issue#1529

Issue no: 1529

• NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2025 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

American Publication The Wine Palate Highlights West Georgian Wines NEWS PAGE 2

The Winter Fair: Celebrating Community, Charity, and the Festive Season NEWS PAGE 3

Why Georgia Has More Welfare Recipients than “Poor” People — and What’s Really Behind It POLITICS PAGE 4

FOCUS ON THE CITY AND EMOTIONS

How urban environments shape well-being — A conversation with PAGE 8 Markus Appenzeller

Ukraine Latest: Battles and Escalating Strikes as Trump’s Peace Plan Looms over the Ukraine War POLITICS PAGE 4

Advancing Inclusion and Empowering Youth in Samtskhe-Javakheti Region

“Tinder Swindler” Simon Leviev Walks Free after BUSINESS PAGE 6 Germany Abruptly withdraws Extradition Request Löwenbräu Pub & Garden is now open in Rustavi

BY TEAM GT

SOCIETY PAGE 9

S

imon Leviev, better known globally as the “Tinder Swindler,” after the eponymous Netflix documentary, walked out of Kutaisi Prison last week after a sudden legal turn that caught even the closest observers by surprise.

For nearly two months, the 35-year-old Israeli had been held in Georgian custody on the basis of an Interpol Red Notice issued by Germany, where he was wanted in connection with an alleged €50,000 fraud case. But the case that once looked like an inevitable extradition battle collapsed almost overnight when German authorities quietly withdrew their request.

Leviev had been detained at Batumi Airport in September upon arrival. From that moment, his situation appeared straightforward: a Red Notice, an active German file, a suspect with a history of financial offenses, and a pending extradition process. Yet he staunchly denied any wrongdoing from day one of his detention.

Continued on page 7

Flickering Frequences: The Quiet Radicalism of Listening at the Evangelical-Baptist Church of Georgia CULTURE PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

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The "Tinder Swindler" with his lawyer on release last week. Source: Whatsapp

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2

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2025

American Publication The Wine Palate Highlights West Georgian Wines

BY TEAM GT

T Mayor Kaladze. Source: Tbilisi City Hall

Kaladze: Christmas and New Year Illuminations in Tbilisi to Be Ceremonially Lit on December 12

BY TEAM GT

C

hristmas and New Year preparations are underway in Tbilisi, where festive illuminations are already being installed across the city. At a municipal government meeting, Mayor Kakha Kaladze announced that the lights will be ceremonially switched on December 12, marking the official start of the holiday season in the capital.

Kaladze claimed that City Hall is actively working to create a festive atmosphere throughout Tbilisi, and this year, as in previous years, the private sector is encouraged to take part in shaping the holiday environment. He called on businesses and private companies to join in by setting up their own holiday lighting installations in designated areas.

“Tbilisi City Hall is preparing for Christmas and New Year events. The installation of illuminations across the city is already actively underway, and they will be ceremonially lit on December 12. This year as well, I would like to call on private companies and the business sector to actively engage in this process. It is important that as many companies as possible participate in the holiday events. Every year we allocate special areas — including parks and squares — where we give them the opportunity to install their Christmas lighting. Together we all create a pleasant and festive holiday atmosphere in the capital, and I am sure that your involvement will be there this year as well,” Kaladze said.

The Mayor also instructed Deputy Mayor Andria Basilaia to begin active communication with business representatives to coordinate their participation in the upcoming holiday activities.

Tbilisi Installs 130 Fast EV Chargers after Auction Bids Jump 11.5x

he Wine Palate, an American online weekly known for in-depth winery features and expert reviews, has published an article spotlighting the wines of western Georgia.

The platform, which maintains a global database of professionally rated wines, regularly features detailed reviews by leading industry specialists.

The article is authored by Lisa PerrottiBrown, a Master of Wine and respected wine critic based in Napa, California, who has worked in the wine industry for 25 years. Perrotti-Brown visited western Georgia in October as part of a cooperation program between the Georgian National Wine Agency and Big Sky Ranch Inc. “Imereti and Racha, located on the west side of Georgia, are two remote, mountainous regions influenced by the Black Sea,” she writes. “They are home to a new generation of producers – small, family-owned wineries redefining the character of the country’s wines. A recent

A wine hub in western Georgia. Source: GNWA

trip across Georgia’s rugged west revealed remarkably diverse styles compared to the east, embracing a quiet revolution in freshness and elegance.”

The United States is one of the key strategic export markets for Georgian

wine. The Georgian National Wine Agency says targeted marketing campaigns implemented since 2013 have played a significant role in raising awareness and boosting Georgian wine exports to the US.

Tbilisi Allocates 18 Million GEL for Vake Park Cascade Renovation in 2026

Vake Park. Source: Booking

BY MARIAM RAZMADZE

T

bilisi City Hall’s preliminary 2026 budget includes 18 million GEL for the rehabilitation of the Vake Park Cascade. The renovation

work, initially launched in July, is being carried out by DAGI LLC, the sole bidder for the project announced in March 2025. The city had set a maximum contract value of 47 million GEL. The project will restore the cascade and fountains without major visual changes while fully updating the structure using the original materials. Modern

water supply and electrical systems will be installed, improving functionality while preserving the historic and architectural integrity of the site. The renovation will also enable the reuse of water and support seasonal replenishment of the pond, which previously lacked proper infrastructure.

Vake Park’s cascade, spanning 444 square meters, is considered a heritage site. Its current condition includes severely worn engineering systems, making a thorough rehabilitation of the hydrological infrastructure essential.

The cascade’s reconstruction has faced multiple delays. Originally scheduled for completion in late 2022 and announced again for spring 2023, the works have been ongoing since 2020. By 2022, around 33 million GEL had been spent on Vake Park restoration, including 6.5 million GEL specifically for the cascade and fountains under a contract with GreenService+.

The project is also related to a tragic accident on October 13, 2022, when one teenager died and two others were injured.

Following the incident, employees from the construction company, involved subcontractors, and two Tbilisi City Hall officials were arrested. Out of nine individuals charged, only one was acquitted by the Tbilisi City Court, while the remaining eight were found guilty.

Imereti Forest Officers Bust Illegal Red List Chestnut Logging in Chiatura The mayor inspects a new EV charger. Source: BMG

BY MARIAM RAZMADZE

C

ity Hall reports that Tbilisi has already installed 130 of the 198 fast electric vehicle charging stations planned for 2025. Mayor Kakha Kaladze, Vice Mayor Giorgi Tkemaladze, and Transport and Urban Development Agency head Nini Bagashvili inspected one of the new stations near the Tbilisi Concert Hall, close to the Concert Hall venue.

Installation rights were auctioned in January in three equal lots of 66 chargers. A starting annual lease price of 43,560 GEL per lot climbed 11.5 times due to

competition, closing at 501,306 GEL for two lots and 510,000 GEL for the third.

Over a 10-year lease, the project’s total value reaches 15 million GEL. Kaladze thanked partner companies and reiterated that expanding EV infrastructure is important to the city’s environmental policy. He also pointed to national incentives for electric car owners including free parking and customs clearance. City Hall notes that Mavridi, through the winning company Mavridi/ Mavridi partner Mavridi with lead implementer Mavridi, has already delivered over half of this year’s 130 fast chargers.

The deployment forms part of a wider push for cleaner urban mobility and improved air quality, with all 198 chargers due for completion by year-end.

BY MARIAM RAZMADZE

F

orest officers in Imereti uncovered an illegal logging and timber transport case in Chiatura during routine patrols on state-owned forest land in the Chiatura area.

The National Forestry Agency reported that the offender had illegally harvested up to 3 cubic meters of protected chestnut (Castanea) wood, a species included on Georgia’s Red List. The timber was being transported using a vehicle that had no state license plates, further violating regulations. The wood was moved without authorization from state forest territory.

Because the case shows signs of a criminal offense, the Forestry Agency

Illegal logging. Source: Rainforest Journalism Fund

has forwarded all materials to the relevant investigative authority for further action.

Inspectors sealed the vehicle, confiscated the illegal timber and transferred it to the official Forestry Yard in Chiatura for storage and future redistribution.

The seized wood is currently held at Chiatura’s operational storage yard for further management by the agency.

Agency Head Kakha Tsertsvadze said

that combating illegal use of natural resources remains a priority. He emphasized that forestry teams patrol regularly and conduct continuous monitoring using video surveillance traps and drones, supported by drone-based oversight to prevent, detect and suppress violations.

He added that strict legal sanctions are applied to all offenses involving illegal logging.

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2025

3

The Winter Fair: Celebrating Community, Charity, and the Festive Season 130,000–140,000 GEL—allow IWAG to support up to 40 projects annually, benefiting women, children, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups across Georgia.

BY TEAM GT

T

he International Women’s Association of Georgia (IWAG) is bringing back a much-loved seasonal tradition: the annual Winter Fair, taking place on November 29 (10am to 6pm) at the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace. For decades, this event has brought together locals, expatriates, artisans, and embassies for a day of festive shopping, international flavors, and charitable giving.

Since its founding in 1996, IWAG has welcomed women from all backgrounds— Georgian and expatriate alike—while supporting Georgia’s most vulnerable.

“From the very beginning, our goal was to combine friendship with meaningful action,” says Nana Dvali, IWAG founder.

“We wanted to create a community where people could come together, but also make a real difference for those who needed help the most.”

IWAG’S BEGINNINGS AND GROWTH IWAG started with just a handful of women—about five or six—who wanted to support those in need while creating a social network for newcomers to Georgia. That same summer, the founders began visiting the Kaspi orphanage, bringing food, clothing, and essential supplies. Over time, the association’s membership grew, embracing women from diplomatic, professional, and local communities. In 2017, IWAG was formally recognized as a charity in Georgia, reflecting its decades of professional management and trusted reputation.

“The heart of IWAG has always been simple,” Nana explains. “Friendship, support, and rolling up our sleeves to help people when it really matters.”

THE ORIGINS OF THE

LAST YEAR’S CANCELLATION AND ITS IMPACT In 2024, IWAG faced a difficult decision: the Winter Fair had to be called off.

Numerous uncertainties were creating a climate of unpredictability, and it led to a lot of events being cancelled.

“The impact was severe. Without the Fair, we were unable to secure funding for 2025, and from May onward we had to put our grant program on hold. We continued to support urgent emergency cases when possible, but, overall, we could do less than a quarter of our usual work supporting the beneficiaries who rely on us,” Sara notes.

Winter Fair 2018. Source: IWA

WINTER FAIR

HOTELS AND PARTNERS

The Winter Fair began as a small Christmas Bazaar in 1999, hosted in a Sheraton conference room by then-president Judith Yalovitz, wife of the U.S. Ambassador.

Around 20 vendors joined, raising roughly $500, which went directly to providing medication and clothing for infants in state care.

Over the years, the Fair evolved from a modest bazaar into IWAG’s largest annual fundraising event. In 2002, local artists from Tbilisi’s Dry Bridge Market were invited to participate, providing them a platform to showcase and sell their work while contributing to IWAG’s mission. In 2009, embassy participation transformed the Fair’s scale: a number of diplomatic missions joined, bringing their own stands, traditional foods, and gifts from their home countries. Friendly competition among embassies emerged, raising substantial funds for charity.

“This was a turning point for the Fair,” Nana recalls. “It became a truly international event, where people could shop for something unique, try foods from around the world, and know that their purchases were helping people in Georgia.”

Since the very first bazaar, the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace has been IWAG’s home, providing generous support and space for the Fair.

When the Sheraton temporarily closed for renovations, the Radisson Blu Iveria stepped in, ensuring continuity.

Today, the Sheraton remains a committed partner, hosting over 200 vendor tables and creating the perfect festive environment.

WHO THE WINTER FAIR SUPPORTS The Winter Fair funds IWAG’s charity projects for the upcoming year. These initiatives focus on individuals in urgent need—emergency medical treatments, cancer care, and other crisis situations— as well as small grassroots organizations that might not have access to large donor funding.

“The Winter Fair allows us to respond quickly to emergencies and support groups that would otherwise be overlooked,” explains Sara Kemecsei, IWAG Vice-President and Fundraising Chair.

“It’s flexible, immediate, and impactful.”

Funds raised each year—typically

A SPECIAL RETURN IN 2025 This year, the Fair is extra special: it is the 25th edition, and next year marks IWAG’s 30th anniversary. Months of careful planning, volunteer coordination, diplomatic partnerships, and vendor management have gone into bringing the Fair back.

Visitors can expect: ● Family-friendly activities: Two children’s rooms—one supervised care center for parents needing a break, and another hosted by Tbilisi’s international schools with games and activities. ● Music and festive cheer: IWAG’s choir performing Christmas carols throughout the day. ● Special contributions from past beneficiaries: In 2023, Sopiko Piranishvili, battling final-stage osteosarcoma, approached IWAG for support for a New Year community event. Now cancer-free, Sopiko’s organization Oncoline Georgia has grown, winning grants and professional event equipment for her enterprise, KakhetiEvents, which is donating all festive decorations for the 2025 Fair.

“Seeing former beneficiaries giving back to the community is incredibly moving,”

Sara says. “It’s why this Fair matters so much.” ● Unique gifts and international flavors: Over 200 vendor tables offer art, crafts, and foods from around the world. Many embassies bring traditional dishes that cannot be found elsewhere in Georgia— Swedish meatballs, Japanese sweets, German stollen, Italian panettone, and festive treats from the USA, France, and beyond—offering a true international culinary experience.

Participating embassies and international organizations this year include: Armenia, Austria, Bulgaria, China, Denmark, Czechia, Estonia, the EU, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, UN Women, UNHCR, and the USA.

THE HEART OF THE FAIR: VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY The Winter Fair is powered entirely by volunteers. “Every year, dozens of IWAG members dedicate months of work—from decorations to coordinating vendors, children’s activities, schools, embassies, and PR,” Sara says. “It’s amazing to see people come together just to make this happen. Without them, the Fair wouldn’t exist.”

Anyone wishing to volunteer is warmly encouraged to join. Contact iwageorgia@ gmail.com.

A TRADITION WORTH CELEBRATING The Winter Fair is more than just a market—it’s a celebration of community, culture, and giving. “It’s a chance to shop for unique gifts, enjoy international flavors, and see firsthand the difference this event makes in people’s lives,” Sara says. “After last year, bringing the Fair back feels more important than ever.”

Join us, explore the festive stalls, taste dishes from around the world, and help make a difference for vulnerable people across Georgia.

4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2025

Why Georgia Has More Welfare Recipients than “Poor” People — and What’s Really Behind It

BY TEAM GT

P

rime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told Parliament this week that, for the first time, more Georgians are receiving social assistance than are officially considered poor. He attributed the gap to a Covid-era moratorium on rechecking citizens’ social-vulnerability scores — a freeze that allowed many beneficiaries to remain in the system even as economic conditions improved. His explanation is accurate as far as it goes, but the underlying situation is more complex than the prime minister’s remarks suggest.

A closer look at Georgia’s social-assistance rolls shows that a large share of recipients are children. Recent data from the social services reveal that as of August 2025, nearly 279,000 minors — close to a third of all Georgian children — were receiving subsistence allowance. This underscores a persistent reality: even as headline poverty indicators fall, many families with children continue to rely heavily on state support. For these households, social assistance is less an emergency lifeline and more a long-term stabilizer.

Another major factor behind the high number of beneficiaries is the govern-

708,245 people received subsistence allowance in October 2025. Source: romea

ment’s public-employment program.

The initiative, intended to help vulnerable people enter the workforce, allows participants to retain their “socially vulnerable” status — and the accompanying benefits — for up to four years regardless of improvements in their income. In mid-2025, more than 239,000 allowance recipients were enrolled in this program.

As a result, the social-assistance registry now includes many people who are technically employed but still officially classified as vulnerable. This design feature helps explain why the number of social-

assistance recipients has remained high even during periods of economic recovery.

Official statistics do show that poverty, as measured by Georgia’s “absolute poverty line,” has declined sharply in recent years. GeoStat data for 2024 place the absolute poverty rate at 9.4%, down from 21.3% several years earlier. The improvement spans all age groups and both urban and rural areas, and the government has highlighted this as proof of successful economic and social policy. But the absolute poverty line is a narrow measure

that captures only the most severe levels of deprivation. Broader indicators tell a different story. When consumption relative to the national median is measured — a more common European standard — nearly 19% of Georgians were classified as at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024. This suggests that while fewer people are experiencing extreme hardship, a far larger share remains close to the edge financially.

Critics of the government say these numbers point to deeper structural problems. In remarks reported earlier this year, opposition politician Tazo Datunashvili warned that “one in five Georgians is now officially dependent on social assistance,” arguing that the government had shown “zero effect” in lifting families out of long-term vulnerability. His concern reflects a broader debate in Georgia about whether economic growth — driven lately by tourism, migration-related inflows, and post-pandemic rebound — is translating into lasting improvements in living standards.

Kobakhidze, for his part, has highlighted strong macroeconomic performance, noting that GDP per capita has surged since 2020 and is projected to surpass USD 10,000 in 2025. While dollar-denominated GDP has indeed risen sharply, much of that increase reflects currency appreciation and recovery from the pan-

demic downturn. Real, inflation-adjusted income growth has been far more modest. Economists have cautioned that using nominal dollar figures risks overstating how much ordinary Georgians actually feel the benefits of growth.

The prime minister did acknowledge that Georgia remains far behind even the least affluent EU member states and that sustained high growth will be essential to further reduce poverty and dependence on social programs. Yet the latest welfare figures — with 708,245 people receiving subsistence allowance in October 2025, at a monthly cost exceeding GEL 71 million — show that a significant share of the population continues to rely on the state for basic support. At the end of last year, 671,337 Georgians, or 18.1% of the population, were receiving the allowance — nearly double the country’s official poverty rate.

Taken together, the data present a more layered picture than the government’s optimistic framing. Poverty, at least as strictly defined, has declined. But vulnerability remains widespread, especially among families with children, and structural features of Georgia’s social-assistance system keep many people on the rolls even when their circumstances improve. The result is a social landscape in which welfare use is high, poverty is down, and yet many households remain one setback away from financial trouble.

Ukraine Latest: Battles and Escalating Strikes as Trump’s Peace Plan Looms over the Ukraine War COMPILED BY ANA DUMBADZE

A

s winter tightens its grip on Eastern Europe, the war in Ukraine has entered another intense week, marked by grinding combat along the front, large-scale Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy system, and Ukrainian drone attacks deep inside Russia’s industrial heartland. All of this is unfolding against the backdrop of accelerating talks around a US-brokered peace plan pushed by President Donald Trump, a proposal that could fundamentally reshape the conflict, but which remains highly contentious in Kyiv, Moscow, and across Europe.

On the ground, the epicenter of the fighting remains the eastern Donetsk region and the broader Pokrovsk axis, where Russia has concentrated forces for months in an effort to push west and consolidate its control over the Donbas. Moscow’s military leadership claimed this week that its troops had captured a string of villages in eastern Ukraine, including several settlements in Donetsk and one in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Russian forces, according to these statements, now control around 70% of Pokrovsk, and have made significant gains around Kupiansk and Vovchansk. Ukrainian officials dispute several of these claims, insisting they still hold key defensive lines, particularly in the northern part of Pokrovsk and along vital railway corridors that sustain their logistics and rotations.

Independent analysts at the Institute for the Study of War note that Russia has intensified operations in the Pokrovsk direction but report no confirmed breakthrough, describing the situation as a slow, attritional advance, rather than a decisive offensive.

Weather and technology continue to shape the fighting. Ukrainian officials say small Russian infiltration groups are exploiting dense fog and winter conditions to slip past drone surveillance along a front line that stretches roughly 1,200 kilometers. These groups probe weak

spots, plant mines, and attempt to seize tactical positions until reinforcements arrive. While drones dominate the battlefield and account for most strikes on both sides, the reduced visibility has allowed ground troops to regain a more prominent role, reinforcing the sense that the war has taken on elements of static, trench-style combat reminiscent at times of the First World War. Where movement on the front remains limited, the air war has sharply escalated. Russia continued its campaign to systematically degrade Ukraine’s power grid and energy infrastructure this week, launching another large, coordinated wave of missiles and Shahed-type drones overnight on 24–25 November. Ukrainian authorities reported strikes on Kyiv and multiple regions, calling it one of the heaviest barrages in weeks. A Russian attack on the capital on 25 November killed at least seven people, wounded more than thirty, destroyed housing blocks, and knocked out electricity and heating in several districts. According to UN human rights monitors, combined missile and long-range drone attacks that night killed at least eight civilians and injured at least thirty-four, including children, underlining once again that Russia’s winter strategy aims not only to damage infrastructure, but to inflict maximum psychological pressure on the population.

These latest strikes followed repeated attacks in recent days on cities such as Odesa and on targets in the Dnipropetrovsk region, where drones and missiles have hammered residential areas and industrial facilities, destroying vehicles, damaging gas pipelines, and injuring civilians. Analysts observe that since early October Russia has launched at least nine massed attacks on Ukraine’s energy system, using large salvos of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles designed to overwhelm Western-supplied air defenses. The pattern suggests a deliberate attempt to wear down Ukraine’s resilience and limit its industrial and military capacity during the coldest months of the year.

Ukraine has responded by intensifying its own long-range campaign target-

ing Russian energy and logistics infrastructure. Over the weekend, Ukrainian drones struck a combined heating and power plant in Shatura in the Moscow region, igniting a large fire and temporarily shutting down heating across parts of the district as temperatures hovered around freezing. Authorities say the plant later resumed operations, but the attack underscored Kyiv’s growing ability to hit critical facilities far beyond the immediate war zone. Elsewhere, Ukraine launched a new wave of attacks on Black Sea refineries and oil terminals, marking at least the third major strike on Russian coastal energy infrastructure this month alone.

These operations are part of a wider strategy to sap Moscow’s ability to fund and fuel its war machine by hitting refineries, depots, rail hubs, and power stations. Ukrainian officials say that in 2025 alone they have conducted well over a hundred drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, affecting a substantial portion of the country’s refining capacity. In response, Russia has moved to harden its domestic defenses: President Vladimir Putin recently signed legislation allowing the deployment of reservists to guard fuel infrastructure, introduced a legal basis for localized internet shutdowns, and imposed harsher penalties for sabotage. These measures reflect the Kremlin’s expectation of a long war and continued Ukrainian attacks inside Russia.

The human cost of this week’s escalation has been severe. In addition to the dozens killed and injured in the 25 November barrage, authorities in Zaporizhzhia reported at least nineteen people wounded in a massive drone strike that damaged residential buildings.

Previous attacks throughout the month left more casualties in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, and smaller towns near the front.

Russia, meanwhile, acknowledged limited civilian losses from Ukrainian drone strikes on oil and power facilities, though independent verification remains difficult. Military casualties on both sides are even harder to assess, but Ukraine’s General Staff and independent monitors report up to 170 clashes per day

along the line of contact, pointing to a level of attrition that remains brutally high as both armies fight through fortified positions and winter weather.

Above the battlefield looms the controversial US-brokered peace initiative promoted by President Trump. The original version of the plan—described as a 28-point proposal emerging from contacts between US envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump adviser Jared Kushner, and Russian sovereign fund head Kirill Dmitriev—has drawn intense criticism after reports emerged that it echoed major elements of an unofficial Russian “nonpaper” provided to the Trump team in October. That draft reportedly demanded sweeping Ukrainian concessions: ceding large territories in the east, accepting strict limitations on its armed forces, and pledging never to join NATO. These terms were previously rejected by Kyiv, and widely viewed in Europe as a capitulation that would reward Russian aggression.

Following strong backlash from Ukraine, European allies, and members of the US Congress, negotiators from Washington and Kyiv have been working to narrow and revise the proposal.

According to US officials and ISW assessments, the plan has now been reduced from 28 to 19 points, with nine of the most controversial items removed or rewritten. A senior US official told CBS News that Ukraine has agreed in principle to the “essence” of the revised framework. Ukrainian National Security Adviser Rustem Umerov confirmed that both sides have reached a “common understanding,” though several sensitive issues remain unresolved.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Kyiv is ready to move forward with discussions and is prepared to debate the most difficult provisions directly with Trump, alongside key European partners. He has nevertheless emphasized that any agreement must protect Ukraine’s sovereignty, provide real security guarantees, and avoid freezing Russian territorial gains in place, which could invite future aggression. Trump has projected optimism, claiming Russia is “making concessions” and that Zelensky

is “happy” with the talks, even as he quietly dropped his earlier target of securing a ceasefire by Thanksgiving. US officials continue shuttle diplomacy: Witkoff has traveled to Moscow to meet Putin, while Army Secretary Dan Driscoll visited Kyiv for consultations. Delegations from the US, Ukraine, and Russia have also met in Abu Dhabi and Geneva to refine the text further.

Moscow has publicly challenged Trump’s narrative. Russian officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, have argued that no real concessions have been made, and insist that any agreement must reflect Russia’s core demands—recognition of its claimed annexations and limits on Ukraine’s alignment with the West. The Kremlin says it is reviewing the proposal and finds some points “acceptable,” but stresses that more expert work is needed, signaling Moscow’s reluctance to endorse any deal that does not secure its battlefield gains.

In Europe, reaction to the Trump plan has been cool to sharply critical. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned strongly against “carving up” a sovereign European state and reiterated that borders cannot be altered by force. EU leaders participating in the latest round of talks within the so-called Coalition of the Willing— a group of more than thirty countries committed to long-term support for Ukraine—have stressed that peace must be “just and lasting,” not a temporary pause allowing Russia to regroup. At the same time, the debate over financing Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction is intensifying. The EU is negotiating a proposal to use around €140 billion in frozen Russian sovereign assets as a loan to Ukraine, though legal objections from Belgium and political resistance from Hungary remain obstacles. Meanwhile, the US and EU continue to expand sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector and shadow fleet, seeking to constrict the revenues Moscow uses to sustain its war effort, even as Ukraine escalates its direct strikes on Russian refineries and power plants.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2025

5

Tbilisi Mayor: Foreign Money Influencing Georgian Politics

Speaker: Georgia Has Done All it Can for NATO Membership; Ball is in Alliance’s Court

BY TEAM GT

G

eorgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili says Georgia has “done everything” required for NATO membership, arguing that responsibility for the lack of progress now lies squarely with the Alliance.

Speaking on Tuesday, Papuashvili accused some actors of intentionally keeping both Georgia and Ukraine “in limbo,” which he said only increases regional security risks.

“We see that some aim to keep Georgia or Ukraine caught in limbo, neither here nor there, which only heightens security risks rather than alleviating them,” Papuashvili stated.

He stressed that NATO membership is not merely a political aspiration but is formally embedded in Georgia’s Constitution. According to him, public

patience has worn thin after years of unfulfilled promises.

“The Georgian people are no longer tolerant of such statements. They see what we are dealing with. In 2008, it was said that the doors were open; seventeen years have passed since then. Georgia has done everything, both institutionally and militarily, through rapprochement, participation in wars, and fighting alongside NATO forces,” he said.

Papuashvili added that Georgia’s contributions to NATO missions often exceeded those of some Alliance members.

“Whatever country Mr. Rutte was the Prime Minister of, we sent ten times more troops to Afghanistan than that country. So, the finger-pointing and questions must come to an end. The Georgian people are no longer naive.

The ball is entirely in NATO’s court.

Georgia has fulfilled all requirements for NATO membership; not only does it want to join, but it is also enshrined

in our Constitution.”

He also invoked Ukraine’s experience, recalling President Volodymyr Zelensky’s 2022 request for clarity on Ukraine’s NATO prospects at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

“If the answer was no, Zelensky said they would announce it and move on, possibly resolving some tension. But neither response came. The ball remains in NATO’s court,” Papuashvili said.

The Speaker emphasized that Georgia’s participation in international peacekeeping missions — with 70% of its military personnel engaged in various operations and exercises — places it ahead of “seven or eight NATO member states” in terms of compatibility and institutional standards.

Responding to questions about membership procedures, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte noted that any EuroAtlantic state wishing to join the Alliance may formally express that intention, after which a defined process begins.

EU Court Orders All Member States to Recognize Same-sex Marriages Concluded Abroad, Marking Landmark Victory for LGBTQ+Rights

EU and LGBTQ flags. Photo by Alexandros Michailidis

BY TEAM GT

T

he Court of Justice of the European Union has delivered a historic ruling that requires every EU member state to recognize same-sex marriages legally concluded in another EU country whenever couples exercise their right to move or reside within the bloc. The judgment addresses a case brought by a same-sex couple married in Germany whose home country refused to transcribe their marriage certificate.

The Court found that such refusal violates fundamental EU guarantees, holding that member states cannot strip couples of their marital status simply because they cross a border.

Based on the ruling, denying recognition in these circumstances is incompatible with the freedom of movement and residence that EU citizens enjoy. The Court further concluded that the refusal breaches the right to private and family life, and constitutes discrimination based on sexual orientation. As a result, countries that do not allow same-sex marriage domestically are nonetheless obliged to recognize those marriages for couples who legally married elsewhere in the Union and rely on EU mobility rights.

The decision represents a profound shift with immediate implications for countries such as Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia, where same-sex relationships have no legal recognition at the national level.

Human rights advocates have hailed the judgment as a groundbreaking affir-

mation of equality. For many couples, it ends years of legal insecurity and emotional strain caused by the possibility of losing family-status protections — including residency rights, healthcare decisions, inheritance, or basic administrative recognition — simply by returning home or relocating within the EU. Legal experts describe the verdict as a significant reinforcement of the idea that EU citizenship must have practical meaning, ensuring that personal and family rights cannot dissolve at an internal border.

While the ruling is expected to set an important precedent, questions now turn to implementation. Each member state must determine how to adjust its civil registry systems, administrative procedures and family-law frameworks to comply with the Court’s decision. The pace and political climate surrounding these changes will vary, especially in countries whose governments have previously resisted legal recognition of same-sex couples. Nonetheless, the judgment leaves little room for ambiguity: the EU’s foundational freedoms cannot be applied in a discriminatory manner, and marital status acquired lawfully in one member state must be respected throughout the Union.

For the couples involved and for LGBTQ+ communities across Europe, the ruling marks a monumental step forward. It sends a clear message that the European Union will uphold the dignity, equality and family life of all its citizens, regardless of sexual orientation, and reinforces the bloc’s long-standing commitment to human rights in the face of ongoing political division.

BY TEAM GT

T

bilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has renewed accusations that foreign funding is being used to interfere in Georgia’s political processes, claiming that recent remarks by European officials confirm long-standing concerns voiced by the ruling Georgian Dream party. Speaking at a briefing, Kaladze argued that money entering the country from abroad is being directed toward political activities and media outlets that, in his words, “act against the country” and promote narratives aimed at destabilizing Georgia’s internal affairs.

“It was revealed what we have been saying for so long; money flowing into Georgia is used for politics,” Kaladze declared. He claimed that statements made by certain EU ambassadors and members of the European Parliament “clearly hint” at attempts to bypass state oversight and support political actors and media organizations critical of the government. “We know that this is ruled from abroad, and directives are received

from outside,” he said, echoing the government’s broader allegations that parts of the civil sector and independent media are influenced or coordinated by foreign donors.

Kaladze pointed to a recent public statement by a member of the European Parliament who, he claimed, spoke openly about “looking for ways to import money into Georgia.” Although he did not specify the name, the comment appeared to reference remarks made during EU discussions surrounding financial support for Georgian civil society. The mayor also criticized statements from Western diplomats in Tbilisi, arguing that some ambassadors have crossed the boundaries of diplomatic neutrality by “making political statements based on lies that incite hatred.”

The debate escalated further after Marta Kos, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, delivered a pointed message during the EU Enlargement Forum on November 18. Addressing concerns about the tightening environment for civil society in Georgia, Kos said the European Union intends to significantly increase financial support for NGOs and independent actors despite pressure from the Georgian government.

Audit Reveals Inefficiencies in Georgian Parliament Travel Expenses

Photo: Tbilisi Local Guide.

BY MARIAM RAZMADZE

A

recent compliance audit by the State Audit Office examined the Georgian Parliament’s travel expenses and found significant shortcomings in both delegation allowances and airline ticket procurement for 2019–2021.

The audit emphasized cases where daily allowances were paid in full to officials whose meals were already provided by the host party. Auditors stated that delegation requests and reports from the International Relations Department did not always reflect accurate information, resulting in unnecessary expenditures.

Airline ticket purchases were also problematic. Despite regulations requir-

ing travel requests to be submitted at least 14 days before departure, most requests were filed only 3–4 days in advance. This practice limited the use of discounted fare categories and increased overall travel costs.

To analyze ticket pricing discrepancies, auditors reviewed 228 travel orders covering 1,874 tickets for 712 delegates. The audit found that in 60% of cases, tickets were purchased in Turkish Airlines’ economy Y-class which does not include discounts and inflates costs even more.

The State Audit Office recommends that Parliament implement stricter controls to ensure travel requests contain complete and accurate information and that ticket purchases are made well in advance. These measures would reduce unnecessary spending and improve the efficiency of budget use.

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BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2025

Georgia’s Plastics Ban Meets Circular Innovation: Opportunities and Challenges for Business

BY KATIE RUTH DAVIES

W

hen the Georgian government in N o v e m b e r announced an all-out ban on single-use plastics from next year, it framed the move as a bold effort to tackle mounting environmental damage. For policymakers, this was more than an ecological initiative — it was proof that Georgia is ready to modernize its waste system and demonstrate global leadership ahead of key climate-environment summits such as COP 30. But for many in the private sector, the regulation represents a significant economic challenge.

Starting January 1, 2026, Georgia will enforce a ban on single-use plastics that come into contact with food. Under the new technical regulations, the production, import, and market placement of items such as plastic forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks, plates, straws, stirrers, and expanded polystyrene containers will be prohibited—unless intended for export. Public catering establishments, including restaurants, canteens, and food stalls, will no longer be allowed to serve ready-to-eat food using these items.

Transitional periods give businesses time to adapt: existing plastic items on the market may be sold for three months, and catering establishments may use them for six months.

The regulation, enforced by the National Food Agency, the Environmental Supervision Department, and the Revenue Service, reflects Georgia’s commitment to reducing plastic waste, much of which currently ends up in rivers, coastal areas, and landfills.

Business leaders have been vocal about the financial burden, as, from a business perspective, the concern isn’t just environmental: it’s financial. Shota Burjanadze, vice president of the Georgian Restaurateurs’ Association, warned that replacing single-use plastics with more expensive eco-friendly alternatives will drive up costs. He estimates that “delivery services could become 5–10% more expensive for consumers.” This pushback highlights how regulation shifts cost burdens, raising the question: who will absorb them — retailers, food outlets,

Plastic pollution in the Rioni River. Source: euneighbourseast

or consumers?

Public officials defend the ban as necessary and long overdue. Nino Tandilashvili, First Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, emphasized that the Ministry is working to strike a balance: “I believe that, through joint efforts, we can develop a model that supports public health, environmental safety, and the sustainable development of the private sector.” She also points to extensive scientific evidence showing plastic's risks: “Numerous studies and reports clearly demonstrate the harmful effects of plastic use on human health and environmental pollution. The state, private sector, and donor organizations must … replace them with alternatives that are safe for human health and the environment.”

Solomon Pavliashvili, Deputy Minister at MEPA, framed the plastics ban as key to broader environmental goals. He stated that reducing plastic use is more than a policy measure: “Our goal is to ensure coordination with the sector and develop regulations that balance environmental, health, and economic interests.” He also noted the scale of the problem, acknowledging that plastic waste accounts for a significant portion of municipal solid waste, and demands urgent attention.

Georgia’s waste challenge is not an abstract number. According to UNDP, the country generates around 900,000 tons of municipal solid waste annually, of which more than 75% ends up in landfills. Based on waste-composition studies, plastic makes up 12–16% of that volume — translating to 132,000–176,000

tons of plastic waste sent to landfill annually, per the National Plastic Waste Management Program.

At the same time, government officials offer another perspective: Deputy Minister Pavliashvili has stated publicly that the consumption of single-use plastic in Georgia reached 4,000 tons in 2023, underlining how much of the plastic stream is driven by disposables.

These figures highlight the scale of Georgia’s plastic problem, but also its potential: the country has committed to recycling 50% of its plastic waste by 2025, with a more ambitious target of 80% by 2030.

Environmental voices offer a counterpoint to the business concerns. The Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN) has for many years been directly involved in shaping plastic-waste policy in Georgia. Its “End Plastic Pollution in Georgia” project — launched in 2024 with UNDP and Norway — explicitly supports the government in building circular models for plastic waste management.

Nana Takvarelia, Head of the project, has underlined the urgency of engaging all stakeholders: “Plastic pollution is devastating economies and environments … the circular economy … is crucial for the healthy and clean future of the generations to come.”

In turn, Laurent Nicole, Executive Director of CENN, said: “Civic education and public awareness is a crucial element. The citizen is a key factor. If individuals are not able to respect their neighbors with regard to waste, we won’t go far.”

Complementing regulatory efforts, Tbilisi Circular Labs (TCL) launched its first reuse-system pilots in June 2024.

Supported by CENN, GIZ, and ICLEI, the initiative was part of the global GIZ “Circular City Labs – Testing Reusable Packaging Systems in Cities” project.

TCL’s goal is to scale reusable packaging systems, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthen the role of women and female entrepreneurs in Georgia’s circular economy.

Following a business acceleration program, two companies were selected to pilot reusable packaging systems: ● Fabrika, a multifunctional urban space in Tbilisi, is implementing a reusable cup system across its bars and restaurants. Previously, up to a million disposable cups were discarded annually. Customers leave a small deposit and return cups after use, creating a simple circular process: take it, return it, reuse it. Salome Kuprashvili explains, “Disposable cups present a challenge—separating them for recycling is often difficult, especially when Fabrika is crowded. Introducing reusables eliminates the need for recycling and more effectively supports our environmental goals.” ● CAMPA, a well-known Georgian beverage company, rolled out a bottle return and reuse system in collaboration with Tbilisi International Airport and Cavea cinemas. Empty glass bottles are collected, washed, sterilized, and reused, reducing single-use packaging while creating stronger customer engagement.

Ana Chkhetia, project manager at CAMPA, notes, “Implementing a reusable bottle system requires coordination, but it’s both environmentally sustainable and economically viable. Over time, it strengthens customer loyalty and brand value.”

From the UNDP side, there is also a strong business-environment synergy.

In a profile of local recycling efforts, UNDP reported that LL Plast — a packaging producer in Georgia’s Kakheti region — reprocesses about 30 tons of plastic waste monthly,and is aiming to grow further. The company’s recycling model has generated economic benefits: job creation, reduced import dependence, and lower production costs. UNDP frames this as a demonstration that environmental responsibility can be a business opportunity, not merely a

regulatory burden.

These pilots demonstrate how circular economy models can be profitable and practical, providing real-world examples for businesses navigating Georgia’s new regulatory landscape.

CENN’s own strategic analysis backs this up. In its National Plastic Waste Prevention Program, the organization sets ambitious recycling targets: it aims to separately collect 85,000 tonnes of plastic by 2025, rising to 135,000 tonnes by 2030. But CENN also warns of real obstacles: infrastructure remains underdeveloped, local governments often lack capacity for waste separation, and recycling standards are not yet aligned with EU-level quality criteria.

Both CENN and UNDP stress that success depends on collaboration between government, business, and civil society.

CONCLUSION: BRIDGING AMBITION AND REALITY Georgia’s 2026 plastics ban is more than regulation — it’s a high-stakes bet on a cleaner, more sustainable future. On one side, the government is signaling that it takes plastic pollution seriously, not only as an environmental issue, but as part of a broader circular economy strategy. On the other side, businesses warn that without flexible timelines and financial support, the burden of transition could fall heavily on them.

But environmental groups and development partners see opportunity. CENN and UNDP consistently argue that a circular economy isn’t just good for nature — it’s good for business. Their projects show that companies can profit from recycling, reuse, and innovation.

The real test for Georgia will be whether these twin goals — ecological sustainability and economic viability — can converge in the years ahead.

If the ban kicks off smoothly and stakeholders work together, Georgia has a chance not only to reduce plastic pollution but to set a regional example. Yet if the costs prove too steep, or if businesses feel forced out rather than supported, the policy could become a symbolic win rather than a systemic transformation.

The coming months will show how well ambition, investment, and collaboration can be aligned — and whether Georgia can turn its plastic problem into its green economy opportunity.

Advancing Inclusion and Empowering Youth in Samtskhe-Javakheti Region SOURCE: UNDP

H

.E. Bergljot Hovland, Ambassador of Norway to Georgia, and Douglas Webb, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Georgia, visited the SamtskheJavakheti region on 20–21 November to meet with local youth, media, and civil society representatives.

Throughout the visit, they highlighted the vital importance of civic integration across social groups, generations, and ethnicities as the foundation of an equal, inclusive, and prosperous society. They also reviewed the impact of development initiatives that promote sustainable economic growth, expand educational opportunities, and strengthen civic participation across the region.

The visit concluded in Borjomi, where Ambassador Hovland and Douglas Webb met young participants of a human rights youth camp co-organized by UNDP and the United Nations Population Fund.

“I am impressed by the energy of young

people who are working together for the future of their communities and their country. I am deeply encouraged by the visible results of Norway-funded initiatives that help youth connect, access educational opportunities, and pursue their goals. Norway remains firmly committed to supporting Georgia in building a resilient society grounded in human rights, equality, and diversity,” said H.E. Bergljot Hovland, Ambassador of Norway to Georgia.

“Young people are actively seeking answers to the pressing challenges our world is facing, and they are already testing solutions for a better future.

Across every region of Georgia, I meet talented, creative youth who are deeply committed to advancing their country’s sustainable development. UNDP is proud to work with national and international partners to open doors for these vibrant young people, provide them with learning opportunities, support their participation, and ensure their voices are heard across society,” noted Douglas Webb, UNDP Resident Representative in Georgia.

The visit to Samtskhe-Javakheti follows similar events in the Kvemo Kartli region, where UNDP and Norway are jointly

Youth in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region. Image source: UNDP/Gela Bedianashvili

promoting equality and inclusion, empowering women and youth, and expanding economic and social opportunities for local communities.

These efforts are part of the Norwayfunded LEAD: Leadership, Equality,

Advocacy & Democracy initiative, which promotes social inclusion across Georgia’s diverse society.

BACKGROUND With $4 million in funding from Norway,

UNDP is implementing the LEAD initiative to safeguard minority rights, combat discrimination, support grassroots democracy, and empower women and young people in local communities of Georgia.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2025

7

Georgian Railway Opens Tender for 120 new Wagons

BY MARIAM RAZMADZE

G

eorgian Railway has issued an electronic tender for the purchase of 120 new freight wagons valued at 20 million GEL, a procurement fully financed through savings generated by the company’s ongoing optimization program. Director General Lasha Abashidze said the move is the first concrete outcome of the reforms and signals the start of a broader effort to modernize the aging wagon and locomotive fleet.

The company stated that demand for freight wagons remains high, with the addition of new units being increasingly urgent. Each wagon in the planned purchase will have a capacity of 69 tons, helping relieve pressure on the current, largely outdated stock. Abashidze emphasized that renewal or modernization is required across much of the fleet and Georgian Railway intends to continue investing in upgrades to boost logistics capacity and overall operational efficiency.

The modernization push comes at a

Photo: Paragon Sports Constructors.

No Winner Selected in GEL 876m Stadium Tender

BY MARIAM RAZMADZE

Photo: Georgian Railway.

time of mixed financial performance.

During the first nine months of 2025, Georgian Railway generated 454 million GEL in revenue from freight, logistics and passenger services, down 6% yearon-year. Despite this decline, profit rose to 91 million GEL, an annual increase of 15 million GEL. The improvement, how-

ever, was driven mainly by foreign exchange gains of 46.4 million GEL resulting from the appreciation of the Georgian lari against the U.S. dollar, in which the company’s debts are denominated. Without this effect, the company’s profitability would have been nearly halved.

T

he Ministry of Infrastructure has announced that the Municipal Development Fund’s Tender Commission has halted the selection of a contractor for the planned 876 million GEL stadium, delaying the project until the bidding process can be relaunched.

The Ministry has stated that several companies submitted proposals, but the Commission found that only one bidder met the required qualification standards.

Despite meeting the criteria, that com-

pany’s financial offer was far higher than those submitted by other participants, raising concerns about cost efficiency.

Faced with this imbalance between technical compliance and price competitiveness, the Commission used its legal authority to reassess the tender framework. It concluded that the qualification requirements and other elements of the documentation needed revision before the process could continue.

The tender will be reopened once the Commission completes its review and updates the conditions. Until then, the stadium construction, one of the largest planned infrastructure projects in the country, remains on hold.

Georgia Moves to Increase Fees for Fast-track Recognition of Construction Violations

BY MARIAM RAZMADZE

G

eorgia’s parliament is considering a substantial rise in the cost of expedited recognition of construction violations, with a new draft law proposing fees of up to GEL 40,000, almost ten times higher than the current GEL 4,500 charge. The Finance and Budget Committee endorsed the bill at its first hearing this week.

The initiative, prepared by Georgian Dream lawmakers in coordination with

Tbilisi City Hall, targets cases in which construction has been carried out without a permit or in breach of approved documentation. Under the proposal, applicants who acknowledge the violation could request accelerated review, but municipalities would set the final tariff and payment procedures within a broad GEL 4,500–40,000 range. The fee would apply to both individuals and companies linked to the offending construction.

The bill also reshapes the rules for fast-track commissioning. The existing flat GEL 4,500 fee, used for speedy approval of commissioning documents

Photo: McClone.

or amendments, would be replaced with an adjustable system capped at GEL 40,000.

Lawmakers argue that demand for accelerated procedures has grown sharply following the introduction of stricter oversight tools, including prohibitions on connecting gas and electricity to buildings lacking operational approval. Municipalities now process more than a thousand commissioning requests and over 200 violation-recognition applications each year. Revenue from expedited services has climbed in parallel: GEL 106,400 in 2023, GEL 170,900 in 2024 and GEL 143,800 in the

SOCIETY

“Tinder Swindler” Simon Leviev Walks Free after Germany Abruptly withdraws Extradition Request Continued from page 1 In his written note from Kutaisi Prison, which his lawyers later made public, he insisted that “the allegations are false” and that his name had become “a magnet for old cases, with no evidence.” He wrote that German authorities were “recycling accusations,” and insisted, “I have never committed any crime in Germany.”

His legal team, consisting of Mariam Kublashvili and Sharon Nahari, pursued an aggressive strategy from the outset, challenging both the substance and the procedure of the German submission.

They repeatedly pressed for clarity on the strength of the evidence and the durability of the claims. According to them, the German file suffered from “significant gaps,” lacked updated confirmation from prosecutors, and failed to meet the threshold required under Georgia’s extradition standards.

Ultimately, the German prosecution opted to pull back its request entirely, effectively nullifying the grounds for holding Leviev in custody.

The reaction inside the prison was swift: within hours, Leviev was released without bail, without movement restrictions, and without any form of legal restraint on his travel. In brief remarks after his release, he told Georgian reporters that he was “relieved that justice prevailed.” “I trusted my lawyers, and in the end, the truth won,” he said, before leaving the courthouse.

Both of his lawyers were keen to stress that the decision was based not on loopholes or technicalities, but on the absence of substantiated grounds for extradition. The German authorities, they argued, simply could not provide the level of evidentiary backing required for the process to continue — and the Georgian court treated the matter accordingly.

The speed and clarity of the release caught attention in Georgia’s legal circles. It is unusual for a high-profile international case, amplified by a hit Netflix documentary and extensive media scrutiny, to resolve without prolonged hearings or contested appeals. Yet Leviev’s lawyers performed a minor legal miracle,

managing to turn what initially looked like an inevitable transfer into a clean victory, using all available legal frameworks exactly as intended. A senior Georgian defense attorney, speaking off the record, described the strategy as “uncompromising, precise and very wellcoordinated.”

Since his release, Leviev has not been placed under monitoring, nor was he barred from leaving the country. With the German request withdrawn, the Red Notice no longer functions as an active trigger within the international system.

For the moment, he is simply a free man.

He departed Georgia the following week, returning to his home country.

What comes next for Simon Leviev is uncertain. His notoriety precedes him, but notoriety alone does not substitute for evidence in a court of law — a principle his lawyers leaned on effectively throughout the process. In Georgia, at least, the legal chapter is closed. The extradition file collapsed, the notice was withdrawn, and the doors of Kutaisi Prison closed behind him without a single condition attached.

The lawyers. Source: Whatsapp

first nine months of 2025.

Local governments maintain that the rising caseload requires additional administrative resources and say the larger fees would support this capacity. The initiative also aligns with Georgia’s 2020–2025 Decentralization Strategy, which calls for bolstering municipal financial autonomy. Parliamentary estimates suggest the reforms could bring in more than GEL 1.1 million in extra annual revenue.

If adopted, the law would come into force 30 days after publication and would not apply to previously submitted applications.

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SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2025

How Urban Environments Shape Well-Being — A Conversation with Markus Appenzeller HEALTHY CITY DEVELOP? By involving its residents. Not a city “made for people,” but a city made with people.

This doesn’t mean citizens do everything themselves — it means they participate in decision-making, discuss priorities, and help determine how limited public funds are used. Individuals, businesses, community groups — all should have a voice.

When people take part, the outcome is more accepted and more sustainable.

WHERE IS THE BALANCE BETWEEN RAPID DEVELOPMENT AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING?

Markus Appenzeller

INTERVIEW BY ANA DUMBADZE

I

n the 21st century, cities have become more than places where we simply live and work. They shape how we feel, how we behave, how we connect to others, and ultimately how we understand ourselves.

Our emotional climate — tranquility, stress levels, sense of belonging or alienation — is inseparable from the streets we walk, the public spaces we use, the greenery we see, and the pace at which our surroundings move.

Today, the world’s major cities face a dual challenge: rapid development driven by economic ambition, and the rising need to protect citizens’ mental health and quality of life. How can cities grow without losing their soul? How can they remain livable in an era of congestion, pollution, overheating, and economic pressure? And what should Tbilisi — a city rich in history yet struggling with chaotic growth — do to meet these challenges?

To explore these questions, we spoke with Markus Appenzeller, urbanist, architect, and Director of MLA+, whose work spans Europe, Asia, and the postSoviet region. His insights connect global trends with Tbilisi’s unique urban “DNA” and its future trajectory — including the potential of districts like Temka to become healthier islands within the capital.

WHAT INFLUENCE DOES A CITY HAVE ON A PERSON’S PSYCHO-EMOTIONAL STATE? A huge one. Wherever you go, you can tell whether a person lives in a city, a

village, or the countryside — the environment shapes habits, routines, behavior. Every city has its own “DNA,” formed by the people living in it, and that DNA affects how we interact, how we move, how we behave socially and economically. When we enter a new city, the city tells us how to act before we even start shaping it ourselves.

HOW IMPORTANT IS A CITY’S EMOTIONAL ATMOSPHERE TODAY? More important than ever. Covid-19 made our worlds smaller — suddenly our homes, neighborhoods, and local public spaces became our entire universe. People realized how much their well-being depends on clean air, quality public space, social interaction, and the feeling that a city cares about them. A healthy emotional city is one with accessible public spaces, low pollution, and a sense of shared life.

IF WE IMAGINE AN IDEAL CITY, WHAT SHOULD IT FEEL LIKE FOR ITS RESIDENTS? I don’t believe in one “ideal city.” The best cities are shaped by the people who live in them. What matters in one place may not be relevant elsewhere. A very green city doesn’t long for greenery. A city with little pollution doesn’t prioritize air quality. What matters is whether a city addresses the real needs of its residents at that specific place and time.

A city should serve its people, not an abstract ideal.

WHEN DID THE EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF CITIES BECOME

A MAJOR THEME OF MODERN URBANISM? It appeared at different times in different regions. In Western Europe and North America, the discussion started in the late 1970s, when pollution and public health became urgent issues. As societies grew wealthier, people begin seeking more than economic security — they want healthy surroundings, leisure, and quality of life.

In Eastern Europe, this conversation started after the end of the Cold War; in China around 2005–2010; and today India is increasingly aware of environmental and emotional well-being. When a society’s basic needs are met, mental and emotional needs enter the agenda.

HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE TBILISI FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE? Tbilisi is at a defining moment. People complain about traffic and overcrowded streets, while at the same time car ownership is still seen as a symbol of success.

These opposing forces — dependence on cars vs. demand for better mobility — collide. This is exactly the moment when awareness emerges: people begin expecting healthier, more comfortable living environments.

But cities also live with the long-term consequences of past decisions. Once you build infrastructure, it shapes the next 50–100 years. Many Western cities are still undoing car-focused decisions from half a century ago. Tbilisi’s leadership must be conscious about this — the choices made today will define the city for generations.

HOW DOES AN EMOTIONALLY

Rapid development tends to overlook details, nuance, and slower processes.

Cities should seize opportunities for development but must consciously leave space for flexibility and community involvement.

That can mean: • Creating a basic public-space network first, then enriching it over time.

• Including community spaces in new commercial projects.

• Leaving “placeholders” — open areas that can later be transformed based on community needs instead of everything being fixed too early.

Building everything at once eliminates the chance for communities to grow, respond, and adapt. Leaving room for slower, smaller processes is essential.

WHAT DOES “CONSCIOUS URBANISM” MEAN? It means understanding for whom a city is made — and how to meaningfully involve them. This includes people often forgotten by planning systems: migrants who don’t speak the local language, marginalized groups, people living informally.

Cities thrive on layers of informality — street vendors, small markets, kiosks, spontaneous public life. These elements make cities human and vibrant. Planning often tries to formalize everything, but cities also need space for informal life.

Tbilisi is rich in this regard, and preserving these layers is crucial.

HOW CAN TBILISI PRESERVE A SENSE OF PEACE AND EMOTIONAL BALANCE, DESPITE THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT? By involving people — genuinely. Residents understand that large projects come with big private money and certain limits. But transparency about what is open for discussion and what is not is essential. People don’t need control over everything; they need honesty and agency.

Include them in what they can influence: • design of public spaces • local functions • cultural or community elements If authorities pretend to listen but ignore residents, conflict is inevitable.

If they communicate openly, projects proceed more smoothly and people feel ownership.

WHAT ROLE DO PUBLIC AND GREEN SPACES PLAY IN A CITY’S EMOTIONAL HEALTH? A fundamental one. Public space should be the primary container of public investment — streets, parks, squares. Everything else is private property.

Public funds should: • improve public space • build inclusive, accessible, shared environments • keep infrastructure—water, power, sewage—in public ownership • create spaces where everyone can gather without barriers When done well, public spaces become the city’s living room: political gatherings, celebrations, everyday joy. They are the places that belong to everyone.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES CITIES FACE TODAY, AND HOW SHOULD TBILISI RESPOND? Tbilisi. Source: MLA

Three stand out:

1. Housing affordability: Every global city struggles with this. Solutions include: • rent regulation or tax incentives • building more housing • public housing programs • requiring developers to include affordable segments 2. Climate change and environmental resilience: Tbilisi will need: • more shade and greenery • better stormwater management • measures against landslides and extreme weather Climate adaptation is slow. What we design now will be ready by 2050–2070, when the effects become severe. So the work must start immediately.

3. Mobility transformation: Moving away from fossil-fuel cars toward electric vehicles and alternative mobility modes. Tbilisi's topography makes this difficult, but solutions must be tailored to its hills, historic areas, and dense fabric.

WHAT PROSPECTS DO YOU SEE FOR THE FUTURE OF TBILISI? Georgia has everything — mountains, sea, water, wine, culture, deep history.

Tbilisi is the synthesis of all of this. Preserving and consciously celebrating culture should become central to development.

One key direction is restoring and reactivating historic buildings. Revealing their qualities can reshape entire districts. Tbilisi’s authenticity — its layers of time — is a major asset. I am very positive about the city’s future if development respects its identity.

WHICH DISTRICTS OF TBILISI SHOW STRONG POTENTIAL FOR HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT? Tbilisi is a journey through time — from medieval streets to 19th-century neighborhoods, Soviet micro-districts, modern zones. Each has its own character, and preserving these identities is essential.

Not preserving every building, but preserving the spirit.

• Historic quarters weren’t designed for cars — they require adapted solutions.

• Post-war districts with wider streets could become beautiful boulevards.

• 1970s–80s neighborhoods could evolve into greener, garden-like environments.

Temka — with its Soviet-era structure and strong community feel — has real potential to become a “healthy island”: with improved public spaces, greenery, mobility, and a strengthened local identity. It’s the kind of place where strategic interventions can transform everyday life dramatically.

Unused rail yards and old industrial areas also offer opportunities for Tbilisi’s 21st-century development — combining industrial heritage with new uses.

WHAT ROLE DOES CULTURE PLAY IN CREATING AN EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY CITY? Culture is the core. The words are falsely attributed to Churchill during WWII, but they nevertheless hold a simple truth: “If we didn’t have culture, what would we be fighting for?”

Culture isn’t just museums or theaters — it’s the totality of how people live together, the ideas they generate, the space they have to express them. A city without culture is not a city. Culture is its soul, its meaning, its identity.

ANY FINAL THOUGHTS? People in Tbilisi often focus on what’s difficult — noise, traffic, decay. These frustrations are real. But at the same time, Tbilisi has enormous potential and extraordinary substance. Its liveliness is unique; its layers of history are unmatched.

And few cities offer the privilege of climbing a hill, looking down at sunset, and feeling the magic of the place.

Sometimes the daily struggle hides that beauty. But from an outsider’s perspective, Tbilisi is truly exceptional.

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2025

9

Löwenbräu Pub & Garden is Now Open in Rustavi “Löwenbräu Pub & Garden” has opened in Rustavi. It will definitely become a favorite meeting spot, where Rustavi residents and city visitors will come and enjoy themselves in a very pleasant atmosphere. For EFES Georgia, as the exclusive producer of Löwenbräu beer in Georgia, it is a pleasure to have Löwenbräu pubs in Tbilisi and Rustavi. By opening these spaces, we are bringing the spirit of Germany. Along with real German beer, “Löwenbräu Pub & Garden“ offers guests a selection of delicious dishes.” – said Nikoloz Khundzakishvili, Corporate Affairs Director of EFES Georgia.

Löwenbräu is one of Munich’s oldest and most iconic breweries – a symbol of tradition, quality, and German pride since 1383.

BY TEAM GT

L

öwenbräu Pub & Garden has officially opened in Rustavi, at 5 Iakob Tsurtaveli Street. Guests had the opportunity to discover an authentic German atmosphere and taste the legendary beer Löwenbräu. Furthermore, they were able to participate in a special event and fun games prepared for the opening evening.

“Löwenbräu Pub & Garden” is a blend of German tradition and Georgian hospitality. Guests were welcomed with a diverse menu of both German and Georgian dishes.

“With the support of EFES Georgia,

Vakho__TSaTSalashvili

Back Behind the Lens, Part 1

who helped us voluntarily.

I was happy and pleasantly surprised that the women agreed to participate in the film, even though they knew exactly what the film was about. This meant a lot to me—it felt like a big step forward.

SPECIAL MOMENT(S)?

I don’t have a specific favorite moment, but I remember that for the final scene, I needed five women to stick to the script.

My mother was helping me gather the local women, and instead of five, she brought around twenty—or even more.

They all came dressed up and ready to be filmed. Since it felt wrong to send any of them home, I decided to include everyone. In the end, the scene turned out much more interesting than I expected.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW WITH THE FILM?

Michelle Gagnon and Mariam Khatchvani

INTERVIEW BY TONY HANMER

M

ariam Khatchvani is at it again. Following from her breakthrough, multi-award-winning feature film Dede,* she now has another short film called Inherited Silence. And another short, The Mens Land, to boot. I recently spoke to a co-producer of Inherited Silence, Michelle Gagnon; and Mariam, the director, as well as that film’s star, first-time actress Mariam Chkhvimiani, 30, also a Svan. Content has been lightly edited for clarity.

“Filming was not easy, especially knowing that this problem [violence against women] is nothing new for the local people and for each participant involved, Mariam Khatchvani tells me. “I was very careful with their emotional state, and tried my best to convey the message truthfully. So I can’t say I felt good during the filming, but I did feel that this film was necessary. That gave me the motivation to continue.”

view, family means that both a man and a woman must build a relationship based on friendship, understanding, and consideration for each other’s wishes. This mutual respect is essential for a healthy and happy family. Sometimes, men believe that being the “head of the household” is the right way, but through my film, I show how this behavior looks from the outside, from a woman’s point of view.

I believe that if we continue talking about these issues openly, men will eventually change their perspective. Because a happy woman creates a happy man and a happy family. And an unhappy woman creates the opposite. If a man wants happiness, he must ensure that his wife is happy.

DID IT GO AS YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD? Yes, filming went the way I expected. Of course, there were many challenges, but that is normal, and we had to overcome them. I want to thank the team members

I think the film will participate in interesting festivals and provoke discussions.

Besides domestic violence, the film also touches on emigration, a child’s psychological state, excessive feasting—which is common in Georgian culture—and other social issues.

“I believe the film will be successful, and I hope I will have the opportunity to make it into a feature film,” she concludes.

If Dede is anything to go by, this new short film and its partner, The Mens Land, have a bright future. Dede won many awards in film festivals around the world, including Cannes, and it was a surprise to this writer that it was not even put onto the shortlist of films for Georgia to consider for its possible Best Foreign Oscar submission. Too… feminist, too minority-focused on Svaneti?

But Mariam continues, and will eventually have major success, I believe.

Part 2 next week. *Dede means “mother” in the Upper Bal dialect of Mariam’s home, Ushguli, Svaneti, Europe’s highest village and the main setting of that film 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

WAS WAS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR THIS FILM? I really wanted to make this film because, as a woman, it is important for me to support other women and speak openly about these issues. Some women in Georgia, especially in the mountains and rural areas, believe that violence, unfriendly attitudes, or disrespect toward women are “normal.” Women often tell each other that if you want to keep your family together, you must simply put up with whatever hand you're dealt. In my

A scene from the film. Source: Mariam Khatchvani

The Academy of Sciences, Tbilisi. Source: RedFedoraDiary

Georgia in the History & System of Civilizations BLOG BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

A

couple of days ago, one of my recurring dreams came true: the National Academy of Sciences of Georgia has created a workgroup titled “Georgia in the History (System) of the World Civilizations”, consisting of 27 members, including the author of these words. The aim of the group, as I understand it, is to define the place and importance of Georgia—its merited niche among the nations of the world—letting the world know that we are also around and we deserve to be known and appreciated. The members of this extremely significant ad hoc group are well-known figures of our society, including academicians of the country’s Academy of Sciences, among them President Roin Metreveli and Vice President Ramaz Khurodze, as well as members like Vladimir Papava, Elizbar Javelidze, Elguja Khintibidze, Giorgi Gabunia, Valeri Asatiani, Avtandil Arabuli, Davit Lordkipanidze, Ramaz Shengelia, Zaza Skhirtladze, Zurab Abashidze, and others.

This brilliant idea belongs to Bakur Kiguradze, the honorary citizen of Tbilisi, architect and scientist, whose initiative is based on the consideration that Georgia is not only a junction of cultures but a genuine cradle of one of the oldest civilizations, where man first reached the realm of God, so to speak, grasped the magic of mother nature, and achieved the cherished equilibrium among the minds, which eventually determined the formation of the outstandingly unique system of Georgian values—values that happen to be a treasure belonging to the world, and care and attention towards that treasure is not only the commitment of the Georgian people. It is the concern of the entire world, so that we render

ourselves capable of adorning future humans with the pearls of our system of values. Unless we do this, we might find ourselves faced with the possibility of forfeiting our Georgian marvel and singularity.

It should probably be noted here that I have written several articles for Georgia Today on this vitally imperative topic.

The presumption is that the Georgian national culture—its language and its unique alphabet, its polyphonic singing manner, its literature and poesy, its intellectual achievements and its truly amazing successes in the world’s sporting life, its style of interpersonal relations and the way it executes friendships and maintains family values—all this deserves the attention of the entire world. Georgia and the human phenomenon represented by its wonderfully talented people should never be annihilated from the surface of the Earth. The Georgian phenomenon, unfairly known to the world in the most restricted way, must make its way into human hearts and minds around the globe.

This is what Bakur Kiguradze is trying to perpetuate with his truly astonishing initiative, which the Georgian National Academy of Sciences has embraced forthwith and put out for public discussion. Enthusiastic discussions, proposals, relevant analyses, newspaper articles, radio and television programs, and documentaries will follow. And finally—last but not least—financial support has to be provided if we really mean to inculcate what the already functioning workgroup intends to bring to fruition. I am not sure how ready our people are to seriously and wholeheartedly consider ideas like this one, but if we don’t, we’d better be ready for inevitable disappearance. And if this happens indeed, the world is not going to be a winner. The world will lose a huge treasure and will never be aware of what happened to either—Sakartvelo and the world.

10

CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2025

The Cactus That Learned to Sing: Temporal Metabolism and the Sonorous Body in Tiko Gogoberidze’s New Opera ity. It is one of the most elegant dramaturgical gestures of the opera: an acoustic economy in which every human utterance reshapes the ecology of sound.

Later fragments contain even denser material: episodes where the clarinet’s tone expands into a resonant cluster, almost choral in its harmonic bloom; sequences where the score descends into thick, dark, pressure-filled droning, the musical equivalent of geological compression; passages where noise behaves like weather — sheets of sonic wind, fractures of static, slow tectonic grinding. These textures never function as effects. They function as states of being. The opera’s structure is a metabolic cycle: emergence → condensation → saturation → release. And the music makes this cycle palpable as a physical condition. The sound does not accompany drama; the sound is the drama.

THE ATTACKS: TIME AS PHYSIOLOGICAL EVENT

Photo by the author

REVIEW BY IVAN NECHAEV

T

here are works that do not merely occupy the contemporary stage, but reorganize its internal physics. They do not ask the audience to follow a plot, nor do they rely on the machinery of emotional identification; instead, they reorganize perception itself, inviting listeners to inhabit a space where sound becomes an organism, time becomes a viscous material, and the boundaries between body and environment dissolve into a single metabolic field. Tiko Gogoberidze’s Cactus, premiered on 22–23 November 2025 at Haraki Theater in Tbilisi, belongs unmistakably to this category.

The opera does not “stage” transformation; it enacts it. It behaves as a living system: growing, accumulating, saturating, shedding, radiating. It opens like a geological stratum and closes like a breathing aperture. And through its forty minutes of continuous metamorphosis, it articulates a vision of human consciousness caught between the rigid temporal architectures of modern life and the slow, vegetal temporality of an organism that simply persists.

THE STAGE AS A MECHANISM OF DURATION The production team constructs an environment that feels less designed than engineered: a chamber that resembles an elevator, a cube suspended between mechanical possibility and metaphysical implication. Set designer Mariam Songhulashvili crafts an interior where surfaces behave like membranes rather than objects; light ricochets along the edges with the quiet intensity of laboratory equipment. Achi Arghanashvili’s lighting sculpts time itself into visible substance — thin sheets of radiance, sudden compressions, long tidal glows. Uta Bekaia’s costumes function like temporal skins, shifting between the everyday, the ceremonial, and the biomorphic.

Above all, the space is designed as a resonant chamber: the theatre becomes a diaphragm, and Lasha Natenadze’s sound direction turns it into an organism that inhales and expels frequencies with startling tactility. Nothing here exists as decoration; the entire visual field behaves as a single temporal device.

THE ARCHITECT ENTERS TIME The opera begins before the opera begins.

The Architect — portrayed with weight and self-quieting intensity by Giorgi Goderdzishvili — emerges from the audience as a contemporary figure: a man from the street, still carrying the

Photo by the author

residues of daily time. His initial transformation is not symbolic; it is biomechanical. The act of removing ordinary clothing and adopting the sharp black suit registers less as costume change and more as entry into another temporal order — the measured order of human control. The libretto by Mindia Arabuli opens not with story but with philosophical recitative: an essay on temporal consciousness delivered as vocal architecture.

The Architect reflects on humans as creatures perpetually trying to outrun duration, as if time were a conveyor from which one cannot step aside. “Despite all efforts,” he states, “man is not a fish.”

A simple phrase, yet one that charges the entire opera with a kind of ecological irony — not as contradiction, but as a tension between modes of existence.

Inside the elevator, he recites creation as if indexing the sedimentary layers of civilization: mammoths, agriculture, viruses, pterodactyls, the invention of God, the desert, cities, Lego bricks. It is a catalog of the world as a sequence of emergences. Then he presses a button.

The cube malfunctions. And time fractures.

SONIC METAMORPHOSIS: THE OPERA AS RESONANT ORGANISM The earliest musical fragments reveal Gogoberidze’s approach with remarkable clarity. The score is not built from themes or motifs; it is constructed from states of matter. Each sonic layer behaves as a substance: porous, granular, metallic, vaporous, dense. Timbre replaces narrative. Texture becomes dramaturgy.

Where a traditional opera would use harmony to articulate emotion, Cactus uses density. Where others would use melody for character, Cactus uses resonant pressure. The initial musical condition is almost translucent: a lightly breathing spectrum of whispered noises, faint mechanical whirrs, microtonal particles that flutter like dust motes. The sound feels pre-conscious, as if the opera begins before hearing fully awakens.

Then the texture thickens. Not suddenly, but like humidity rising in a sealed room.

The clarinet — played with extraordinary restraint by Christopher Manning — enters not as an instrument but as an organism. Manning’s sound is vegetal, almost mineral: a timbre that feels grown, not performed. It shimmers at the edge of pitch, occupying a zone between breath and resonance. This is the Cactus: not character, not metaphor, but frequency.

Crucially, whenever The Architect sings, the clarinet bends in distorted ripples. Human voice produces turbulence in the sonic environment; the vegetal voice responds with elastic instabil-

The malfunction of the elevator throws The Architect into a series of attacks — states where breath becomes unstable, movement unravels, and perception multiplies into a swarm of images. Arabuli’s text fractures into syllables, spasms, geological metaphors, pseudo-mythologies. The body becomes a landscape; panic becomes a mineral. Each attack corresponds to a new mask: these masks behave like externalized organs, as if the body requires new anatomical tools to survive the pressure of subjective time.

Throughout these scenes, the Cactus emits a steady, almost liturgical frequency.

A green light glows. The air trembles slightly. The clarinet stabilizes the space the way a tuning fork stabilizes a string.

In the second attack, The Architect imagines himself dissolving into ore and re-emerging as oil millions of years later — a metaphor of time so overwhelming that it disintegrates the distinction between geology and psychology. In the third, silence arrives. The Cactus withdraws its resonance. Unable to tolerate this void, The Architect produces noise, cacophony, raw sound — a desperate attempt to provoke a response. He fails.

The silence persists. And only when his resistance collapses into exhaustion does the Cactus begin to resonate again. It is a subtle but devastating lesson: the vegetal temporality of the Cactus will not be coerced by human agitation. Only a porous, receptive body can tune itself to a frequency older than fear.

TOWARD A NEW OPERATIC ECOLOGY CACTUS expands the grammar of contemporary opera by treating sound as a metabolic entity and stage space as a resonant interior. The work does not rely on contrast; it relies on gradients, intensities, densities. It shapes perception without didacticism, guiding the audience into a state where listening feels like a form of participation in an organism’s growth. The achievement belongs equally to every component: Gogoberidze’s score — an ecosystem of spectral pressure and organic resonance; Arabuli’s libretto — part philosophical treatise, part geological delirium; Korkashvili’s direction — a choreography of time rather than bodies; Songhulashvili’s scenography — a space that behaves like a cell; Bekaia’s costumes — temporal garments; Arghanashvili’s light — an instrument; Natenadze’s sound — the circulatory system; Manning’s Cactus — a thing that breathes; Goderdzishvili’s Architect — a man who fractures and reassembles in real time. This opera grows. This opera metabolizes. This opera resonates long after silence returns.

It is a reminder that contemporary music theatre, at its most essential, does not

Photo by the author

Photo by the author

Photo by the author

seek to entertain or instruct — it seeks to reorganize the very conditions under which we perceive time, breath, sound and self. And in CACTUS, time discov-

ers its voice, the body discovers its permeability, and the cactus — that quiet, ancient, undemanding organism — learns to sing.

CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2025

11

Flickering Frequences: The Quiet Radicalism of Listening at the Evangelical-Baptist Church of Georgia

BY IVAN NECHAEV

T

he Evangelical-Baptist Church of Georgia offered a rare kind of stillness on the evening of 23 November, as the first Fireflies Ambient Music Session unfolded inside its nave. A space shaped for devotion became a resonant shell for a new form of secular contemplation. The project seeks a state of heightened perception— a zone where music, architecture, and collective attention fuse into one atmospheric organism. The inaugural program, with four artists working across experimental, electro-acoustic, and multimedia territories, revealed a subtle thesis: ambient music gains force when it breathes inside a place built for ritual.

Fireflies framed the church interior as an extension of each performer’s compositional method. Long echoes traced the height of the ceiling. Air-pockets between columns functioned as slowmoving filters. The room softened edges and drew out partials, guiding the audience toward an elongated temporality.

Hearing became a parallel practice to meditation, shaped by the concrete presence of stone, wood, and candlelight.

Ambient music thrives in such spaces because its harmonic material grows through resonance. Instead of projecting sound outward, the performers released frequencies that appeared to bloom from the church itself. This sense of architectural collaboration defined the entire evening.

Maro Beriashvili approached the space with a composer’s awareness of sonic behavior. Her language merges electronic synthesis with echoes of choral voicing, and in this sanctuary, the blend acquired a rare psychological weight. She treats sound design as a philosophical question: how does timbre shape emotion, and how does the mind fold meaning into texture?

Her performance opened with nearlyinvisible layers—delicate whistle tones hovering just above audibility. They entered the nave like drifting fog. Gradually, she introduced harmonic clusters that evoked the geometry of Georgian polyphonic singing. The tones seemed to rise from multiple directions, a spectral choir without bodies. Beriashvili’s flutederived articulations functioned as points of breath inside a larger drone organism.

Each frequency served as a miniature event, tracing the micro-movements of attention. The result resembled a slow, interior weather system: a shifting atmosphere with no central motif, only continuous transformation.

ELY ANN brought the vocabulary of fashion, glitch, and spatial design into an acoustic environment shaped for purity of tone. Her aesthetic relies on fragility—stretched textures, fractured pulses, and soft distortions that behave like cracks in porcelain. On this evening, the church became a resonator for her philosophy: sound operates as a struc-

Photo by the author

ture, yet every structure carries the grain of its tensions.

Her set revolved around the concept of a single unfolding gesture. A rhythmic glitch fluttered like a mechanical heartbeat, drifting into vaporized harmonics.

She treats imperfection as a source of narrative, and each sonic irregularity functioned like a tear in fabric that allows light to enter. The performance unfolded as an architectural meditation on vulnerability. The high vault of the church amplified her softest gestures, granting them a monumental quietness.

Sacrament Grym worked in a more subterranean register. His palette combines field recordings, droning electronics, and delicate rhythmic residues that hover between presence and disappearance. Inside this space, his soundworld gained a tactile dimension, as if the air itself began to vibrate with fine static.

Grym’s performance developed through gradual accretion. A low frequency entered with the gravity of a distant engine, then dissolved into granular noise. The tension between density and suspension created a state of alert stillness. His textures suggested landscapes without contours—deserts, midnight streets, abandoned industrial zones—yet the environment never felt inhospitable.

Instead, it created a meditative threshold, a zone where breath and noise became indistinguishable. The church’s natural reverb shaped each gesture into a resonant afterimage.

Varar’s appearance introduced timbral color into the evening through the kanun of Mar Margaryan, interwoven with the electronic architecture of Narek Buniatyan. Their collaboration generates

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a rare synthesis: traditional resonance carried into a future-leaning ambient environment. The kanun’s bright overtone spectrum rippled through the nave with crystalline clarity, forming a lattice of micro-melodies that folded into slow electronic beds.

Their music operates on the threshold between memory and projection. Each plucked note carried a historical trace, while the surrounding electronic environment suspended it in a weightless continuum. The performance created a floating temporality in which the kanun’s ornamentation pierced through the haze like thin beams of light. This interplay between acoustic timbre and synthesized space shaped a gently ecstatic tone.

Fireflies positions ambient music as a contemporary form of communal reflection. The event united compositional strategies rooted in sound art, electronic experimentation, and folk resonance, and the church offered an acoustic laboratory where these lineages could intermingle without conflict. The performers worked with patience and restraint, cultivating textures that rewarded deep listening.

The audience, seated beneath the height of the nave, entered a collective mode of attention that resembled a secular liturgy. Light shifted on the walls. Frequencies moved like living organisms across the room. Time expanded into a spacious continuum. Ambient music gains its power through subtlety, and in this session subtlety became a shared social experience. Fireflies illuminated a path toward a new ritual—one shaped by sound, atmosphere, and an ethics of careful listening.

Photo by the author

Photo by the author

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

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