Issue #1312 by Georgia Today

Issue no: 1312

• SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2021 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue... Corona Updates: Death Toll Remains High, Vaccination Buses Sent Out to Encourage Vaccination NEWS PAGE 2

I Beheld the Injured Eagle... POLITICS PAGE 4

The Potential for a Junior Cadet Corps in Georgia POLITICS PAGE 6

Giorgi Gakharia to be Tbilisi Mayoral Candidate POLITICS PAGE 6

FOCUS ON EU AID

The PM raises controversy as he announces the gov't will not be taking the EU's financial assistance

PAGE 3

Image source: gov.ge

How Georgian Companies Are Encouraging their Staff to Get Vaccinated BUSINESS PAGE 8

Svaneti International Film Festival to be Held in Mestia and Ushguli on September 25-29 CULTURE PAGE 10

‘Otar’s Death’ Wins UNM Signs April 19 Agreement Film Fedeora Award Mediated by Charles Michel The Successes of the Georgian CULTURE PAGE 11

BY ANA DUMBADZE

ika Melia, Chairman of the United National Movement, and members of the party, have finally signed the political agreement document initiated by President of the European Council, Charles Michel. To this end, Melia and party members visited the EU Delegation Office on September 2. The United National Movement announced their decision to sign the April 19 agreement on September 1. Prior to that, the document had been signed by only part of the opposition. For the record, the Georgian Dream annulled the April 19 agreement on July 28. The party named the fact that the document was not signed by the main opposition party, the National Movement, as the main reason behind their decision. Continued on page 2

National Team at Tokyo Summer Paralympic Games SPORTS PAGE 11

CULTURE PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

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NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2021

Corona Updates: Death Toll Remains High, Vaccination Buses Sent Out to Encourage Vaccination BY ANA DUMBADZE

ecently, following the introduction and extension of various restrictions, the epidemiological situation in Georgia has seen a slight improvement once more. The decrease in new cases reported daily is notable; however, the death toll remains relatively high, with 70-80 fatalities reported daily. Georgian capital Tbilisi, along with Adjara and the Imereti region, remain hotspots in terms of the virus spread. Georgia reported 4778 coronavirus cases, 4753 recoveries, and 79 deaths on August 31, with 43,741 tests conducted. Georgian capital Tbilisi recorded the highest number of 1888 Covid-19 cases, followed by the Imereti region with 608 cases, and the Adjara region with 423 cases. The country recorded 3886 coronavirus cases, 4103 recoveries, and 74 deaths on September 1, with 52,162 tests conducted, and 3212 new cases, 5017 recoveries, and 81 deaths the following day. The daily test-positivity rate now stands at 7.94%, while it was 9.85% over the past 14 days. Georgia’s total case tally reached 556,909 among which 502,534 people recovered and 7563 died. As of the beginning of September, 1,235.386 Georgian people have received the Covid-19 vaccine and 421,785 are fully vaccinated.

THE RESTRICTIONS Considering the epidemiological situation, this week the government announced the following decisions regarding safety regulations: • The restriction on municipal public transport will continue until September 13; • The education process in schools and universities will be conducted remotely from September 15 to October 4; • Kindergartens will not start functioning until at least October 4. This applies to both private and public gardens.

THE VACCINE To stimulate the vaccination process, vaccination centers have been opened in specially outfitted buses in Tbilisi, where one can get vaccinated without prior registration. Citizens can receive a vaccine at the following locations: Station Square; Saburtalo – City Mall (Vaja-Pshavela Avenue # 70); Gldani – City Mall – (I. Vekua # 1, open parking area, Mukhiani side); Samgori – East Point – (Alexander Tvalchrelidze Street); Samgori – (Orkhevi, the area around the stadium); Avchala – (23 Libani St, near the police); Mukhiani – (N. Dumbadze Avenue, near the police, building N5).

THE GLOBAL SITUATION The pandemic situation worldwide is still a concern, mostly due to the rapid spread of the Delta strain.

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UK Covid deaths topped 200 daily for first time since March. About 94% of people in the UK have coronavirus antibodies, either through vaccination or past infection, new data suggests. Measures to limit the spread of coronavirus, such as masks and social distancing, have been lifted in England, but regular testing remains. “There are mixed emotions as pupils return to schools across England,” reports the BBC. “However, places with rising case numbers, such as the South West, require school and college pupils to wear masks in communal areas for the next five weeks.” The Delta-driven COVID-19 surge made August one of the worst months of the entire pandemic globally. The US reported almost 4.22 million new coronavirus cases in August alone, making it the fourthworst month for infections, with 26,805 Americans

dying of COVID-19, more than three times the July total. The last week of August was deadlier than all of July. At the latest pace, an American is dying of COVID every 1 minute, 5 seconds. Every minute, another 111 Americans are testing positive, nearly two per second. Compared to the last week of July, there were 105% more cases and 268% more deaths in the final week of August. Germany is now suffering its 4th coronavirus wave. Germany's Robert Koch Institute made the assessment as the country grapples with rising positive test results. This time, younger age groups are more affected, DW reported. Rising infection numbers come as the more contagious Delta variant becomes the dominant form of the virus, making up 99% of all cases in Germany, RKI wrote, adding that there has been an increase in the incidence rate in Germany since the beginning of July, particularly noticeable people between the ages of 10 and 49. Heading into that fourth wave, 63.7% of the German population have received at least one vaccination dose, while 58.2% are fully immunized. India has also witnessed a surge in daily coronavirus cases and deaths. According to the union health ministry, in 24 hours, India reported 47,092 new Covid-19 cases, the biggest single-day rise in two months, and 509 deaths. The country saw 41,965 new cases and 460 deaths on Wednesday alone. With this, India's total Covid-19 caseload has surged to 3,28,57,937 and 4,39,529 deaths. Currently, there are a total of 3,89,583 active cases. Georgia’s neighboring Russia also faces a renewed coronavirus surge, health officials warn. Though Russia’s Covid-19 infections have stabilized around 18,000 per day in recent weeks, the country is still grappling with a record-shattering third wave, also driven by the Delta variant, that started in early June. Despite the country recording several all-time high Covid-19 death tolls, the most recent on August 26, authorities have continued to lift restrictions. Health officials linked the potential spike to Russians returning to work and school following the summer holidays.

UNM Signs April 19 Agreement Mediated by Charles Michel

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US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan positively assessed the above move by the UNM, saying: “We welcome the UNM signing the agreement. We have been encouraging them to sign this agreement for quite some time. It’s a good sign because this represents a roadmap of the important reforms that the country needs to make. What is really important is that these are the reforms and steps that Georgia’s leaders negoti-

ated and agreed upon amongst themselves. They were not imposed by the United States or by the European Union: they were negotiated among Georgia’s political leaders. So it is a good sign that so many have signed on to implement these reforms that are so necessary and important for strengthening Georgia’s path forward. These are the kinds of reforms that are going to allow for a stronger economy, for a better electoral process. These are reforms that touch the lives of every Georgian.”

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2021

Georgian Dream Refuses EU Financial Aid, EU Reps: Georgia Didn’t Deserve It Anyway BY TEAM GT

eorgia failed to sufficiently address the conditions for the macro-financial assistance, and, notably, to increase the independence, accountability and quality of the judicial system, - EU Charge d’Affaires ad interim, Julien Crampes, said at a briefing held at the EU Delegation Office, following on from Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s announcement that the Georgian government would not be taking the second tranche of EU support. He noted that the Government of Georgia notified the European Union of its decision to refrain from requesting the EUR 75 million in EU macro-financial assistance, and the European Union had taken note of the reasoning provided by the government for doing so. However, he added, Georgia had in any case failed to sufficiently address the conditions for the macro-financial assistance. “This amount was due to be disbursed before 30 September 2021, should Georgia have been in compliance with the mutually agreed commitments taken on by its government in September 2020 when signing the conditions for this assistance program. The macro-financial assistance, EUR 150 million in total, out of which half has already been disbursed, was aimed at helping Georgia and its citizens address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds were intended to be available for the benefit of the Georgian people. “The European Union takes note of the

reasoning provided by the Georgian Government on their decision not to ask for the rest of the EU micro-financial assistance. While we respect the decision of the Georgian authorities, at the same time, we note that Georgia failed to sufficiently address the condition for this macrofinancial assistance, and notably, to increase the independence, accountability and quality of the judicial system. “In particular, the selection for Supreme Court judges proceeded in the absence of the legislative changes needed to ensure full compliance with all recommendations made by the Venice Commission. The process also failed to guarantee the equal treatment of all candidates. Several further legal changes aimed at increasing the transparency of the court system have not been adopted. “The justice-related conditions of the macro-financial assistance were also commitments taken on by Georgian political parties when signing the 19 April 2021 Agreement, mediated by the European Union,” Crampes added. On Tuesday, PM Garibashvili announced that the government would refrain from taking the second part of the EU loan. “In order to avoid any insinuation, we have decided to refrain from taking the second part of the EU loan,” he stated. Garibashvili explained that the reason for the above decision was, on the one hand, “high economic growth in Georgia” and, on the other hand, the desire to reduce foreign debt. Irakli Kobakhidze, Chairman of the Georgian Dream, told PalitraNews that receiving macro-financial assistance from the EU is “no longer a financial necessity,” as the economic growth has accumulated an additional 1 billion GEL

in the budget. In April 2020, due to the circumstances caused by the pandemic, Georgia requested macro-financial assistance from the European Union. Macro-financial assistance is an emergency tool developed by the EU in response to crises and is available to the EU's neighboring countries. Since 2008, the EU has conducted four macro-financial assistance operations in Georgia. Based on the decision of May 26, 2020,

the European Union provided macrofinancial assistance to Georgia to the amount of 150 million Euros. The amount was divided into two equal tranches - the first tranche of EUR 75 million was conditional on the fulfillment of obligations under the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and this amount was received by Georgia at the end of last year. The transfer of the second EUR 75 million would depend on the positive assessment of the European Commission of seven preconditions

Georgia took on the responsibility to fulfill. Among them, the main one concerned the reform of the justice system. “Unfortunately, the Georgian government didn't fulfill the conditions listed in the MoU for the second tranche,” MEP Viola von Cramon wrote on social media. She noted, though, that the European Union does stand with the Georgian people. “Unfortunately, the Georgian government didn’t fulfill the conditions listed in the MoU for the second tranche (€75mill): judicial reform, etc. You can't decline what you were not eligible for. We stand with the people of Georgia,” the MEP wrote. PM Garibashvili responded quickly. “The European Parliament is not our boss: our boss is the Georgian people. If they [EU] are really interested in the situation, they should find out the details and not make superficial statements,” he said, reiterating that the country had decided not to take the 75 million Euros in aid because it was a loan that Georgia “does not need at this stage.” “I will remind the people that this is a loan, part of which we took in 2020. 75 million Euros was the second part of the loan, which was not a grant or assistance [and so would need to be paid back],” the PM told reporters on August 31. “This year, since we started reducing our foreign debt, in all probability, it will no longer be necessary to receive this amount. We are grateful for all the help the EU has given us during the pandemic, and in general for everything they are doing for us. We will continue to move in this direction,” the PM said, noting that further details will be given by the Ministry of Finance later.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2021

I Beheld the Injured Eagle... OP-ED BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

well-known piece of poetry by the late Georgian genius Vazha Pshavela would describe today’s America better than most poetic lines about this great land of opportunity: ‘I beheld the injured eagle In the fight with crows and ravens, Trying to rise to feet again, No longer being that able’ Yes, the United States has all of a sudden found itself in an appalling geopolitical limbo, watching while the seemingly tamed and restrained ancient land of Afghans surprises the world with its mindboggling display of well-sharpened teeth as it reinstates medieval rule in the country, rejecting the perennially modern American sociopolitical ideals and the western cultural values many locals neither accepted nor appreciated. America has been struggling in the last quarter of a millennium to have the world know that Man has never lived in a richer, fairer or happier society than theirs, alternating success and failure alongside the developmental logic of the nation; forever poised to grab the deserved victories in every walk of life. Yet, if this were true, how could America have been caught napping so easily and flagrantly that its overly sophisticated military intelligence had no clue that the 300,000-strong Afghan army, trained by American servicemen and armed to the teeth with state-of-the-art weaponry, would so easily surrender to its nemesis without a single shot fired? Or that the president of the country would flee the capital in a matter of sec-

An injured American eagle. Source: fredericksburg.com

onds, trembling with the fear of being executed by the incoming rough and overwhelming power? Yes, after two decades of heavy, imposing, but still meaningful presence in Afghanistan, the American military power and civil service are out, lock, stock and barrel, without even looking back. This, despite the

fact that good men and women have been left behind those dangerous enemy lines, hoping to be rescued and given a chance to once again live a life of dignity. Nothing could be more heartbreaking for any American patriot than contemplating thousands of vainly lost lives, the ineffectively wasted twenty years of

unprecedented, strained endeavor to build up another nation’s potential for self-defense, to keep the world safe from brutal barbaric attacks, to in the end have to see all that bloodstained effort going down the tubes. Now, the most torturous question is whether the disaster could have been avoided, and if the

answer is yes, why was it not steered clear of? Presumably and unfortunately, this question will not be answered for years to come, because the question is very, very embarrassing. A propos, tools of mass communication like CNN and the rest of mainstream American media bent over backwards to ensure the defeat of the previous American administration and the occupation of the White House by the new, and as such, they are covering today’s Afghanistan blunder in moderate tones and hues to keep the applecart uprightknowing that making those famous journalistic waves at this time might damage their reputations, and may even insight some guilt. In spite of that, the press is currently full of headlines like ‘Experts Who Created Afghanistan Mess Should Be Fired’, ‘President and His Generals Must Be Held to Account’, ‘Americans Are Losing Faith in Government on Many Issues’, ‘In the Midst of a White House Breakdown’, ‘Helplessness of Being an Afghanistan War Vet’, ‘America's Military Leaders Need to Resign’, ‘Biden's Place in History is in Jeopardy’, ‘Humiliating End to Democracy-Promotion Fairytales’, ‘Our Leaders Are Unworthy of the Sacrifice’, ‘Evicting Trump Was Clearly a Catastrophe’, ‘Long Road to Resettling Afghans in the US’, etc. There are also headlines out there that clearly support the government, among them ‘Biden Administration's Afghan Critics Wrong in Almost Every Way’. And this is not bad at all, because nobody wants to see the famous American freedom and democracy die. There is still a chance to see them illuminate the hope that we can improve our interdependent existence on Planet Earth, although it is true that the injured eagle doesn’t seem to be quite so powerful anymore.

Iran Plays Eurasianist Card

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, right, and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, pose for a photo after signing a bilateral agreement, in Tehran, Iran, March 27, 2021. Source: voanews.com

ANALYSIS BY EMIL AVDALIANI

hina and Iran signed an expansive deal in Tehran on March 27 this year. Neither Iranian nor Chinese leadership revealed the details of the agreement, but analysts suggest that it was largely along the lines of a leaked 18-page draft published last year by The New York Times. To remind the reader, the draft detailed a potential $400 billion of Chinese investments in Iran’s oil and gas industries, telecommunications, ports, railways and other sectors over the next 25 years.

China, in return, would receive Iranian oil under preferential terms. This could signal that China, despite heavy US sanctions, will still involve itself in Iran. Indeed, Tehran needs Beijing, as economic sanctions have decimated Iran’s oil and gas industries. The draft also mentioned deepening military cooperation between the two countries. This included joint exercises, military research and intelligence-sharing. China has conducted two naval drills with Iran and Russia within the framework of fighting piracy and counterterrorism – a subtle indication of Chinese involvement in the safety of oil trade routes from the Middle East to the IndoPacific region.

But to look at China’s moves solely from the perspective of its agreement with Iran would not help in revealing the whole picture. Beijing has set its sights on the Middle East overall. The Iran agreement does not mean cooperation only with the Islamic republic or treating it as China’s most preferred nation in the region. For Beijing, Iran is but one player on the chess board. Take the most recent example. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi toured the Middle East in March, covering Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Oman, Bahrain and Iran. Limiting itself only to Iran would not be beneficial to Beijing specifically, as other regional powers also look up to China for potential investments and are also in the midst of the US re-evaluating most facets of its policy in the Middle East. Just a small indication of China’s regionwide vision is that it is even ready to play host to direct talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians. China Daily, an organ of the Chinese Communist Party, reported that Minister Yi unveiled a five-point plan "for achieving security and stability in the Middle East by offering constructive boosts to the PalestineIsrael dialogue, resuming the Iran nuclear deal, and building a security framework in this region". What analysts forget is the Russian dimension to the burgeoning China-Iran relations. Russia-China relations enter a new era of cooperation in nearly all areas. Yes, China is much stronger in pure economic terms, but both sides are eager to highlight the evenness of their partnership. Contrary to Central Asia or the Arctic region, where China and Russia are more likely to compete, the Middle East could be an area where Russia and China would cooperate. For Russia, Chinese influence in the volatile region would help diminish the West's geopolitical ambition. So long as the WestRussia rivalry continues, Chinese influence will be welcomed by Moscow and

regarded as a necessary component to balance the West, and in some cases even squeeze it out entirely. What we see in many regions across Eurasia is that Russia works closely with various regional actors to keep the West at bay. Therefore, growth of China's clout via the deal with Iran, in some way, would be beneficial to Moscow and would serve the same purpose of sidelining the collective West in the Middle East. A certain, unofficial, triple partnership might be emerging between Russia, China and Iran. In the longer term, though, Russia might be also worried that all the lucrative investment opportunities in Iran could be taken by Chinese companies. But this would not be a serious irritant in China-Russia ties. True, the Iran-China gives Beijing a geopolitical edge, but it could be argued its advantages are for the moment more rhetorical. The implementation of the deal is unlikely to be easy, as China’s commitments seemingly have various ‘strategic exits’ to safeguard its investments. Following the signing ceremony, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijiang said that “the plan focuses on tapping the potentials in economic and cultural cooperation and charting a course for long-term cooperation. It neither includes any quantitative, specific contracts and goals nor targets any third party, and will provide a general framework for China-Iran cooperation going forward.” This suggest that the agreement is more of an umbrella with no agreed specifics, while the $400 billion figure is still speculative. Perhaps analysts are pushing too hard for the China-Iran agreement to be seen in superficial grandiose terms. After all, the Iranian government spokesperson Ali Rabiei said the agreement was “not an international treaty, or agreement, and does not require parliamentary approval under this legal interpretation”.

The agreement could be seen as largely aspirational and might be even labelled as a road map similar to that which China signed with several countries across the Middle East. Over the past several years, China has signed cooperation deals with Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Why should the agreement with Iran be any different? Even if the agreement has no immediate military impact, it still might represent a major strategic shift. India and the US should be most worried. Delays in the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in Pakistan may propelled China’s growing interest in infrastructure investments in Iran. Pakistan’s Gwadar port, which China manages, provides it with a shorter route for oil imports from the Gulf vis-à-vis the sea route through the Malacca Strait. Beijing sees Chabahar port in Iran complementary to Gwadar, and perhaps as a part of its string of pearls in the Indian Ocean. India should be concerned because in the longer term, it could be pushed to the corner or squeezed out entirely from major projects in Iran. As the agreement will likely give China access to Iran’s naval base at Jask, outside the Persian Gulf, it will allow Beijing to constrain India’s plans to develop Iran’s port and Delhi’s ambition to build a rail-road access to Central Asia. For the US, the effects of the agreement are not yet entirely clear, but no-one can ignore the fact China has acted at a time when the US was winding down on its presence in the Middle East, and during the Trump presidency some core aspects of America’s ties with the Arabs were questioned. It is also a time when neither Russia nor Europe can play a decisive role in the region either politically or economically. China has this potential, and it also has an aura of an evenhanded broker in the region beset by rivalries and heightened sensitivities towards the former imperial powers.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2021

American Culture Center Opens in Tbilisi BY ANA DUMBADZE

n American Cultural Center (ACC) was opened in Tbilisi on September 2 to develop cultural ties between the United States

ISFED: Dismissal from Public Service on Political Grounds Often Occurs in Case of Gakharia’s Teammates BY ANA DUMBADZE

ased on an interim pre-election monitoring report prepared by the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, alleged politically motivated dismissals of employees from the public service often occur in the case of Former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s team members. The director of the organization Nino Dolidze named concrete examples while

presenting the interim report and noted that similar problems exist in almost all regions. “For example, in Gori, the employment contract of the financial manager of the Municipal Transport Agency, Kakha Paliashvili, was terminated. In this case, it expired, however, 150 other people worked there, whose terms were also expiring, and their terms have been extended. He supposes that the above is related to the political activities of his brother, Mamuka Paliashvili, who joined the team of Giorgi Gakharia, and was a former member of the city council of

the Georgian Dream. “The mother and aunt of the SamtskheJavakheti For Georgia party coordinator, who had been working in the public service for a long time, were fired. They were first summoned to the trustee, then fired, because their son and nephew are supporters of the party. In many cases, this applies to Gakharia’s team, and we explain this by the fact that representatives of other parties are probably no longer working in public services. “There are many facts in different cities, including Dmanisi, Sachkhere, Poti,” Dolidze said.

and Georgia. Its founders are Zviad Pochkhua, Editor-in-Chief of The FINANCIAL, Michael Cowgill, President of the GeorgianAmerican University and the American Chamber of Commerce, and Eugene Jokhidze, Editor-in-Chief of Metronome. The opening ceremony held at Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel was attended by US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan, who emphasized that ‘this is a fantastic new initiative’ for a strong partnership between the two countries. “This is a fantastic new initiative, the American Culture Center that was launched today and designed to bring together Americans and Georgians, and show how much we have in common, how many initiatives we are doing together, and to look for new opportunities to continue this strong partnership. We are delighted to be able to support the American Culture Center. It is a private initia-

tive, but it complements what the United States Embassy and the United States have been doing here in Georgia for almost thirty years: educational exchanges, cultural exchanges, English language classes – all of the great programs that I think have reached every corner of Georgia in the last thirty years, and we are just thrilled to be able to be here for the launch today,” the Ambassador stated. “For me, as an American / Georgian dual citizen, nothing is more important than Georgia being in the Western and Euro-Atlantic Alliance. The American Culture Center in Georgia can make a significant contribution to this process,” said Michael Cowgill, ACC Georgia Honorary Chairman. “We established this center in response to Georgia’s growing cooperation with the United States. In the age of false information, Georgians need a credible source of American culture, values, and American interests in the region. Georgian-American relations are now as important as ever. Georgia remains one of the United States’ strongest and most trusted non-NATO allies. It is a reliable western pillar in terms of common values, common interests and coordinated policies in the region,” noted Zviad Pochkhua, ACC Chairman.

Political Platform ‘Third Force’ Presented ahead of the Elections BY TEAM GT

iorgi Vashadze, the leader of 'Strategy Builder,' presented the political platform 'Third Force.' During the presentation, he introduced the public to the politicians who have joined his party. Among them are: former Chairman of the United National Movement, MP Grigol Vashadze; a leader of the 'Republican Part,' MP Khatuna Samnidze; Tamar Kekenadze, Chairwoman of the Free Democrats; Rezo Kemularia, Member of the Supreme Council of the Republic

of Georgia; Vakhtang Iashvili, Representative of the Human Rights Center; Doctor of Socio-Political Sciences, Professor of Public Administration, Otar Baghaturia; and Paata Chikovani, Doctor of History. Vashadze said in his statement that Georgia faces an economic crisis, unemployment, low income, regularly inflating prices, and the COVID pandemic. He noted that for this reason, they decided to form the 'Third Force' platform, which will incorporate different professionals from various fields who will focus on people's needs. "Together with the Strategy Builder team, we decided to establish a platform 'Third Force,' which will unite political,

public and various types of professionals, who will focus on people's needs on a daily basis," Giorgi Vashadze said. Former Chairman of the UNM, Grigol Vashadze, who has also joined the Third Force, made the following announcement during the presentation: "One political team is stuck in the past, the other political teams cannot learn from the mistakes of the past! If we continue this, we will lose the state, and history will not give us more chances!” Strategy Builder is a political party founded by Giorgi Vashadze, who, along with supporters, left the UNM in December 2020 after a party conflict. Strategy Builder has declared itself as following liberal principles.

Ombudsman: Dozens of Public Servants Harassed over Relations with Gakharia Party Members

he Public Defender's Office of Georgia says dozens of cases of possible discrimination due to political views have been revealed in various public institutions of late. The Ombudsman reports that pressure was seen in the form of direct dismissal or resignation, including in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, municipal services, LEPLs established by various municipalities, NNLEs and other public institutions. Based on the information available to the Public Defender’s Office at this time, 62 employees were subjected to various forms of pressure. Most of them, in a conversation with the representatives of the Public Defender, confirmed pressure and dismissal, and explain the above as resulting from kinship, friendship or good relations with members of the party of former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia. (It should be noted that several of them, despite confirmation of pressure, refrained from giving their consent to the Public Defender's Office to examine their cases). The mentioned individuals were fired from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, municipal services, non-commercial legal entities as well as legal entities under public law established by various municipalities, and other public institutions. These citizens allege that their superiors told them to file applications for resignation, which some agreed to and some did not, although the latter were dismissed anyway, on other grounds.

Disciplinary proceedings were launched against some. The above case contains elements of crime under the Criminal Code of Georgia – persecution for political views. "On August 31, 2021, the Public Defender sent the cases of 34 persons to the Prosecutor General's Office of Georgia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia for investigation and response. As the Office receives daily applications and reports of similar incidents, the Public Defender's Office, after communication with the dismissed persons, will periodically provide additional information on such incidents to the law enforcement agencies and will monitor their response to the cases, and will also examine individual cases of alleged discrimination and violation of the right to work. "The Public Defender emphasizes that it is inadmissible to persecute people, including to dismiss them, because of their political views or opinions. "Based on the above, the Public Defender calls on: 1. The heads of central and local selfgovernment bodies and other public institutions not to dismiss or instruct the dismissal of employees due to their political views. 2. The Prosecutor's Office of Georgia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia to timely investigate the alleged persecution of persons indicated in the letter sent by the Public Defender and to respond to the case appropriately," reads the statement released by Ombudsman.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2021

The Potential for a Junior Cadet Corps in Georgia

United States Army JROTC Cadets. By Bill Roth / AND

BY MICHAEL GODWIN

tour of any public and private school in America, as well as some other nations, will offer many of the same mundane views: teachers preparing for their next class, students rushing and shuffling their papers for their next examination, and often a glass case with trophies and medals the school’s sports teams have won in years past. However, there is one sight many may not have thought to see. A young student in an immaculately pressed uniform, military-style rank and unit insignia, and shined dress shows. These students, referred to as cadets, are members of a government-funded program called the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC). Participants in these programs are often distinguished from the regular student body by a uniform usually in similar design to the service branch with which they are associated. These units are often displayed in special or civil events, competing in unique sports and physical challenges, and undertaking unique courses in their curriculum. While participation is almost universally voluntary,

the programs offer benefits that include special scholarships for university, unique entry avenues to military service academies, civil service networking opportunities, and promotions or bonuses upon entry to military service should the participant choose to enlist. This program comes in many forms. Many of the British Commonwealth countries have various Cadet Corps for each of their Army, Navy, and Airforce branches. Lithuania has their Lithuanian Riflemen's Union, and a long list of other similar organizations exists, even in some smaller island nations for their Navy. The core purpose of these units varies, but all are generally concentrated around citizenship, sport, personal responsibility and professionalism, and often provide some form of information or incentive for civil or military service. In addition to these fundamental courses, many of the courses include aspects of military-style training. Participants in the British Cadet Corp’s various branches often spend time hiking and camping with military field uniforms and equipment, and practice basic rifle marksmanship. American JROTC programs include basic first aid and land navigation courses. The majority of these programs include some form of parade, military drill, and marching practice,

complete with public appearances in ceremonial and national holiday parades. The Lithuanian Riflemen's Union (LRU) has a unique structure compared to their American and British compatriots. They maintain two main sects of the organization, the Youth Riflemen and the Combat Riflement. Youth Riflemen, aged between 11 and 18, are taught subjects such as leadership, national history, first aid, and military training. The Combat Riflemen, all over 18, are taught more armed and unarmed national defense, given the nations concerns with growing Russian aggression and interest in the Baltic region. The LRU is a separate non-profit organization supported by the government, with its own leadership and management infrastructure, and it operates with assistance from the Armed Forces, police, fire, and rescue service of the country. The organization of these programs is often done at the school, county or district, region or province, and then national level. While most are separated from their Armed Forces and are a federally operated institution, they are sponsored and supported by the Armed Forces. The instructors and coaches are currently serving or former members of the Armed Forces and go through special youth management and educational training programs to acclimate them to working with these younger participants. Currently in Georgia, there exists the General Giorgi Mazniashvili Youth Legion. This group, founded in 2013, is a private group that only began working with the Ministry of Defense, particularly the Georgian SOF, in 2016. Accepting Georgian applicants aged 15 to 21, their focus is basic fieldcraft, including hiking, camping, first aid, survival, and limited marksmanship instruction. Their educational focus lies in helping young Georgians to become confident, capable, and prepared members of society in a national defense framework. While this organization has drawn a noticeable participation group, over 250 members at the time of writing, it has largely missed the publicity and wide ranging recognition that organizations in the aforementioned nations receive.

The association with federal and established educational and military institutions and subsequent integration to garner the support, materials, and standardization to achieve reach and legitimacy is deeply advantageous. Achieving this would possibly need association with the Georgian federal government, official and expressed support by the Ministry of Defense, an allocated annual budget, and standardization across most or all educational institutions in the nation. Instructors will need to be qualified veterans of the Georgian Armed Forces and be certified to work in these youth programs. Participants will be issued standard uniforms, and organized into units based on the school they attend. Activities will be determined largely on the budget allocated, but standard for every unit. The curriculum will include much of what the General Giorgi Mazniashvili Youth Legion currently includes, but also Georgian history, patriotism and citizenship, leadership and basic management and ethics, and the program will need to be underpinned by a set of core values, memorized by each participant. The addition of this youth organization, formed in the mold of its American, British, and Lithuanian sister programs, will change the nation's youth. By enriching the younger community, reviving

their patriotism and sense of pride, and instilling a sense of confidence in their abilities, the country will see a reborn generation. With the General Giorgi Mazniashvili Youth Legion already operating as a perfect launchpad, startup resources needed from government entities would be low. The existing bonds between some members of the Georgian Armed Forces and the Youth Legion have made the ground with which to expand this fertile relationship. Despite the troubles the nation faces now, the state of the youth will be the ones that make the corrections and push Georgia’s strengths. In addition to this is the development of education, as studies in America and Australia have shown a significant increase in the personal and academic performance of students involved in the JROTC or Australian Army Cadets. While this new Georgia program should not be used as a recruitment tool, it will give young citizens an opportunity to explore the potential of service in their Armed Forces as well as develop a respect for what their service members do for their nation. While the saying, “the youth are the future of a nation,” can certainly be labeled cliché, it still rings true. As such, Georgia’s future really does lie in the hands of these young and confident volunteers, and the program that aims to shape them.

Ministry of National Defense, Republic of Lithuania / Lithuanian Riflemen's Union

Giorgi Gakharia to be Tamar Kekenadze to be Mayoral Tbilisi Mayoral Candidate Candidate of Third Force in Tbilisi BY ANA DUMBADZE

amar Kekenadze will be the Tbilisi mayoral candidate of the ‘Third Force,’ while Sergo Chikhladze will be the number one on the list for the City Assembly. ‘Third Force’ was founded by Giorgi

Edison Research: Former PM Gakharia is Most Rated Politician

iorgi Gakharia will be the Tbilisi mayoral candidate of the ‘For Georgia’ party. The Former PM made the relevant statement while nominating the party’s mayoral candidates, Tbilisi majoritarian candidates and members of the party list in the Tbilisi Assembly for the local self-government elections. He noted that he is taking this step as a sign of solidarity with other party mayoral candidates, “who have to protect the interests of Georgian citizens in the most difficult conditions.” The members of the party list in the

Tbilisi Assembly are: 1. Levan Dolidze; 2. Zaza Tavadze; 3. Salome Kobaladze; 4. Giorgi Sharashidze; 5. David Partsvania 6. Tamar (Tata) Khvedeliani; 7. Ekaterine Vepkhvadze; 8. Malkhaz Mchedlishvili; 9. Saba Jikidze; 10. George Soselia; 11. Tiko Tvaladze; 12. Giorgi Kiknavelidze; 13. Zaur Rekhviashvili; 14. Ketevan Bakaradze; 15. Vato Pachulia.

Vashadze, the leader of ‘Strategy Builder’ together with his associates. Former UNM chairman Grigol Vashadze also joined the union. Tamar Kekenadze was been one of the leaders of Irakli Alasania’s party for years after leaving the Free Democrats, and Sergo Chikhladze is a member of the Strategy Builder political council working on health issues. In Krtsanisi, the third force majoritar-

ian candidate will be Davit Tsekveva, in Saburtalo Sergo Chikhladze, in Isani – Teona Chalidze, in Gldani – Nana Tokhvadze, in Didube – Otar Baghaturia, in Samgori – Vakhtang Iashvili, in Vake – Paata Chikovani, in Mtatsminda – Irakli Goguadze, in Chughureti – Avtandil Chartolani, in Nadzaladevi – Zaza Kortkhonjia. The leader of ‘Strategy Builder,’ Giorgi Vashadze, officially presented the political platform ‘Third Force’ on August 30.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2021

Heavy Hail Destroys Vineyards in Several Villages of Kakheti BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE Geostat: Economy Grew by 9.9% in July

eavy hail and wind damaged 4600 hectares of vineyards in the Kakheti region: Kvareli, Telavi, and Gurjaani municipalities this week. Locals say the losses are huge and they have been left without income this year. Up to 300 hectares of vineyards were 80% destroyed. Farmers whose grapes have been completely destroyed will receive 3000 GEL per hectare as a one-time compensation. The Government of Georgia is also going to pay 80 tetri for 1 kg of the Rkatsiteli grape variety and 1 GEL for Saperavi.

Geostat: Economy Grew by 9.9% in July BY ANA DUMBADZE

he estimated real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate in July 2021 equaled 9.9% YoY and 12.2% in January-July of 2021 YoY, the preliminary data prepared by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) shows.

In July, the estimated real growth compared to the same period of the previous year was observed in the following activities: Financial and Insurance Activities, Manufacturing, Hotels and Restaurants, Transportation and Storage, Trade. A decline was registered in Construction, Mining and quarrying. Based on the preliminary data from Geostat, the Georgian economy shrank by 6.2% in 2020.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2021

BTU and its International Partners Announce Large-Scale Projects in Cooperation with Government of Kazakhstan

Vice Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, the Minister of Education, and other members of the government. Under the agreement, the partners will initiate regional and global cooperation, innovation transfer, commercialization of science, investment attraction, and more. Astana International University was founded in 2018 as a member of Nursultan Nazarbayev’s Astana International Science Complex. It consists of 7 research institutes, 5 scientific centers, and laboratories. Among the projects of the university are the program of attracting young scientists and researchers “Science, Business, Production” and others. The discussion of the potential of cooperation took place a year ago during the visit of BTU to Kazakhstan. In cooperation with the University of Business and Technology, the Kazakh side plans to support an innovative ecosystem, develop global international projects, and improve the scientific environment.

ikheil Batiashvili, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the University of Business and Technology, met with members of the Government of Kazakhstan and representatives of Astana International University, as a result of which a decision was made on the partnership between BTU and Kazakhstan, the largest international university. The cooperation includes joint programs and projects in Kazakhstan and the region, in the fields of innovation, technology, tourism, and in another direction, with the involvement of BTU’s major international partners. Technology companies, top-ranked scientific research centers and institutions, and other BTU partners will jointly carry out educational, scientific research, expert and consulting certification and training, and other activities. The meeting on the Institutional Cooperation Agreement was attended by the

How Georgian Companies Are Encouraging their Staff to Get Vaccinated

BY TEAM GT

ith Georgia suffering the severe consequences of low vaccination rates due to a slow vaccine rollout and lack of enthusiasm among citizens to get the jabs, combined with apathy towards mask wearing and keeping a distance, it is often falling to companies themselves to push their employees to play it safe. GEORGIA TODAY contacted a variety of Georgian companies to get their take on vaccination and employee support. Tamara Klibadze, HR Manager at Europebet, spoke to us about the support given to her team during the pandemic, and what incentives they offer staff to go and get a vaccine. “We were one of the first companies to offer a remote working possibility to employees, a few days before the government announced it as a mandatory rule for all,” she tells us. “Remote and hybrid work remains one of the most important options for us. Pandemic changes reality every day, so the company should be flexible and able to make fast decisions, especially when it comes

to workplace safety. “Throughout the pandemic, we did many workshops on staying safe, how to be productive and how to lead the team during remote work. We even ran several stand-up comedies and inspirational speeches via zoom to stay connected and lift the mood. “We also keep track of our employees’ moods by conducting monthly internal surveys.”

HOW DID YOU PROTECT EMPLOYEE HEALTH? Besides staying remote, which is the biggest guarantee of safety, we provided work safety training dedicated to COVID19 protection. Our office is fully equipped with all necessary safety materials (masks, gloves, a distance thermometer, hand and desk sanitizers, etc.)

WHAT INCENTIVES ARE YOU OFFERING TO TRY AND GET YOUR CO-WORKERS TO VACCINATE? According to our internal survey, 54% of our employees are fully vaccinated or have had the first shot of the vaccine. To support vaccination and stop the spread of the virus, we offer exclusive benefits to our employees: • A lottery for vaccinated employees

– all vaccinated employees have a chance to win a MacBook pro or 1000 GEL voucher • Vaccination day and the day after is a paid day off. • We offer the possibility of remote work for two weeks during the summer for all employees. • We offer three days of self-isolation to all after vacation.

BEELINE “Beeline aims to gain Covid Safe Company status and protect our employees, their family members, and customers,” they told us. “That’s why, from July 5, Beeline’s internal communication platform on Facebook Workplace launched a campaign dedicated to encouraging the vaccination process and raising awareness about vaccination. The aim of the campaign is to provide accurate information to employees and motivate them to get vaccinated.” At the very beginning of the campaign, research was conducted to determine the number of vaccinated employees and to get feedback on the issue. Research is ongoing and all employees are aware of the updated results. As part of the in-house communication campaign, Beeline provides employees with comprehensive information on the vaccination process in the country and around the world, informing them about the benefits for vaccinated people in the country, and answering frequently asked questions through relevant professionals and invited doctors online. A virtual library is available for each employee at the Workplace, where all the necessary information is gathered. Beeline internal online talk show cof-

fee break hosts vaccinated staff every week who share their experiences with colleagues. An important part of the campaign is motivating and encouraging employees. In this direction, a photo-video competition “I got vaccinated” is underway. Employees can participate both as a team and individually by sharing photo-video material taken by them, which reflects the mood and life after the vaccination. A specially selected jury will reveal the winner and award them with a variety of prizes. In terms of team involvement, employees of Beeline stores, departments, and directorates compete with each other for Covid Safe Team status and a shared prize. “The attitude of the Beeline team towards the vaccination process is well reflected in our communication,” Beeline says. “We all believe vaccination brings us closer to each other and to the end of the pandemic, that each vaccinated person makes a significant contribution to solving the world problem, and that alone is the only way to defeat an invisible enemy. “The number of vaccinated employees in Beeline is growing by the day, which well reflects the overall spirit and endeavor as well as high social responsibility of our entire team.”

TBC To ensure the health and safety of its employees and consumers, TBC is urging them to get vaccinated against the Coronavirus. To this end, TBC offers incentive activities to those who want to be vaccinated. In particular, for employees who get vaccinated from July 29 to September 1, TBC has the following motivational offers: • The day of vaccination for staff will be declared a day-off; • The first three branches with more than 80% of their employees vaccinated by September 1, will be rewarded with a weekend out-of-town vacation; • All vaccinated TBC employees will receive a gift voucher from the TBC Brand Store; • Funding will be provided for training courses for vaccinated staff. “For us, the health and safety of team members is the most important concern,” says Vakhtang Butskhrikidze, General Director of TBC. “With enhanced security measures and the greatest responsibility, we have passed peacefully through a difficult year and a half. Prevention, adherence to safety rules, care for each

other and customers were especially important in this period. I believe that TBC employees and users will take responsibility for the process of virus prevention and vaccination.” The main task of TBC is to prevent the spread of the pandemic, to actively implement and protect the safety rules, and to take care of each other's health. To do this, the company urges every TBC member to take responsibility and get involved in the vaccination program.

LEMONS.GE Lemons.ge, a tech, design, and marketing company 10 years and going strong, told us that they have offered those employees who have been vaccinated or who will be vaccinated with two doses by the end of August, an additional 5-day holiday. If they have already been on leave and no longer want it, they can request the money-equivalent of those 5 days and get it with their next paycheck. “In addition, all vaccinated staff will go on a one-day trip on the first Saturday of September to a hotel with a pool in Natakhtari, near Tbilisi,” Lemons.ge reps told us. What a treat!

ALPHA HOME Construction company Alpha Home is going one step further and offering clients who have been vaccinated twice a $20 discount on its Nutsubidze and Marijani projects.

GEORGIAN POST Georgian Post is supporting the voluntary vaccination of employees in Tbilisi and the regions, recognizing that vaccination against COVID-19 is important to improve the epidemiological situation in the country. Georgian Post, with 2100 employees, has already registered those who want to be vaccinated and has provided for their vaccination. Georgian Post is the largest national postal operator in Georgia, distinguished by a large selection of services, as well as the widest network of service centers. It is represented by 81 service centers throughout the country, 7 of those in Adjara. The purpose of Georgian Post is to provide customers with services included in the field of universal postal services. First printed in GT Business magazine.

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2021

Tbilisi to Batumi to Take Just 3.5 Hours with New Rikoti Highway BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

his is really a project of the century, such a project has not been implemented in our country and it can be said that it is distinguished throughout Europe by its complexity, stated the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili about the latest construction works being carried out in central Georgia's Rikoti Pass. As the Georgian government reports,

a total of 51.6 km of road is to be built through the Rikoti gorge, which will include 96 bridges and 53 tunnels. The opening of a 2 km section of the new road, which consists of 6 bridges and 3 tunnels, is planned for September. The completion of the construction of the Rikoti section is planned for 2024, after which the driving travel time from Tbilisi to Batumi will be reduced to around 3.5 hours. The Rikoti projects currently employ more than 4,000 people and about 70% of the employees are Georgian citizens.

Vaccination: To Be, or Not to Be

Once an effective drug for the treatment of COVID-19 is developed, the topic of universal vaccination will gain a new interpretation. Source: medpagetoday.com

OP-ED BY PROF. VLADIMER PAPAVA, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, RONDELL FOUNDATION

opefully, readers will agree that the words of protagonist Hamlet, from William Shakespeare's famous tragedy ‘Hamlet,’ about being or not being, best reflects the reality in which every person has found themselves since 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike in 2020, though, different types of vaccines have been developed for 2021, the possibility of their mass use leading to the expectation that the global pandemic will soon come to a real end. Yet, the development of COVID-19 vaccines brought about new problems. From the very beginning of the vaccination process, the ethical side of vaccination became especially acute when age and professional priorities had to be considered. Alongside this, the fact that vaccines were unequally available to rich, developed, and developing countries became quickly apparent. Although, following

the principle of solidarity, some wealthy countries and international organizations began to distribute vaccines to relatively low-income countries free of charge, the question remains: how to vaccinate the populations of all countries? Against the background of the vaccination process, a number of countries have fully or at least partially lifted the imposed restrictions, a move which immediately reflected on the improvement of the economic situation. Vaccination therefore allows the economy to emerge from the crisis, thus ending the unfortunate situation wherein the economy has become a hostage of medicine. The importance of vaccination is precipitated by the fact that collective immunity will only form when 80 percent of the world's population is vaccinated, which is expected to be achieved in 2023 or 2024, although acceleration of this process has not been ruled out. Even though different types of vaccines have been developed, making it easier for people to choose when available, the issue of low trust in these vaccines remains a major problem. And if a significant portion of the population has no confidence in the vaccines, then it will be impossible to overcome the

COVID-19 pandemic through them. In other words, as it turns out, the existence of a vaccine in and of itself is not necessarily a panacea. Vaccines have been available in Georgia since the spring of 2021, while from July the population was given the choice to get vaccinated with four vaccines, made using a variety of technologies: Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, and Sinovac. Despite this opportunity, there was no rush seen to get vaccinated. A poll conducted by the National Democratic Institute on July 13-25 showed that 47 percent of respondents did not want to be vaccinated with any vaccine. It is noteworthy that as soon as the number of daily infections and deaths increased on average by 3-4 fold in August, the daily vaccination rate also rose, by an average of 7-8 times. This can only be explained by the fear factor. Notably, the popular anti-vaxxer movement, which is based on superstition, preceded the vaccination process. Of particular importance in this regard is the call of Pope Francis for people to get vaccinated in order to save lives. The Pope called vaccination against coronavirus an “ethical obligation.” His position should be shared by the leaders of different religions and denominations, as it would contribute to a significant weakening of the anti-vaxxer movement. In this situation, the implementation of universal mandatory vaccination becomes relevant. Yet, in a number of countries, this potential move was interpreted as a restriction of human freedom, which is why the idea was promptly rejected. As is well known, the freedom of one person ends where the freedom of another begins. According to popular belief, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, one person's free choice of whether to be vaccinated with the appropriate vaccine depends solely on how contagious the virus is to another person. This argument is certainly not flawless, as even a vaccinated person can catch COVID-19 (although this is less likely than for an

Ministry of Justice Introduces Benefits for Fully Vaccinated People BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

he Ministry of Justice this week introduced benefits for fully vaccinated people. Those who have been vaccinated twice with the

Covid vaccine will receive a number of the services of the Ministry of Justice for free and others at half price. Fully vaccinated people will be able to use the following services of the Ministry of Justice free of charge: Registration of an individual entrepreneur, change and termination of registered data, and updates to real estate statements.

Fully vaccinated people will also get a 50% discount on the following services: A notice of the circumstances hindering the marriage, and ID card certificate renewal. The benefits provided by the Ministry of Justice will be available to fully vaccinated people without prior reservation at the Houses of Justice and Community Centers.

unvaccinated person) and, although the virus is usually easily overcome by those vaccinated, there is still the risk of potentially infecting other people. A more noteworthy topic is what economists call “opportunity cost.” In particular, in assessing the opportunity cost of vaccination, it must be borne in mind that the probability of being infected with COVID-19 as an unvaccinated person is much higher than that of a vaccinated person. In particular, 2.85 percent of those hospitalized in Georgia with COVID-19 symptoms have been vaccinated once, while the rate of hospitalization in those who received two shots of vaccine is 2.13 percent. This means more than 95 percent of hospitalized Georgians are unvaccinated. Those vaccinated with one dose constitute only 1 percent of intensive care patients, while those with two shots make up just 0.3 percent. In Georgia, the average cost of treating one patient in a hospital is $603, which does not include the cost of setting up oxygen supplies and training medical staff. In comparison, regarding the price of vaccines, one dose of Pfizer-BioNTech is $19.50, Oxford-AstraZeneca $2.15, Sinovac $60, and Sinopharm varying from $19 to $36. It is not really difficult to calculate that vaccination with two shots of the most expensive vaccine in Georgia, Sinovac, at $120 per person, with a 95 percent probability (since, as mentioned above, 95 percent of patients hospitalized in Georgia did not have any vaccination at all), will save at least $483 ($603 - $120), while a two-dose vaccination with the cheapest Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will save at least $598.7 ($603 - $4.30). The opportunity cost of vaccination is even higher in economically developed countries. In the U.S., for example, treatment of one patient in a clinic varies from an average of $51,000 to $78,000. Therefore, an unvaccinated person is not only more susceptible to infection, but their hospital treatment is also much more expensive than that of a vaccinated

person. And this, in view of limited financial resources, directly affects the right of any person to receive full-fledged hospital services if needed. There are numerous cases of restricting human freedom in the aim of ensuring the freedom of others. One of the most obvious examples is the incarceration of a perpetrator of a crime in order to protect the safety of other members of society. There is a much simpler example when the use of seat belts became mandatory at the legislative level to protect people in road accidents. The conclusion from this is simple: the COVID-19 vaccination should also become compulsory. At the initial stage, it may be easier to introduce compulsory vaccination for those whose professions require them to interact with a relatively large group of people (e.g., medical workers, teachers and professors, police officers, military, etc.). It is also advisable to admit to public places only those people who have been fully vaccinated (that is, those who have taken the required number of doses and the time necessary to develop immunity). Such an approach will make the gradual transition to universal compulsory vaccination easier. It should also be noted that the antivaxxer movement has produced specific types of crime, among them making fake vaccination documents for travel purposes, and injecting harmless substances instead of vaccines. Naturally, this type of crime requires an appropriate legal response. Exceptions to vaccination should be allowed only when vaccination is not medically recommended. Once an effective drug for the treatment of COVID-19 is developed, the topic of universal vaccination will gain a new interpretation. But until such a drug exists, we must be oriented to facilitating, as much as possible, the transition to compulsory vaccination, in order to give an unambiguously positive answer to the Shakespearean dilemma of to be, or not to be.

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2021

Legend of the Grandparents BLOG BY TONY HANMER

recently photographed the famous “Babua and Bebia” (Grandfather and Grandmother) pinnacles which stick up like fangs below the south peak of Mt. Ushba, especially as seen from Becho village. It was evening, and to my amazement the sunset lighting, upon enlargement of the pair, clearly showed an old man and woman, details I had never noticed despite many earlier photos from these and other angles over two decades. Not knowing how they had been named, or the legend behind them, I decided to write their story, hoping to put into it all of my fascination for this great edifice. At every step, I was aware of plot elements tugging me this way or that, each with its repercussions on all which would follow. Eventually something emerged from the end to the beginning, the goal always in sight but the path to it taking a while.

PART I: THE PLAYERS Ushba is old, very old, so old that no one remembers when or how he came to be. While he is not the tallest of all the many Caucasus Brothers and Sisters, he IS the most severe and forbidding, while also being the most beautiful to look at. This is the paradox of a lovely exterior combined with a personality which should make one hesitate before trying to get to know him for who he really is. Ushba also has many children and grandchildren of his own, some formed from his own rock substance untold times ago, others more recently adopted into his family from other lineages. Babua and Bebia are among this latter group, with entirely human origins. They had had a long, fulfilling life, with many descendants of their own, all under one roof of a huge stone house in Mazeri, enlarged as necessary to accommodate more new arrivals by marriage or birth. Despite all the people who had joined this family, bringing their differences with them, there was generally harmony, with Babua and Bebia presiding over all. They tried for an atmosphere in which conflicts could be resolved before they developed into ongoing feuds, knowing

how disparate people can be when they have come from outside or even grown up within, as each has a unique character. Being the family elders, they were much respected by the younger generations, even if privately some of these thought this couple were old-fashioned and that they knew better.

PART II: THE PROBLEM Being advanced in years, Babua and Bebia realized that they could not live forever, that the ground must eventually claim their bodies as it has or will us all. They had already seen so many of their own generation of siblings and friends pass away; attended too many wakes, funeral feasts, 40-day and year memorial gatherings, and impromptu graveside ceremonies to boot. But there is no cheating death! Or is there? Babua and Bebia decided to get the advice of ancient Ushba, towering and glowering over their homeland, despite knowing full well how complicated this might be and not even being sure how much they could trust his words. After the morning’s milking, she put on her best winter dress and covered her head with a fine wool shawl. He changed into his dark formal suit, adding his traditional gray Svan felt cap and a thick felt coat to match, and they felt themselves more ready to approach the chill Peak. Telling their family that they were going on an all-day walk, they took some k’ubdari and an empty water bottle to fill from the delicious local springs, left the house, and began trudging up, up, up through their village.

PART III: THE PRESENCE It was a long enough trek to tire their weary bones, taking quite some hours. At the end of it they had ascended as far as was safe without ropes and pitons. They found themselves on a slippery slate cliff-ledge, staring up at the massive face of Ushba’s south peak, wondering how to get his attention, tiny as they were. Now, Ushba has as many sides as there are places that you can see him from, each distinguished from all the rest. Sometimes, like from Etseri, you only see one of his two peaks, which differ in height by only 3 meters, the behind one hidden. From Latali you can see both peaks in part; from Mestia, Mulakhi,

K’ala, above Ushguli and even from Elbrus you get the two fully side by side. The thing to remember is that the being which presents all these aspects is only one: he is cold, cruel, proud, caring little for the little lives which scurry about his feet or dare to try to reach his summits. Babua and Bebia thought that, having lived many decades near the giant, they perhaps knew him well enough to attempt to match wits with him and not lose too much for it. First they tried merely shouting, both one at a time and in unison, and finally singing it in harmony, to get a reaction. “Ushba! Ushba! O mighty USHBA!” they cried, but he was as still as the stone of which he is composed, merely producing a wisp more here and there of his cloud stole. His shoulders where the pair were standing were free from snow at this late autumn time, but his head remained completely white with it as always. At least he did not rain down bolts of lightning, ice or slate upon their heads! They lit a fire from sticks they had

gathered as the evening wore on and darkness began to fall: both for their own comfort and security and in the hope that Ushba would see this unusual light and wake up to investigate it. To no avail. Babua and Bebia stayed warm, and no wolves or bears approached, but the Mountain continued to ignore them as before. What would it take, they wondered and pondered somewhat hoarsely now, to have him answer them? Babua made a sling from part of the cloth k’ubdari bag, and began somewhat impetuously hurling fist-size rocks at the face, as high as his failing strength would allow but still all hitting far from the peak. Bebia danced slowly around the fire, singing. Not a wince or wink or whit. Then Babua took to ridicule, his patience finally having given out. “What, are you not even alive anymore? Or are you simply too grand to notice us puny beings? Or deaf with your old age? Blind and dumb too? ANSWER ME!” His voice was now ragged, but it carried the full force of his frustration.

At this a breeze began to coil about them in a circle, but it soon grew stronger and stronger. Before long the fire had been blasted apart and sucked up into the sky, and Babua and Bebia were left only with the light of the moon and stars by which to see each other and the towering beast before them, dwarfing them to ant-likeness. Then it was all they could do to crouch and try to anchor themselves to the rock under their feet and not go flying upwards too. The wind became a gale which howled at them. To be continued in next week’s GT. Tony Hanmer has lived in Georgia since 1999, in Svaneti since 2007, and been a weekly writer and photographer for GT since early 2011. He runs the “Svaneti Renaissance” Facebook group, now with nearly 2000 members, at www.facebook.com/ groups/SvanetiRenaissance/ He and his wife also run their own guest house in Etseri: www.facebook.com/hanmer.house.svaneti

CULTURE

Svaneti International Film Festival to be Held in Mestia and Ushguli on September 25-29

he Svaneti International Film Festival is to be held in Mestia and Ushguli on September 25-29. The festival will become an integral part of world film festivals and will host guests from different countries of the world. The following will be presented at the festival: International Competition for Short Feature, Documentary, and Animated Films – The winner for the short film will be awarded the “Goddess Dali Prize” in four nominations: Best Film / Best Director / Best Cinematography / Best Editing. International Short Film Jury Members: Film Director, Selector, Writer, and Producer. He has been a member of the feature film program group of the Venice Film Festival since 2008; Since 2019 he has also been a member of the Directors fortnight Film Selection Committee of the Cannes Film Festival Section; Since 2016 Locarno Open Doors Art Consultant; He has worked at several international film festivals and institutes, including IFFRotterdam, Doha Film Institute, Udine Far East FF, Torino FF, Mumbai IFF, Beijing IFF, IFFBratislava. Director and screenwriter, her debut film “Scary Mother” received awards

Jury Chairman: Paolo Bertolini

Jury member: Ana Urushadze

Jury member: Levan Koguashvili

from the Asian Oscars, Locarno, Sarajevo, Beijing, Chicago, Antalya, European Film Academy. Screenwriter and director of the films: “Blind Dates,” which won the Critics’ Award at the Berlinale Film Festival; “Gogita’s New Life” – won the main award at the largest documentary film festival – IDFA; “Brighton 4th” – The film premiered a month ago and won

four prizes at the Tribeca International Film Festival. At the festival, the current trends and challenges in the film industry, as well as the topic ‘how to find a way for beginner directors’ will be covered in masterclasses with: Christophe Leparc – Director-General of the Cannes Film Festival Young Film Competition – Director’s fortnight and

the Montpellier Film Festival. He is also a member of the LUX Selection Panel (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021). Vladimer Kacharava – Georgian producer, member of the European and Asian Film Academy, 2021 – a member of the feature film jury of the European Film Academy, 2018 – a member of the main jury of APSA; 2015 Sundance Script

Lab; 2012 Producers on the Movie (Cannes Film Festival); 2011 – EAVE; 2010 – Eastern European Film Alliance; 2010 – Berlinale Talents; 2009 – Eastern European Co-Production 2006-2007 – IFA-SC, Training on the promotion of South Caucasian films and film Projects; 20062007, IFA-SC: Project and Script Development for South Caucasian Films; 2003 – AVANTI – A Program to Support the South Caucasian Film Community on Creative, Legal and Technical Levels. Levan Koguashvili, and Paolo Bertolini. Special guests of the festival to appear in Mestia: Head of the largest film distribution company Yohann Comte and also Samanta Taylor. Yohann Comte owns the most successful recent French film “The Intouchables,” which was seen by 25% of the French population in cinemas, etc. The festival will be covered by famous foreign film platforms and journalists from Variety & Film News Europe will be invited to contribute several articles to the festival. Supporters of the festival: general sponsor Hotel “Gistola” in Mestia, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs of Georgia, Georgian National Film Center, Georgian National Tourism Administration, Bank of Georgia, Teliani Valley, Mestia Municipality, Badagi and Olprint.

CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 3 - 9, 2021

Georgian Director Tinatin Kajrishvili’s Film Project Wins WORK IN PROGRESS AWARD at Sarajevo Film Fest nificant success. “In ‘Citizen Saint,’ the Georgian Director asks what if God was one of us. “Tinatin Kajrishvili’s third feature ‘Citizen Saint’ tells the story of smalltown miners suddenly discovering that their protector has literally come down from the cross and into their lives,” reads the IMDB description. Produced by Lasha Khalvashi, Denis Vaslin and Borislav Chouchkov, the upcoming film is a co-production between Georgia (Artizm), France (Mandra Films) and Bulgaria (Chouchkov Brothers). Sebastian Miese’s Austrian-German drama ‘Great Freedom’ won the Sarajevo Film Festival’s top prize, the Heart of Sarajevo for the best feature film.

BY ANA DUMBADZE

Source of photo: GNFC - Georgian National Film Center

Film ‘Otar’s Death’ Wins Fedeora Award BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

eorgian Director Tinatin Kajrishvili’s film project ‘Citizen Saint’ has claimed the Work in Progress Award to the amount of 20,000€ at the Sarajevo Film Festival, one of the largest film festivals in Europe. The film has already been funded by the Georgian National Film Center, which publicly congratulated Tinatin Kajrishvili and the creative group on this sig-

oso Bliadze’s film “Otar’s Death” won the Fedeora Award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Otar’s Death tells the story of two families facing existential difficulties. 16-year-old Nika accidentally kills an old man with a car. The victim’s family will consider not pressing charges if they are paid, meaning Nika’s young mother Keti has to find a lot of money

in 24 hours to save her son from prison. Otar’s Death documents characters motivations and shows how the act of morality is played out in a story without being judgmental. Three Georgian films were presented at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. Recognized worldwide as one of the most important film events in Europe. It is an ancient film festival. Held since 1946 and It has been functioning as a film festival since 1956.

SPORTS

The Successes of the Georgian National Team at Tokyo Summer Paralympic Games Grand Prix gold and bronze medalist; Giorgi Gamjashvili: World Cup and World Championship bronze medalist, Grand Prix silver and bronze medalist; Zurab Zurabian: Winner of the Grand Prix Gold; Giorgi Kaldani: Winner of three gold and bronze medals at the Grand Prix; Ina Kaldani: Two-time Grand Prix bronze medalist.

IN PARA POWERLIFTING:

BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

Ahmad Razm Azar: Four-time World Cup gold, two-time silver, and bronze medalist; and Akaki Jincharadze: World Cup gold medalist, three-time silver, two-time bronze medalist, and European Championship bronze medalist.

Irma khetsuriani

Revaz chikoidze

thletes from 136 countries took part in the 2021 Tokyo Summer Paralympic Games which opened in Japan on August 24 and ended on September 4. The Georgian delegation was represented by 13 athletes in the competition, participating in six sports.

IN PARA SWIMMING: Nika Tvauri: Participant of the 2012 London Paralympic Games, winner of the bronze medal at the 2015 Seoul World Games, two-time gold medalist at international championships and tournaments for the blind, holder of three-time silver and two-time bronze at international championships, World Games bronze medalist. Ina Kaldani, Revaz Chikoidze

IN PARA ATHLETICS: Davit Kavtaradze: Silver medalist of the 2018 European Championship in Berlin.

IN PARALYMPIC SHOOTING: Lado Chincharauli: Georgian champion in the para shooting, Vice-Champion of the US Open.

THE GEORGIAN WINS AND LOSSES At time of going to print, the Georgian athletes are competing successfully, and so far have won three silver medals, a Ina Kaldani

IN WHEELCHAIR FENCING: Irma Khetsuriani: Two-time world champion, 18-time World Cup winner, European vice-champion; Nina Tibilashvili: Three-time world champion under 23, silver and bronze medalist, Seniors – Vice-Champion of Europe, multiple bronze medalists of the World Cups; and Gvantsa Zadishvili: World champion in

team fencing, two-time World Cup silver and bronze medalist.

IN PARA JUDO: Revaz Chikoidze: Gold winner of the European Championship, Two-time

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first for the country. Wheelchair Fencer Nina Tibilashvili, Para judoka Ina Kaldani (-70 kg), and Para judoka Revaz Chikoidze (+100 kg) were the talented medal winners, with Kaldani becoming the first Georgian female judoka to win a medal at the Paralympic Games. In Para Powerlifting, Akaki Chincharadze took 4th place, while Wheelchair Fencers Irma Khetsuriani and Nina Tibilashvili both competed for the finals. In the quarterfinals, Khetsuriani’s opponent (in category B) was Italian Rossanna Pasquino, who won at 14:10, however, Khetsuriani competed without mistakes and won 15:14. The competition between Nina Tibilashvili and Ukrainian Natalia Morkvich (A category), also ended at 15:14. In the following match, Khetsuriani lost the bronze medal to China’s Xiao Rong at 6:15, while Tibilashvili won a silver medal, having lost to China’s Jing Bian in the final 7:15.

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