Issue #1326

Issue no: 1326

• DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2021 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

Corona Updates: Mountain Resort Regulations Kick in ahead of Winter Ski Season NEWS PAGE 2

MasterChef & Carrefour Collaborate for the Second Season Running NEWS PAGE 3

The Sit Down: Natia Mezvrishvili and the Political Battlefield POLITICS PAGE 4

China’s New Emerging Role in the Middle East

FOCUS

POLITICS PAGE 5

ON THE POLITICAL MUDSLINGING

A look at Georgia's current socio-political battlefield

Georgia Welcomed as New Member of Int’l Federation of Mountain Guides Associations

PAGE 4

Hanna Shelest on the Russian Threat and the Need for Europe and the Eastern Partnership to Unite against It INTERVIEW BY VAZHA TAVBERIDZE

SOCIETY PAGE 10

With Respect: Pridon Nizharadze CULTURE PAGE 11

Lemonade Natakhtari Becomes a Supporter of a New Sport - Teqball

C

onstant threats from Russia on the border, disinformation campaigns, lack of an effective reaction from the West – this is not a complete list of problems Ukraine is struggling with right now, a list which threatens not just them, but the security of the whole region. This month, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko stated that Crimea legally belongs to Russia. Before that, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, held a press conference saying that Russian “representatives” are planning a coup d’etat.

How serious are these latest developments and what should be done in the face of the Russian aggression? Director of Security Programs at the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism,” and Editor-in-Chief at “UA: Ukraine Analytica,” Hanna Shelest, discussed these issues with GISP.

SPORTS PAGE 11 CULTURE PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

Markets As of 06ͲDecͲ2021

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LET’S START WITH YET ANOTHER RUSSIAN TROOP BUILDUP THAT ONCE AGAIN SPARKS FEARS OF AN INVASION. HOW SERIOUS IS THE THREAT AT THE MOMENT?

SILNET 04/24

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TBC 06/24

105.90 (YTM 3.30%)

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It is indeed very serious. It started in April with the first wave when Ukraine tried to attract the attention of the international community, and the second wave is happening now. We see these forces, they are reported by the international partners of Ukraine, by the Ukrainian Intelligence, but the Russians are not troubling themselves to hide anymore, so in this way it is very serious. The question is what is the reason – just to pressure, to show up, to flex their muscles, or really to attack?

Continued on page 2

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MSCI EM EE MSCI EM

Hanna Shelest

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NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

Corona Updates: Mountain Resort Regulations Kick in ahead of Winter Ski Season

Image source: BPN.ge

BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

his week it was announced that during the upcoming winter season in Georgia’s mountain resorts, holidaymakers will have to follow certain safety regulations. The Mountain Resorts Development Company states that a maximum of eight people will be allowed in a gondola instead of 10, while open ski lifts will be allowed to function at full load.

The Company notes that tourists must present a “green passport” at mountain resorts in order to use the ski-lifts and hotels, and said the opening of the winter season depends on the weather.

Another important update applies to nightclubs - after a break of almost two years, nightclubs in Georgia will reopen on December 17. Dato Lezhava, a representative of Act4culture, confirmed the information to local media outlet bm.ge.

“Nightclubs will be allowed to open from mid-December,” he said, adding that nightclubs will have to adhere to safety regulations: The covid-pass concept will be in force, with checks carried out at the door; 80% of tickets must be sold online; the ventilation system must meet the requirements; and admission to the facility will be limited to 50% of full capacity.

Compliance with the requirements will be monitored by both the Labor Inspectorate and the initiative group itself.

The clubs have been closed for 21 months due to the pandemic. The club industry has been negotiating with the government for several months now.

Pilot parties were held where the viruspositive rate was only 0.5%.

THE STATISTICS Regarding the epidemiological situation in the country, based on this week’s statistics, based on this week’s been determined in terms of the virus spread and new cases; however, the death toll remains high for a small country like Georgia.

Capital Tbilisi remains a hotspot for spreading due to its high population.

Georgia reported 4509 coronavirus cases, 4042 recoveries, and 59 deaths on Tuesday. Tbilisi recorded the highest number of 1871 Covid-19 cases, followed by the Imereti region with 804 cases, and the Shida Kartli region with 366 cases.

Georgia reported 4226 coronavirus cases, 4091 recoveries, and 53 deaths on Wednesday. Tbilisi recorded 1790 cases, followed by Imereti with 635 cases and the Shida Kartli region with 366 cases.

The country recorded 3562 new cases, 4145 recoveries and 63 deaths on Thursday, with Tbilisi again recording the highest number, at 1566 cases.

The daily test-positivity rate stands at 7.06 %, down from 8.22% in the past 14 days.

Georgia’s total case tally reached 879,368. Among them, 822,108 people recovered and 12,582 died.

As of December 9, 2276.478 people had received a Covid-19 vaccine.

As yet, no case of the new strain Omicron has been detected in the country.

THE CASES WORLDWIDE The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Wednesday that governments need to reassess national responses to

COVID-19 and speed up vaccination programs to tackle the Omicron variant, although it is too early to say how well existing shots will protect against it.

WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr. Hans Kluge stated that “We need to shift from ‘reaction’ to ‘stabilization’ mode in this crisis” and presented five strategies to achieve this goal.

“There are five pandemic stabilizers to keep mortality down: Increasing vaccine uptake, administering additional or third doses, doubling the rate of mask-wearing indoors, ventilating crowded spaces, and adopting rigorous therapeutic protocols for severe cases,” Dr. Kluge stated.

“Research conducted by WHO/Europe and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control has found that from December 2020 to November 2021, at least 469,186 lives were directly saved through vaccination.

“This is an overwhelming affirmation of the value of vaccines and science, a testimony to government and healthcare worker commitment, and most of all a great recognition of the public’s acceptance and support in tackling this pandemic,” he added.

The Delta variant remains dominant across Europe and Central Asia, and the COVID-19 vaccines remain effective in reducing severe disease and deaths from coronavirus. However, it is yet to be seen how and whether the latest COVID-19 variant of concern, Omicron, will be more transmissible, or more or less severe.

“Three doses of the Pfizer vaccine are likely to protect against Omicron infection, tests suggest,” wrote The Guardian, whose source reports that “three doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine are likely

to protect against infection with the Omicron variant, but two doses may not, according to laboratory data.” This will increase pressure to speed up booster programs.

“Tests using antibodies in blood samples have given some of the first insights into how far Omicron escapes immunity, showing a stark drop-off in the predicted protection against infection or any type of disease for people who have had two doses. The findings suggest that, for Omicron, Pfizer/BioNTech should now be viewed as a “three-dose vaccine.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced tighter restrictions Wednesday to stem the spread of the Omicron variant, urging people in England to again work from home and mandating COVID19 passes for entrance into nightclubs and large events.

Johnson said it was time to impose stricter measures to prevent a spike of hospitalizations and deaths as the new coronavirus variant spreads rapidly in the community. He added that 568 cases of the Omicron variant have been confirmed across the UK, and "the true number is certain to be much higher."

The variant's global spread suggests it could have a major impact on the pandemic, and the time to contain it is now before more Omicron patients are hospitalized, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

"We call on all countries to increase surveillance, testing and sequencing," he told a media briefing. "Any complacency now will cost lives."

According to the data provided by Reuters, The Associated Press and CBC News, the situation in various countries currently is as follows: In Europe, France's Ile-de-France region — with the capital Paris at its center — said all hospitals are activating an emergency plan due to the strained COVID19 situation. The plan includes stepping up the number of ICU beds and, if necessary, rescheduling treatments to free

up capacities.

Meanwhile, European Union health ministers discussed measures to try to halt the spread of the Omicron variant, with the Netherlands calling for negative tests for incoming travelers from outside the bloc and France urging tests even for those arriving from EU states.

Poland and several other countries in central and eastern Europe are battling their latest surges of coronavirus cases and deaths while continuing to record much lower vaccination rates than in western Europe.

In Russia, more than 1200 people with COVID-19 died every day throughout most of November and for several days in December, and the daily death toll remains over 1100.

Ukraine, which is recording hundreds of virus deaths a day, is emerging from its deadliest period of the pandemic.

In the Americas, the number of Americans fully vaccinated against COVID-19 reached 200 million Wednesday amid a dispiriting holiday-season spike in cases and hospitalizations that has hit even New England, one of the most highly inoculated corners of the country.

Brazil will require that unvaccinated travelers entering the country go on a five-day quarantine followed by a COVID19 test, after its president said he opposed the use of a vaccine passport.

In Africa, South Africa reported nearly 20,000 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, a record since the Omicron variant was detected, and 36 new COVID-related deaths.

In the Middle East, the most cases reported last week were in: Jordan, with 32,108 reported cases; Iran, with 26,255 reported cases; and in Lebanon, with 10,406 reported cases.

In the Asia-Pacific region, South Korea will consider expanding home treatment of COVID-19 patients, as both new daily infections and severe cases hit record highs, putting hospital capacity under strain.

Photo: Pia.ge

MFA: Georgia Won’t Participate in 3+3 Regional Platform in Moscow

BY ANA DUMBADZE

PM Announces Pension Increase

BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

T

he Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, announced at a government session that the pension is to be increased.

“The volume of pensions will increase next year. From January 2022, the pension for persons under 70 will be 260 GEL, and for persons aged 70 and over

– 300 GEL. In highland settlements, the pension for persons under 70 years of age is 312 GEL, while for persons aged 70 and over it will be 360 GEL. The monthly 22-GEL and 44-GEL assistance to war veterans will increase to 100 GEL,” the PM said.

Garibashvili also noted that next year the budget envisages an increase in salaries in the public sector by about 10%, adding that the salary will keep growing: it will not be a one-time change but will continue to increase in the coming years.

T

he Georgian Foreign Ministry has reiterated that Georgia will not participate in a regional meeting scheduled for December 10 in Moscow in the so-called 3+3 format, RFE/RL’s Georgian Service reports.

“The first meeting of the regional cooperation platform in the 3 + 3 format, put forward by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to ensure lasting peace and stability in the South Caucasus, will be held in Moscow on December 10, 2021,” said the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Georgia has said it does not intend to participate in the regional initiative but

Image source: Trend News Agency

is offering Baku and Yerevan its own format of talks to keep the peace.

RFE / RL was told by the Georgian Foreign Ministry that the ministry had repeatedly stated its clear position on the “3+3” regional cooperation initiative, including that the foreign minister had addressed the issue at a recent parliamentary hearing.

“We do not consider participation in this format and, accordingly, Georgia will not be present at the meeting in the so-called 3+3 format scheduled for December 10,” the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.

The main reason behind the Georgian side’s position regarding the 3+3 format is relations with Russia and the occupation by it of 20% of Georgian territories.

“Sovereignty and territorial integrity are ‘red lines’ for the Georgian government,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Davit Zalkaliani announced in October when the issue about Georgia’s possible participation in the meeting was first voiced.

Reports about the country’s possible participation in the talks “to ensure peace and stability” in the South Caucasus caused dissatisfaction and protest within society.

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

3

MasterChef & Carrefour Collaborate for the Second Season Running The Sixth Season of the Much-loved Cooking Competition Closes on a High

M

asterChef Georgia — one of the most highlyrated entertainment shows on Georgian TV — has wrapped its sixth season crowning Ruso Daushvili as the winner. Daushvili was up against fellow finalists Dimitri Rcheulishvili and Marika Kopaliani in a competitive finale which saw her walk away with the 2021 MasterChef title.

This season, like the last, received positive feedback and high engagement from audiences, in part thanks to the contribution of partner and general sponsor, Carrefour — who supported the

show for the second year in a row.

A leading hypermarket and supermarket chain owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim in Georgia, Carrefour supplied the MasterChef contestants with high quality, fresh, and healthy products for their dishes enabling them to impress the judges throughout the season.

Carrefour also assisted participants to prepare visually attractive, delicious and unique dishes in their quest to be recognised as the MasterChef champion.

To reward the winning chef and runners-up, as well as in celebration of its ninth anniversary in the Georgian market, Carrefour awarded the finalists with

MyClub points worth 9000 GEL, along with exclusive French Carrefour products.

To further celebrate Daushvili’s win, Carrefour hosted a masterclass for MasterChef fans and loyal customers in one of its hypermarkets, in a special kitchen installed by the brand Ninja. Daushvili shared unique interpretations on traditional Georgian dishes popular during the festive season such as Satsivi and Gozinaki, to help attendees diversify their tables during the festive season.

The recent collaboration between MasterChef and Carrefour allowed loyal MasterChef fans to gain more knowledge

about different types of ingredients and how they can be used to create a variety of inspirational recipes based on the examples of young and talented professional chefs. Moreover, MasterChef and Carrefour seek to further diversify and develop the outstanding and well-known Georgian cuisine among both locals and visitors.

The partnership also highlights Carrefour’s commitment to supporting the growth and prosperity of local communities. Many of the products provided

by Carrefour to the MasterChef contestants were sourced locally and delivered straight from local partner farms.

POLITICS

Hanna Shelest on the Russian Threat and the Need for Europe and the Eastern Partnership to Unite against It Continued from page 1 That is still the question to which, it seems to me, neither the US nor the Ukrainian Intelligence are ready to answer.

LUKASHENKO STATED THAT CRIMEA IS LEGALLY RUSSIAN AND HE WILL VISIT IT WITH PUTIN. WHAT KIND OF INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE DO YOU THINK THIS WILL GET? IN YOUR OPINION, IS THERE A CHANCE BELARUS WILL ALSO SAY THE SAME ABOUT ABKHAZIA AND “SOUTH OSSETIA”?

We understand that the Lukashenko rhetoric is becoming more and more outrageous. The international community is responding by non-recognition of him and by introducing sanctions. I think the situation with Abkhazia and South Ossetia is different, as the Russian Federation has not annexed them.

THERE ARE FEARS THAT CRIMEA WON’T BE THE LAST UKRAINIAN PIECE OF LAND THE KREMLIN WILL TRY TO SNATCH AWAY. JUST HOW FAR DO YOU THINK PUTIN IS PREPARED TO GO? Let’s be honest, we know perfectly well that, for Putin, the dissolution of the Soviet Union was the biggest tragedy.

So, for him, the bringing back of all the lost soviet territory is important. The question is, how is he going to do it? He understands that annexation might not be the way to do it anymore. Crimea is the only case- even Abkhazia and socalled South Ossetia have not been annexed. Transnistria several times asked to join the Russian Federation, but Rus-

PROPAGANDA “TRICKS” USE TO HAVE THE KREMLIN’S INTERESTS MET AND TO GET THE DESIRED RESPONSES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY?

sia has yet to agree, because for them it’s extremely important to politically control these territories. Incorporating the territories means being able to control that the countries themselves pay.

He understands that he’s not ready to take responsibility for everybody. It’s always better to have local proxies who are pro-Russian, who will act as he would in bilateral relations or in the international arena, rather than bringing these territories as additional regions to the Russian Federation.

HOW SHOULD UKRAINE AND GEORGIA COLLABORATE WHEN FACING RUSSIAN AGGRESSION? SHOULD THEY REINFORCE THEIR COLLABORATION NOW, AS THEY ARE BOTH VICTIMS? If we take the last several years of the bilateral relations, it’s very interesting how we collaborated in waves. In 2008, you may remember how the Ukrainian President immediately came in with the full support of Ukraine. In 2014, Ukraine made the mistake of presenting the Ukrainian case as a unique one, meaning it was not uniting efforts with Georgia and Moldova, not emphasizing that it was a pattern of Russian behavior, that Russia was not only against Ukraine. By 2018, we had understood our mistake, we had top-level visits, we signed strategic partnership agreements, we started presenting with a single voice our position in the UN, OSCE, Council of Europe, NATO. It was very important, and we saw how foreign partners took it positively, as they realized that it was not only a single case.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN FACTORS THAT RUSSIA IS THREATENING EUROPE WITH? DO YOU THINK THE EU IS

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in Sochi during a video call with US President Joe Biden. By Mikhail Metzel/SPUTNIK/AFP/Getty

ACTING MORE PASSIVELY IN THE FACE OF RUSSIA’S ACTIONS THAN IT SHOULD, EVEN WITH CONSIDERATION OF ITS OWN SECURITY? We have the institutional level and we have the individual countries’ level. We understand that it is a consensus decision, and it is very difficult to persuade countries like Portugal that they should care about Russia- they have other problems. However, let’s be honest, as soon as a country feels direct actions against them, they start paying attention. The UK became pro-Ukrainian after Sailsbury; countries like Poland are so active because they feel personally what it means; for Germany, it depends which camp you’re from, you can be more or less sensitive towards these issues. Now

Spain became interested, unlike several months ago. So, at the individual level, it is very important to work with these countries, for them to understand what their vulnerabilities are. It seems to me that the cyberattack against European countries really had an effect, as did provocations against their ships during different exercises. The energy pressure we had within the last months also influenced some countries’ perceptions; information campaigns during the elections really had an impact; and the spy scandals. When we’re working with the EU, it’s important not just to demonstrate that we are victims, but to show that it is about their security as well.

WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT SOME OF RUSSIA’S

Church affairs is a huge issue where Russia spreads a lot of propaganda, for example, when Ukraine started the process of gaining an independent Church.

The second is anti-Western sentiments, all these anti-Soros, anti-vaccination, anti-West, anti-International Monetary Fund or World Bank financial institutions; anti-US, and anti-EU are very strong on their agenda. Most of these messages are alike throughout the region.

For example, let’s remember the “American labs created the virus” narrative that we had when the pandemic started – we found exactly the same wording in Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova. It was like a copy-paste. The same with antiSoros narratives, and the narrative “they want to control our governments”, etc.

All these narratives are the same.

And Russian propaganda works with “traditional values”, the gender issue, for example, and LGBT rights; they are behind a lot of campaigns that prevent the spread of gender rights. For them, traditional family is not just the issue of a man and woman, but is also about the suppression of woman.

Regarding NATO, in Ukraine, Russia is portraying itself as so strong that NATO will never be able protect it; that if Russia was to attack, in just two hours they would be in Kyiv. So, they don’t try to show that they are weak or a victim, they are trying to show that they are a global power everybody should respect and that NATO is a “nobody,” targeting proNATO sentiments. It also cultivates proRussian ideas that “oh, you need to compromise with Russia”, because you certainly won’t be able to fight them.

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POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

The Sit Down: Natia Mezvrishvili and the Political Battlefield

Natia Mezvrishvili is the Deputy Chairman of the political party “For Georgia” as well as a law lecturer at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Source: forgeo.ge

INTERVIEW BY MICHAEL GODWIN

S

eizing more and more of the headlines, the political sphere in Georgia has become increasingly polarized. Various groups, including the business and investment community, the Georgian Orthodox Church, the press corps, pro-European integrationists, Tbilisi PRIDE, and a host of others, have been pressed into service against each other. This new socio-political battlefield has many combatants, but none so more engaged than some of the leadership of the involved political parties.

Georgian Dream and the United National Movement have largely stolen the spotlight. With the current fight raging over the recent incarceration and treatment of former President Mikheil Saakashvili, these two long-term rivals have resorted to a by-any-means-necessary battle of attrition. Aimed at undermining and chipping away at each other, many of the other topics du jour have fallen by the wayside.

Seeing an opportunity to capture public favor, the “For Georgia” party was founded in late May 2021, as a response to the aforementioned turmoil.

Giorgi Gakharia, the former Prime Minister of Georgia, took on the position of Chairman for the party following his resignation, which was partly caused by the controversial arrest of Nika Melia, Chairman of the UNM party. In one of his first acts as Chairman, Gakharia seized the opportunity to onboard Natia Mezvrishvili.

Growing up in the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, Natia Mezvrishvili found her calling in protecting justice. After vehemently pursuing a law career at Tbilisi State University, she quickly moved into the the Office of the Prosecutor General of Georgia. Rising to leadership roles in this office, she led multiple reforms in internal and national legal procedure. After moving across to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and serving as the Deputy Head for almost two years, she then took on her most famous role as the Head of the Government Administration of Georgia.

She has held multiple roles as a lecturer at her alma mater, as well as being an expert resource on

law and human rights. With her history in these fields, as well as reform and a passion for Western partnerships, she has brought all of this experience to “For Georgia.”

Discussing the recent elections, she has her frustrations. With many videos, reports, and perceived shortcomings given by the international observing parties, the allegations of intervention at the ballot box level seem to have some ground. While the need for an investigation is needed, Mezvrishvili is doubtful that it will be launched in the current political climate. “For Georgia” still managed to gain some seats, but not as many as are still being sought.

On Saakashvili, as with so many others in the center, she finds that neither side in the issue is doing themselves any favors. Since she and her party aim to be the more centric medium in the political landscape, the legal fact of Saakashvili’s imprisonment and his right to fair treatment and due process are the main issues. However, these issues are separate. Incarceration due to alleged crimes in pre-trial holding is not unusual. It is the alleged neglect and abuse, along with the right to be tried in an unbiased and timely manner, that are the real issues, she believes. As a long time pursuer of reform and human rights, Mezvrishvili passionately agrees that it is imperative that Saakashvili be treated correctly. In addition, his high profile

Selective Justice

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status brings only more watchful Western eyes to the country at a time when criticism is undesired.

Yet, Mezvrishvili genuinely believes that there are more pressing national matters than the sparks and clashes between these two warring parties. A refocused effort, she outlines, on the lower level matters of the people have seem to have gone out of focus in favor of the Hollywood-esque political sparring taking place on television. Tax, law, education, infrastructure, and international partnerships need the spotlight, she argues.

While sitting down with GEORGIA TODAY, she offers a vision of what she sees as the more important items on the socio-political agenda. She rolls her eyes at the mudslinging between the UNM and Georgian Dream, asking only what good can come of such theatrics. While many might agree with her, the battle of these titans seems to have drawn the crowds as if it were some modern form of gladiatorial games.

These crowds have thus far continued to throw in their votes along with that attention, and “For Georgia” will be forced to offer something else to the voters. They have a particular eye on the younger voters, those with a penchant for “fast food politics” who need small pre-packaged ideology that they can digest easily. For the near future, Mezvrishvili and her team certainly have more work cut out for them than any of the others fighting in the ring.

omething is wrong in the Republic of Georgia: the political stench is becoming unbearable, the country is in edgy despair, people are being deprived of a normal labor process, the social fever and restlessness are gathering momentum, we are no longer able to get first things done first, the population is getting depleted of creative energy, the nation has turned into a bundle of nerves, the walkout protests and manifestations are constricting the economy, numerous individuals are gradually morphing into dangerous psychopaths, and the youth is losing orientation, placing our future functionality into doubt.

And all this is happening only because the oppositional political force and its frustrated satellites are not willing to put up with defeat in the recent local elections, recognized by the rest of the world as fair and free. Further, and most notably, their once runaway and now comeback spiritual and ideological leader is stirring up the déjà vu social trouble, fervently nursing the idea of a revanche, and tirelessly working on its implementation from the confines of a local penitentiary – his new and befitting abode.

Georgia is currently living under a depressing question mark: Is the entire hullabaloo worth it?

Any political device is good and acceptable as long as it brings progress and prosperity to the people, but what we are presently witnessing in this country is exactly the opposite: political actions are bringing disappointment, apprehension, lack of useful labor, despondency, inflation, and as a result of all this, a plummet in the standard of living.

Why are we doing this much wrong to ourselves?

Are we out of our minds? Have we completely lost our sense of statehood? Speaking about statehood in Georgia, one might find it relevant to start doubting its strength and effectiveness because the state often refrains from punishing criminal behavior if the unlawful activity comes from a person who is engaged in politics. The impression is that the law enforcement bodies have certain misgivings towards apprehending a crime-doer if the perpetrator is a

well or even lesser-known political activist, perhaps for the fear of creating a “political prisoner,” a big no-no for a society trying to construct the image of a democracy-builder and endeavoring to integrate itself into Euro-Atlantic structures. Meaning it might be a bad idea to punish a political leader even if they are breaking the law.

But what kind of a state is a state whose hands are tied when it comes to the rule of law? It is astonishing that our western mentors teach us to keep up the standards of law enforcement in Georgia, but at the same time tell us to wink at a breech of the law if the law is broken by a politically engaged person.

How could this be explained? Where is the line between statehood and tolerance towards unlawfulness on the part of a political activist? I have a straight question to ask: should the state arrest a political leader who is involved in criminal activity, such as offending a law enforcement officer, or acting in contempt of court, or demonstratively refusing to meet the demands of state in maintaining law and order in the country? If the answer is yes, then our Euro-instructors should not stand in our way to keep up the spirit of law here, and if the answer is no, then, again, please don’t ask us to maintain the Western standards of respecting law and order.

This is exactly what we call “selective justice” when, for the same felony, a political leader may escape the severity of the law, and a rank-and-file will be indicted, sentenced and jailed. Nobody is above the law – isn’t this one of the most cherished Western values? And if this true, why should a state feel embarrassed to apprehend a law-breaking political leader who is going beyond the limits of behavior and feeling protected by political status.

Any governmental action against a crime perpetrated by an oppositional activist will be described as politically motivated, which means that law enforcement is becoming absurdly constrained even if conviction is 100% lawful. This means that statehood as such becomes irrelevant, and even obsolete. Nursing a sense of impunity and condoning criminal behavior, be it of a political leader or a person in the street, is a flagrant destroyer of our statehood, and we must refrain from it no matter how eager we are to wax western and democratic.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

5

China’s New Emerging Role in the Middle East

Leaders from China and Egypt conduct discussions during a meeting in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China in 2019. Photo by Greg Baker-Pool/Getty Images

BY EMIL AVDALIANI

T

here is much debate both within and without China over whether or not its economic interests in the region will force it to play a more active security/military role in the Middle East. In fact, recent political and economic trends in the region indicate that a shift in China’s approach to the Middle East along these lines has already started.

So far, most Chinese cooperation with Middle Eastern countries has focused on energy and economic relations. But things are changing. Recent developments indicate that Beijing is now strengthening its ties to Middle Eastern countries in areas such as defense, culture, and the toning down of mutual criticism.

China has concluded partnership agreements with some dozen Middle Eastern countries so far, but several warrant special attention, particularly Saudi Arabia. The kingdom is now China’s largest trading partner in West Asia, and Beijing is Riyadh’s largest trading partner in the world.

This is not an isolated case. China is also the UAE’s largest trading partner.

More than 200,000 Chinese nationals reside in the UAE, and the Dubai Port is a vital global shipping and logistics hub for Chinese goods.

In the last decade, as Chinese fears have grown over the safe operation of sea lanes, the Red Sea, the Suez Canal, and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait have come under increased Chinese attention. The gaining of influence in and around geographical choke points for global trade and oil and gas shipment has become pivotal to Beijing’s foreign policy in western Eurasia.

No wonder Egypt features so strongly in China’s investment agenda. Billions of dollars have been invested by Beijing

in Egypt. China is helping Egypt build a new administrative capital in the desert outside Cairo, as well as a Red Sea port and industrial zone in Ain Sukhna. Several high level trips were made by Egyptian officials to Beijing since 2014, compared to just two to the country’s traditional security partner, the US. The growing connections between Middle Eastern states and China are sensitive for the West. The US’ evolving international position has led it to discard some of its responsibilities in Eurasia, which has had the effect of causing small countries to revisit their relationships with the US and consider the rising China.

Another interesting Middle Eastern partner for China is Iran. Tehran wishes to establish relationships with global powers to balance US pressure. Its growing partnership with Moscow fits this paradigm, as does its increasing closeness with Beijing.

Iran could prove much more important to China than other Middle East states. Its growing isolation from the West is likely to continue in the coming years, which will push it to work ever more closely with China. Iran’s strategic location and human resources, as well as its intention to serve as a civilizational center of gravity for neighboring states, could divert American military and economic capabilities away from the South China Sea, which would work in Beijing’s favor.

Iranian troops or their allies are operating in many countries around the Middle East, and the Iranian navy is active in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. All of this dilutes US power across the Eurasian continent. Moreover, Iran’s location can enable China’s Belt and Road Initiative to pervade the region, whether on land or sea (the Caspian and the Persian Gulf).

China publicly rejects any notion of its seeking military or security dominance in the Middle East. Beijing understands that it still lacks the knowledge,

networks of contacts, and necessary authority (on a par with Western authority) to proclaim its geopolitical aims in the troublesome region. Despite this, westerners often take it for granted that China is in fact seeking domination in Eurasia. After all, why would the country want to spend billions and station hundreds of soldiers either in the Middle East or elsewhere in Eurasia?

There is a grand debate within China itself on whether Beijing’s economic interests in the Middle East could force it to become a more active security/ military player in the region. Though there are hopes that this can be avoided, there are already signs pointing in this direction.

Beijing recently announced its intention to take part in anti-piracy initiatives in the Persian Gulf following incidents with oil tankers. With the US diminishing its presence in Eurasia overall, China will have to address the geopolitical vacuum. Spending billions will not solve every problem, but economic development of the region could forestall tensions for some time.

It is likely that China will have to increase its presence in Western Eurasia. Concrete steps have already been taken: Beijing opened a base in Djibouti and set up military installations on the border with Afghanistan and in Tajikistan.

As China grows its position in the region, it will need partners to manage inter-state conflicts. Russia is a likely choice, but the latter, like Turkey and Iran, will not be particularly interested in sharing military/security positions in the Middle East that were gained by waging war in Syria and working in concert to constrain the American position.

Overall, it can be argued that Beijing will continue to be extremely careful not to become too involved in the region.

As far as China is concerned, Russia and the US can keep responsibility for security in the region. What is crucial for Beijing is multipolarity, and it will pursue that principle assiduously.

But as time goes on, China will find it increasingly difficult to stay above the fray in the Middle East. It will have to become more responsive to rising challenges to its businesses and sea and land trade routes.

This will inevitably lead to greater insecurity between the US and China.

Top US officials have been warning about China’s efforts to gain influence in the Middle East, which could undermine defense cooperation between the US and its traditional regional allies in the region. The Middle East is thus transforming into yet another arena of competition between the US and China.

Emil Avdaliani is a professor at European University and the Director of Middle East Studies at Georgian thinktank, Geocase.

The Maro Makashvili Chamber Opens at the Georgian Parliament

M

aro Makashvili is a renowned freedom fighter who gave her life for Georgia’s independence during the 1921 war. The Parliament of Georgia honored this national icon by dedicating a chamber after her. The Maro Makashvili Chamber will host an exposition featuring women members of the Georgian Parliament throughout history.

It was renovated and equipped through the Parliament’s Gender Equality Council, with assistance from the Government of Sweden, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and UN Women.

Born into a noble family of well-known writers, Makashvili was a 19-year-old student at Tbilisi State University when the Red Army invaded Georgia in February 1921. She volunteered as a nurse and was sent to Kojori along with the Georgian Regiment, where she met her untimely death. From the 1920s to the present, artists, poets and composers and the Georgian public have memorialized and cherished her heroism, elevating her to a symbol of Georgia’s struggle for independence. In 2015, she became the first woman to be awarded the Georgian Order of National Hero.

The 7 December opening of the Chamber brought together a range of supporters from the Government, civil society and international organizations. This included Parliament Chairperson Kakhaber Kuchava, Chairperson of the Parliament’s Gender Equality Council MP Nino Tsilosani, Ambassador of Sweden Ulrik Tideström, UNDP Head Nick Beresford and UN Women Country Representative Kaori Ishikawa.

Unit Manager for Human Rights, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Lela Akiashvili and representatives of the Public Defender’s Office and civil society organizations delivered a seminar for youth about women’s political empowerment and their role in building democracy.

“Maro Makashvili is the first woman to be awarded the Georgian Order of National Hero. It is symbolic that Parliament now has a chamber named in her honor, which which will remain for generations. Maro Makashvili, who fought for Georgia’s independence, is a symbol of how to build a strong country,” said Kakhaber Kuchava.

“The names of courageous and talented Georgian women are written in history.

Their struggle for equality, human rights, independence and freedom is inseparable from the development of Georgia.

As we pay tribute to women heroes of the past, we also salute women leaders of the present who pave the way to achieving gender equality, protecting human rights and increasing women’s participation in Georgia’s political and economic life,” said Ambassador of Sweden Ulrik Tideström.

“Georgia’s history remembers many extraordinary women who shone like stars in public life. Yet women still have to struggle with gender stereotypes that lead to discrimination, gender-based violence and political and economic under-representation. As we acknowledge women’s roles in Georgia’s democratic development, we need to consolidate efforts and take concrete steps to create an equal environment for all citizens — women and men alike,” said UNDP Head Nick Beresford.

The Maro Makashvili Chamber was established under the auspices of the ongoing 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign. The event is also part of this year’s Human Rights Week that brings together UNDP’s local and international partners and wide circles of Georgia’s society. This includes the Government Administration, Parliament, the Public Defender’s Office, the European Union, UN agencies, the Government of Sweden, civil society organizations and international agencies.

Cargo Train Services Launch between Georgia and China

BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

he first regular cargo train left for Georgia from Gansu’s Wuwei City, marking the inauguration of the Wuwei-Tbilisi cargo train services, Georgia’s Foreign Ministry reported this week. The final destination of the cargo train is Tbilisi, and it is set to arrive in 10-12 days.

The ministry says that cargo transportation

from China via railway will become regular, both in the direction of Georgia and via Georgia, heading to other European countries.

At the inauguration ceremony, Georgian Ambassador to China, Archil Kalandia emphasized the strategic importance of the project in supporting the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (ITR), and Georgia’s positioning as a regional trade, transport, and logistics hub.

For his part, the Vice-Governor of Gansu Province noted the growing role of Georgia in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, facilitating the implementation of similar projects.

6

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

Zhvania School and USAID Supporting Good Governance and Improving Competencies in Minority Communities

BY ANA DUMBADZE AND KATIE RUTH DAVIES

T

he role of USAID in the social-economic processes in the country is very important. The project “Raising Awareness of Public Administration Reform and Capacity Building in Local Self-Government Units Densely Populated by National Minorities” is yet another example of their commitment and important work, as part of the USAID Good Governance Initiative (GGI) in Georgia.

The Zurab Zhvania School of Public Administration is a subcontractor of the project, implementing the project “Raising Awareness on Public Administration Reform and Capacity Building in Local Self-Government Units Densely Populated by National Minorities.” Apart from the fact that the results obtained from this project are very important for the minorities living in the regions of Georgia, they are also very important for the school, because the status of “subcontractor” signifies trust in the educational institution itself, both in financial and operational terms.

“For us, it’s a kind of quality indicator that means that the school is on the right path of development,” Ketevan Jakeli, Director of the Zhvania School, tells GEORGIA TODAY. The project aims at supporting good governance on local self-government levels by strengthening the capacity of officials. Within the framework of the project, up to 40 representatives of national minorities from Akhalkalaki, Lagodekhi, Gardabani, Ninotsminda, Marneuli, Akhaltsikhe, Tsalka and Bolnisi self-governments are being trained in issues of public and open governance, disinformation and integration into EuroAtlantic institutions.

In the process of validation of the training modules, the design, feasibility, content of the modules and compliance of the adaptation standard of the materials for the target groups were determined.

The NATO and EU information center, the Civil Service Bureau, the Government Administration and industry experts were involved in this process.

Expected results include introducing the beneficiaries to the principles of good governance, improving the opportunities for beneficiaries to use public administration terminology in Georgian, and improving beneficiaries' competencies in public governance, decentralization, sustainable development goals, open governance, disinformation, EU integration and NATO aspects.

Zhvania School has developed several thematic modules for the program on topics such as misinformation, cyber security, integration into the EU and NATO, good governance matters, public reforms, and the decentralization reform ongoing in the country.

“In Georgia, we have municipalities where the majority of the population is made up of ethnic minorities, and the language barrier still exists despite various programs carried out by the state.

It is important that public officials who

represent ethnic minorities not be left behind the countrywide reforms being implemented. The collaboration between Zhvania School and the USAID Good Governance program serves exactly this goal,” Jakeli says. “The modules that have been carried out in Georgian-language municipalities have been developed and adapted considering the needs of ethnic minorities. 40 public officials from various municipalities are currently taking the relevant training courses. As such, we can say the training on public governance has been very successful.”

The thematic trainings are preceded by a two-week intense “intro course”- a course where beneficiaries study terminology-focused language in order to make passing the following thematic modules easier. The intro course is followed by modules on EU and NATO integration.

“We, both Zhvania School and USAID, are closely following the processes, because it is important to assess the results, and it is very important for us to see how this initiative actually helps those studying with us to integrate into the processes underway in the country.

They are part of these processes, and this is a problem that can only be solved through joint forces,” Jakeli notes adding that attracting highly qualified field experts is also important.

“I’m glad to see that these trainings and working on the integration of minorities was something that inspired and excited them, and it’s nice to see how motivated they are. As a result, 40 public officials will gain knowledge about the reforms and processes ongoing in the country, which itself contributes to their involvement and more active efforts for the better future of our country.”

“Participation in these trainings is very important for ethnic minorities living in Georgia,” says Orkhan Alyev, the Mayor’s Representative in Bolnisi Municipality.

“Based on my experience, I think that all the state officials representing ethnic minorities should be maximally involved in such initiatives, as it raises our aware-

ness regarding the political, social and economic processes and reforms going on in the country, and helps us to better involve ourselves in them.

“I’m very grateful to USAID and the Zhvania School for such an opportunity.

Importantly, we, the project beneficiaries, are also taking a language course as part of the project, which is crucial for us to finally overcome the existing language barrier and improve our knowledge of the Georgian language,” Alyev notes. “This is of utmost importance for our daily activities. Again, this is a very good project and I want to thank its initiators!”

“I'm very satisfied with my participation in this project,” says Maia Beridu, Assistant to the Tsalka Municipality Mayor. “I think all the public servants, not only those representing ethnic minorities, should get involved in such projects. It is very helpful that it is available in a convenient online format, as I've never had such an opportunity before due to my busy schedule.

“Public governance is a complex topic, and this course gives us an opportunity to further strengthen and deepen our knowledge in this direction. I'm very grateful to our professional trainers for their dedication and enthusiasm. It's a great comfort to have this relationship with them,” she adds.

“We’re undergoing very diverse trainings as part of the project,” notes Giorgi Sackov, Head of the Bolnisi Municipality City Hall Committee on Education and Youth Affairs. “I personally am maximally involved in it. When a person is employed in the public sector, it is always important for their career to grow and develop, for them to be able to use their knowledge in practice, and the efforts of USAID and Zhvania School help us to achieve this goal. This project helps its beneficiaries to feel more self-confident and raises our awareness of many important topics. I’ll be involved in it until the end with pleasure, as it helps me believe in my strengths and overcome any barriers.”

To find out more about the USAID GGI, and the Zhvania School’s involvement in implementing it, GEORGIA TODAY spoke to Lina Panteleeva, who has worked in USAID/Georgia’s Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance Office since 2012. She has been managing USAID’s Good Governance Initiative since 2015.

“USAID views transparent, accountable, and effective governance as critical to building a citizen-centered democracy that responds to the needs of the Georgian people,” she tells us. “This is a fundamental building block for Georgia’s continued democratic development and for the country meeting its commitments under the Association Agreement with the European Union.

“The USAID Good Governance Initiative has been our flagship activity in this

space since it launched in 2015. We designed the program to promote transparency, accountability and effectiveness in governance by improving the performance of the legislative and executive branches at the local and national levels.

“This work covers a lot of different technical areas - from things like human resources, participatory legislative processes, budgeting, and the management of public finances, to legislative oversight of the executive government. We work with a range of partners across the Government of Georgia, including the Parliament and the State Audit Office. We also partner with government counterparts on important reforms, including civil service reform and decentralization.

“At the day-to-day level, we build linkages between different branches and levels of government, which in turn increases the effectiveness of public services and ensures that elected officials conduct oversight of executive bodies, like mayoral offices and national agencies. We also create mechanisms to help Georgian citizens participate in local decision-making processes. For example, we helped several Georgian cities to introduce participatory budgeting activities. These processes allow citizens to submit their own ideas for projects to receive funding. The winning projects are selected by popular vote.

“This stuff can get pretty technical, but it all comes back to the same simple set of goals: increasing the transparency, accountability, and effectiveness of governance so the Georgian people can receive the high-quality public services they need and deserve.

“After seven years of USAID support through this program, we can point to some tangible progress. Georgia now has a merit-based civil service and much stronger and more capable local government institutions, and citizens can more easily access information about the work of the country’s legislative and executive government bodies. I want to point out that there is still much room for improvement, especially in implementing some of the reforms that Georgia has already introduced. USAID is committed to supporting further progress toward good governance, and we look to our partners in the Government of Georgia for their commitment.

WHAT WAS THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE ZURAB ZHVANIA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN THE ABOVE ACTIVITIES, AND WHY WAS THIS SCHOOL CHOSEN? USAID has always put a major emphasis on ensuring that governance is not only effective but inclusive, so that all citizens benefit from improved public services and better-functioning institutions of government. In the case of public administration reform, it’s important that civil servants, including those living in ethnic minority communities or other underrepresented areas, are knowledgeable about the reforms and how they impact their day-to-day work. It is also important to ensure that ethnic minority civil servants are able to participate in the implementation of public administration reforms, including through capacity

building and awareness raising on key aspects of those reforms.

This is the main purpose of our partnership with the the Zhvania School.

The school was established in 2005 with US Government support to tackle the issue of low representation of ethnic minority representatives in public service. It is currently one of the few government-certified training providers in Georgia, and the only organization providing training and adult learning programs for civil servants for whom Georgian is not their first language. We are really hopeful that this project, implemented in cooperation with the Zhvania School, will contribute to improving governance at the local level and raise their awareness of key aspects of public administration reform, open governance principles, decentralization, Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration, and disinformation. Partnering with the school will also ensure the sustainability of project results, as the training modules developed through the program will continue to be available in the future.

LOOKING AHEAD, IS GEORGIA NOW ABLE TO "GO ITS OWN WAY" WITHOUT USAID’S GOOD GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE, OR DOES IT NEED FURTHER SUPPORT? (IF SO, IN WHICH AREAS)?

We have supported the Government of Georgia to introduce good governance principles for many years. It’s part of our strategy to advance citizen-centered democracy and Euro-Atlantic integration. Georgia has already implemented important reforms and realized tangible progress in many areas. However, there are still gaps in implementation and challenges to be overcome before Georgia reaches a state where citizens feel a positive change in their everyday lives.

This is a process of continual improvement that takes time and requires enormous effort, alongside continued support from Georgia’s international partners.

The Covid-19 pandemic underlined the importance of well-functioning institutions of government. It also revealed the gaps that remain in Georgia’s system. In particular, it showed that transparency, freedom of information, decentralized governance, inclusive and evidence-based decision making, and greater accessibility of public services are critical to address the needs of citizens and to earn their trust. Moving forward, the Government of Georgia needs to continue focusing on these areas and fully leverage the support of its development partners, including USAID.

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8

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

Russia and Its Lies About “Responsibility to Protect” OP-ED BY MICHAEL GODWIN

I

n 2005, the United Nations established the principle of Responsibility to Protect at the World Summit, commonly shortened to R2P. This principle was established with the expressed goal of preventing genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity in the world.

Ratified unanimously by all 170 UN member states, this has largely been framed as a great step forward for stability and peace.

Like any globalized piece of legislation, there will be those that seek to bastardize and twist its original meaning. Putin would never allow such an opportunity to slip away, and as such has been the target of multiple accusations. These accusations allege that he has used a portion of the R2P framework to illegally expand his empire in Europe and the Middle East.

The R2P principle is founded in the generally accepted belief that for a state to be truly sovereign, a government must provide for the protection of its people, first and foremost. This protection includes the four aforementioned forms of abuse, including the targeting of any one group within the nation’s territory. While much of this is already codified in international law, R2P acts not only as a bolster to that effect but also as a protective effort for certain sectors of the population. These sectors are not just vulnerable, but are commonly or routinely targeted. To address this further, the UN established these three components referred to as the Three Pillars: “...the responsibility of each State to protect its populations (pillar I); the responsibility of the international community to assist States in protecting their populations (pillar II); and the responsibility of the international community to protect when a State is manifestly failing to protect its populations (pillar III).”

The first and second pillars are largely seen as the core of the R2P scope. These outline the duties of the state to its people, as well as methods the international community may assist financially, materially, or in a consultative capacity. It is the third pillar that has come under some debate in recent years.

This concept has its roots in the widely held belief that the world should never again turn its back on mass violence against a people. However, it is the misuse of this third pillar that has caused more consternation than any other.

Russia used this pillar as a part of its justification for invading Georgia in 2008.

The Kremlin argued that it invoked the third pillar in an effort to protect its people and other ethnic Russians against what was perceived as genocide. The UN denied this as any grounds for justification of a military invasion. While the Georgian government forces had been sparring with separatists and illegally armed groups for some time by August 2008, the international commu-

Russian “peacekeepers” display their MC markings, a cyrillic abbreviation of the Russian words миротворческие силы, or peacekeeping forces. By Alexander Ryumin/TASS

nity widely recognized that diplomacy was far more effective than any military response.

Despite this, Russia has continued to use their false interpretation of the third pillar as a basis from which to launch multiple other campaigns in violation of international law and norms. Ukraine, Syria, and the Central African Republic have since, and continue to, suffer under the weight of the Kremlin's advances.

In addition to sovereign Georgia, the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have been in the crosshairs for some time.

Russia routinely plants deep-cover teams against and puppet entities inside these nations in order to create a proPutin minority. Through false information campaigns and the manipulation or subversive hijacking of media outlets, they are able to drive the split between the local nationals and their new “Russified” base.

The near future and the next attempt to seize back their lost Soviet lands will almost assuredly contain these efforts, and more. Russia has already begun to potentially incorporate one of these new tactics: land grabbing masked as peacekeeping. The sight of the infamous “MC” markings are now ubiquitous in the recently contested Nagorno-Karabakh region.

But what would the next Russian incursion look like? Be it Georgia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, or any other European or Asian country that falls into the Kremlin’s crosshairs, it is worth postulating what that operation could look like. As an attempt to explore and clarify some of the concepts noted, here is a notional example NOTE: For the purposes of anonymity and ambiguity in interpretation, the author has used fake names and places in this example.

SCENARIO: RUSSIAN INTERVENTION IN “LITHONIA” The nation of “Lithonia” lies on the northwestern borders of the Russian Federation. A heavily wooded nation, most of the country’s over 1,100,000 people live near the coastal capital of Lart’a. With a 71% majority of its population being ethnically Lithonian, another 29% is Slavic, almost all coming from

Russian families relocated during Soviet occupation. Many consider the cultural differences to be of minor concern, with only fishing territory rights, an ongoing miners’ strike, and a recent tax reform policy being the most prominent issues for citizens.

However, the new tax code guidance memorandum has only been published in the native language, Lithonii. While this is no major concern given its use of the Cyrillic alphabet, there is a rise in social media advertisement posts and unsourced stories being shared about how this is to ostracize the “uncultured” Slavic portion in the nation. To complement this, images and “memes” are circulating that show the Slavic portion of the country as uneducated, poor, and a burden on the state welfare programs.

The Lithonian Christian Church uses its considerable social power in an effort to unify people, but many in the Eastern Orthodox parts of the country see this as an attempt to make them irrelevant.

Behind the scenes, Russian intelligence and subversion agents are creating and promulgating this division through media and social centers. More content is pushed in front of people to further ostracize the two groups from one another.

Using these social media platforms, the Russian agents support and help organize protests and rallies near government offices in various districts of the country. Targeting an up-and-coming pro-Slavic youth movement, they use them to spark agitation between them and the local police, causing a physical confrontation on the steps of a regional municipal building. The next morning, photos of the national police seemingly beating an unarmed teenager have gone viral on local and international social media. Lart'a releases statements outlining the facts behind the confrontation, but by this time the social media reactions have already begun.

As a result, more protests become marred by sporadic violence promulgated by members of this same youth group. With Russian-backed media keeping these images on every 24-hour news cycle, many begin to take note of the situation in Lithonia. The Russian government convenes with its security council, then holds a press conference declaring the need to protect Russian

culture, traditions, and its Russo-ethnic people at home and abroad. Finally, a statement is released from the Kremlin that the Russian Federation is ready to help with the establishment of peace and security with their brother nations, particularly Lithonia, within its duty to protect oppressed people.

The Lithonian military only numbers around 20,000 active and reserve members and many of them are not trained for this type of problem, with only 8% having deployed in the recent NATO operation in Afghanistan. Additionally, the majority of the Slavic members of the armed forces have not been seen reporting back to their units after the recent weekend. The Kremlin offers its assistance to help under a Russian Peace Authority (RPA) operation, continuing to say it is operating under the UN R2P and in the interests of peace and stability.

Before Lart'a can respond with any official statement, armored personnel carriers and helicopters with large hastily painted RPA and MC on their sides arrive in the eastern part of Lithonia bordering Russia. With no overt Russian standard military markings, sporting light blue and white RPA flags, and soldiers wearing light blue helmets and berets, it is difficult to distinguish them from other commonly seen peacekeeping forces. Curiously, paramilitary and “Civil Protection” units have begun replacing the national police in the affected towns. These new “authorities” begin encouraging national police officers to either join them or to move back to Lart'a, all the while keeping armed guard on them.

The Russian agents, still operating undercover, begin utilizing their hidden weapons: electronic jamming equipment.

Soon, the entire country has gone dark, preventing any solid intelligence picture from being formed for the remainder of Europe and the United States. Russian telecommunication infrastructure is moved in to replace the local providers and a complete transfer of information dominance is completed.

As the fog begins to clear on the situation in Lithonia, Russian military units operating under the RPA have built a new border around the eastern half of Lithonia. Main battle tanks with RPA blue and white flags guard every road crossing, and permanent military installations begin being constructed. The Lithonian military is warned that any unit approaching the Peace Authority Line will be met with hostility in defense of the oppressed people. Since the Litho-

nian military’s warfighting capability is dwarfed by the RPA deployment force, it is forced to comply and pulls back around Lart'a in the west.

International leaders express outrage in various press events and demand an explanation from the Russian government, only to be met with silence. NATO military commanders meet in multiple joint sessions, wrestling with options.

The potential for a fallout and total war with Russia due to the alleged attack on the blue-helmeted and identified Russian Peace Authority is weighed with appeasement. All the while, Russia maintains the leverage of its gas exports should there be any aggression towards its RPA troops.

While this is only a simple example, this is not far from the tactics Russia has used in the real world. Its symptoms can be recognized, but only if they are cut short from growing into a real problem should they become ineffective. On a larger scale, firm and long term restrictions on the Russian government in the international community need to come to term.

Recent events only supply more evidence to this. Russia, and its puppet Belarus, are using humanitarian issues at the Polish frontier as a means to force NATO to the table. In addition, Ukrainian and other allied intelligence offices have reported on the movements of large Russian military formations close to the Ukrainian border, including the occupied Donbas region. These formations are reported to number up to 100,000, a number that would be reasonably able to seize the eastern half of the nation.

Rescinding the right for Russia to operate in a peacekeeping capability and fulfill any third pillar R2P obligation, removing their vote from the UN Security Council, and a hard line in the proverbial sand stating that Russian forces are barred from operating outside of the Russian mainland must be implemented.

While many in Moscow will cry outrage, it is only with this level of forced restraint that Europe, as well as many others, can begin to achieve some semblance of peace.

In reality, it is hard to envision this being implemented due to a large group of Western world leadership having the idea that appeasement tactics and befriending the Kremlin is possible.

Flatly, this is not a reality with Putin or any of his cohorts in control. While the future may change this fact, it is the here and now that will shape much of the future, sovereignty, and perhaps the even existence of the European Union.

Insignia and flag used by Russian military units near the Ukrainian border showing their false use of peacekeeping identification markings and UN insignia. Source: InformNapalm.org

SOCIETY

Partnership for Gender Equality – Joint Initiative of FAO, UNDP, UNFPA, and Liberty Bank

A

new series of meetings have launched at the joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Liberty Bank in the regions of Georgia. The purpose of the meetings is to raise the awareness of gender equality, reproductive health and rights, community participation, women's economic empowerment, as well as of banking services among rural women, that will benefit women involved in agriculture. In December 2021, meetings will be held in Shida Kartli and Racha-Lechkhumi regions.

The first meeting of the series was held at the Georgia Gold Hotel in Gori,

on December 4, 2021. The meeting was attended by women from Gori and Khashuri municipalities, who are involved in the FAO Agriculture and Rural Development Project (sponsored by the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC)). The participants were informed about issues such as family planning, prevention of uterine and breast cancer, domestic violence, harmful practices (child marriage, gender selection), the role of gender equality in the development of business and agriculture, financial planning and banking services offered to women involved in agriculture by Liberty Bank.

At the same time, a training session “Men Talking to Men” was also held as part of the cooperation between the UNFPA and FAO. “Men Talking to Men”

is an initiative conducted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) since 2016 to help increase the engagement of men in the process of achieving gender equality. Integrating “Men Talking to Men” initiative in the joint initiative is a good opportunity for men, who are in business and agriculture, to understand the importance of gender equality in the field they are involved, that it has a positive impact on productivity, teamwork and output, and reduces the risk of men stirring up gender stereotypes.

The events were opened by representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Liberty Bank.

IWG plc, Level 4, 2 Leonidze str. Tbilisi, Georgia | +995 32 290 039

10

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

Georgia Welcomed as New Member of Int’l Federation of Mountain Guides Associations

BY KATIE RUTH DAVIES

T

he IFMGA integrates almost 6,000 mountain guides in more than 20 countries worldwide. Photo: Mountain Resorts of Georgia.

At the end of November, the Georgian Mountain Guide Association (GMGA) was named an official member of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA), having been a candidate since 2018.

A national association of trained and certified trekking, rock, alpine, ski and mountain guides of Georgia, the GMGA has been developing adventure guiding institutions and training programs in the country since 1998.

The association works to ‘strengthen institutional and educational platforms of adventure tourism professions in Georgia for the safety of tourists and their guides,’ and, as of November 24, all those trained by the Adventure Tourism School (ATS) in Georgia will now automatically become international IFMGA-certified mountain guides.

GEORGIA TODAY contacted Ilia Berulava, the GMGA Secretary, to find out what this means for Georgia.

“Simply put, it’s a quality mark for the Georgian adventure tourism industry. It means our professional and educational standards of institutional development and organizational capacity meet international criteria, with the Adventure Tourism School’s Mountain Diploma Program now having international recognition,” he tells us. “30 mountain guides who graduated from the School now have the status of international mountain guides.

“With its membership, Georgia gained the right to vote in the process of formulating a mountain guide policy worldwide, referring to professional activity and safety standards, education, and mobility between countries, etc.,” he adds.

Berulava notes that with IFMGA membership, Georgia’s Adventure Tourism School, which was established in 2016, will now be able to accept students from any country in the world for the international diploma program ‘Mountain Guide.’

“Mountain guides graduating in Geor-

gia will be able to carry out activities in 25 IFMGA member countries,” he tells us.

Looking ahead, he notes that in 2024, according to a preliminary application, the IFMGA General Assembly will be held in Georgia. Further, the International Federation of Mining Associations and the Mining Association of Georgia have signed a memorandum on economic and educational cooperation, which includes assistance to the ATS with international expertise, the involvement of international experts in new programs, and the opening of job-based learning opportunities for Georgian students.

“Additionally, the ATS, in collaboration with the French National School of Mountaineering and Skiing (ENSA), will start developing new adventure professions, including paragliding,” Berulava says.

And there’s more to come, he tells us, as the Association of Mountain Guides has started the process of joining a second international organization: The International Union of Mountain Leaders (UIMLA), within which the Adventure Tourism School will introduce international standards to hiking in Georgia. The partners and supporters of this process are many, among them the Ministry of Education and Science and the Mountain Resorts Development Company, as co-founders of the ATS; the Vocational Education Direction Team and Skills Agency of the Ministry of Education; the Technical University of Munich; the Swiss and German Mountain Guide Associations and their experts involved in the educational and examination process of the ATS; the Millennium Corporation, US Embassy, Embassy of Switzerland, International Organization for Migration, USAID, GIZ, ADA / GRETA, and UNDP. “Post Covid-19, tourism is focusing more and more on nature-based and adventure tourism, Berulava says. “These trends can be seen both in domestic

The Rest is Up to You BLOG BY TONY HANMER

I

have been contemplating what form my photos would best take when offered to anyone to buy, and looking at various online shop options as well. One of my conclusions is that I might offer only black and white images, none in color.

WHY? Although my earliest photos, which I began taking with the family’s Kodak Instamatic 126 camera when I was 11 in 1978, were all in color, a few years after that my first darkroom work (at school) was all black and white. This process allows one to use a red safe light in the darkroom, as the film and paper are not sensitive to it. Color film and paper are sensitive to all human-visible light, which means you have to work in total darkness when developing or printing: much harder.

So a lot of my early work was in black and white, negatives and prints both.

I did then branch out into color, either slides or negatives, and almost all of my total body of 35mm film frames, about 11000 of them, are color. This does allow one the luxury of choice: it’s much easier to get a black and white version of a color original than the other way around, even given the proliferation of AI-powered colorizers, which take a mono original and add increasingly more faithful color to it. (The quality overall is improving rapidly).

Still, why offer only mono, with so much color work available to me, including ALL my tens of thousands of digital

frames made since 2008?

It’s more an esthetic choice, governed by my preferences in the work of others, the giants who have come before me.

The earliest of these had only black and white to work with, in the 19th century, including my great-great-great-great grandmother, Julia Margaret Cameron, Britain’s most famous woman photographer of that century. Her portraits of quite a few famous people of her society, using mostly window light and handcoated glass negatives, took several MINUTES of the subject sitting stockstill. Don’t move even your eyes for three minutes, Darwin!

Ansel Adams, perhaps the world’s most famous landscape photographer ever and of course a favorite of mine, worked mostly, though not exclusively, in mono, in the middle of the 20th century. His main subject was the landscapes and still life details of America. He used large format film, up to 8 x 10 inches mostly, and developed this and printed it himself until he got too famous and busy to do so. His originals bring in huge sums today. The same, more Caucasus-locally, and earlier, with Vittorio Sella and Dmitri Ermakov.

Arguably the most famous portrait of the 20th century, and the most influential, is also in mono. Armenian-Canadian photographer Karsh was still up-andcoming when Churchill spoke at the Canadian Parliament during World War II and had his portrait taken by him.

Faced with the great man’s refusal to stop smoking his cigar on request, Karsh removed it himself, then took the shot, of a rather belligerent subject (who smiled for a second frame). The glare

galvanized Britain into full fighting force against the Nazis. Karsh went on to worldwide success and demand for his portraits, in both mono and color.

The thing with the world is… it’s in color, subtle or saturated, with very rare exceptions like the starkest winter scenes.

Rendering it in black and white means that you are taking something away which the viewer’s eye must, or may, add back if desired. The imagination may fill in the missing hues. But it need not if it doesn’t want to. With monochrome, you are allowing composition and tone (the only remaining elements of the photo) to dominate, without the distraction from them which color can bring, drawing sometimes too much attention to itself.

Try to imagine the most color-dependent images in black and white, though: a sunset. Autumn foliage. A peacock.

Fruit. These and more have also most dramatically and successfully been captured as photos in only shades from black through all the grays to white; Google them if you want to. And we still gasp.

This is what I’m after in my own work.

And…as always at the moment, in Georgia’s current political season, #mishavs means: “It matters to me”!

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

travel and international visitor numbers.

In a sense, this is a unique opportunity for Georgia to re-emerge and reposition itself on international markets, since adventure and experience tourism are areas where Georgia certainly has a competitive advantage, as opposed to mass tourism, which dominated in the recent pre-Covid years.

“From the GMGA and ATS side, our strategy will be to invest resources in training more mountain guides, trying to bridge the supply-demand gap, and to diversify our programs towards other adventure fields: equestrian, rafting, paragliding, canyoning, etc, so that Georgia has a sufficient cadre to respond to post-Covid 19 demand on outdoor activities.”

The IFMGA, founded in 1965 by guides from Austria, France, Switzerland and Italy, is the international umbrella for mountain guide associations from more than 20 countries in Europe, Asia, the

Americas, and Oceania, representing a total of almost 6000 guides. Each national association represents all of that country’s mountain guides who are qualified according to IFMGA guidelines.

Aims of the IFMGA: • Regulate the mountain guide profession at a global scale; • Represent the interests of the mountain guiding profession to governments; • Support standardized laws and regulations for the mountain guide profession; • Determine mandatory international training standards; • Implement reciprocal acceptance of IFMGA qualification; • Support free professional activity for mountain guides; • Support existing national mountain guides associations and develop new ones; • Provide services and assistance for mountain guides.

CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY DECEMBER 10 - 16, 2021

11

With Respect: Pridon Nizharadze

BY TEAM GT

W

e are almost at the end of another year, one which marked many changes in our lives and on the planet as a whole. Also this year, some very well-known artists passed away, and to recognize them, GEORGIA TODAY, in collaboration as BI Auction, is beginning a new series of interviews ‘With Respect.’

The first interview is about Pridon Nizharadze (1944-2020). Ika Bokuchava, owner of IArt and Co-Founder of BI Auction, told us about him.

Pridon Nizharadze was born on August 25, 1944, in the highest settlement of Svaneti, in the village of Ushguli.

He started painting at pre-school age,

drawing with a pencil, and on snow, and with chalks on stones. After graduating from school, Nizharadze was drafted into the army. He studied at the Mining Technical School.

His dream was to study at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts, which came true quite late in his life, at 23, and that is where his conflict with the Soviet regime and professional dogmas began.

He also spent time in a psychiatric hospital.

After graduating from the art academy, Pridon returned to Ushguli, where he spent the rest of his life. He worked at the local school, teaching drawing, painting, and astronomy. Then he worked in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Chazhashi Museum, where he was given the opportunity to explore more deeply the religious and culturally unique treasures kept in Svaneti.

Despite graduating from the academy,

Pridon Nizharadze considered himself a self-taught artist. "They have attributed my works to the transcendental genre, I do not even know where this word comes from," he argued.

His creative work can be divided into very different stages. In the early period of his work, we find wonderful, classic landscapes and portraits of Ushguli.

Then we can find mystical tones in these landscapes. His painting then became religious - "religious and not ecclesiastical."

He noted the Tower of Babel was his painted Svan towers. It is as if after the flood, Svaneti became the land of Shinar, as if the world began to burn and build from there. Mankind's path from heaven to hell - the world from childhood to adulthood unprocessed, with "homemade" spiritualism and artisanal philosophy brought to us. In his "Silence" he created noisy, rough, tender, marginal art.

It is difficult to understand his compositions without having him by your side to explain, although there is no doubt that each of his works is the result of his thoughts on the order of the world, on different religions, traditions, history, and the present. The same goes for his poems.

At the time of creation, his works were unpopular and even caused controversy with local officials.

Nevertheless, the author managed to create unique paintings that both family members and visitors at first perceived with fear and distrust, and then could not hide their admiration for. Later, after the opening of the borders, Pridon Nizharadze's workshop turned into one

of the most remarkable spaces in Ushguli, where the flow of Georgian and foreign visitors did not stop all year long.

Although the door to his workshop was always open, getting there and contacting the author was not easy. The artist himself chose the people with whom he wanted to share his creations, read his poems to, and dialogue with him remained an unforgettable impression in the memories of his visitors.

In 1998, French director Jean Boggio Pola released a full-length documentary film dedicated to the work of Pridon Nizharadze. In 2019, the first personal exhibition of the author was held at the Tbilisi History Museum - Caravanserai, which the author could not attend.

Pridon Nizharadze died on November 13, 2020.

*** IArt Gallery at 13 Uznadze Street aims to present important and interesting aspects of Georgian fine arts. From November 30 to December 15, IArt Gallery hosts the works of Pridon Nizharadze. In addition to preparing for the exhibition, a TV film is being made on the work of Pridon Nizharadze, a complete description of Pridon Nizharadze's works, filmed in Ushguli, as well as from private collections. A complete catalog of his work has been published. The exhibition of the gallery presents all the important works of the author, reflecting different periods. After the end of the exhibition, the main part of the works will be housed in the Pridon Nizharadze House-Museum in Ushguli.

SPORTS

Lemonade Natakhtari Becomes a Supporter of a New Sport - Teqball a member of the International Teqball Federation Fitek.

WHAT IS TEQBALL?

L

emonade Natakhtari and the Georgian Teqball Federation signed a cooperation agreement, with the goal of promoting and supporting the development of a new sport Teqball - in Georgia.

And this isn't the first sport that EFES

Georgia has supported and helped develop. Lemonade Natakhtari plans a lot of interesting events and activities to support sports in collaboration with the Teqball Federation.

The Georgian Teqball Federation was founded on August 8, 2018, and soon, on October 19, 2018, it became

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George Sharashidze COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT

Commercial Director: Iva Merabishvili Marketing Manager: Natalia Chikvaidze

GEORGIA TODAY

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT:

Editor-In-Chief: Katie Ruth Davies

Teqball is a football-based sport, played on a specially curved table (the Teq table) like table tennis, a fact which is attracting a new generation of athletes and amateur enthusiasts, whose ambition is to develop their technical skills, concentration, and stamina.

The sport, which was created in Hungary in 2012, is a truly genderequitable game, as the rules define that Teqball should be played between two (singles) or four players (doubles), irrespective of gender. The sport follows a points-based scoring format and can be played on various surfaces, including sand, acrylic, or indoors.

Teqball allows players a maximum of three touches before returning the ball to the opponent, so if you can juggle a football three times, you will excel at Teqball too! Teqball is the purest use of a football, with the rule of no physical contact allowed between the players, or between the players and the table, helping eliminate the risk of impact injuries.

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

More than 3,000 professional Teqball players are registered in more than 100 countries around the world, with 102 national federations and more than 1,500 registered Teqball clubs globally.

Referees are trained by 250 FITEQ. 3 World Cups (2017, 2018, 2019) have

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

been held since its inception. Teqball is recognized by two Continental Olympic Associations (OCA, ANOCA), and is also a member of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Work is underway to include Teqball in the list of Olympic Games.

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