes in Sumy and Novopavlivka highlighted the intensity of fighting along both frontlines, underscoring the high human cost of these engagements.

Russian military officials reported advances in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk. General Valery Gerasimov, Russia’s Chief of Staff, claimed that Moscow’s forces were "advancing in practically all directions," citing particularly heavy fighting around Pokrovsk, previously known as Krasnoarmeisk.

Based on Russian statements, Ukrainian units deployed their best-trained troops to resist these advances, unintentionally

facilitating Russian progress in other sectors. Ukrainian authorities disputed these claims, emphasizing that Russian offensives have suffered repeated setbacks. Kyiv highlighted the capture of Russian soldiers near Kupiansk and the successful defense of key positions around Pokrovsk as evidence of their resilience.

The human toll on both sides remained severe. Russian state media TASS, citing Moscow’s Ministry of Defense, claimed that Ukraine had lost more than 1,500 soldiers in recent frontline fighting.

Ukrainian officials did not confirm these figures, framing the reports as part of a broader narrative designed to exaggerate military gains. In turn, Kyiv reported that Russian forces had suffered roughly 1,020 casualties over the past days, along with the loss of 360 drones and 36 artillery systems. Russian authorities have not verified these claims. Additionally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted on social media that, despite Russia’s preparations for offensives in Sumy, Novopavlivka, Pokrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia, Moscow had sustained such heavy manpower losses that it currently lacked the capacity for large-scale attacks.

The conflict’s impact on civilians was stark. On September 9, a Russian airstrike hit a pension distribution point in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 23 retirees and injuring 18 others. In Russia’s Belgorod border region, a Ukrainian drone struck a vehicle, killing one person and wounding another, demonstrating that cross-border attacks remain a feature of the conflict. Infrastructure has also been a primary target, with Russian forces striking Ukrainian railway facilities, storage and launch sites for long-range drones, and temporary military deployment sites.

These attacks threaten Ukraine’s logistical capacity and its ability to maintain supply lines, particularly as winter

approaches.

With the violence escalating, international support for Ukraine remains substantial. The European-funded Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program began delivering its first shipments, including Patriot missile system ammunition and HIMARS rockets, valued initially at $1 billion, with total pledges expected to reach $3.5 billion by October.

Ukraine’s President Zelensky noted that these shipments would enhance Kyiv’s ability to repel Russian strikes, particularly as Moscow accelerates attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Sweden also contributed its 20th military aid package, worth $984 million, comprising self-propelled howitzers, artillery ammunition, and reconnaissance drones. The Trump administration has additionally confirmed that it is sending Ukraine its first Patriot and HIMARS missiles under this Europe-funded scheme, with the initial batches worth $500 million each, signaling continued Western commitment to supporting Kyiv’s defense.

Energy security and infrastructure resilience have become central concerns.

Russian forces continue to target Ukraine’s energy facilities, particularly gas infrastructure, disrupting domestic production and power generation. Ukrainian officials warned that the country may need to import an additional 1–2 billion cubic meters of gas, at a cost of up to $1 billion, to meet winter storage targets.

These attacks threaten both civilian populations and industrial operations, compounding the humanitarian impact of the conflict.

As of September 18, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not reported any new developments regarding the shelling and black smoke observed near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) on September 16. The IAEA's monitoring team

A firefighter works at the site where a critical infrastructure facility was hit by Russian drone strikes in Ukraine. Source: Reuters

had reported hearing artillery shelling and observing black smoke rising from three locations approximately 400 meters from the plant's off-site diesel fuel storage. No casualties or damage were reported, but the incident underscored ongoing nuclear safety concerns. The IAEA team had planned to inspect the affected area on September 17, pending security conditions. However, as of going to press, there have been no updates on whether the inspection took place or if any new incidents have occurred.

Diplomatically, Ukraine has maintained a firm stance against territorial concessions. Zelensky reiterated this position during the Yalta European Strategy forum in Kyiv, stating that giving up land would not lead to peace and that Kyiv expects continued support from Western allies.

Meanwhile, NATO and EU officials have emphasized the importance of coordinated defense measures. In response to recent Russian drone incursions into NATO airspace, the European Union announced plans to establish a €6 billion "drone wall" to protect member states.

The initiative, to be coordinated with

Kyiv, aims to prevent future aerial attacks and improve the alliance’s collective defensive posture.

The intensity of fighting this week reflected the high stakes on both sides.

Russian forces claim progress in multiple sectors, while Ukrainian troops continue to mount effective resistance, leveraging advanced Western-supplied weaponry and fortifying key positions.

Analysts note that despite Moscow’s claims of territorial gains, the situation remains highly fluid, with neither side achieving decisive breakthroughs.

The week also highlighted the asymmetric nature of the conflict. Ukrainian drone operations into Russian territory, such as the attack in Belgorod, underscore Kyiv’s ability to project force beyond its borders, while Russian missile strikes and cross-border attacks continue to challenge Ukrainian defense and civilian safety. Both sides continue to leverage information campaigns to reinforce domestic and international perceptions of success, further complicating independent assessments of battlefield outcomes.

4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2025

PM Kobakhidze Warns of Legal Action over Inflammatory Rhetoric, Accuses Western Diplomats of Radicalizing Georgian Politics

BY TEAM GT

G

Megi Diasamidze. Source: IPN

Activist Megi Diasamidze Released on Bail After Banner Vandalism Case

BY TEAM GT

T

bilisi City Court has released activist Megi (Irma) Diasamidze on a non-custodial bail of 2,000 GEL after she was accused of vandalizing election banners belonging to Tbilisi mayoral candidate and incumbent, Kakha Kaladze.

The Prosecutor’s Office had requested custodial bail, which would have required Diasamidze to remain in detention until the sum was paid. However, the court opted for a lighter preventive measure, allowing her release from the courtroom.

Prosecutor Nino Zhvania said Diasamidze defaced two campaign banners with black paint, estimating damages at 190 GEL per banner. She argued

that Diasamidze posed a risk of continuing criminal activity, influencing witnesses, or going into hiding: “She deliberately damaged someone else’s property in a demonstrative manner, in front of others, causing significant damage,” Zhvania stated, adding that Diasamidze has a record of administrative offenses and a tendency toward similar acts.

In contrast, Diasamidze’s lawyer, Shota Tutberidze, called the charges politically motivated, claiming the case is intended to prevent her from joining protests.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that three individuals, including Diasamidze, were detained in connection with events on Melikishvili Avenue on September 8–9. Authorities said Diasamidze specifically targeted Kaladze’s campaign banners during those incidents.

Elene Khoshtaria Rejects Bail, Calls Her Imprisonment a "Farce" and Vows to Continue the Fight

BY TEAM GT

E

lene Khoshtaria, leader of the opposition Droa party and a prominent figure in the Coalition for Change, has firmly rejected a court ruling granting her release on GEL 5,000 bail. The decision was issued by Judge Arsen Kalatozishvili, but Khoshtaria made it clear she would not comply. “If someone were to post my bail, it would be like stabbing me in the heart. I will not allow anyone to do that,” she declared.

Khoshtaria was detained on September 15 and charged under Part 1 of Article 187 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which pertains to the damage or destruction of property resulting in significant harm—an offence punishable by one to five years in prison. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the investigation was launched at the request of representatives from the ruling Georgian Dream–Democratic Georgia party, who alleged that Khoshtaria was involved in damaging election banners. Her arrest was confirmed by Droa on social media,

along with video footage of the detention circulated by the party’s press service.

At her hearing, initially scheduled for 13:00 but postponed until 15:30, Khoshtaria refused legal representation and declined the right to a defence. The court appointed a treasury lawyer on her behalf, but she also rejected this assistance and refused to meet with a human rights defender who visited her in detention.

Her absence from the courtroom prompted confusion from the presiding judge. The court gave her 20 days to pay the bail.

In a letter shared on social media, Khoshtaria elaborated on her decision, emphasizing that paying bail would not equate to real freedom.

“This is merely a gesture, the opening of the prison door, which, of course, I will not pay for. Not because it wounds my self-respect, but because I cannot call you to fight while participating in lies and farces. My imprisonment is illegal, as is the detention of many others who are free in spirit. But let me assure you, imprisonment is not the end of the struggle. I promise you, we will prevail triumphantly! Until the very end!”

eorgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has delivered a forceful message ahead of the oppositionorganized rally planned for October 4, calling for restraint in public discourse and warning that even rhetoric deemed unlawful will be subject to legal consequences. Simultaneously, Kobakhidze escalated criticism of Western diplomatic engagement in Georgia, accusing certain embassies and ambassadors of encouraging radicalism and undermining the country’s sovereignty.

“We call on everyone to control their rhetoric as much as possible, so as not to end up where some others have already ended up,” Kobakhidze said during a press briefing this week, making it clear that political speech perceived as inciting unrest will be scrutinized by law enforcement.

He emphasized that the government will respond to violations “including at the rhetorical level,” and that Georgia’s institutions are now more empowered than ever to ensure full legal enforcement. “Our state has become accustomed to language. We will not allow anyone to abuse this. Whether it’s corruption, organized crime, drug-related offenses, or politically motivated crimes — we now have much more opportunity to enforce the law in its full severity.”

Kobakhidze framed the government's enforcement capacity as a direct outcome of what he described as an unprecedented level of independence and sovereignty.

“Today our state is independent and sovereign as never before, and this reality gives us the opportunity to enforce the law as strictly as possible in relation to any type of crime,” he declared.

He went on to highlight the government’s intensified efforts to combat various forms of crime, stating that several cases have already been initiated by law enforcement agencies.

“This is entirely a matter of the law; it does not concern the government as such, but rather the relevant institutions,” he noted, referencing the active roles of the Prosecutor’s Office, State Security Service, and other agencies.

“Our government is taking active measures to eradicate corruption in Georgia.

The fight against crime has intensified in all major directions — this concerns corruption-related crimes, drug crimes, organized crime, and politically motivated crimes,” he said.

In a striking shift from diplomatic protocol, Kobakhidze accused unnamed Western ambassadors and embassies — specifically referencing a meeting between opposition leaders Giga Bokeria and Gia Baramidze and the British Embassy — of interfering in Georgian politics and emboldening extremist elements.

“It is very bad when specific ambassadors and embassies encourage radicalism in Georgia,” Kobakhidze said. “Unfor-

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. Source: IPN

tunately, several European embassies are directly involved in inciting radicalism in Georgia. They frequently meet with radicals, and this is a sad event.”

He argued that such actions damage the reputation of the European Union and its member states in the eyes of the Georgian public.

“Society is observing this. Society appreciates this. And I will repeat once again that all this reflects very badly on the image of European countries and European bureaucracy in Georgia.”

Kobakhidze also questioned the rationale behind diplomatic meetings with opposition parties that, according to him, are not even contesting elections.

“When you meet with parties in connection with the elections that do not participate in the elections at all, this is even more incomprehensible.”

Kobakhidze suggested that many of the challenges facing Georgia today are not homegrown but rather "artificially created" by external actors.

“For example, when you have difficult political processes in the country and around the country, when there is an ongoing war in the region, when in this context there is pressure on the government to get involved in hostilities — under such circumstances, some things may not receive the proper attention for objective reasons,” he said.

Yet, he emphasized that Georgia’s strengthened sovereignty now enables the government to act more decisively.

“Today, however, our state is independent and sovereign as never before,” he reiterated, linking this newfound sovereignty to the ability to “enforce the law as strictly as possible in relation to any type of crime.”

Kobakhidze’s remarks come as Georgia’s political climate grows increasingly polarized ahead of the 2024 parliamentary elections. The government has been widely criticized both at home and abroad for its passage of the so-called “foreign agents law,” which many fear will be used to silence civil society and independent media.

While the ruling Georgian Dream party insists that its actions are necessary to defend national sovereignty and stability, Western governments and organizations such as the EU, U.S. State Department, and Transparency International have raised alarms about democratic backsliding and politicization of the justice system.

The Prime Minister's attack on Western diplomats marks a sharp escalation in rhetoric, potentially straining Georgia’s ties with its traditional Western allies — particularly as the country awaits further steps in its EU integration process.

Meanwhile, opposition groups preparing for the October 4 rally have vowed to continue their protests, accusing the government of authoritarianism and aligning Georgia’s future with Russia rather than Europe.

Tensions Rise in Georgia Ahead of Mass Rally for European Integration Continued from page 1 From prison, Khabeishvili continues to post statements, urging Georgians to rise above party divisions and confront what he calls a government captured by Russian interests.

“Will it be difficult? Yes,” Khabeishvili wrote in a recent message from his cell.

“Is victory possible? Absolutely.”

The movement organizing the rally is a mix of political opposition, civic groups, and disillusioned citizens—many of whom say they’re tired of watching Georgia’s democratic promises fade. To them, the rally is not just a protest, but a last stand for a European future. Ana Tsitlidze, another prominent UNM voice, believes momentum is already

building. Speaking on television, she hinted that even members of the ruling Georgian Dream party might break ranks. “Seventy percent is already in place,” she said, eyes sharp. “There are cracks in the system. And we know it.”

But in the government’s eyes, the gathering on October 4 is not an act of democratic expression—it’s a threat.

And now, they say, it’s more than just an internal one.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze didn’t mince words when he stepped up to a podium days ago. The rally, he claimed, isn’t just being fueled by opposition rhetoric—it’s being stoked by foreign powers. More specifically: Ukraine.

According to Kobakhidze, Georgian

law enforcement recently intercepted 2.4 kilograms of military-grade explosives—hexogen—being smuggled into the country. Two Ukrainian nationals were arrested. The Prime Minister alleged that the explosives were handed over by none other than Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), implying direct involvement by a foreign intelligence agency in what he suggests could be an attempt to destabilize Georgia.

“These are not just rumors,” Kobakhidze said gravely. “This is a direct violation of our sovereignty.”

In Ukraine, the reaction was swift— and furious. Officials flatly denied any involvement, calling the claims politically motivated and lacking evidence.

They demanded transparency. Proof.

Something beyond accusations aired on national television. So far, Georgian authorities have not released independently verified documentation to support the claims.

This isn’t the first time such accusations have surfaced. Over the past two years, the Georgian government has occasionally floated the idea of a “second front” being opened by Ukraine— an effort, they say, to drag Georgia into the war with Russia. Each time, critics—both local and international—have questioned the timing and the motives behind the claims.

“This playbook isn’t new,” said one regional analyst, speaking anonymously.

“When domestic pressure rises, the government points the finger outside.

It creates fear. It buys time.”

Back on Rustaveli, though, the mood among organizers is defiant. They say no amount of intimidation will stop what’s coming on October 4. Many believe this moment will determine whether Georgia slides further into political stagnation—or takes a bold step back toward the West.

“It’s not about one party,” said one young activist. “It’s about the soul of this country. And we’re not going to let it be stolen.”

As the days tick down, the stakes keep rising. For the opposition, October 4 is a test of will. For the government, it’s a potential security threat. And for Georgia, it may be one of the most pivotal days in its modern history.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2025

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“Operation Provocation” - Robert Pszczel Explains Why Moscow Sent Drones into Polish Airspace INTERVIEW BY VAZHA TAVBERIDZE

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t was what I call ‘Operation Provocation,’ - Robert Pszczel, Senior Fellow at the Casimir Pulaski Foundation tells Radio Free Europe’s Georgian Service.

According to Pszczel, who is a former NATO official who headed the NATO Information Office in Moscow until 2015, the recent drone incursion into Polish airspace was deliberate, and was designed to test air defenses, political unity, and Alliance cohesion. , He praises NATO’s swift operational response, but explains that deterrence depends as much on political will as on military capability. He also warns that strengthening NATO’s eastern flank and considering bold measures such as a partial no-fly zone over Ukraine may now be necessary to curb Russian aggression.

THE DRONE INCIDENT IN POLAND — WHAT HAPPENED, AND WHERE DO WE FIND OURSELVES NOW? What we know is that a group of drones from Russia, though from the direction of Belarus, entered Polish airspace. There are still many details emerging, but one thing we can say for certain is that, contrary to President Trump’s suggestion that this might have been a mistake, it was not. It was what I call Operation Provocation. Mistakes, of course, happen, but we are not talking about a single stray drone. This was a significant number, following a set path and pursuing specific objectives.

And because Poland is a NATO member, we were not dealing with the situation alone. Assets allocated to SACEUR were activated: Dutch fighter planes, Polish F-16s, Italian jets from another nearby ally, tankers from the Netherlands, plus German Patriots. This was a NATO defense operation — which already makes it extremely serious.

SOME EXPERTS HAVE VENTURED AS FAR AS CALLING THIS THE BIGGEST TEST NATO HAS FACED THIS CENTURY. IS SUCH FRAMING JUSTIFIED? There was even a suggestion that this was the first time NATO had militarily engaged Russia. That is not correct: about 10 years ago, two Russian fighter planes were shot down over Turkey — a NATO member state. With the full backing of the Alliance.

So, in that sense, this is not the first time. But back then we did not have the biggest war in Europe since 1945. We do now. Let us leave it to historians to decide whether this is indeed NATO’s greatest test, but it certainly is a test. And in Poland at least, there is no doubt as to

Russia is a predator. This regime does not want to stop the war. It fears for its own survival

the purpose of this operation.

The first aim was to provoke and to test our air defense response. The second was to test the unity of Poland’s political leadership. Ours is a democratic country, and it is no secret that our political scene is highly polarized. But on this issue there was no disunity — quite the opposite. And the third aim was to test NATO’s unity, and they failed there too.

I believe that the time has come to revisit an idea which is not new: a partial no-fly zone

IS THERE ALSO A KIND OF SACRAL ASPECT TO IT, IN THE SENSE THAT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIER HAS CRUMBLED — THAT IT WOULD BE UNTHINKABLE FOR RUSSIA TO DARE ATTACK A NATO COUNTRY, YET HERE IT IS?

aggressive nation, but because it just makes sense if you take a look at the map. In other words, it is an issue which always has to be written into our calculations. And, therefore, one needs to beef up the line of defense, particularly in the Baltic countries, even more than is the case today, which was, by the way, one of the recommendations issued by SACEUR as a response to this “operation provocation”.

In a sense, yes. But again, it depends on whom you ask. For those of us who, in a professional capacity, have been dealing with the Russian threat for years, this comes as no surprise. It is the Kremlin’s modus operandi. Ordinary people, of course, are worried.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE RUSSIAN RESPONSE, THEY DON’T SEEM UNDULY CONCERNED. THEY LOOK ALMOST NONCHALANT. SO THE ENTIRE DETERRENCE ARCHITECTURE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE DETERRING RUSSIANS VERY MUCH AT THIS POINT If we are talking about deterrence with a capital D, then my answer is: no, I do not believe Russia is ready to launch an outright attack on a NATO country.

Yes, the recklessness, the detachment from reality inside Putin’s head — and among those around him who simply parrot his words or follow his orders — is growing. We could have a long discussion about the mental state of a dictator who still thinks he can win this war, who views everything through the lens of “I will prevail.” This is a KGB brain, a Chekist brain, where everything is black and white.

But look at his behavior during Covid: this was a man who forced even his closest associates into week-long quarantines before meeting him, for fear of “contamination.” That is not the behavior of someone with suicidal instincts. And an outright attack on NATO would be suicidal: Putin is well aware of that.

But if you go one level down — to provocations, to hybrid warfare — things become far trickier.

Here, unfortunately, his calculations about the stance of NATO’s strongest member, the United States, come into play. The reluctance of this administration to impose truly severe sanctions has been noted in Moscow — I’ve lost count of how many deadlines were missed, but I am sure the Russians are keeping track. Then came the Alaska Summit, which will go down as a blemish in US history. You should not welcome an indicted war criminal with red carpets and handshakes.

This kind of behavior emboldens Putin.

He wants to test the limits further. If you look at the bigger picture, Russia is a predator. This regime does not want to stop the war. One could argue it cannot stop, because it fears for its own survival.

The only obvious conclusion is that Russia must be forced to stop. And that requires a united front, and the full use of all available levers.

IF YOU WERE PUTIN, LOOKING AT THE NATO RESPONSE TO THIS INCIDENT,

SO WHAT SHOULD NATO’S NEXT STEPS BE TO MAKE SURE THESE KIND OF THINGS DON’T HAPPEN AGAIN, OR ARE MET WITH MORE BACKLASH?

Robert Pszczel, Senior Fellow at the Casimir Pulaski Foundation

WOULD YOU FEEL DETERRED OR EMBOLDENED? If we are talking about NATO’s reaction as an institution, then no, I do not think anyone can complain — on the contrary, NATO acted swiftly and efficiently.

But was Putin deterred? Had that response been amplified by a forceful US stance, then yes, I would say Putin would have been deterred. But deterrence is not just about capabilities — it is also about signaling intentions. And in this case, the lack of communication, the ambiguity, has likely given Putin hope that he can get away with things like these.

All allies are equal, of course — but it would be ludicrous to pretend that the US is not primus inter pares. And the Russians are obsessed with the “big guys.” The absence of a clear statement from President Trump, and instead remarks that only muddied the waters, probably made the Russians happy. And that is not good, as it will embolden them further.

HOW WORRIED SHOULD WE BE ABOUT THE SUWAŁKI

CORRIDOR BEING HIS NEXT POTENTIAL TARGET? COULD THAT BE A POINT OF VULNERABILITY FOR POLAND AND NATO? It’s an issue which requires special attention, because one only needs to look at the map. This region is one of the most militarized regions in Europe.

It’s like one huge, unsinkable aircraft carrier. So, of course, one needs to take it seriously. And the Russians are the Russians. So we are where we are.

And of course, this issue is included in any defensive plans. But one could also recall a reply given to this question by the former Chief of the Polish Armed Forces, General Rajmund Andrzejczak. Back then, when he still held the position, he was asked, “how worried should we be? What would you do?” And his answer was, in essence: “Look, if a real war started, we would bomb the hell out of the Kaliningrad region. All the military installations, everything would become a target.” And we can do that.

It is not a bad message, not because we are some kind of war-obsessed,

Two parts. First is beefing up the presence and the strength on the Eastern flank — we’re talking about air assets, perhaps naval assets, anti-drone assets, perhaps some more troops. But the second part, I believe that the time has come to revisit an idea which is not new. It was already suggested, I recall, in 2022, by Ukrainians and others. Actually, even some people in Poland were suggesting this, but there was no political climate to implement it, but now there is: a partial no-fly zone. It’s a Ukrainian proposal, so I guess they would agree, obviously, that with Ukrainian permission, we shoot down the drones and missiles that are going to enter our airspace, we would be able to shoot them down in Ukrainian airspace — at least, for example, in the western or perhaps southern part of Ukraine.

And obviously that would have to be done from Polish, perhaps Romanian territory, perhaps even from the Baltic countries. This is about protecting our space. Secondly, it would obviously help Ukrainians in the immediate sense of augmenting their defense capabilities.

And this would not mean that NATO would enter the war. Per the UN Charter, it is a right of self-defense. What reinforces my belief that this would be the right answer, is that the Russians are terrified of this possibility. They clearly felt very uncomfortable, because they started calling it escalation and provocative — which means they are afraid of it. So it reinforces the view that this is exactly the path you should take, because that is precisely what the Kremlin is afraid of.

So the challenge is real, but at the same time, the picture is not pessimistic, because we have the tools. We have allies, we have partners, we have our own defense-industrial base. And compared to Russia — this is the last point — this was the case during the Cold War, and this is perhaps even more the case today. Russia cannot match, in any meaningful sense, in any meaningful term, Western technological capabilities, as long as we put our resources and focus on the issue. So they cannot win this race, period.

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BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2025

Georgia Uncovers Massive Money Laundering Scheme Involving over $600 Mln

BY TEAM GT

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he National Bank of Georgia (NBG) and law enforcement authorities have confirmed the uncovering of an unprecedented largescale money laundering operation involving the illicit legalization of approximately USD 624 million and EUR 35 million between 2022 and 2024. The investigation, led by the Prosecutor’s Office in cooperation with the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG), has resulted in the detention of at least one individual on money laundering charges.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia, the accused operated under the cover of a currency exchange business licensed by the National Bank of Georgia. In deliberate violation of the country’s Law on Facilitating the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing, the individual orchestrated an illegal network that collected large sums of unverified funds, altered their form through currency conversion, and injected them into the legal economy.

“The accused organized an illegal network for collecting funds of unsubstantiated origin, altering their origin through conversion, and placing them into legal circulation,” the Prosecutor’s Office stated.

Investigators revealed that members of the criminal group, in coordination with the detainee, systematically facilitated the smuggling of large amounts of foreign currency from neighboring countries. These funds bypassed customs

Cash. Source: bloomberg

procedures using specially designed hiding places in vehicles, and were delivered directly to the currency exchange point.

The illicit money was subsequently deposited into commercial banks, disguised as legitimate revenues from foreign exchange operations, supported by falsified documentation regarding their origin. After conversion, the laundered money was transferred to third parties, reinvested, and used to purchase movable and immovable assets, fully integrating the illicit proceeds into the legitimate financial system.

Throughout the investigation, the NBG has maintained its supervisory role,

overseeing currency exchange points and cooperating fully with law enforcement agencies. The Bank confirmed it provided all requested information promptly and in full compliance with Georgian legislative procedures.

The NBG operates under a risk-based supervisory framework consistent with international standards set by organizations such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). It actively monitors financial institutions, including currency exchange offices, for compliance with anti-money laundering (AML), counterterrorism financing (CTF), and international sanctions regulations.

“Due to high public interest, we clarify

that the National Bank of Georgia, within the framework of its legal mandate, actively cooperated with relevant agencies regarding the alleged legalization of illegal income and remains involved in the investigative process,” the Bank stated.

The total volume of laundered funds is estimated at around USD 624 million and EUR 35 million over the two-year period. Large amounts of cash and assets have already been seized during investigative operations. The Prosecutor’s Office has announced plans to pursue legal measures to confiscate illicit funds and other assets in favor of the state.

The prosecution will request pre-trial

detention for the accused, with charges carrying penalties of up to 12 years of imprisonment under Georgian law.

Implications for Georgia’s Financial Sector This case poses significant challenges to Georgia’s financial system, risking reputational damage that could deter foreign investment and complicate international financial relations. However, it also serves as a catalyst for regulatory and enforcement reforms.

The NBG’s role in supervising the financial sector and enforcing anti-money laundering (AML) standards is critical.

Georgia has made progress in this area, as confirmed by positive assessments from the Council of Europe’s MONEYVAL Committee, which evaluates compliance with AML and counter-terrorist financing standards.

International scrutiny from bodies like MONEYVAL and FATF is expected to intensify, encouraging Georgia to further strengthen its regulatory framework, enhance inter-agency cooperation, and close oversight gaps—especially in highrisk sectors such as currency exchange offices.

Georgia’s geographic position as a regional trade and transit hub makes it vulnerable to transnational financial crime, including money laundering and terrorist financing. This case highlights the ongoing need for vigilance, transparency, and international cooperation to maintain the integrity of its financial system.

The Prosecutor’s Office and State Security Service are continuing their investigation to identify all perpetrators and dismantle the laundering network.

Over 200 Women Georgia Settles Outstanding Debts Entrepreneurs Present With Russia and Six Other Nations Products at Expo Georgia

BY MARIAM RAZMADZE

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Photo: BTU.

BY MARIAM RAZMADZE

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he largest exhibition and sale dedicated to women entrepreneurs in Georgia took place on 13–14 September, bringing together more than 200 local businesswomen at Expo Georgia. Now in its fourth year, the event was organized by UN Women with the support of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and the European Union.

The exhibition featured a wide variety of products, from food, wine and beverages to handicrafts, decor, accessories, toys and beauty items. Many of the participating entrepreneurs represented marginalized groups, including women who had experienced gender-based violence, residents of high-mountain regions, and refugees from Ukraine. This year, a strong emphasis was placed on ecofriendly and recycled products.

The event also offered family-friendly spaces, including educational and entertainment activities for children, as well as areas for food and music, making it

both a marketplace and a community gathering.

High-ranking guests included Belen Sanz Luque, UN Women Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia; Nicolas Sendrowicz, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Georgia; Bergljot Hovland, Ambassador of Norway to Georgia; and Alkis Vryenios Drakinos, Regional Director for the Caucasus at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Alongside the exhibition, a panel discussion on financial inclusion highlighted the role of banks and microfinance institutions in expanding women’s access to economic opportunities.

The initiative was carried out under the UN Women project ‘Good Governance for Gender Equality in Georgia’, funded by the Government of Norway.

In addition to NORAD and the EU, the exhibition was held in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Asian Development Bank (ADB), GIZ, TBC Bank, Crystal Microfinance, MBC Microfinance, the Georgian Farmers’ Association, Business and Technology University and Expo Georgia.

he Georgian Ministry of Finance and Russian staterun outlet TASS, reported that Georgia has paid its long-standing debts to seven countries, including Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The repayment is the end of a financial obligation dating back to the country’s early post-independence years. Georgia has now paid off the remaining $3.9 million owed to Russia, a debt that had been publicly recorded since 2003, when the country’s total external debt stood at $1.5 billion. At that time, $157 million was owed specifically to Russia.

In addition to Moscow, Tbilisi has also settled debts with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan and Iran. Azerbaijani state outlet APA stated that the total amount Georgia

Photo: Paytm.

owed to Armenia and Azerbaijan was around $1 million combined.

Georgia’s Finance Ministry has mentioned that these debts originated in the turbulent years following independence.

They were formally restructured in 2004, with repayments commencing in 2011.

While the country has reduced these bilateral obligations, Georgia’s overall public debt has risen to $9 billion as of August. The composition of its creditors has also shifted. Today, France holds the largest share of Georgia’s debt, at $851 million.

Georgian Finance Ministry Seizes Record Quantity of Counterfeit Alcohol and Cigarettes

BY TEAM GT

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he Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia has confiscated an unprecedented cache of illegal goods, including 75,137 bottles of alcoholic beverages and 318,000 packs of excisable Karelia cigarettes, all lacking proper excise stamps.

Authorities have detained seven individuals, among them former professional boxer and businessman Giorgi Kandelaki.

According to the investigation, the suspects operated an illegal factory for

several years, producing and bottling both Georgian and foreign-branded alcoholic beverages in a handicraft manner.

Among the counterfeit brands seized were vodkas Beluga, Belveder, Grey Goose, and whiskeys Borkan and Chivas Regal, all intended for sale without legal excise markings.

Searches of the facility uncovered not only the finished products, but also 24 tons of alcohol-containing liquid, bottles, corks, labels, and packaging materials used in the production process. The excise-free Karelia cigarettes were found in a nearby warehouse, along with technical equipment for packaging and manufacturing.

The total value of the seized items could reach tens of millions of GEL, pending expert evaluation. The case is being pursued under Article 196 (Part 3) and Article 200 (Part 4) of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which carry prison sentences of 7 to 10 years.

Kandelaki has pleaded not guilty, according to his lawyer, Gagi Mosiashvili, who told InterpressNews that his client runs a legitimate business. “There may have been some kind of mistake,” Mosiashvili said, adding that the indictment’s description “does not correspond to reality” and that Kandelaki has no connection to the properties or the alleged illegal activity.

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SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2025

Restoring the Floodplain: SABUKO’s Gabion Brings Life Back to the Iori Valley Looking ahead, the SABUKO team is planning diverse activities to further restore the floodplain forest.

“Because these forests are of immense importance to the Chachuna Reserve— home to unique biodiversity, including rare species of animals and birds—we intend to identify additional potential restoration areas within the reserve,” he notes.

“Depending on the terraces, we will reintroduce species typical for floodplains. In doing so, we will carefully consider variables such as past activities, including fencing and the existing gabions, to ensure that future actions—be it planting, oak seeding, or other interventions—are sustainable, project-based, and deliver tangible results. Our forestry expert, Vasil Metreveli, lecturer at Ilia State University, will be professionally engaged in the process.”

At this stage, SABUKO has already installed two gabions on the Iori River, surrounded by floodplain forests that provide crucial habitat for numerous unique bird and animal species. These gabions have significantly improved bank flooding and made a substantial contribution to the restoration of the floodplain forest, which depends on periodic inun-

The gabion. Source: Sabuko

BY ANA DUMBADZE

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loodplain forests provide essential ecological services: they filter pollutants, improve water quality, prevent erosion, and protect rivers from flooding, all while supporting rich biodiversity.

Since 2019, SABUKO – the Society for Nature Conservation – has been working to restore landscapes and protect biodiversity across Georgia’s Iori Plateau, including the Chachuna Managed Reserve. Their ongoing project, ‘Kakheti Steppes: A Fragile Balance Between a Living Landscapes and a Future Desert,’ launched in 2022 with the support of the Endangered Landscapes & Seascape Program, aims to reverse ecological degradation and revive floodplain forests.

At the heart of this effort is a deceptively simple yet powerful tool: the gabion, or stone barrage. Installed across the Iori River in 2020, the structure gently raises water levels, allowing seasonal flooding of the terraces, and lifting groundwater. This process nourishes the floodplain forest, encourages natural regeneration, and provides vital habitats for fish and other wildlife.

The results have been striking. In just a few years, the floodplain forest has shown clear signs of recovery—expanding in area, renewing its species composition, and improving conditions for biodiversity. The project has also helped restore fish habitats and food sources, reinforcing the ecological balance of the valley.

Building on this success, SABUKO has prepared a second gabion further downstream. The new structure, measuring 1.5–1.8 meters in height, was designed to counter deep erosion caused by the construction of the Dali Reservoir. By restoring natural water levels, it will ensure the long-term survival of characteristic floodplain species, such as oak and poplar, while helping curb invasive plants that threaten the ecosystem.

Researchers emphasize that the intervention is minimal, but the benefits are profound: raised groundwater, healthier soils, and a richer, more resilient forest ecosystem. Without such measures, erosion and deforestation would continue,

weakening the Iori floodplain’s role as a refuge for wildlife and a vital migratory corridor.

For SABUKO, the gabion is more than stone and wire—it is a symbol of how small, thoughtful interventions can heal entire landscapes, preserving Georgia’s natural heritage for generations to come.

To find out more details about the gabion’s role in restoring the landscape and conserving biodiversity in the Iori floodplain, as well as SABUKO’s current activities and future plans, GEORGIA TODAY spoke to Giorgi Chikorashvili, Natural Resources Program Manager.

Chikorashvili begins by outlining the origins and purpose of the initiative, explaining that the construction of the Dali Mountain Reservoir had drastically altered the Iori floodplain ecosystem.

“Since the construction of the Dali Mountain Reservoir, natural flooding no longer occurs in the floodplain forest, he notes. “The dam blocks the flow, and the release of water at a fixed level deepens the riverbed year after year. As a result, the river channel has sunk to the point where it can no longer physically flood its banks—even when the gates are opened and water is released for artificial flooding.”

“Consequently,” he adds, “neither flooding nor soil absorption and retention of water takes place.”

This ecological disruption prompted SABUKO to take action. Chikorashvili said their initial research revealed what was needed to begin restoring the natural processes.

“Our preliminary comprehensive studies identified what was needed to restore this process, and in 2020, we installed the first gabion,” he tells us.

The results, he notes, were immediate and promising.

“The project proved highly successful, as confirmed by several studies, including those on ichthyofauna and forest conditions,” he explains. “For us, a certain degree of human intervention in the river is a tool to restore the floodplain forest. The gabion was created precisely for this purpose. By constructing the stone barrier, we were able to slow the river’s flow and raise its water level, allowing water to accumulate and flood the banks.”

Thanks to this intervention, natural

Without such measures, erosion and deforestation would continue, weakening the floodplain’s role as a refuge for wildlife and a vital migratory corridor processes began to return to the area.

“The first gabion functions effectively: today, 3 to 5 hectares of floodplain forest have already regained the natural processes characteristic of this ecosystem— processes that had been interrupted for years,” Chikorashvili says. “For floodplain forests, periodic flooding is vital, and we have successfully restored this function.”

Encouraged by this success, SABUKO explored the possibility of building another gabion on the Iori River. Together with hydrologists and geologists, and with the involvement of the director of Chachuna Managed Reserve, Nodar Teteloshvili, they began by selecting a suitable site.

“Before construction, a forestry researcher joined our team to assess the potential impact areas once the water level rose. As part of the hydrologists’ project, each tree in the affected zones was examined individually—a remarkably detailed study. SABUKO continues to monitor the results step by step,” Chikorashvili tells us.

He emphasizes the close relationship between scientific research and on-theground practice.

“Since research and practice have worked hand in hand in our case, we are not stopping here!” he says.

Building the gabion. Source: Sabuko

Researchers emphasize that the intervention is minimal, but the benefits are profound dation for its survival.

While no further gabion construction is currently planned, the project’s success and the ecological benefits it has brought suggest the value of assessing how many such barriers would be optimal for the Iori floodplain. In the near future, restoration activities such as planting and seeding will begin. As always, SABUKO will continue—energetically and with full dedication—its vital work of conserving and restoring nature in the Iori floodplains.

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2025

9

Photo by the author

Emergent Monsters BLOG BY TONY HANMER

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he hot, dry summer in Svaneti is ending, in fits and starts, and we are now shutting our windows at night and wearing more clothes during the day. Hot is relative, though, compared to Georgia’s lowlands: what’s 30 degrees C in Tbilisi or Zugdidi, 25 at night, in midsummer? Nothing! But I do have to keep on removing a layer or two as things cool down, then warm up again.

Definitely not just a smooth descent of temperature. A clear night might get us down to 5 degrees C; a cloudless day following might go up to past 20.

One tourist has already rebooked a September 9 stay for the 22nd, hoping for drier weather; my wife can stop watering the garden daily to keep it alive, as frequent rains remove the necessity of that task. Day by day, now, the allgreen mountains are yellowing or reddening into their mix of fall colors. The dark evergreens will stay exactly that. A thin layer of snow on the mountaintops, as is likely to come before the overall

whitening, will add more magic to the palette. A while of dark, leafless deadness is next, in the last two months of the year, before that big snow transforms everything into gray tones, virtually all color gone.

With such weather, of course, come more clouds. I often look out the southfacing windows of the house to see what is developing at the huge Mountain Wall there. I often go upstairs with both my iPhone and big Canon digital camera, for simultaneous timelapse videos and long-lens closeups.

A timelapse is always a gamble against the near future. You start a 1-frame-persecond shoot, never knowing what the cloudscape will look like an hour or so from now; even 5 minutes in the future, a big fog might have boiled up from the Enguri and obscured everything further than 50 meters away. The delightful thing that timelapses have shown me is that clouds can move across the sky in many different directions at the same time, almost unnoticed by our eyes but sped up gloriously by this video process. Each layer of clouds might have its own wind pushing it in another vector. Put it all together, and you can have wonderful

organized chaos. The rotating night sky’s stars would add still another motion; but I’ve not yet tried the transition from daylight to night, though it’s on my list.

I often prop up the phone on the windowsill for the timelapse and then shoot through the same window at the same time with the big camera, zooming in for details, which I’ll mostly process later in black and white. And here is a whole other kind of magic.

Pointy evergreens on gorge edges force their way through wisps of cloud like ship prows. White clouds isolate themselves against the dark green background.

Sometimes a bank of cloud parts to reveal that darkness inside or underneath it.

I’m always comparing positive and negative space, black on white or white on black. I might even reverse all the tones of a scene, making a monochrome negative of it, if that works better.

And, yes, sometimes the dragons do come out to play, they or other fantastic monsters. We have so many words for them in English, many borrowed from other languages. Basilisk, wyvern, gorgon, balrog, phoenix, Garuda, thunderbird, harpy, siren, griffin, chimera, manticore, sphinx, cockatrice, hydra… and

Photo by the author

hundreds more. I am attuned to them, expecting them, and not disappointed.

Over the course of a two-hour timelapse, I might also shoot 200 or 300 stills (if house chores permit), as the clouds swirl in and away. So I end up with both a video record of the whole event and many small closeups of its little individual dramas, at the same time. Different media and appearances from the same slice of time and space. I don’t need to go far, or even anywhere except upstairs.

Another location would give me entirely different results. But I have spent 13 years in this house, including 10 winters, and know well what landscapes it has to offer from every direction. This, after a life-

time of moving house and moving from one country to another, is the lesson of gradual, patient discovery, of what a place has to show to the slow observer.

Worth the years. Dragons, other denizens, I greet you!

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

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CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2025

The Septuagenarian Golden Tenor’s Incredible Bel Canto BLOG BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

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was getting ready for the Tbilisi Opera opening season this year with exactly the same enthusiasm I had when, at the age of thirteen in 1955, my mom prepared me for the first night of Abesalom & Eteri.

Emotion-wise, it seems not much has changed over the last seventy years.

It was Sakartvelo’s golden tenor, Teimuraz Gugushvili, who on the 14th of September 2025 sang Abesalom to open the 174th season at our beloved Opera and Ballet State Theatre. This marked his personal 48th season opening. The undying Georgian musical genius of Zacharia Paliashvili continues to attract opera buffs without fail—which is quite understandable. His operas are already in our blood, not just in our minds.

What amazes me most of all is Gugushvili himself, who will soon be 75. His remarkably youthful tenor never fades.

In fact, he sounds even better now than he did a quarter of a century ago, when he was only fifty. The maturation of his voice and singing style is an ongoing process.

I often wonder if there’s some secret behind his charming voice. Frankly, I spoke to him barely a month ago, hoping to learn the answer. But what I heard

from him was this: he has never done anything unusual for his voice—no special care, no uncommon exercises, no outlandish training methods, no tricks to preserve or maintain his vocal excellence in perfect shape.

Temur Gugushvili is just a regular good guy—eating, drinking, behaving, and enjoying life as we all do. Together with his wonderful wife, Lamara Gloveli, he has raised a delightful family. He is simply natural—born that way—with a silver spoon and a golden voice in his mouth.

When the curtain rose, my heart started beating faster—the same overture, the same stage, the same breath of the audience! I felt thrown back to my teenage level of emotionality. But Gugushvili’s electrifying voice, introduced at that sacred moment in the most masterful manner, brought me back to my grownup senses.

He held up the entire opera extremely well—with dignity, vigor, and musical aptitude—keeping his mesmerizing tenor astonishingly free and expressive, yet in tight harmony with Paliashvili’s rhythm and tune. Unbelievable!

I wished the entire country could have been compressed into that small theater— briefly called the Opera House—at that thrilling moment, so we could all listen together to our genuinely national voice.

It was a voice very different from what

Teimuraz Gugushvili. Source: FB

our tired and overstrained public is usually compelled to hear in the streets or through our multitude of mass communication channels.

The nation has poured its love for Teimuraz (Temur) Gugushvili into a beautiful publication containing his biography and warm letters of appreciation from dozens of prominent public figures. The grateful Georgian society

has also unveiled his star in front of his beloved Opera Theater, where he has performed for almost half a century— never once straying from his dramatic operatic style, always using a full, rich, and broad tone and smooth musical phrasing. A superb piece of genuine bel canto.

Teimuraz Gugushvili—the People’s Artist of Georgia, winner of the State,

Paliashvili, and Anjaparidze prizes, principal soloist of the Tbilisi Opera, head of the solo singing chair at the Tbilisi State Conservatory, professor, and Knight of the Order of Honor—wherever he goes and sings, demonstrates a surprising habit of forgetting all these honors and regalia. He becomes simply a lovely, good-natured man of his years: a dedicated friend, caring husband, loving dad, beloved grandpa, and helpful neighbor.

His most recent performance, just the other day, played to a full house and was met with a long, standing ovation—several curtain calls, a truckload of flowers, vigorous applause, and the warmest possible reception.

On the other hand, you can’t surprise Temur Gugushvili with stage success of that caliber. In nearly fifty years on stage, he has sung and performed in more than three thousand productions, both in Sakartvelo and abroad—in Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, England, Germany, France, Spain, America, and many others, not to mention every capital city of the former Soviet republics.

The Italian school of singing, through which he trained, has had a special effect on his career, enabling him to successfully perform nearly every classical operatic tenor role.

No surprise, then, that the public wants to keep him on stage forever. And he just might!

Excavating Memory: The Doca Film Club and the Return of Georgia’s Lost Decades side it, Aleksandre Zhghenti’s Do We Need the Soviet Union’s Football Championship? (1991) captured, with a peculiar irony, the absurd persistence of Soviet cultural rituals even as the very state disintegrated. These films, when placed next to the blunt Privilege Without Privilege, did not narrate history but rather registered its implosion—short, jagged impressions, like torn-out diary pages rather than completed reports.

THE YOUTH QUESTION

Photo source: doca.ge

BY IVAN NECHAEV

E

very Monday evening this autumn, Amirani Cinema will transform into something closer to an archaeological site than a movie theater.

The new season of the Doca Film Club (September–October 2025) revisits a body of work that has been screened too rarely, discussed too cautiously, and archived too unevenly: Georgian documentary cinema of the 1990s and 2000s.

The program, researched by Lika Glurjidze and Luka Bedoshvili, is less a festival than a collective séance, an attempt to summon back the fragmented voices of a society negotiating trauma, war, migration, and the slow erosion of certainties that accompanied the collapse of one empire and the unfinished con-

struction of another.

The choice of Amirani Cinema—Tbilisi’s post-Soviet architectural hybrid, equal parts relic and survivor—is significant. To screen these films in a venue adapted for wheelchair users, with English subtitles carefully affixed, is to insist that these stories matter not only to Georgians old enough to remember the blackouts of the 1990s, but also to a younger, international audience that may find in them eerie echoes of contemporary dislocations.

A SHATTERED PROLOGUE: VISUAL ARCHIVE The season opened with a set of shorts that functioned almost like a newsreel shattered into fragments. The Way Home (1990), dedicated to philosopher Merab Mamardashvili, was less a documentary than a requiem for intellectual life in a society on the brink of implosion. Along-

Omar Gvasalia’s Meet Our Children (1988) and Levan Kitia’s companion feature Track plunge into the atmosphere of late-Soviet adolescence. The skateboards and casual chatter of Georgian youth are not incidental: they are prophetic signs of a generation about to confront a radically unstable landscape.

Seen from 2025, these images of teenagers rehearsing freedom feel almost unbearably fragile, as if their laughter carried within it the foreshadowing of economic collapse, separatist wars, and forced emigration.

AMERICA AS BOTH PROMISE AND TRAP The double program of America in One Room (2007) and Of Course, America (2009) brings the 1990s émigré narrative into sharp focus. Kandelaki’s chronicle of a Georgian prisoner in the United States is an inversion of the classic immigrant dream: escape becomes incarceration, America is no longer a haven but a cell. Furtskhvanidze and Smit’s Of Course, America moves more subtly, sketching the bureaucratic and affective labyrinths of illegal migration. Together, these films dismantle the mythologies of the West that haunted the Georgian imagination after independence—while also exposing the deep psychic costs of departure.

FEMININE COUNTER-ARCHIVES The program pivots with two evenings devoted to women’s voices. The short films of the early 1990s—I Am and My Nabadi, Niniko, Women, Mandilosnebi— are attempts to inscribe female experience into a visual field otherwise dominated by male war narratives. They are fragile, even tentative works, but collectively they form a mosaic of resilience and everyday survival.

A week later, the retrospective of Lia Jaqeli’s films (The Invisible, All Important, I Don’t Know) sharpens this focus.

Jaqeli, both philologist and filmmaker, emerges as one of the most incisive documentarians of Georgia’s marginalized lives. Her attention to women, minorities, and those trapped in the interstices of society feels strikingly contemporary, yet also painfully ignored in her time. To view Jaqeli now is to recognize how the grammar of Georgian documentary might have looked had her sensibility become central rather than peripheral.

LANDSCAPES OF DISAPPEARANCE The final week stages a double confrontation with absence. Aleksandre and Rati Rekhviashvili’s The Endings (2009) is a film of almost liturgical stillness: elderly villagers moving through snow, rituals performed as though time itself has frozen, traditions persisting in the vacuum left by emigration and death. Its minimalism is radical—words are nearly absent, music and gesture dominate, as if language itself had become inadequate to describe the persistence of life in abandonment.

Paired with it, Nostalgia (1999) by Tato Kotetishvili and Ineke Smits revisits the civil war’s intimate devastations, showing how history dismantles friendship, love, and memory from within. If The

Endings offers the visual poetry of rural decay, Nostalgia documents the interior ruin of urban souls.

A POLITICS OF SPECTATORSHIP This season of Doca is not only a program but also an argument: that Georgia’s most urgent contemporary dilemmas— migration, memory, marginalization— were already being filmed with startling clarity thirty years ago. The decision to provide English subtitles extends the reach of these films beyond local nostalgia. It insists that these images belong within a global conversation on how post-Soviet societies metabolize collapse and renewal.

At 10 GEL a ticket (five for students and Doca members), the screenings are less a commercial venture than a civic ritual. The modest price echoes the club’s implicit ethos: that cinema here functions as a democratic archive, a place where memory is distributed rather than privatized.

THE RETURN OF THE POSTPONED There is also the ghostly fact that this program was meant to be shown last November but was delayed by Georgia’s political turbulence. To watch it now, in a society once again entangled in protest and repression, is to realize that the archive never lies dormant. Each frame carries an afterlife, an accusation, and a warning.

The Doca Film Club season, in its quiet Monday-evening cadence, proposes a form of cultural work more radical than any blockbuster premiere: to sit with the ghosts of the 1990s and 2000s, to let them breathe again in the darkened auditorium of Amirani, and to ask—without the comfort of closure— what these fragments demand from the present.

CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2025

11

A Birthday in C Minor: Eliso Virsaladze Opens Autumn Tbilisi REVIEW BY IVAN NECHAEV

O

n the evening of September 14, the Djansug Kakhidze Tbilisi Center for Music and Culture gathered a public that had already surrendered to the inevitability of a sold-out hall. The opening of the thirty-third season of the Autumn Tbilisi International Music Festival coincided with the birthday of Eliso Virsaladze, Georgia’s most revered pianist, whose life in music has become a kind of cultural myth. An entire festival season began as a celebration of a single artist whose name carries the weight of an entire school, an aesthetic lineage, and a memory of Georgian artistry within the global concert world.

The evening revolved around Beethoven. Virsaladze took the stage with the Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, and Vakhtang Kakhidze led the Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra in the Seventh Symphony. The sequence suggested a single architecture: the concerto as introspective threshold, the symphony as outward surge of rhythm.

Virsladze’s approach to Beethoven’s Third Concerto is a lesson in concentration. Her opening entry did not impose itself with volume or drama; it carried a gravity that drew the orchestral fabric inward. Each phrase unfolded with a transparency that revealed the underly-

Eliso Virsaladze and Vakhtang Kakhidze. Photo by the author

ing logic of the score. The Allegro con brio felt like a process of illumination, every gesture chiseling the structure with measured intensity.

The cadenza stood as a summit of thought. Virsaladze seemed less concerned with display than with exposing the tensions inscribed in the music. The long spans of the Largo then stretched into silence, phrases sustained with a patience that transformed the hall into a kind of interior chapel. By the Rondo, her touch shifted toward wit and dance, each rhythmic figure shaped with sharp clarity. The

Eliso Virsaladze and Vakhtang Kakhidze. Photo by the author

concerto closed without flourish, its resonance carried in the memory of the audience rather than in overt gestures.

Kakhidze approached the Seventh Symphony with a sense of continuity rather than grandeur. The Allegretto advanced with dignified restraint, its pulse steady and solemn. The energy of the Presto provided momentum, and the final Allegro con brio unfolded in a sweep that emphasized propulsion over spectacle.

The orchestra provided the necessary canvas for the evening’s design, maintaining cohesion while allowing Virsaladze’s

concerto to remain the center of gravity.

The concert moved beyond the level of repertoire and performance into the realm of cultural biography. Virsaladze’s presence connected Georgian audiences with a history of interpretation shaped in Moscow and extended across Europe, a lineage that still defines standards of pianistic depth. Her teaching, her recordings, her insistence on clarity of form— all of these were present in the way she handled Beethoven’s pages.

The ovation carried an unmistakable tone of reverence. It acknowledged a

career that has already entered legend and yet continues to evolve. The festival’s opening night felt less like a ceremonial beginning of a season than like a collective gesture of gratitude.

Virsladze has always resisted glamor in favor of essence. Her Beethoven speaks with a voice stripped of ornament, invested instead in the logic of phrase, the breath of silence, the architecture of time. The choice to open Autumn Tbilisi with such an interpretation was a statement: music here belongs to the sphere of continuity, inheritance, and truth.

SPORTS

Strength in Work, Strength in Sport, That's Temo Abulashvili

BY TEAM GT

A

t Shangri La Tbilisi, excellence isn’t just measured at the gaming tables or in the office—it shines wherever our people bring their

talent and determination. Few embody this spirit better than Temo Abulashvili, who not only contributes his professionalism to our team, but also proves his strength on the international stage as a discus thrower.

In 2025, Temo’s dedication to sport brought remarkable achievements: gold at the Continental Tour Bronze in Tash-

Temo Abulashvili. Source: FB

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GEORGIA TODAY

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Editor-In-Chief: Katie Ruth Davies

kent, another first-place finish at the European Team Championships in Maribor, a strong fifth in Lisbon, eighth at the Balkan Athletics Championships in Greece, and silver at the Continental Tour Bronze in Almaty. Each result reflects the same qualities he shows at work—discipline, resilience, and an unshakable drive to perform.

“Temo represents the very best of what Shangri La stands for,” says Helen Keane, General Manager of Shangri La Tbilisi.

“Through his results, we see our core values—Performance, Collaboration, Creativity and Respect—brought to life.

His journey inspires all of us to aim higher, both inside and outside the workplace.”

"Balancing the demands of professional life with international competition is no easy task, yet Temo’s path shows what can be achieved when passion meets perseverance. His success is not only his personal triumph, but also a reflection of the culture of excellence we cultivate together at Shangri La," Keane concludes.

Journalists: Ana Dumbadze Vazha Tavberidze Tony Hanmer Nugzar B. Ruhadze Ivan Nechaev Mariam Razmadze

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