Issue #1313

Issue no: 1313

• SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

Rescuers Find Bodies of Missing Moldovans on Mount Ushba NEWS PAGE 2

Action or Inaction: That Is the Choice. Part 1 POLITICS PAGE 4

Digital Networking for Multi-Functional Tactical Communications in the Georgian Army POLITICS PAGE 5

FOCUS

ON SHANAE'S MURDERER

Police arrested the alleged killer in Tbilisi on Wednesday

PAGE 2

US Embassy: Failure to Approve Constitutional Amendment Another Missed Opportunity for Georgia’s Judiciary POLITICS PAGE 6

ISET Real Estate Market Laboratory | Market Highlights: Apr-Jun 2021 ISET PAGE 7

Corona Updates: As the Situation Improves, Certain Restrictions to be Lifted

BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

his week, the epidemiological situation in Georgia has been improving, with a decrease observed both in newly detected daily cases and in fatalities. Since Monday, the average number of deaths reported daily decreased to 60 from the previous 80.

Carrefour Rewards its Loyal Customers in Georgia with Special Prizes on its Ninth Anniversary BUSINESS PAGE 8

Here’s Why You Should Say No to Plastic (and How) SOCIETY PAGE 9

CULTURE PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

Markets

THE STATISTICS

As of 06ͲSepͲ2021

Georgia reported 1120 coronavirus cases, 4905 recoveries, and 61 deaths on Monday, September 6, as a result of 16,149 tests conducted. Georgian capital Tbilisi recorded the highest number of 415 Covid-19 cases, followed by the Imereti region with 175 cases, and the Kakheti region with 147 cases.

1965 new cases, 3996 recoveries, and 50 deaths were recorded on Tuesday, with a total of 25,624 tests conducted. Tbilisi again recorded the highest number of 651 Covid-19 cases, followed by the Imereti region with 288 cases, and the Adjara region with 201 cases.

Continued on page 3

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2

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

Shanae’s Alleged Murderer Arrested 40 Days after the Crime

BY TEAM GT

F

orty days after the tragic murder of Australian citizen Shanae Brooke Edwards, who was living in Tbilisi and working as a teacher, the Ministry of Internal Affairs arrested Georgian Rafael Mursakulovi.

“Based on the judge's decision, a Georgian citizen living in Tbilisi has been detained under Article 108 of the Criminal Code, which envisages premeditated murder,” the investigative agency announced Wednesday.

The crime envisages 7 to 15 years in prison, a sentence that, should he prove to be guilty, strikes many of the expats following this case as “too generous”.

Mursakulovi denies all accusations against him, his lawyer has told journalists.

Reportedly, the detainee lived near the victim, on Gogebashvili Street. The alleged motive for the murder was a robbery. The attacker was going to seize Shanae Brooke’s iPhone 12, but he could not achieve the goal, because the girl threw the phone in a ravine. The accused accidently cut his hand with a knife and left traces of his blood at the crime scene, as a result of which, the genetic examination established the detainee's DNA and his identity.

According to Ambebi.ge, the accused was detained by the police at his own home.

Investigation of the case is being conducted under Article 108 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, envisaging from 7 to 15 years of imprisonment.

Mursakulovi was arrested yesterday and officially charged on Thursday.

Shanae Brooke Edwards, an Australian citizen, had been temporarily living on Gogebashvili Street, Tbilisi, throughout the recent year. She often used to go on a walk in the forested area located near Mtatsminda Park.

"On July 30, Shanae Brooke was supposed to meet her friends, but did not appear on time, and was unable to be contacted.

"Soon after, Shanae Brooke’s friends filed a police report on her disappearance.

"As soon as the report was received, a search was initiated by the officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The search operation also involved the K-9 service of Forensic-Criminalistics Department," the ministry stated.

Several hundred employees of the Criminal Police, Emergency Situations Management Service and Special Tasks Department were involved in the search, as were over 100 civilians.

"In the afternoon of July 31, as a result of an intensive search operation, the body of the young woman was found with evidence of violence. The investigator of the Ministry of Internal Affairs inspected the scene and the body of the deceased with the involvement of forensic experts from the ForensicCriminalistics Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the course of which a number of items relevant to the case and biological traces were obtained.

“The murder weapon, a knife, was also seized by the law enforcers in a damaged condition. After inspecting the crime scene, the body was transferred to the Levan Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau where a relevant body examination was conducted. Items and genetic evidence extracted from the scene underwent a number of examination procedures, including biological, traceological, genetic and fingerprint examinations “The investigation has involved several hundred police activities.

“More than 200 people were interviewed, including friends, co-workers, neighbors of the deceased woman as well as people employed and present in Mtatsminda Park on the day of the crime.

Based on the information received from them, in order to identify the offender, a composite sketch was created which was sent to all operative units. The routes of Shanae Brooke’s movement were examined as well as video materials depicting her movement on the day of the incident. Investigation also studied several dozen examples of video surveillance camera footage owned by Public Safety Command Center 112 and private facilities installed near the place of crime, the victim’s place of temporary residence, and streets located near Mtatsminda Park.

“Within the framework of international police cooperation and legal assistance, various activities were carried out: “In particular, Shanae Brooke’s friend in the United States, with whom the victim communicated through social media before her death, was interviewed.

“Biological evidence of the alleged offender obtained from the crime scene was sent to 194 member states of Interpol for comparison in DNA databases.

"Biological samples were taken from several dozen people allegedly involved in the crime, on the basis of which genetic examinations were done. All of them underwent a detailed interrogation. Alibies provided by the mentioned individuals to the investigation on their whereabouts at the time of the murder were verified by various investigative measures. As a result of complex and multifaceted investigative activities, the circle of the supposed offenders was reduced to a minimum, whereas, as a result of genetic examination, the identity of the offender was unequivocally confirmed.

“Based on the evidence obtained through the process of investigation, including witness testimonies, video surveillance camera recordings, genetic examination reports and other evidencesR.M. (DoB 1988) was arrested on September 8 of the current year as the accused person based on the relevant court decision," reported the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).

The MIA has not yet commented on the motive for the murder, but rumors are circulating that it was a “robbery gone wrong,” as the bag Ms Edwards was seen carrying on CCTV was reportedly not found with her body.

The arrest came just days after Daily Mail reporter Wayne Flower published an article Shanae’s brutal murder and the ongoing investigation.

In the article, Flower noted that “frightened women living in the Georgian capital where Australian teacher Shanae Brooke Edwards was murdered in July fear her killer may never be brought to justice.”

“The 31-year-old Melbourne 'free spirit' was reportedly found with stab wounds near the ferris wheel attraction in Mtatsminda Park, in a ravine near a narrow

pedestrian trail, on July 31.

“Since then, police in the former USSR state have shared little to no information to the public about how their investigation is progressing,” the article reads.

The article notes that police believe she had been brutally stabbed, robbed and dumped in bushes, in what is believed to be “a robbery-gone-wrong.”

“The body of Ms Brooke Edwards was found discarded under bushes in the shadow of a popular amusement park in what is now believed to be a robberygone-wrong.

“In the month since the horrific murder, reports Ms Brooke Edwards had been raped have been revealed to be unfounded,” Flower writes.

“Information from authorities both in Australia and abroad has not been forthcoming, with Daily Mail Australia's inquiries to Georgian police ignored,” reads the article.

The author notes that the lack of news on the investigation had not gone unnoticed in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, where women have continued to report random attacks by men in the month following Ms. Edwards' murder.

“On a Facebook page dedicated to keeping women safe in the capital, worried women desperately search for answers,” Flower writes.

“Critics of Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is leading the investigation into Ms. Edwards' murder, claim local police are just 'three bribes away' from the kind of police corruption that plagued Georgia in the 90s and early 2000s,” claims the author.

The publication also recalls the July 5 developments and violence against media

in Tbilisi, pointing out that “in recent months, the Georgian government and police have come under fire for failing to even protect journalists who hope to expose the country's issues with violence.”

“Meanwhile, women hit social media to warn of random attacks as they simply walk about town minding their own business. Many women share nightmare stories about local police dismissing their complaints,” reads the article.

September 8 marked 40 days since Shanae Brooke's murder. To commemorate her life and to draw public attention once again to the problem of violence against women, civil activists and ordinary citizens gathered near her house in old Tbilisi.

Prior to that, on September 1, together with many locals and foreigners, a group of feminists from Georgia, Belarus and Russia, who had been shaken by this sadly far from unique example of femicide, gathered on the trail that leads to Mtatsminda Park to commemorate Shanae’s life and to draw public attention once again to the problem of violence against women. With this move, they also wanted to once again remind the Georgian authorities of their duty to investigate the case and to prevent gender-based crimes.

“The unprecedented increase in violence against women and girls since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected all countries around the world.

This is an urgent call to action to keep women safe at home and safe in public places! We cannot let it go. You should not let it slide!” the activists warned authorities.

Penalties for Drink-Driving Up, Administrative Detention to be Introduced

BY ANA DUMBADZE

Rescuers Find Bodies of Missing Moldovans on Mount Ushba

BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

R

escuers found the bodies of two people on Mount Ushba in Svaneti, the Emergency Management Service (EMS) reports.

The Public Safety Management Center 112 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs received a message about two foreign citizens, allegedly a father and son, who went missing in Mestia, on the peak Ushba. It was reported that the missing

climbers were Moldovan. Rescuers had been searching for them for 11 days.

“The emergency management service started active search and rescue operations. Due to bad weather and difficult environmental conditions, rescuers had to walk the peak. An MIA Border Police helicopter was also involved in the search and rescue operation,” reads the statement.

The EMS reports, the rescuers yesterday found the bodies of two people on Ushba. “They have been transferred to Mestia and investigative procedures are being carried out.”

T

his week, Parliament considered in the third reading and approved a bill for penalties for drinkdriving to increase and administrative detention to be introduced for certain cases.

MPs Aleko Elisashvili and Levan Ioseliani proposed the planned amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses to the Parliament, which were supported by the ruling team.

Within 60 days, the following administrative sanctions shall enter into force: Transferring a vehicle for driving to another individual: Transfer of a vehicle for driving with prior notice to a person under alcoholic influence will result in a fine of GEL 1500, up from GEL 1000.

Transfer of a vehicle for driving with prior notice to a person under psychotropic or drug influence will result in

a fine of GEL 2000, up from GEL 1000.

Repeating the above actions will result in a fine of GEL 2500.

Driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol: Responsibility is determined by the ethanol amount in the blood for the first time. No less than 0.3 and no more than 0.7 per mille – 6 months suspension of the right to drive a vehicle; More than 0.7 per mille – 1-year suspension; Avoidance of sobriety tests for drivers – 1-year suspension.

In case of a repeat offense, a fine of GEL 2000 will be given to the driver, administrative detention for a period of 5 to 15 days, and an increase of the suspension of the right to drive a vehicle by 1 year. These are instead of the previous fine of 700 GEL and suspension of the right to drive a vehicle by 1 year.

Driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol: If the driver does not have the right to drive the vehicle, they will be fined GEL 2000, up from the previous GEL 1000.

Repetition will result in a fine of GEL

3000 for the driver and administrative detention for a period of 10 to 15 days instead of the previous fine of GEL 1500.

Driving under the influence of alcohol, resulting in minor damage to a vehicle, cargo, road, or other building, other property, or human body: The above will result in a fine of GEL 2000 for the driver and a 3-year suspension to the right to drive a vehicle, instead of merely a 3-year suspension of the right to drive.

Driving under the influence of alcohol when a person does not have the right to drive a vehicle, followed by minor damage to the vehicle, cargo, road, or other building, other property, or human health: The above will result in a fine of GEL 3000 for the driver and administrative detention for a period of 10 to 15 days, instead of a fine of only GEL 1000.

Repeating the above actions will result in a fine of GEL 3500 for the driver and administrative detention for a period of 10 to 15 days.

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

3

Corona Updates: As the Situation Improves, Certain Restrictions to be Lifted Continued from page 1 The country then reported 2571 coronavirus cases, 3668 recoveries, and 60 deaths on Wednesday, as a result of 29,449 tests conducted. Tbilisi recorded the highest number of 918 Covid-19 cases, followed by the Imereti region with 414 cases, and the Kakheti region with 242 cases.

On Thursday, Georgia recorded 2455 coronavirus cases, 4427 recoveries, and 58 deaths. 36,151 tests were conducted in the prior 24 hours throughout the country. Georgian capital Tbilisi recorded the highest number of 890 Covid-19 cases, followed by the Imereti region with 342 cases, and the Adjara region with 249 cases.

Georgia’s total case tally since February 2020 reached 572,948, among them, 531,764 people have recovered and 8035 have died.

The daily test-positivity rate stands at 6.69%.

Currently, out of 1500 critical patients, 365 require artificial ventilation.

THE RESTRICTIONS The reduction in the daily reported coronavirus cases has allowed the local authorities to announce the future lifting of several COVID restrictions.

Municipal public transport will be restored from September 13.

In-person learning is expected to resume in schools and universities from October 4. Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia said the improved vaccination rate among teachers preconditioned the possibility to resume in-person learning from that date. Regarding the universities, she said, the vaccination rate among students is not high, which is why she calls on them to get vaccinated on time.

Some restrictions remain in force. In particular, the Council has decided that sports tournaments are to be held without spectators, and participants must be vaccinated or must have negative results of a PCR test taken in the last 72 hours or an antigen test valid for 24 hours.

Wearing a face mask continues to be mandatory both indoors and outdoors.

The holding of events such as weddings, funerals, etc. is still prohibited.

THE VACCINE As of Thursday, 1,405,877 people had had the coronavirus jab, with an average of 24,670 vaccines given per day.

To encourage the vaccination process, a lottery is to be launched on Monday, September 13. On a random basis, the lottery company will raffle cash prizes for vaccinated people. Winners will be revealed both daily and weekly, and a final raffle will be held at the end of the year.

Vaccinated beneficiaries of the StopCovid Lottery will receive lottery tickets from the state for free during vaccination.

A ticket received during the StopCovid Lottery Vaccination is valid for all raffles until the ticket wins.

The minimum prize will be 100 GEL and the maximum will be 100 000 GEL. About 160 prizes will be raffled daily. The results of the raffle will be revealed at 12 noon each day, while weekly raffle winners will be announced every Monday, at the end of the daily raffle.

Citizens will receive information about the prizes won through a specially created website. They will also be contacted by the Ministry of Health.

“Winners can get information on stopcov.lotto. ge. Information about the winners will be posted, the names of the winners and the first initials of the last name, what vaccine the user was vaccinated with, and in which city. The booking code will also be indicated. The Ministry of Health will definitely contact the winners and inform them about it,” said the head of the Legal Department of the Georgian National Lottery Ketevan Khutsishvili.

THE SITUATION ABROAD The COVID situation in Georgia’s neighboring countries remains challenging.

National Wine Agency: Georgian Wine Export up 19% in Jan.-Aug. 2021

RUSSIA “Russia on Tuesday reported 18,024 new coronavirus cases and 797 deaths. Russia’s flagship airline Aeroflot has suspended several pilots for refusing to vaccinate against the coronavirus, the RBC news website reported Monday, citing a company spokesperson.

“Russia could see a renewed surge of the coronavirus as early as this month, top health officials have warned,” reports the Moscow Times.

SLOVAKIA Slovakia will halt the use of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine due to low demand among its population, reports said Tuesday. The EU member state's decision to approve the Russian vaccine ahead of EU approval sparked a political uproar that led to the resignation of Slovakia’s prime minister.

AZERBAIJAN Azerbaijan has recorded the highest rise in COVID19 cases in the capital Baku. The city accounts for 54.6% of all coronavirus infection cases in the country, the website koronavirusinfo.az reports.

“Elsewhere in the country, infection cases were 13.3% in Absheron, 11.8% in Aran, 6.9% in GanjaGazakh, 3.7% in Shaki-Zagatala, 3% in GubaKhachmaz, 2.6% in Lankaran, 2.4% in Mountain Shirvan, and 1.3% in Upper Karabakh. The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic accounted for only 0.06% of infection cases in Azerbaijan.

“The number of coronavirus infections among those coming from abroad is 0.4%,” reports azernews. az.

ARMENIA In less than a month, nearly anyone with a job in Armenia will have to either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular tests at their own expense.

“We have set October 1 [as a deadline] so that we will not have queues and waste extra time," Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan said in an inter-

view with official media on September 6. It will be an uphill struggle: As of the end of August, the last time figures were released, less than 5% of Armenia’s population had been vaccinated.

Many Armenians remain skeptical of the vaccines: In a poll from the International Republican Institute conducted in July and released on September 6, more than 50% of respondents said they “definitely” or “probably” won’t get vaccinated.

TURKEY Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced that two cases of the “Mu” variant of the coronavirus were reported in Turkey, while the Delta variant makes up the majority of daily cases in the country.

Mu was listed as a ‘variant of interest’ by the World Health Organization (WHO) last month. It was first documented in Colombia back in January 2021, and became more prevalent in Colombia and Ecuador. “It is probably resistant to available vaccines,” WHO reported. WHO also says there have been “sporadic reports” of cases and outbreaks stemming from the Mu variant in South America and Europe Its global prevalence is below 0.1%, but the body says it is now responsible for around 39% of infections in Colombia and 13% of infections in Ecuador.

“Earlier, Koca had said that the Delta variant and Delta+ variants accounted for more than 90% of cases in Turkey, where a new surge in the pandemic has been underway for the past two months. The number of daily cases fluctuates around 20,000, while a vaccination program is continuing to keep the numbers in check,” the Daily Sabah reported.

The Turkish Health Minister said that they believed mass immunity can be achieved when the vaccination rates reached 85%, adding that rate of people with both doses was now around 62%. On a journalist's question as to whether the unvaccinated will be forced to pay for PCR tests so as to encourage them to get vaccinated, Koca said this was not an option they are considering at the moment.

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BY ANA DUMBADZE

G

eorgia exported 65 million bottles of wine to 59 countries in January-August 2021, which is an increase of 19% compared to the same period of 2020, reports the Georgian National Wine

Agency.

The Agency says revenue from wine exported from Georgia in January-August of this year reached $145 million.

Export growth dynamics in strategic markets of Georgian wine are maintained: Poland – 29% increase (3,638,057 bottles) China – 9% increase (3,373,517 bottles) Latvia – 4% increase (1,119,219 bottles) Lithuania – 56% increase (675,510 bottles) The US – 26% increase (700,696 bottles Germany – 23% increase (553,852 bottles) UK – 73% increase (435,264 bottles).

This year, the growth is significant in the follow-

ing countries: Canada – 132% increase (235,888 bottles) Sweden – 65% increase (69,280 bottles) Czech Republic – 646% increase (112,236 bottles) France – 31% increase (50,416 bottles) Kazakhstan – 37% increase (2, 552,200 bottles) Israel – 52% increase (304,827 bottles) Azerbaijan – 21% increase (158,411 bottles) Turkey – 156% increase (77,226 bottles) Ukraine – 16% increase (7,366,327 bottles) Russia – 17% increase (39,474,016 bottles) Mongolia – 316% increase (306,690 bottles) Belarus – 13% (2,062,327 bottles).

The top five Georgian wine exporting countries are: Russia, Ukraine, Poland, China and Kazakhstan.

At the same time, the country exported 22 million bottles of Georgian brandy (+21%) and 570,000 bottles of chacha (+115%) abroad in the first eight months of 2021.

In total, Georgia has sold alcoholic beverages worth $234 million in the reporting period, including wine, brandy, chacha and more.

Contact us: 577 57 69 77

4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

Action or Inaction: That Is the Choice. Part 1 ANALYSIS BY VIKTOR KIPIANI, CHAIRMAN OF GEOCASE

T

he modern world is once again faced with the important need to re-analyze the role of the state and its functional components.

This matter is particularly relevant to those countries whose claim to exist and whose development rests upon national and historic roots, and will have claims for adjusting to this or the other global order tomorrow as well.

Georgia ranks among these countries for reasons that our readers will find perfectly understandable. Given the unpredictability of the current global, international, regional and security context, the following task strikes us as being a very real and practical challenge: how to pursue our development and become a modern country without abandoning our distinguished past or losing our national consciousness and identity.

I understand that this topic is so complex that merely mentioning it is not enough, just as attempting to analyse it 'in a single go' (as is usually done in our society) is hardly serious, which is why in this article, which I would refer to as 'thinking aloud', I shall focus upon the more specific and institutional components of this larger question.

I think it is no longer debatable that the proper functioning of a country depends on the proper functioning of its state institutions. This explanation is perfectly simple and I could be in this way: in order to neutralize excessive abstractionism and to obtain greater specificity, this or the other subject having statehood status establishes two of the most important links through its own institutional arrangement- on one hand, with its population, and on the other (and at the same time) with its international audience. The state acquires specific assignments and functions by embodying the will of the electorate in formal institutions; and the better the condition of its institutions, the more important and reputable the country and the more competitive it becomes now and in the near future.

Since the range of this issue is still too wide for the short format of an article, even if we limit ourselves to institutions, I shall only speak about one specific and very important institutional aspect of our country: the principles that direct the country’s foreign policy. In general, the foreign policy agenda is a topic whose evaluation practically nobody finds too difficult or tiring and which everyone is eager to do. One problem is when people beyond this sphere busy themselves with such analysis, but if you ask me it is much more harmful when this topic is discussed by those who only imagine the 'Foreign Office' as a prospect for employment, careerism, self-promotion or politics. Such an attitude wrecks the foreign service itself and damages its chances of attracting future talent, and as a result weakens the country’s position on the international stage and thereby undermines its domestic affairs.

Two important explanations before going into further detail: I have never had any close links to the foreign service.

The views I express in this article therefore rest upon my self-inculcated knowledge of foreign policy issues as well as my use of this knowledge in various practical aspects and observations. It is also worth noting that, before presenting these thoughts to the reader, numerous discussions or conversations were held with truly knowledgeable experts in the field alongside much lengthy

Image source: mfa

research and evaluation of international developments. Equally noteworthy is the fact that bringing this issue to the public’s attention was conditioned by the need to identify the current state of Georgia's Foreign Ministry as well as the indicators for its proper restructuring and tangible effectiveness.

I will also add here that all my assumptions are purely subjective in nature and that I, as their author, have no claims as to their authenticity or precision. I should indeed be very glad if anything I say is subjected to ruthless criticism.

At times like these, it is essential to encourage real and uncompromising discussions of the essence and future of the foreign service, particularly as the latter is the presenter, executor and watchdog of the country’s national and state interests. Many of us talk about the need for such discussions, but these tend to be limited to a single private space and unable to reach the level of public politics. It is difficult to say with confidence who wins by leaving these conversations in the background, but the identity of the losers is clear: every single one of us and the Georgian state itself.

SHALL WE BEGIN? As you already know, processes and events tend to be changeable, and the same goes for specific concepts: constant changes within political formations and social categories, especially considering modern dynamics, also change the essence of this or that concept or notion, completes it and adapts it to the current moment. This is how I imagine my general remark regarding the foreign service, which currently bears the official name of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. I will try to better explain this private matter.

In the beginning of this article I used the term 'foreign office' as a kind of barbarism, and this was no accident.

The thing is that, along with the image and content of the modern state, the perception of public institutions carrying out state functions also changes. As for Georgia’s foreign ministry, I believe that its current name is not only a Soviet and post-Soviet cliché but that it also digresses from its modern assignment.

This assignment is directly linked to the principles of foreign activity that I will discuss further below, but in this section I will ground the need to change this institution’s name in the following manner: the presence of the word 'affairs' in the title implies carrying out the will of the state. This is undoubtedly the case, and at the time the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Republic of Georgia served exactly this purpose: protecting the state interests of the Soviet Union on the international arena.

This was its first and most important mission, at the expense of practically every other task.

I think that nowadays even this relatively unimportant and formal issue is linked (at a glance) to another kind of comprehension and approach. I believe that the title of this institution should serve the interests of not only the state but also the personal and business interests of every individual member of our society, particularly as such interests have become so diverse in the modern world and have penetrated significantly more layers or segments of activity. In practical terms, given the complexity of internal and foreign relations, 'Chitadze Street' also has to restructure itself according to the institutions tasks and specialities. Based upon this assumption, I truly believe that the official name should reflect the ministry's real function and everyday meaning; it must become relevant to current times and demands. This is why it would be appropriate to rename this institution from 'Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia' into 'Foreign Office of Georgia': the latter title is much more capacious and, more importantly, much more relevant to the current agenda and modern understandings.

BUT FOR WHAT REASON? For the benefits, total and real and not half and false: this could be the short formulation of the state-political and public-societal assignment of Georgia’s foreign office. Its existence should not be perceived as a necessity, as of an organization built into the state system as a sovereign attribute, as something we must have just because that is the rule. Nor should the foreign office remain

a mere symbol of mechanical respect for the rules first established by the state and then by the representatives of the institution itself, as well as of a certain pride. Georgia’s foreign office should honestly and unquestioningly justify its existence as the forefront of the Georgian state as well as in the eyes of Georgia’s taxpayers: in the first case, this should be expressed through an uncompromising and competent defence of the country's national interests; whereas in the second, the citizens of our country should feel that the efficacy of their foreign office is tangibly (if perhaps variably) reflected in their everyday lives.

It should be mentioned with great pride that despite existing institutional difficulties, faults or challenges, our foreign office has always had and still has many diplomats and specialists responsible for many foreign policy victories and who have honourably and selflessly served and still serve the present and future welfare of our country.

Without their professionalism and enthusiasm (and in some cases fanatical devotion to their work), we would obviously not have had any grounds for discussing the institution's future.

And now let us move to the contours of the future, whose polyhedral aspects and total unpredictability pose essentially new risks and challenges to the efficacy of the Georgian state, and as a result form in totally new ways assignments or missions that must be accomplished by every one of its institutions.

I already said above that the goal of this article is not, and cannot be, to discuss every aspect directly or indirectly linked to Georgia’s foreign service. Such an intention would have been extremely frivolous and irresponsible, since a complete understanding of this topic requires a methodological accumulation of the past and present experiences of experts in this field as well as an extended evaluation of tomorrow’s world; and, as a result, requires an analysis of these two components through the functional and structural prism of this specific institution and in the context of Georgia. This is a very ambitious and pretentious task.

Therefore, by publishing this article we honestly wish to encourage public

conversations and to openly begin discussions for a better system for furthering Georgia's state interests on the international stage that would be tailored to our times and challenges, and to identify all those faults or failings that hinder development as well as pinpoint ways to solve the difficulties of problematic points. I hope that such a discussion will take place without delay and, more importantly, that it will result in concrete and comprehensible practical actions and political decisions.

For the moment, I will share with interested readers my assumptions regarding what should become the indicator for a fundamental reform of the Georgian foreign service and therefore for evaluating its activity. What would give us a reason to think that the foreign office has changed and established itself as a stable and reliable support for our own geopolitical agenda, our military and economic security, our competitiveness oriented towards the future, our identity and the identity that will unite every single citizen of Georgia?

To use a rough analogue, which principles and prominent indicators would grant us the moral right to give the main institutional guarantor of our foreign interests the highest marks?

FACING THE NEED FOR CHANGE And yes, today we are facing the need for change. Yes, it is desirable to make these changes in a calm manner but without procrastinating; systematically, but without demolishing that which already exists; in a studied manner, and not thoughtlessly; thoroughly and not partially and in a propagandistic way; through a real comprehension of institutionalism and not through the adoption of political or conjectural rhetoric; by allowing an uncompromised functional transformation but not by crushing people’s genuine professional and well-earned careers. Achieving this 'eclectic' (at first glance) balance is a complex mosaic and hardly achievable, but we cannot avoid trying if we are to orient ourselves towards achieving real results.

To Be Continued in next week’s GT.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

5

Digital Networking for MultiFunctional Tactical Communications in the Georgian Army

BY MICHAEL GODWIN

T

he history of warfare is rife with examples of how communications mismanagement or miscommunication has caused complete disaster on the battlefield, regardless of their being superior forces. In the postWWII era, the rapid development of tactical radios at the battalion and below level have cured many of these past woes.

As the battlefield adopts some of the next generation of Command, Control, Computers, Communication, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) technologies, the way our soldiers operate is changing rapidly.

A few militaries have taken steps to include new technologies in their tactical network framework. These technologies include commercial smartphone and tablet systems, radios, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) integration, 4G LTE, and existing WiFi networks. With these systems interlinked, tactical-level leadership are able to streamline updated battlefield data between various echelons.

The goal of these new systems is to remove much of the proverbial fog of war and increase total unit situational awareness, as well as to allow units operating in the initial phases of a conflict or in an expeditionary role to maintain effective C4ISR. In these early operations phases, many advanced connection nodes and systems may not have arrived, or may be disabled due to an electronic warfare attack.

The end-user system, often a commercial hardware platform such as a smartphone or small tablet, is linked to other units, command elements, vehicles, and UAS systems. The other linked elements are able to transmit real-time data about dangers and enemy positions, viewable by squad, platoon, and company level leadership, enhancing combat readiness.

In United States Army tests, the link between armored vehicles and soldier end-user systems have shown to display “enemy” positions before the soldiers even exited the vehicle during their testing exercise.

To do this, the United States Department of Defense procured Samsung model smartphones, wiped the devices clean, and installed their proprietary software onto the devices before fielding them. The data has a multi-layered encryption but operates on a secure but unclassified network platform to enhance the speed at which the data is transferred.

More advanced systems are being designed to include both unclassified and classified networks based on the type of data being sent.

In addition, due to the simplicity of use and that soldiers are already familiar with smartphone technology, the training and implementation timeframe is unusually short for such types of systems.

Some civilian versions of these apps are already available. Law enforcement, search and rescue teams, hunters and hikers, and even participants in shooting sports such as paintball and airsoft, have used these apps to great effect. They allow the user to navigate, drop “pins” to display various points of interest, and

sometimes even communicate via in-app messaging capabilities.

For the Georgian Army, implementation of this type of system greatly accelerates the development of their C4ISR capabilities. This has routinely been an area of continual expansion and coordination with NATO’s existing systems. Georgia’s new line of UAS platforms promises a great advancement of ISR operability.

However, much of the data gathered by these systems would only currently be available to senior commanders and their staff. That mission-essential information would then be parsed out and disseminated to lower level officers in the field, potentially allowing for a missed tactical opportunity.

With junior leadership, both officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs), having access to this data is indispensable. Coupled with good military leadership skills and the encouragement for junior leadership to be proactive in exploiting tactical opportunities, the total technology framework allows for a vastly more effective force. Additionally, the near-future ability for this technology to be integrated into NATO’s existing technology systems makes Georgia’s ascension to the organization all that more promising.

During deployment, the new technology is able to operate offline sufficiently and effectively given Russia’s inclination for Electronic Warfare (EW). With any renewed invasion, the expectation for most mainstream military and communications to become disabled is natural.

It will be of the utmost importance for leadership involved in the defense to

A US Army soldier uses the Nett Warrior end-user device to report information to his company commander in the field. Source: US Army photo/Spc. Joshua Cofield

communicate and share by-the-minute detailed information regarding enemy movements, breakthroughs, and withdrawals.

Further from Georgian territory, as the military moves abroad with their NATO counterparts, the need for expeditionary forces deployed in isolated areas to maintain the warfighting advantage in the C4ISR realm is crucial. In areas where military radio relay stations may be few and far between, the ability to utilize low and mid-level satellite, 4G and 5G, and other unconventional data transfer options overcomes the traditional obstacles faced by remotely deployed forces.

Places like isolated areas of Africa, remote islands in the South Pacific, and parts of Central Asia are all locations where Georgian and NATO forces may find their C4ISR abilities stymied.

Connecting a disconnected battlefield has been a lofty goal for many decades, with attempts going back centuries. The misconception that weapons and munitions are what win wars is to enormously overlook the impact of effective C4ISR

and its relevance in planning and execution of military operations. The addition of having small end user devices linked to even the most junior of combat leaders revolutionizes the face of small unit conflicts. With access to data that previously only brigade or battalion commanders would access, warfighters are empowered to operate successfully and reduce the propensity for human error and erroneous decision making processes.

The future of Georgian and NATO operations will require a far higher grade of operational precision and data sharing than any conflict seen before. From peacekeeping in Africa to so-called “small wars” in Asia, the need for small expeditionary teams to manage their tactical data and remain relevant in the information battlefield will be what decides the fate of the mission. Georgia’s implementation of this “ground up” perspective on battlefield data management and adoption of the next generation of C4ISR assets and systems will be what takes the nation's defense forces into the future and ensures the country’s safety.

6

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

Our Right to Know Image source: Shutterstock

OP-ED BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

M

edia was invented to serve the people. And serving the people means keeping them at ease and content by means of having reliable and wide ranging information services at their disposal when needed. In that way, the average person on the street can make the right decision at the right time, based on the received info. It is the conventional truth

that an educated voter is a huge asset to a nation, but we will never have a knowledgeable voter, contemplating his or her political choice in front of a ballot box, unless the media feeds truthful and accurate information to that priceless part of our population.

Do we have in Georgia a strong corps of functioning professionals who would meet the informational wants and needs of our public with resolute fairness and intelligence? We could respond with a firm yes to this question, unless our entire strong, vigorous and pushy bunch of journalists was biased either

to one side of the political aisle or the other. A minor footnote: speaking about the public, I would give it a qualification of people who have in the last 30 years been waiting for some cultural, sociopolitical and economic miracle to happen, which is not arriving very precipitously in this land. Thus, we are faced with a strange dichotomy working to the detriment of this nation: a public who is frustrated, nervous and not very well versed in matters electoral on the one hand, and the youngish, predisposed and furiously two-faced media on the other. So the expectancy of a healthy electoral decision is under the burden of a very bad misgiving.

The media don’t prepare the public to make the best decisions during the polls, it only manipulates the voters’ hearts and minds in expectation of their favorite politicians to grab points, hence doing a disservice to democracy, the local community, businesses and other segments of our society, including the government.

Meanwhile, our right to know is being impaired, turning all of us into a doubtful and hesitating category of voters.

Certainly, the public has free access to an abundance of information, although limited in versatility and sincerity- entertaining readers, listeners and viewers to the extent of vertiginous exhaustion.

Against the described media-publicinteraction background, our politicians are doing their affordable utmost to let us take in their ideas archaic, and their promises stinking with bygone odors, all this presented in the same strenuous but very tiring vocabulary, and lively but angry and irritating tone. They no longer excite our public with political novelties that might encourage us to fall in love with them and jump on their respective bandwagons. The impression is that all of them have forgotten how to serve the public tastes and longings, having fallen out of favor massively.

The country is literally infested with modern communications media of all sorts and directions, and the politicians are successfully using their services, each in their own way. Only, they are concentrating on our population’s interests, needs and desires with formal and unpersuasive verbosity.

Our right to know more and better is

one of the greatest achievements of the new era, and we certainly do enjoy this right to its full extent, but at the same time, it has become almost impossible to discern right from wrong, and to distinguish truth from lie in the electoral campaign, which is the greatest impediment in the process of making the most optimal decision at the sacred moment of holding the difference-making voting paper in hand, poised over the ballot box.

The hysterical style, perpetuated in our political life in general and in media operations in particular, is not a helper in the endeavor of the already weathered people of Georgia in the post-soviet struggle for survival. Georgians love to be educated, and they readily accept their teachers and instructors of new democratic ways and means, but the academic process here defies the chance of acquiring a modern political education conducive to a free and fair electoral environment, and this might be one of the reasons for that zealousness among the politicians, much callousness in the public and much unnecessary fuss in the media.

US Embassy: Failure to Approve Constitutional Amendment Another Missed Opportunity for Georgia’s Judiciary

BY ANA DUMBADZE

P

arliament’s failure to approve the Constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring broad, multi-party support for an impartial Prosecutor General is another missed opportunity to increase the independence, transparency and integrity of Georgia’s judiciary, reads the statement issued by the US Embassy in Tbilisi.

The US Embassy says judicial reform is essential for Georgia’s European integration.

“The proposed change in the appointment process was recommended for Georgia by the Venice Commission, an international body of legal experts, in a report requested by Parliament, as well as other international experts. Equally as important, all of the political parties that signed the April 19 Agreement, including Georgian Dream, committed to make this change, to increase the public’s confidence in the independence of the Prosecutor General from political interference.

“We take note of opposition leaders’ comments that they were unable to support this important amendment to the Prosecutor General appointment process in order to retain the ruling party’s votes for the other important Constitutional amendments called for in the April 19 Agreement, which pertain to fully pro-

portional elections, a two percent threshold, and factions. Georgian Dream’s refusal to support the Prosecutor General amendment contradicts the party’s July 28 reiteration of its commitment to implement the judicial reforms and adopt the Constitutional amendments laid out in the April 19 Agreement. This is yet another broken promise by the ruling party to make the much-needed judicial reforms that Georgian Dream and opposition party leaders have pledged, of their own accord, to adopt.

“The people of Georgia deserve an impartial, independent judiciary that is not used for political purposes. With an impartial judicial system, the public can have confidence that election results will be upheld fairly, business disputes will be resolved without favoritism, and political opponents will not be targeted unjustly for prosecution. Those qualified

professionals in the Prosecutor’s Office, and the court system more broadly, should be allowed to uphold the law without political pressure. The Constitutional amendment reforming the appointment process for the Prosecutor General would have been an important step toward that goal.

“Georgian Dream and opposition parties pledged to renew their efforts to work together in Parliament in good faith to implement key reforms to the judicial system. They should follow through on their commitment to conduct an inclusive, multi-party assessment of the previous waves of judicial reform and develop initiatives that will further improve judicial transparency, impartiality, and accountability. These reforms are essential for Georgia’s European integration and, more importantly, for ensuring the people of Georgia have the impartial,

professional justice system they deserve,” reads the statement.

“The European Union regrets that yet another commitment to reform the Judiciary was not upheld today,” stated Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia Carl Hartzell in connection with constitutional amendments passed in the first reading in the Georgian Parliament.

“Today, the Georgian Parliament voted in first reading on a number of important constitutional amendments that were tabled following the 19 April Agreement mediated by the European Union. Unfortunately, the key amendment on the election modalities of the Prosecutor General of Georgia was withdrawn.

“This amendment was due to address the way in which the Prosecutor General of Georgia is appointed, with the ambition to increase the required majority to a qualified majority, in order to ensure the broadest, cross-party support for appointments and to reduce the risk that one party can, alone, appoint a Prosecutor General in the future. This was another measure aimed to increase the independence, transparency and quality of the Judiciary in Georgia. The principles behind this amendment have been a long-standing Venice Commission recommendation. Following Georgian Dream’s withdrawal from the 19 April Agreement, we also took note of the Party’s renewed and public commitment on 28 July, to nevertheless implement the judicial reforms and adopt the initiated constitutional amendments.

PM: Peace, Stability and Prosperity, Three Words that Unite the Countries of this Region

BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

I

would like to summarize our common regional goal in three words – peace, stability, and prosperity, which unites us, all three countries, the countries of the region, stated Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili at a briefing during Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to Georgia on September 8.

The PM congratulated Pashinyan on winning the elections and noted that this is a good opportunity to start a new

era for Armenia and the Armenian people.

“The Karabakh War was certainly a real challenge for our region, but now that I have become familiar with the Prime Minister’s new vision, I believe that this challenge will be transformed into a new opportunity, an opportunity that will bring prosperity to Armenia and the Armenian people. I would also like to say that the stability of Armenia is very important for us, both politically and economically, and it is directly related to the stability of our country and the region in general. Therefore, I would like to put our common regional goal in

three words – it is peace, stability, and prosperity, which unites all three countries of the region,” he said.

Nikol Pashinyan thanked Garibashvili for his support of the return of 15 Armenian prisoners in June.

“I joke that during these two days I had more contact with the Prime Minister of Georgia than with our voters during the pre-election period. It was very important to establish a new level of personal relations and the atmosphere created in those days is a very good basis for more fruitful relations between our countries and government,” Pashinyan noted.

Source of photo: 1tv.ge

“The European Union regrets that yet another commitment to reform the Judiciary was not upheld today. We recall that last July, further appointments to the Supreme Court, alongside those made over the past two years, were assessed by the OSCE/ODIHR “to lack integrity, objectivity and credibility”. Last week, in the context of the non-disbursement of 75 million Euro in EU macro-financial assistance, the EU noted that Georgia failed to sufficiently address the condition for this macro-financial assistance, and notably to increase the independence, accountability and quality of the judicial system. Today’s withdrawal of the amendment is therefore a third setback within only two months, in terms of Georgia’s commitments to reform its Judiciary,” Hartzell said.

On September 7, Parliament passed the planned amendments to the constitutional law with 126 votes in the first reading. At the initiative and decision of the ruling majority, the bill was put to a vote without the clause that provides for the election of the Prosecutor General by a qualified majority – three-fifths of the full membership of Parliament.

With this move, the ruling team rejected another condition provided by the agreement of the President of the European Council Charles Michel.

According to the draft, based on the next two parliamentary elections, the seats of the members of parliament will be distributed to the political parties that receive 2% of the votes.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

7

ISET Real Estate Market Laboratory | Market Highlights: Apr-Jun 2021

T

he Residential Sales Price Index (SPI) for Tbilisi increased moderately in April and May of 2021, however, it decreased slightly in June and amounted to 114.4 index points (equaling 100 in the base period of January 2019). Compared to the second quarter of 2020, the SPI showed an increase in Q2 2021 – with

the largest change of 7.9% (YoY) in June 2021.

Consistent downward trends in the Rent Price Index (RPI) in 2021 reversed in May, when the index rose to 78.5 index points. Although the RPI decreased slightly in June 2021, falling to 77.8.

Compared to the previous year, the RPI, unlike the SPI, showed lower levels in every month of the second quarter; with

the greatest decline (14.9% YoY) found in April 2021.

During Q2 2021, the Average Sales Price (ASP) in Tbilisi decreased from 934 USD per m2 in April 2021 to 922 USD in June 2021 (monthly average).

Whereas the Average Rental Price (ARP) increased slightly in May 2021 and remained at 5.8 USD per m2 by the end of the quarter (monthly average).

Graph #1. Monthly Dynamics of Average Sale and Rent Prices for Residential Property in GEL and USD, 2019-2021

In Q2 2021, on average, the most expensive districts by ASP were MtatsmindaSololaki (1,410 USD), Vera (1,216 USD), and Vake-Bagebi (1,176 USD), while the cheapest district was Lilo at 423 USD per m2. By ARP, the most expensive

districts in Q2 2021, on average, were Kiketi-Kojori (9.1 USD), Tsavkisi, Shindisi, Tabakhmela (8.0 USD), and Mtatsminda-Sololaki (7.5 USD).

TBILISI COMMERCIAL PROPERTY PRICE HIGHLIGHTS After a moderate decrease in Q1, on average the Rent Price Index (RPI) for commercial properties increased significantly (11.9%) in Q2 2021, compared to the previous quarter.

During Q2 2021, the ASP for commercial properties increased from 1,004 USD per m2 in April 2021 to 1,018 USD in June 2021 (monthly average). However, the ASP for commercial properties decreased by 3.5% compared to the previous year. While the ARP rose from 7.6 USD per m2 in April to 8.5 USD in June 2021 (monthly average). Moreover, the ARP for Q2 2021 increased by 9.0% on average compared to the previous year.

TBILISI AND GEORGIA REAL PROPERTY SALES Source: REMLab 2021 Graph #2. Monthly Dynamic of Average Sale and Rent Prices for Commercial Property in GEL and USD, 2019-2020

Source: REMLab 2021 Graph #3. Quarterly Dynamic of Average Sales Prices for Residential Property in Batumi and Kutaisi, GEL and USD, 2018-2021

Source: REMLab 2021

In comparison to Q1, the GEO real property market expanded by 15.9% in Q2 2021 (from 30,825 units sold in Q1 to 35,735 units in Q2), and held an annual growth of 140% (YoY) compared to Q2 2020. This annual increase was largely triggered by a significant upsurge in April 2021 sales (from 649 units sold in April 2020 to 12,515 in April 2021).

Tbilisi dominated the real property market with a 38.5% share in total sales in Q2 2021 (the capital held 39.3% of total sales in Q1 2021). The Tbilisi market was followed by Adjara and Kakheti, with 11.9% and 10.0% of GEO sales, respectively.

In Q2 2021, Racha-Lechkhumi & Kvemo Svaneti experienced the highest increase (YoY) in sales (312%), followed by Adjara (257%) and Tbilisi (153%). In total, the market outside the capital grew by 133% (YoY). More than half (51.3%) of GEO sales were registered in the three largest cities: Tbilisi, Batumi, and Kutaisi.

BATUMI & KUTAISI RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS In Q2 2021, the real property market increased significantly (259% YoY) in Batumi and (153% YoY) Kutaisi. Resultingly, 3,724 transactions were registered in Batumi and 844 in Kutaisi.

The SPI for Batumi residential properties increased by 1.4% (YoY) and settled at 83.5 index points in Q2 2021.

Compared to the previous quarter, the Batumi SPI decreased by 1.5% (QoQ).

For Kutaisi, the SPI increased by 2.2% (YoY) and amounted to 126.9 points.

Compared to the previous quarter, the Kutaisi SPI decreased by 6.1% (QoQ).

In Q2 2021, the ASP of residential properties decreased by 4.9% YoY (3.1% QoQ) in Batumi and increased by 11.0% YoY (-4.1% QoQ) in Kutaisi, amounting to 711 and 438 USD per m2, respectively.

8

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

Carrefour Rewards its Loyal Customers in Georgia with Special Prizes on its Ninth Anniversary use Carrefour’s loyalty programme, MyCLUB, by scanning the barcode at cash counters after every shopping journey. This will give customers the chance to win exclusive prizes and earn more MyCLUB points for in-store discounts.

To register and win prizes part of Carrefour’s Anniversary Raffle, customers need to be a MyCLUB member and they can easily sign-up for free if they would like to. Prizes will be printed on their receipt with the inscription "Chance to Win", the customer will be asked a question and if they answer correctly, they will be given a gift.

Additionally, if a MyCLUB member pays with Mastercard, they could also win home appliances such as TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, smartphones, notebooks, game consoles like the PlayStation, an Instax photo camera, headphones, airpods, bluetooth speakers, microwaves, coffee machines, pancake pans, toasters, an iron, or even blenders.

C

ustomers can take part in two different raffles, that are created in partnership with MasterCard and Wolt for a limited time, where a total of 90,000 prizes await to be won.

Carrefour, owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim, in Georgia, celebrates its nine-year anniversary of serving Georgian customers and communities on the 13th of September.

CARREFOUR & WOLT RAFFLE The first Carrefour hypermarket opened in Tbilisi Mall in 2012 and since then, the brand has provided its customers with daily unrivalled international shopping experiences, accessible prices, and the highest quality of fresh products.

Carrefour provides locals with access to more than 40,000 food and non-food products, which reflects its continuous effort to provide customers with multiple options to choose from.

It has become a tradition in Georgia to celebrate Carrefour’s anniversary by surprising customers with special surprises to express gratitude for their trust and loyalty. This year is no different than any other, as customers will be welcomed by every Carrefour branch across the country to celebrate between 8th September until the 5th of October.

During this period, customers will be given the opportunity to participate in two different raffles, one will be in partnership with MasterCard and the other with Wolt, where a total of 90,000 incredible prizes will be up for grabs. Customers will also get the chance to earn extra MyCLUB points, win useful gifts and take full advantage of various promotions. This is an additional extension of the brand’s long-held tradition of dedicating its birthday to its customers.

The second partnership is between Carrefour and Wolt, a highly trusted delivery platform. For a total of two weeks, from the 8th of September till the 21st of September, every ninth customer that purchases Carrefour products via the delivery platform Wolt, will be selected for a chance to win a prize. These prizes range from notebooks, smartphones, tablets, smart watches, Airpods headphones, wireless headphones, Bluetooth

headphones, game consoles like PlayStation, or even electric scooters.

The process is extremely simple, every time a customer orders a Carrefour product from Wolt, the name of the corresponding gift will be printed on the receipt, and the relevant gift will be handed over to the Wolt courier. The Wolt courier will then deliver the gift to the customer along with their initial order. To receive the gift, answer a question.

MORE WAYS TO WIN PRIZES! Customers can also spin the Wheel of Fortune, which can only be found in hypermarkets or supermarkets across Georgia, to win a one-of-a-kind prize.

The Wheel of Fortune will also be spun several times during the day, and the customer standing at the cash counter which corresponds with the chosen number on the wheel will be able to get their purchases for free.

In East Point, at Tbilisi Mall and Batumi Hypermarket, the cost of a customer’s shopping will be fully covered with MyCLUB points by Carrefour and customers will also receive Wolt's 20 GEL voucher, which can be used when ordering Carrefour products.

In Kutaisi Hypermarket and all other supermarkets, the cost of a customer’s purchased basket will be fully covered with MyCLUB points by Carrefour as well.

Get involved in Carrefour’s Anniversary Raffle to celebrate nine years of loyalty and get ready for unforgettable surprises!

MYCLUB & MASTERCARD RAFFLE The first raffle is a partnership between MyClub and Mastercard which will take place in stores between the 8th of September and 5th of October. During this time shoppers are also encouraged to

Swiss Company Camille Bloch Expects Its First Georgian Hazelnut Harvest by 2025

BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

T

he Swiss company Camille Bloch has decided to cultivate hazelnut plantations in Georgia in an innovative way and expand its production in Georgia, announced Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava after meeting with Daniel Bloch, President of the Swiss chocolate company Camille Bloch.

The Minister noted that Camille Bloch has chosen Georgia for a hazelnut plan-

First ‘Outlet Village’ in Region to be Opened in Georgia

tation on several tens of hectares, grown using innovative methods. It is expected to employ dozens of people.

“We are ready to stand by the company as much as possible and support within the “Produce in Georgia” program, help with the training of employed people, and to introduce them to new knowledge and new technologies,” said Turnava.

Swiss chocolate company Camille Bloch has invested 40 million GEL in the Kakheti region, Sighnaghi municipality, and started cultivating hazelnut orchards on 50 hectares of land with innovative technology. The company expects the first hazelnut harvest by 2025.

BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

I

n one year, the first ‘Outlet Village’ is to be opened in Georgia, a trading city which will serve both Georgian citizens and millions of tourists visiting Georgia, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili stated at the presentation of the Outlet Village project.

Outlet Village will be opened in Tbilisi, near Lilo and the Customs Clearance Zone, the first trading city in the region.

As the Prime Minister noted, it is a very important project, worth about 70 million GEL. The project is being implemented by Domus.

“70 million GEL is a direct investment.

We are happy with the fact that after the opening of this trading city, 2000 people will be employed. In the construction process, 500 people will be

employed. We are pleased with the fact that the Spanish company, which designed Outlet Villages in Madrid and Barcelona, is involved in the design,” said Garibashvili.

The Prime Minister noted that the main direction of the country is the development of tourism.

The first phase of construction of Outlet Village, which will be stretched over 10 hectares, is going to be finished in 2022.

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

9

Here’s Why You Should Say No to Plastic (and How)

BLOG BY KATIE RUTH DAVIES

P

lastic pollution has become one of the most serious environmental issues, with demand for and production of disposable plastic products already overwhelming the world’s ability to deal with them.

Naturally, this represents a huge threat to the environment. Millions of animals are killed by plastics every year- in most cases by mistaking plastic for food. Rivers and coastlines are choked with plastic left-overs, and landfills have become packed with plastics that will take 400 years and upwards to disappear, if they will at all.

In the West, the above tends to be common knowledge, though in many cases it has taken a concerted effort from the governments through clean-up and education programs, along with varying forms of punishment, among them fines, to bring citizens and businesses into line with regards to sensible waste management and proper recycling. Not to mention huge sums of money invested in recycling facilities and collection.

Georgia has been a country slow to catch up with the West in terms of environmental awareness, with many, in urban as well as rural settlements, still careless with their waste, and local governments lacking the adequate resources to improve the situation.

According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), around 900,000 tons of waste is generated annually in Georgia, and more than 75% ends up in landfills, increasing pollution and posing long-lasting threats to the environment and human health. Georgia’s National Waste Management Strategy for 2016-2030 provides a target timeline for recycling certain types of waste. For example, the country should be recycling 50% of plastic waste by 2025 and 80% by 2030.

Education programs in schools on the issues of eco-care and sustainable waste management are still in their infancy,

but are developing, and campaigns and competitions run by various organizations, most prominent among them CENN, empower Georgia’s youth to discover more, to compete in awarenessraising in their communities, and to organize local clean-up events.

My own children were inspired by one such campaign last year and, stuck in lockdown, I was happy to make it a family project. Our job: to create posters promoting environment protection. We were among 160 families and school teams countrywide to participate.

We’re a reasonably eco-conscious family. We’re vegetarian, don’t own a car, switch the lights off behind us, turn the tap off while brushing our teeth, use long-life bags when shopping, try to choose products with minimum packaging or made of recyclable/easily degradable materials, and recycle our bottles and caps when we can. We’ve also been on litter-picks with school, kindergarten and various groups of locals and expats.

But I know that what we do is not enough by far, and I always aim to do more, where possible.

My eldest daughter Lily, 10 at the time, had her eyes opened as wide as mine when we started the poster-making project last year.

“I worked on this ‘Keep Georgia Tidy’ project with my sister Dali (8), my brother Toran (6) and my mum Katie,” she says.

“We talked together about what effect people have on the environment, and we watched some YouTube videos about it. We came up with three main problems: “During the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of people have been dropping their used gloves or masks in the street instead of putting them in the bin. These then damage our nature and are dangerous to us and animals. People should put non-recyclable things carefully in the bin and recyclable things in a recycle bin to keep our streets and nature tidy!

“Per day, around the world, people throw away 60 million plastic bottles.

One bottle takes 450 years to decompose.

We looked into ways we could reuse bottles instead of throwing them away.

With a clean, empty bottle, you can make

a pencilcase, a piggy bank, a flower pot, toys like planes and cars, or cute shades for fairylights,” Lily notes.

“People buy and throw away too many clothes- 13 million tons per year go to waste! We looked for ways we could reuse our old clothes (apart from giving them to the needy). You can make a hat, new pockets or patches for your jeans, a pencilcase, a bag, or even cushion covers!

“We worked on our posters as a team, as a family, and all the posters were made from recycled materials,” Lily says. “I think it’s very important that we look after the environment and make new things out of old things, and that we all keep our Georgia tidy!” she added.

One of the winners included 11-year old Mariam Bedia, who was chosen for her and her mother’s inventive reusing of plastic bottles- with everything from colorful flower pots and ornaments, to beautiful bags.

“If we don’t reduce waste, nothing else matters,” she said.

And I couldn’t have agreed more. In fact, what I learned about plastic waste alone was enough to shock and sadden me (see the “shock box” below), making me more determined than ever, starting from my own family, to minimize our use of plastic even further- more than anything by choosing not to buy plastic, by reusing the plastic we have purchased, by upcycling like Mariam (turning a plastic object into something else that is just as useful) and, as a last resort, by recycling – in this way setting an example for others to follow. Check out some of the things I’ve changed in my life, and see if you get inspired too.

spoiled by unsightly waste washing up on the sand next to you!

For tea-drinkers – buy loose tea rather than tea bags. Several tea bag brands use polypropylene, a sealing plastic, to keep their tea bags from falling apart. This plastic is not recyclable or biodegradable. So, even when you put all your used tea bags in the food waste or compost heap, it can lead to plastic pollution, as not all of it will be broken down.

HOW TO REDUCE PLASTIC IN YOUR LIFE Start by taking a visit to shop ‘Zero Effect’ in Tbilisi. There, you’ll fine bamboo toothbrushes and cutlery, wooden-handled razors, cloth bags, wooden hair brushes and combs, and numerous other daily items you have at home but in plastic. By switching to wood and fabric, and rejecting plastic, you’re making an impact on what goes into landfills or the sea.

Use hand-made soap and shampoo bars instead of buying plastic one-use bottles. In Tbilisi, head to the craft fairs often held near Freedom (Liberty) Square, in Orbeliani Square, and in Deda Ena Park, where you’ll find a selection of highly recommended, organic and beautifully presented soaps and shampoos.

Also check out the online options Soap. ge, Zero Effect, and SapovnelaNatural.

For ladies – look into getting a menstrual cup (sometimes known as a “MoonCup”) rather than using tampons and towels. Although they take a bit of getting used to, they last years, save money, and reduce the risks of infection when used correctly. And, of course, they prevent your next trip to the sea being

beautiful furniture and artwork. Kiwi Vegan Café (6 Machabeli Street) is one collection point, but you can contact PPG on Facebook for more information.

For outdoors-lovers – As Lily said, worldwide, we humans are throwing away around 60 million plastic bottles a day. Do your part to reduce this number by switching to a long-life bottle that you can fill with water, wash, and refill over and over again.

For soda-lovers – even cans of fizzy drinks contain plastic, so choose glass bottles. The taste is generally better, and you can make use of the bottles, as many Georgians do, for your next batch of Tkemali (that famed plum sauce)!

Donate your clean bottle caps to Tbilisi’s ‘Precious Plastic Georgia’, who melt the plastic down to make practical and

For shoppers – The average time a polyethylene bag is used is only 12 minutes. Yet, they can take up to 1000 years to decompose in nature, and, as any traveler will know, there are a lot of them in Georgian nature! Invest in some lifelong shopping bags made of fabric or sturdy plastic fibers, and keep them in the back of the car or hung near your door so you remember to take them on every shopping trip.

For those on a night out with friends, or ordering a fast-food lunch – Say “no” to drinking straws, and an even stronger “no” to plastic lids on your paper cups. Nearly 7.5 million plastic straws were found on US shorelines during a five-year cleanup research project recently. Globally, that would be up to 8.3 billion plastic straws on the world’s coastlines. Yet, currently, plastic straws make up about 99% of the $3 billion global drinking-straw market. Think about it next time you order a drink – you really don’t need that straw, do you?

For those feeling crafty – Get online for fun ways to reuse your plastic trash.

There is no end to the useful and decorative items you can make with a bit of inspiration!

Good luck on your plastic reduction mission. And remember, every little helps, but you should always aim bigger!

SHOCKING FACTS ABOUT PLASTIC* • More than 5 trillion pieces of plastic are already floating in our oceans. Check out the ‘Plastic Soup Foundation’ for more info.

• Worldwide, 73% of beach litter is plastic: filters from cigarette butts, bottles, bottle caps, food wrappers, grocery bags, and polystyrene containers.

• World plastic production has increased exponentially from 2.1 million tons in 1950 to 147 million in 1993 to 406 million in 2015.

• Only 9% of plastics are recycled. It has remained at 9% since 2012 in spite of increased recycling efforts and education.

• By 2050, virtually every seabird species on the planet will be eating plastic.

• As of 2015, more than 6.3 billion tons of plastic waste had been generated.

Around 9% of that was recycled, 12% was incinerated, and 79% accumulated in landfills or the environment.

• Around the world, nearly a million plastic beverage bottles are sold every minute. Estimates for how long plastic lasts range from 450 years to forever.

• The largest market for plastics today is packaging materials. That rubbish now accounts for nearly half of all plastic waste generated globally – most of it never gets recycled or incinerated.

• More than 40% of plastic is used just once, then thrown away.

• Nearly 700 species, including endangered ones, are known to have been affected by plastics. Plastics are consumed by land-based animals, including elephants, zebras, tigers, cattle and other large mammals, in some cases causing death. *Source: National Geographic

10

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

Legend of the Grandparents, Conclusion is the secret to your great age, and how might we share in it to live longer, please?”

Silence for a while: perhaps only a heartbeat on the scale of the Mountain, but many long minutes for Babua and Bebia, enduring while they shivered, now on their feet again but still clinging to each other, not daring to speak unbidden and risk more fury.

PART IV: THE PRECIPICE

BLOG BY TONY HANMER

L

ast week I began this fable about how Babua and Bebia, two prominent rock features of Mt. Ushba, came to be. The couple are now about to be acknowledged by the Mountain.

“WHOOOO ARE YOUUUU!” came the roar, nearly deafening them and leaving them with little breath by which to reply. The very stones now joined the tornado, whirling around in mockery of both Bebia’s earlier dance and Babua’s slingshot tantrum. They clung to each

other in terror, nearly flat on the ground, desperate not to leave it and be dashed to smithereens against the wall of Ushba’s face.

“You know us; we’ve lived in your shadow all our lives!” Bebia screamed as a momentary lull came. “We’ve always revered you and exalted the One who made you! But we are old now and don’t have the strength to shout like this! Can we just talk a bit more quietly please!”

At that, the whirlwind began to dissipate, bit by bit; the rocks flew out of their mad orbits, and in a few minutes there was blessed silence again, stars and moon in a cold night. It seemed that Ushba was, at least for now, willing to accede

to polite requests.

Then came a puff of breath this time, quiet enough that the old couple had to strain to hear it at all. “Why are you here; what effrontery brings you up to my face to insult me...?” it wheezed. They hoped they had heard right.

“Well… we know that you are so old that no one remembers when or how you came to be; many times, many of our small lifetimes,” Babua whispered back. “Forgive us for getting out of hand in our attempts to converse with you.

But we are reaching the end of our walk on earth, and we don’t know what will happen to our love for each other and to our family when we are gone. What

“Whhhh… hoooo… You don’t know what you are asking. Everything has its allotted span of minutes or decades or millennia…” came the tiny voice again; they held their breaths to hear it.

“Youuuu… can only change this by becoming something which your people have never been before: my servants and ambassadors to the world.

“Iffff you choose this destiny, you will live as long as I will, but you will also be transformed.

“Howwwwever, you cannot keep both your famous love for each other and your headship of your family.

“Youuuu must choose one or the other.

“Which will it beeee…?”

“But… you have two peaks, why can’t we have both of these choices instead of just one? That isn’t fair!” Bebia said.

“One of my peaks is higher than the other, thoughhhh. And ultimately, I am only one mountain.”

Babua and Bebia together realized that their children and children’s children must eventually lead their own families; the two of them must give way to these upcoming generations, full of energy and strength. And what would it be to lead them all forever anyway, if their mutual love was not part of it, example and inspiration? As one, knowing that they stood before a cliff of decision as real as the rock one at their feet, they said: “We choose our love to be the higher peak.”

“There is no going back from thissss.

Are youuuu suuuure…?” demanded the Mountain. The very stars held their breath.

This time their answers were not the same. Babua responded first: simply, “Yes.” Bebia, however, with her mother’s and grandmother’s heart beating wildly, turned and took a few steps away from him to consider the thing alone. Their new role was to represent Ushba to all who came to see him. But their love would remain as long as the Mountain did. And also, somehow, so would their lives, though changed perhaps beyond knowing.

“My love!” he called out to her. She turned back, to see him fixed to the ground, unable to move his feet. But there was no fear in his voice: only the certainty of what they meant to each other, regardless of what else would alter around them.

Fixing her gaze upon him, Bebia also said, “Yes.” To both Babua and their new master. Her feet, too, became locked in place, a sheath of rock growing up to encase her as it was doing with her husband. They became one with the foundation now covering them and wholly preserving their features. Their expressions of this devotion became immutable.

PART V: THE PRONOUNCEMENT Ushba sighed a last breath and looked down at his handiwork.

“It is good,” he thought in the night stillness. “These miniscule lives still contain much which is unknown to me: their love is vaster than all my stature. I will study them for the rest of my long life, as they gaze each upon the other, and learn from them even as they show me to the world: my human face.”

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

Changing Waste Management Practices in Georgian Cities

T

he United Nations Development Program (UNDP) signed memorandums of understanding with the Batumi and Tbilisi municipalities, to assist the two largest Georgian cities to introduce plastic waste separation practices and promote sustainable lifestyles.

Through its Accelerator Lab, UNDP will study household waste behaviour to find out what measures would stimulate people to separate waste, and how municipal authorities could support this process.

UNDP’s behavioural experiment will reveal whether adequate infrastructure and public awareness has a notable impact on waste management practices. Up to 40 separation bins for plastic waste will be installed in several districts of both cities. In the pilot districts, UNDP will organize an educational campaign to inform people about the environmental and other benefits of waste sorting, while in the other districts, no additional information will be provided to the residents.

Changes in household waste behavior will be compared in both groups to measure the effectiveness of public awareness activities.

The $34,000 project will be implemented from September through December 2021 in close partnership with the Batumi and Tbilisi municipalities, and in cooperation with Sandasuptaveba Ltd in Batumi and Tbilservicegroup Ltd in Tbilisi.

“Georgia’s fastest-growing cities, Tbilisi and Batumi, are struggling with a waste management issue. Separation is the first critical step towards a circular

economy that benefits people and the environment,” said UNDP Deputy Head Anna Chernyshova. “Understanding household behavior will help reveal decisive factors to change a widespread social practice and promote waste sort-

ing through effective policies and other mechanisms.”

Around 900,000 tons of waste is generated annually in Georgia and more than 75% ends up in landfill sites, increasing pollution and posing long-lasting

threats to the environment and human health. Georgia’s National Waste Management Strategy for 2016-2030 provides a target timeline for recycling certain types of waste. For example, the country should be recycling 50% of plastic waste

by 2025 and 80% by 2030. To fulfil this ambitious goal, Georgia must implement a complex set of measures to prevent excessive waste generation and stimulate the transition to sustainable waste management.

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

11

Wyndham Launches Registry Collection Hotels in Georgia with Stunning Hotel in the Heart of Tbilisi

W

yndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company by number of properties with approximately 9,000 hotels across nearly 95 countries, announced the debut of its newest brand, Registry Collection Hotels, in Georgia with a flagship 100-room newly-built property in the heart of the capital city of Tbilisi. Slated to open in early 2023, the ART Tbilisi, a Registry Collection Hotel, will be located in the picturesque district of Abanotubani, one of the most sought-after locations in the old town.

Wyndham recently introduced its 21st brand, Registry Collection Hotels, with the opening of the Grand Residences Riviera Cancun in June 2021, adding a luxury offering to the upper end of its growing brand portfolio. Handpicked to deliver incredible experiences in spectacular destinations, Registry Collection Hotels combine individuality with thoughtful design and world-class service. From unique architectural details to dream-worthy locations, every stay with Registry Collection Hotels is meant to be as unique and indulgent as the hotels themselves.

Nestled on a hill with spectacular views of the bustling old city and its traditional brick houses, the new build property

spectacular property to Georgia, a stunning destination that has become hugely popular thanks to its charming architecture, rich culture, delectable cuisine, and many historic sites.”

Wyndham’s portfolio in Georgia includes Wyndham Grand Tbilisi, Wyndham Batumi, Ramada By Wyndham Tbilisi Old City, Ramada Encore Tbilisi, in addition to a development pipeline of 11 hotels across the country. In recent years Georgia has experienced a record number of visitors, with tourism account-

will offer guests a tranquil retreat in a stunning part of Tbilisi with easy access to many attractions, including its historic hot springs and sulphuric baths, located just opposite the hotel. It will boast sophisticated interiors and stylish guest rooms, including a mix of suites, deluxe and executive accommodation options.

The new hotel will also feature an elegant restaurant serving local delicacies, as well a rooftop wine bar with access to a lush garden overlooking the sulphuric baths and Mtkvari river. Other features will include a modern fitness centre and wellness area with its own private thermal bathhouse and sauna. Guests of the

ing for around 18% of the country’s GDP. Despite the pandemic, according to GlobalData, by 2025 the total travel and tourism spending by all visitors in Georgia is forecast to grow by 40%, highlighting the high potential of the destination.

Wyndham hotels in Georgia and around the world participate in Wyndham Rewards®, the world’s most generous hotel rewards program with more than 50,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide.

hotel will also have access to premium airport transfers and convenient valet parking on-site.

Dimitris Manikis, President for Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa (EMEA) at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said: “Our newest brand is the perfect option for independent luxury hotel owners who want to maintain their independent spirit while tapping into the global scale, capability and loyalty of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which is even more relevant as the industry recovers from the challenges of the global pandemic. We are incredibly proud to introduce our Registry Collection Hotels brand and this

SPORTS

‘Maia Chiburdanidze Cup 2021’ Chess Tournament Opens

BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

T Dea Kulumbegashvili to Chair Jury of San Sebastian Int’l Film Festival

BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

G

eorgiandirectorDeaKulumbegashvili is to be chair of the jury of the 69th San Sebastian International Film Festival, Tbilisi International Film Festival reported.

Dea Kumulbegashvili’s feature film Beginning,’ was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the International Film Critics Award

(FIPRESCI). ‘Beginning’ was also nominated for an official Cannes Film Festival Award, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its premiere could not take place at the festival.

‘Beginning’ was screened at the San Sebastian International Film Festival and won nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Actress.

The movie was filmed in Lagodekhi and the surrounding villages, and tells the story of a community of Jehovah’s Witnesses who are attacked by an extremist group in a provincial town.

PUBLISHER & GM

George Sharashidze COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT

Commercial Director: Iva Merabishvili Marketing Manager: Natalia Chikvaidze

GEORGIA TODAY

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT:

Editor-In-Chief: Katie Ruth Davies

he “Maia Chiburdanidze Cup 2021” has been opened at the Tbilisi Chess Palace.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth Affairs of Georgia is supporting the event.

The international rapid chess tournament is being held on September 8-11.

The competition will be held in 2

tournaments between men and women.

In compliance with the Swiss system, the competition will be held in 8 rounds, and is to be attended by members of the Georgian national team and invited foreign chess players. The prize fund of the tournament is 32,650 GEL. Due to pandemic regulations, spectators will not be allowed in the hall.

The Nona Gaprindashvili International Tournament will be held in Tbilisi on September 13-16.

The San Sebastian International Film Festival is an annual festival held in the Spanish city of Donostia-San Sebasti, and will be held September 17-25.

The list of the official jury of the San Sebastian Film Festival is as follows: Dea Kulumbegashvili, Director and Screenwriter, Georgia (Jury Chairman); The filmmakers and screenwriters Maite Alberdi (Chile); Actress Susi Sanchez (Spain); Audrey Diwan (Lebanon-France); The North American producer Ted Hope.

Journalists: Ana Dumbadze, Vazha Tavberidze, Tony Hanmer, Emil Avdaliani, Nugzar B. Ruhadze, Michael Godwin, Ketevan Skhirtladze Photographer: Aleksei Serov

Website Manager/Editor: Katie Ruth Davies Layout: Misha Mchedlishvili Webmaster: Sergey Gevenov Circulation Managers: David Kerdikashvili, David Djandjgava

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