Issue #1300

Issue no: 1300

• JUNE 11 - 17, 2021 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

Corona Updates: Int’l Support, a World Vaccine Deficit and the Newly Reopened Land Borders NEWS PAGE 2

The Near East Getting Even Nearer POLITICS PAGE 5

For Georgia, "against No-one" POLITICS PAGE 6

Data-Driven Transformation for Georgia.Silknet begins Strategic Partnership with SAS - the world's leading American company.

FOCUS

ON THE PERFECT SHOT Svaneti-based photographer Tony Hanmer explains how he captured this perfect view in Khevsureti

BUSINESS PAGE 8 PAGE 10

The Ninotsminda Orphanage Case

BY TEAM GT

BUSINESS PAGE 9

UN Country Team: Time to Recreate, Reimagine & Restore Ecosystems for Generations to Come

T

his week, UNICEF announced it is ready to support the Georgian government in moving children from large-scale institutions to familyand community-based care.

The organization released a statement regarding the media storm related to the Ninotsminda Orphanage, among which stories were told about alleged crimes and violence against children having taken place at different times. There were apparently some 53 children being kept there.

In two cases, an investigation was launched on the basis of a written statement received from the Public Defender's Office, while in other cases the investigative procedures were initiated upon the request of the Agency for State Care and Assistance for the (Statutory) Victims of Human Trafficking.

“The removal of children from institutions should be carried out carefully,” UNICEF noted.

“The best interests of the child should be prioritized to minimize their traumatization. Assessment of children in institutions should be used to inform the transition to family-and commu-

Education for Sustainable Development: Bazaleti Green Engineering Center's Collaboration with Youth

SOCIETY PAGE 10 CULTURE PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

Markets As of 07ͲJunͲ2021

BONDS

nity-based care, with a focus on reuniting children with their own families where possible.

Only those specialists who possess relevant knowledge and skills to work and communicate with children should be allowed to participate in the process, the organization advised.

“Pending investigations regarding the physical and sexual abuse of children or any kind of vio-

lence should be finalized in an urgent and childfriendly manner. Children who participate in the relevant investigative proceedings should be protected: traumatization and victimization of children should be avoided at all costs. Legal aid should be provided and other guarantees fully applied in the process,” UNICEF wrote.

Continued on page 9

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2

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

JUNE 11 - 17, 2021

Corona Updates: Int’l Support, a World Vaccine Deficit and the Newly Reopened Land Borders in 2021. It will help the acquisition and deployment of eligible COVID-19 vaccines, including syringes and other supplies, vaccine logistics and distribution, planning and management, vaccinerelated communication and outreach, training, and overall health system strengthening.

VACCINATION

BY TEAM GT

N

ewly detected coronavirus cases in Georgia continue to maintain a decreasing trend, however, the death toll remains high compared to previous periods. Despite the fact that last week Amiran Gamkrelidze, Head of the Georgian National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC), announced “the end of the peak of the third wave,” the death rate among registered cases of COVID-19 has been rising, and is currently higher than it was in the autumn, during the second wave, with 24 deaths on Monday and 17 on Tuesday.

Georgia reported 821 coronavirus cases, 866 recoveries, and 31 deaths on Wednes-

day, with 38,478 tests performed across the country. Georgian capital Tbilisi recorded the highest number of 439 Covid-19 cases, followed by the Imereti region with 86 cases, and the Adjara region with 71 cases.

Currently, out of 708 critical patients, 199 require mechanical ventilation.

On Thursday Georgia reported 705 coronavirus cases, 1128 recoveries, and 14 deaths. 33,253 tests were conducted across the country. The daily test-positivity rate stands at 2.12%

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT Georgia’s international partners continue to support the country in its fight against the pandemic. On June 7, it was announced that Georgia’s vaccination rollout would be strengthened with $34.5 million additional financing from the World Bank.

“Georgia’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts

will gain a major boost thanks to $34.5 million in additional financing approved by the World Bank Board of Executive Directors. This financing augments the original $80 million Georgia Emergency COVID-19 Response Project, approved in March 2020 with the purpose of helping Georgia address and mitigate the health and social impacts of the COVID19 pandemic,” announced the World Bank.

As the World Bank reports, the primary objectives of the Additional Financing are to enable affordable and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, help ensure effective vaccine deployment in Georgia by strengthening the vaccination system, and further boost preparedness and response activities under the parent project. Through this support, the Bank will contribute to the government’s plan to vaccinate 60% of the adult population

Georgia, Ukraine and Kosovo are to be the first three European countries to receive the coronavirus vaccine from the United States, the US Embassy in Tbilisi announced on Monday. The United States is also committed to supporting economic recovery from the pandemic, the Embassy said.

"This week, President Biden announced that the United States will share COVID19 vaccines with Georgia, because none of us are safe until all of us are safe.

Georgia, Ukraine, and Kosovo are the first three European countries expected to receive vaccines from the United States, based on regional priorities and partnerships. The US is also committed to supporting economic recovery from the pandemic," reads the Embassy statement.

In addition, Latvia will allocate 15,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine to Georgia, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics announced following his meeting with his Georgian counterpart David Zalkaliani on Monday.

The NCDC’s Amiran Gamkrelidz said that more than 3 million 200 thousand doses of coronavirus vaccine will be delivered to the country from July to October, but highlighted that there is currently a global shortage of vaccines.

“There is a global shortage of vaccines.

So far, the country has received 315 thousand doses of vaccine, which are being administered. July-August-SeptemberOctober have already been approved for, and we can expect 3 million 200 thousand further doses of vaccine to be deliv-

ered,” he said.

He did not specify which vaccine the US will provide Georgia, but added: "most likely, we will receive several tens of thousands of doses of one of the American-made vaccines this summer."

As of June 10, a total of 191,001 vaccinations had been administered, while nearly 55,000 people are fully vaccinated.

MEANWHILE, IN THE NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES… The Government of Georgia opened land and sea borders on June 1, making the epidemiological situation in those countries with which Georgia is connected by land even more relevant for its citizens and healthcare sector.

Daily new COVID-19 cases in Russia stood at nearly 10 thousand on June 8, having increased steadily over the past week. The total number of confirmed cases of the disease in the country stands at around 5.1 million, with the capital Moscow accounting for the largest number of infected individuals.

The epidemiological situation has been stabilized in neighboring Azerbaijan.

The country reported only 68 new cases and 1 new death on June 9. Its total number of confirmed cases reached 334,917, among them, 327,626 people recovered and 4948 died.

The same can be said about Armenia, where a maximum 100 newly detected cases were reported daily throughout the week, with 99 new cases and 11 new deaths recorded on June 9. Its total number of confirmed cases has reached 223,384, among them, 214,690 people recovered and 4774 died.

The situation is vastly more difficult in Turkey, where 5000-6000 new cases are being reported daily, with 6,454 new cases and 87 new deaths reported on June 9. Its total number of confirmed cases has reached 5,306,690, among them, 5,179,833 people recovered and 48,428 died.

Anastasia Chkhartishvili, 12, a Rising Star Tbilisi, as World Book Capital, to Offer Musical of Table Tennis, Prepares to Participate in the European Championship in Croatia Evening “Digital Line”

BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

W

ithin the framework of “Tbilisi – World Book Capital”, on June 12, at 19:00, an audio-musical evening “Digital Line” is planned.

The performance is a combination of unique voice recordings of Georgian poets preserved in the Georgian Audio Fund and music created especially for

Image source: Tbilisi - World Book Capital

this event.

The evening will be opened by moderators Rati Amaglobeli and Shota Iatashvili, who will reveal old and new interesting facts about Georgian literature and poetry. Poet Dato Chikhladze will take part in the performance, and music will be performed by the band of Ben Wheeler, Sandro Chinchaladze, and Vazha Marie.

“Tbilisi – World Book Capital” is a UNESCO project implemented with the financial support of Tbilisi City Hall.

Attendance at the event is free.

A

nastasia Chkhartishvili is name is well-recognizable to people interested in table tennis in Georgia. She is a talented 12-year-old girl who can unreservedly be called a young rising star of table tennis.

Since 2021, when Anastasia started to compete among the cadets, she has been able to win almost every major tournament, regardless of her age.

In March this year, she became the champion of the Tbilisi Cadet Girls Tournament, the Tbilisi Women’s Tournament Champion, the Vice-Champion of the Georgian Cadet Girls Championship (U15), the Georgian Cadet Girls Championship (U15), and Champion of Georgia among cadet girls and boys (U15) at the Georgian Championship in mixed doubles.

She also became the absolute champion (without losing a tour) of the Adult League, a three-month “Be Active” tournament among the cadet girls. She is the first girl to win the right to play in the Super League, and is among the strongest players in table tennis in Georgia.

Anastasia is currently training intensively with the Georgian cadet U15 team to participate in the European Championship, scheduled for July in Croatia, under the direct supervision of the Georgian national team coach Nino Ninoshvili. Anastasia is also assisted by current athletes Levan Pavliashvili and Lasha Lomia, multiple champions of Georgia, as well as coaches Kote Kharati and Dima Firzadov.

We wish Anastasia success and that she will achieve her goal with dignity!

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

4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

JUNE 11 - 17, 2021

Who Protects the State?

A Familiar and “Unfamiliar” Question Pertaining to National Defense ANALYSIS BY VICTOR KIPIANI, CHAIRMAN OF GEOCASE, A TBILISI-BASED THINK-TANK

T

he State of Israel has faced many challenges since its declaration of independence. Most recently, paramilitary terrorist units fired hundreds of missiles towards Israeli cities, causing casualties and destruction. As always in such conflicts, our ally continues to demonstrate the exemplary resilience that springs from the indomitable spirit of the Israeli nation and the state's unwavering determination to stand up to any aggression; and as always, the Israeli nation enjoys the full support and assistance of the civilized world.

When fighting for the right to exist as a nation-state, it is natural to maintain a certain national dignity, to pursue a plan of peaceful development, to have a distinctive and unique voice among the cultures of the world, and to work and collaborate with others for the construction of a peaceful, just, and fair system of coexistence capable of effectively deterring all attempts to follow the path of violence or inequality.

However, in this long-familiar story, it is interesting to convey the main message in a different way. The most important implication of this statement is related to Israel's will and ability to exist, act, and develop - first and foremost thanks to its own national resources, readiness and dedication. The State of Israel has almost never lacked the highly practical support of a key ally as well as the political support of a number of other countries. The right of the Jewish nation to form a state was reinforced by both historically unwritten laws and by the norms of written ones, but from 1948 to the present it is the Jewish nation itself that has publicly and tirelessly underlined its right to its own nation state.

Moreover, the uniqueness of this country and the specificity of its political, economic and security systems boldly suggest that in the foreseeable future the original nature of the Jewish state’s organization will once again be based upon its own capabilities and state of readiness. The main starting point for enforcing Israel's right to exist are the autonomy, independence and national interests of the Jewish people.

TO ELABORATE ON THE INTRODUCTION In the process of exercising their autonomous national will, it is obvious that both the facilitation of this process by partners and its substantiation by international law will continue to be relevant.

Yet it is also clear that the effectiveness of this facilitation by external actors increases when, in addition to the fact that your cause is fundamentally righteous, you also personally demonstrate your ability to successfully defend and further your own national interests. And this attitude, both in the context of appropriate levels of public awareness and of the maintenance of an adequate infrastructure system, becomes even more relevant given the many processes currently under way around the world. As we discussed in detail in previous articles, these processes have in recent years been marked by a fundamental shift in the international order. Although it is of course too early to come to a final conclusion regarding the contours of the future global order (or disorder?), a number of features can already be discerned: these are the dominant national agenda in relations between states, the reorganization of the global geo-economic

network under the banner of economic nationalism, the further promotion of regionalism in world "affairs", and the formation of formal or informal alliances between states based upon national or thematic or situational interests.

Given these circumstances, the ability of a small country in a geopolitically complex region to protect and promote its own interests is particularly important. At the same time, a country requires a sense of reserve, as well as an orderly and self-sufficient system of national state mobilization to help its international allies in their efforts to strengthen its security. Only a broad conceptual system of defense and security could be launched in such coordination, especially considering the nation's real readiness and organization, accompanied by allied and international legal support. In this equation, relying solely on the international component without possessing an effective national state "base" is nowadays a very risky experiment characterized by selfishness and the conjuncture of Realpolitik.

And speaking of Realpolitik, one must note that acting according to the realistic, not imaginary or illusory, laws of politics is a practice that should also be established in countries larger than our small nation, and that certain global states also speak openly about the widespread use of such practices. For example, in a recent newspaper interview, US Secretary of State Blinken discusses foreign policy in a pragmatic rather than doctrinal context. According to him, when trying to solve problems, the main requirements are practical solutions and new forms of co-operation; and this idea, which echoes in the speeches and statements of many other US officials, once again reveals that our main strategic partner has adopted new standards of foreign policy making and evaluation.

Having found it necessary to provide this extensive introduction and the example of Israel, it is now perhaps time to return to such trite questions as who cares about Georgia's defense and security? And who are the main actors in this seemingly straightforward task?

BEFORE WE ANSWER THE QUESTIONS… ...Perhaps it would be good to look again at relations between countries in order to generalize over some of the necessary principles to facilitate the discussion. It is clear that all historical epochs or world order formations are distinguished by the accompanying characteristics of that given stage. However, despite such differences and imminent specificity, the observation of the determinants of a state’s positioning in the foreign arena still leaves space for generalization.

That said, it would also be unacceptable to oversimplify the answer to this question, and in this regard we must note very briefly that all the accompanying characteristics can be divided into two categories of system determinant.

One of them is the purpose and acceptability of the idea for society, and the other is the real power at the hands of the state to carry out that very idea. It is also essential that, for the purposes of an effective and modern national defense system, the existence and coherence of both an idea that is properly and comprehensibly formulated and the material resources or power required to achieve it are equally necessary.

Essentially, the idea of "Georgia" grew and evolved throughout the long history of our nation, and is associated with the protection of liberty and sovereignty, the preservation of a national consciousness, the development of a true nation and the integrity of a concrete geographical space recognized by international norms. At this stage, we clearly have no complaints about the exact formulation of this idea, since the purpose of Georgian security is, I think, based on a broad public consensus and its basic theses remain unchanged.

A far more challenging task is to bring the second category to its full potential.

The fact is that a lot of effort has been put into this path and more needs to be applied. However, the main point here is another thing: National defense must become a field in which all the segments and layers of both the Georgian state and Georgian society work together, free from party politics. Achieving a fuller awareness of this issue would constitute a very strong step towards coming to a united understanding around a plan of action to establish an ideological determinant of defense.

THE AXIS OF GEORGIAN DEFENSE The support that Georgia has received throughout virtually her entire period of re-independence has undeniably been vital, and our country has been very fortunate to be able to enjoy the strategic partnership of various allies in the field of state development and indeed in all areas and fields, including national security and defense. There is of course no doubt that, without such continuous and substantial support, many of the tough challenges that Georgia is facing would have been exacerbated, and some may even in a sense have become insurmountable obstacles in the long run. The steps Tbilisi has taken on the path to Euro-Atlantic integration, which permit a moderate feeling of optimism, deserve special mention.

Here, too, it should be noted that, irre-

spective of the content of this or that order of Georgian defense, its existence in isolation from the general Western system is unimaginable, and would lead to unacceptable levels of political and defensive vulnerability. We would also like to note here that the current geopolitical landscape, especially in the context of the Black Sea region, offers a variety of collective security solutions with the West. In this regard, we have in previous publications already discussed in detail several variations, from bilateral agreements to more regional themes.

It is a fact that Georgia continues to make her civilizational choices geopolitically, strengthened by a broad degree of public consensus as well as by the rule of law. Of course, a successful move towards this key milestone would also require greater courage, improvisation and prudence, as well as the ability and flexibility needed to successfully adapt to changing realities. We have repeatedly discussed the need for these features and their practical essence around various conceptual solutions in the fields of security and foreign policy.

At the same time, it is necessary to remind ourselves once again that the main axis of any model of national security and defense or institution is the unwavering will of the people of Georgia, the determination of each of her citizens (regardless of nationality or religion) to protect a country that they feel is their homeland. This case is superior to any other in its essence and pathos, because it is the duty of every adult member of Georgian society to unhesitatingly be the guarantor of their national interests; to care about the protection and promotion of these interests by taking into account rational and pragmatic international conjunctures; to represent Georgia's national interests in such a way that they are not overshadowed by other interests; and to make this interest an organic part of the process of civilizational choice.

The Georgian state and the entire partypolitical spectrum should therefore lead the way by ensuring that every major project or proposal is compatible with the country's overall national security system. We believe that this compatibility test should be applied to all global initiatives, regardless of their purpose or content, and this approach has indeed already been adopted by a number of advanced countries in which the security criterion is boldly used in the administration or authorization of decisionmaking. Such a measure is now not only a requirement reflected at the level of policy documents, but also takes place in national legislation.

There is a simple explanation for this.

The world, including our Western part-

Peace is conditioned by strength and not by weakness or one-sided concession – Israeli PM Netanyahu ners, is facing the re-emergence of a policy of direct politics that is part of a strategic competition between Great Powers. This phase will most likely go on for a long time. We must also "tame" the given "realism" in geopolitics and politics, and find many non-standard ways tailored to our national interests in which the Georgian state can exist and develop in this environment. We must accelerate the abandonment of the old clichés and damaging stereotypes of old domestic and non-state "thinking" and reject Soviet-era dogmas more rapidly.

What is more, we must impress upon the people of Georgia the fact that national defense and security are not solely the responsibility of the country's armed forces and law enforcement agencies. In our current situation, this is a common concern conditioned by the development of more humane and modern forms of kinetic and asymmetric confrontation, as well as of hybrid variants of both.

Much has already been said about this and will no doubt be repeated again in future.

A modern and competitive Georgian state must be based upon the effective and long-term co-ordination of various adjacent or interrelated (or sometimes unrelated) fields and professions, a coordination focused not upon self-promotion but instead upon achieving extremely practical and tangible results.

This also means a modern, technocratic government of a corporate kind, a completely renewed and modernized political system, and a cultural, informed and objective society that imposes demands both upon itself and upon the government and political parties.

It is also important that both the Georgian state and society be selflessly interested in independently seeking ways to continually develop and perfect real defensive or other capabilities. This is primarily what we need. Of course, all of Georgia's friends, partners and allies would welcome any increase in the resilience of our state and public institutions, but the reality is that currently none of them are positively bound to protect our sovereignty and territorial integrity. That is solely our responsibility, and this inherent obligation does not disappear when Georgia becomes a formal member of this or that bilateral or multilateral security system. After all, any such membership is a means to an end, not an end in itself, as we sometimes hear today.

THUS...

The time has come for accurate and impartial assessments that will determine how right and realistic the path of Georgia's development is. These assessments must be understandable to and shared by our allies and partners, for only actions based upon these assessments will be capable of generating real support. Avoiding or evading potential dangers and reducing risks only creates tempting and dangerous illusions.

We began with the example of Israel, and will return to it once again at the end of the article with a brief paraphrasis of a statement made by current Prime Minister Netanyahu: Peace is conditioned by strength and not by weakness or onesided concession; the goal of the Israeli state is to secure the future of its citizens, so Israel must always be able to protect itself from any threat. Given some parallels, these words could also be boldly applied to the main purpose and goal of the Georgian state.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY JUNE 11 - 17, 2021

5

Wings Over Georgia: Retired Warplanes Can Find New Life in the Georgian Air Force The Su-25 has its technology geared towards engaging enemy ground forces. The lack of an air-to-air component is a dangerous gambit, despite Georgia’s excellent surface-to-air capabilities and history. Image source: Georgian Defense Journal via Twitter

ANALYSIS BY MICHAEL GODWIN

T

he recent Independence Day celebrations on May 26 were a beautiful moment of national pride. It was also a showcase of some of the nation’s defense and security forces, complete with a flyover of the nation’s newly updated Su-25UB Close-Air-Support (CAS) attack aircraft, codenamed in NATO circles as the “Frogfoot.” This is a great achievement in terms of national defense advancement and expansion.

However, the country’s natural predator, Russia, isn't going to be deterred by three updated airframes.

Georgia’s friends, particularly the United States, are in the business of producing, upgrading, and most importantly selling some of the world's best aircraft technology. With the United States and other NATO states moving their military aircraft platforms to newer 5th or even 6th generation aircraft, such as the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, this puts Georgia in a proverbial fork in the road: join the acquisition of F-35s, or buy up all the discounted F-16, F-18, and other European

military aircraft.

However, the Georgian Ministry of Defense has already come to an agreement with Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacture (TAM) to continue upgrading the remaining Su-25UB and Su-25KM planes. This platform was first produced in the late 1970s, being introduced formally in 1981 to the Soviet Air Force, and is now a largely outdated airframe, particularly in the framework of Black Sea/South Caucasus defense.

As Georgia was one of the manufacturers for these aircraft, after the fall of the Soviet Union it was stuck with both the plant and the planes. The two variants now in service are the Su-25UB, a twoseat training model, and the Su-25KM, a significantly upgraded model. This upgraded model is the primary attack model, engineered in the early 2000s in tandem between TAM and an Israeli company, Elbit Systems. With advanced aerodynamics, targeting and weapons control, and new GPS navigation systems, these 6 models (still yet to be flightready) would be the best chance in a renewed air war in the region.

However, the Su-25 is a CAS aircraft and as such has virtually all of its technology geared towards engaging enemy

ground forces. The lack of an air-to-air component is a dangerous gambit, despite Georgia’s excellent surface-to-air capabilities and history. The need for nearpeer air combat capability is still relevant and should also be included in the patrolling force NATO conducts over their skies.

At first glance, the F-35 platform offers all the benefits and incentives there could

be for a growing Air Force. However, Georgia may not be the best candidate for its implementation. It’s expensive, so much so that the Georgian treasury may buckle under that sort of financial weight. Even with its implementation, this must be observed under “worst case scenario” conditions. If these highly effective aircraft are so deep within the Russian airstrike range, they would be the first targets in a renewed conflict.

For the duration of the conflict they would simply be burnt hulks on a tarmac.

Hardly worth the exceptional price tag.

The veteran F/A-18 platform offers a multi-role fighter that could serve perfectly in a reinvigorated Georgian Air Force. With its similarly upgraded systems it stands to, albeit only somewhat, level the air playing field. Russian attack aircraft would face greater deterrence, in addition to the deadly Georgian antiair artillery. In addition to countering any air aggression, this would allow Georgia to effectively join NATO’s air patrols in deterring Russian incursions in the Black Sea region.

With the United States and much of Europe’s militaries slowly phasing out these air platforms, Georgia could ostensibly obtain these at below market value.

Next, the issues of supply and maintenance come into the picture. In addition to the purchase of the airframes, the purchase would have to include parts, software, and training from the seller.

This could prevent the effective use of this new aircraft from being fully combat

ready for months or even years. In addition to this, the recruitment needs for new air squadrons would be included.

Despite this, it’s not without note that a rebranding and recruitment surge would not hurt the nation. Remodeling their approach to young and eager patriots is something that could be a happy byproduct of adding new aircraft to the fleet. Additional engineers, maintenance crews, administrative staff, trainers, and pilots would provide a great opportunity for Georgians to renew their view of Georgia’s largely overlooked Air Force.

However, it could also be that Georgia does not cease its own production. The continued production of Su-25s would expand the offensive and defensive capabilities against ground targets, as well as be available for export. A collaboration between the MoD and TAM is planning to produce the aircraft as their own model, renamed as the Ge-31 Bora.

A combined Air Force of ground attack, air-to-air, and air reconnaissance aircraft would put Georgia in command of the skies over the Eastern Black Sea and much of the Southern Caucasus. While it can be easily said that the costs in time, money, and human resources is too heavy, this investment of all involved resources only strengthens Georgia’s long-term position of dominance. This dominance is something overdue, and should never be out of the focus of the Ministry of Defense. Georgia is still a force for good in the region, along with its strategic partners and NATO as a whole.

If these highly effective aircraft are so deep within the Russian airstrike range, they would be the first targets in a renewed conflict, and hardly worth the exceptional price tag. Image source: Staff Sgt. Keith James/US Air Force

The Near East Getting Even Nearer OP-ED BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

T

alks about the differences and similarities between the Caucasus and the Near East (call it ‘Middle East’ if it feels better), have become more commonplace than ever before, and there must be a reason for this. But why should we be concerned about this unlikely comparison, and how much does it help us in terms of getting better versed in international politics? Well, if the Caucasus can manage to attract the world’s attention as the Middle East does, both being the cradles of ancient civilization, thus becoming another Mecca of tourism, then the comparison is going to be charged with positive energy. But if the Caucasus is compared to the Middle East more for its explosiveness and instability, then we have to think harder how to get rid of that kind of detrimental prospect, meaning that the peoples of the Caucasus will have to watch out to keep the place safe, peaceful, productive and attractive.

How to do this? In the first place, by talking to each other in a more friendly and cooperative manner (meaning the South Caucasus nations of Armenia,

The Middle-Eastern and the Caucasian political, cultural and economic intertwining is nothing stable or very felicitous, but it is also credible that they do look both similar and different. Image source: expatexplore.com

Azerbaijan and Georgia), and secondly, by undertaking joint effort to interact with the rest of the world as one united geopolitical force.

Let us now see how the world perpetuates the comparison between these

two regions: the Middle East is notoriously famous for the frequency of hot and frozen conflicts that are local by nature, but loud and contagious, speaking internationally, having the proclivity of dissipating into other parts of our

globe, including the Caucasus, which is also vulnerable in almost the same way.

Issues like displaced people, forced to move within their own country as well as beyond its borders as a result of conflict or environmental disaster, constitute one of the most comparable features between the two regions, along with the fear of terrorism and the misgivings connected with political instability. On top of that, their visible similarity is based on their age-old cultural relationship rooted deep in history, their intermittent economic bonds, and likeness of temperament, which makes the mutual influence quite realistic, and thus prompting the West to hold the parallels between them reckonable.

While considering these similarities, certain amounts of weirdness pop up too: the three South-Caucasian countries drastically differ from each other when it comes to their attitudes towards the Middle East, with feelings alternating and concepts diverging, and if these features are characteristic, then their concerted cooperation with Middle-East countries might be considerably hampered. For instance, the Azeri closeness to Turkey might contradict the Armenian aversion to the same; the Georgian proximity to American interests in the region will probably clash with the Russian-

Armenian love affair; and the current Armenian fluctuation between the North and the West could create certain fidgety sentiments in all the rest.

This affordably brief evaluation of the situation would probably render the comparison between the two regions even more valid, but the further interaction between them is just as difficult.

Let us say that it is merely a shared luck that wars, conflicts, terrorism and instability are present in both places, certainly not on the same scale, although both might remain continually pregnant with these scary inflictions. Take Georgia, for example, which would love to carry on forever with close ties and fruitful coexistence with Israel, which might irritate other denizens of the Middle East. Hopefully, this would not procreate any danger for our peace-loving and good-lifehungry little country. The same would be true about the Azeri-Armenian-Turkish doubts and vacillations, and the Israeli-Palestinian not-very-peaceful interactions.

In conclusion, the Middle-Eastern and the Caucasian political, cultural and economic intertwining is nothing stable or very felicitous, but it is also credible that they do look both similar and different, needing each other in the happiest understanding of the word.

6

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

JUNE 11 - 17, 2021

For Georgia, "against No-one"

BY TEAM GT

A

t the beginning of June, Emerging Europe published an article by journalist Christian Mamo in response to former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s return to politics, entitled ‘Georgian Politics Set for Shake Up as Former PM Launches New Party.’

“Georgian politics looks set for its biggest shake up in a decade after former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced the launch of a new party, one that has already attracted defectors from the ruling Georgian Dream,” notes the author of the article, adding that Gakharia served as prime minister from September 2019 until February this year, when he resigned over the ruling party’s treatment of an opposition politician, Nika Melia.

“At the time, Gakharia said that he had no intention of leaving politics, and [last weekend] delivered on his word, creating a new party he says will “unite” the politically fractured country.

“Today we unite for Georgia but against no-one,” said Gakharia at ‘For Georgia’s launch. “Our team will be actively involved in the political process, and I emphasize once again, we are against no-one,” the article quotes the politician.

Regarding the rumors about Gakharia and his team being “controlled opposition” to the ruling party Georgian Dream, the author recalls that in 2017, Gakharia was made Minister of the Interior, during which time, police raided several popular nightclubs in Tbilisi in an antinarcotics operation. However, the raids yielded much criticism from the public, widespread protests, and the ministry faced accusations that they had been politically motivated in their moves.

“In 2019, in what has become known as ‘Gavrilov’s Night,’ there were more protests after a visiting Russian MP was allowed to make a speech while seated in the chair of the Speaker of Georgia’s Parliament,” Mamo notes.

Gakharia was still interior minister at the time, and ordered the police to break up the demonstration. Police used tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets, which Gakharia later denied permitting.

At least two people experienced eye injuries and loss of vision due to the use of rubber bullets.

“However, a poll conducted by the

National Democratic Institute in September 2019 found that while 43% of Georgians thought the government responsible for use of “excessive force” in the Gavrilov crackdown, only 9% blamed Gakharia personally.

“Furthermore, a poll from this February carried out by the International Republican Institute found that Gakharia was the most popular politician in the country.

“The timing of Gakharia’s formation of a new party is not a coincidence. Part of the European Council-brokered deal between the rival Georgian parties stipulates that if Georgian Dream wins less than 43% of proportional votes in this autumn’s local elections, a snap parliamentary election will be held,” Mamo writes.

“According to one Georgian newspaper, an internal survey conducted by Georgian Dream found that the ruling party, at the moment, only expects to win around 20% of the votes in the local election, well under the threshold needed to avoid a parliamentary election.

This has led many to believe that ‘For Georgia’ is “controlled opposition” for Georgian Dream, Mamo writes. “How-

ever, there are also political commentators who believe that Gakharia and his party will join the opposition bloc. ‘For Georgia’ has already submitted a candidate for Mayor of Tbilisi.

“Georgian Dream stooge or not, Gakharia looks set to be a key player in Georgian politics in the coming months,” the author concludes.

Further argument against the idea that Gakharia represents a controlled opposition is this weekend’s verbal ping-pong between Gakharia and ex-Georgian Dream Chairman, Bidzina Ivanishvili.

Billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili issued a letter calling Giorgi Gakharia a "traitor" for resigning from his post as PM. “I found out about deliberately spread rumors that Giorgi Gakharia's party is my so-called ‘political project.’ Because I see an attempt to link my name to Georgian politics by the spreading of false information, despite my having left politics, I feel obliged to give a small explanation to the public on this issue,” Ivanishvili wrote.

“From 2011 until I left politics this year, I did not dare to create any pseudo-party.

It is even more unlikely to dare such a

thing after leaving politics. Apart from the fact that the creation of a pseudoparty is wrong in itself, political cooperation with Giorgi Gakharia would be completely unacceptable to me. During all these years, we have witnessed many political mistakes in Georgian politics, and I thought that in this respect, nothing and no-one would surprise me. However, what Giorgi Gakharia did in February of this year was surprising,” Ivanishvili wrote, claiming that Gakharia resigned for a completely “incomprehensible reason.”

“He resigned because he did not want to uphold the rule of law and enforce the law, which the whole political team called on him to do. He demanded a two-day postponement of law enforcement, about which we have not heard any convincing explanation so far.

"Gakharia's position was all the more incomprehensible due to the fact that a few days earlier he had insisted on lifting immunity for Melia. Such an action from a high official, to the degree of misunderstanding, can hardly be found analogous even in the history of world politics.

"Giorgi Gakharia's move in February was a betrayal of his own team. And, more importantly, it was a direct betrayal of his own state. The rule of law is the cornerstone of any state!”

In the letter, Ivanishvili stressed that it is important that the ruling party does not depend on individuals and that it remains strong as a united team. He further claimed that his departure from politics has put an end to the “cult of personality” in Georgia.

Giorgi Gakharia responded to Bidzina Ivanishvili's statement, noting that noone and nothing can stop the truth.

“Events are developing more interestingly and faster than expected," he said.

“But no-one and nothing can stop the truth. Eventually, everyone will understand this.

“Again, without gossip, we unite for Georgia, against no-one!” Gakharia posted on social media.

“We were expecting that the establishment of a political party by Giorgi Gakharia would cause anxiety on both sides of the political spectrum, although the actual scale and form exceeded all expectations,” said Kakhaber Kemoklidze, a member of the political council of ‘For Georgia.’

“On June 4, the chairman of the ruling party- not the government, nor the secu-

rity service, nor the law enforcement agencies, but Irakli Kobakhidze himself, accused the former Prime Minister, and current policemen and soldiers, of acting against the state and of plotting a coup, based on information which, as he said, was provided by the United National Movement," Kemoklidze claimed.

“Kobakhidze said that for the past four months, he has been hiding from Georgian society, including Georgian Dream voters, that a coup was supposed to take place in the country involving the country's Prime Minister, and police and soldiers who still serve in Georgia's defense and police forces,” Kemoklidze noted. “We think that leaving such absurd statements unanswered will further damage the state interests and the country's international reputation. Therefore, we demand an investigation into his comments be launched immediately! “[It seems] there is no longer a red line for the current leadership of the ruling party, as they are ready to disregard the interests of the state for the sake of retaining their power. Instead of taking care of the Georgian people, today, both sides are in opposition to Gakharia and 'For Georgia,’ brought together by fear of our political party and the future, which led them to become so similar that the moral boundary between them has been erased!

“Despite all this, we have our agenda from which we will not deviate,” Kemoklidze said. “We announced this on the first day. We are not going to gossip about the past or unite against anyone. We will present our action plan and program in the immediate future and start direct communication with the population - which will begin in the Adjara region,” he stated.

For the record, Irakli Kobakhidze, Chairman of the Georgian Dream, told Rustavi 2 on June 4 that the opposition party had planned to form an alternative government before the arrest of Nika Melia, the Chairman of the United National Movement. As Kobakhidze claimed, the ruling party had this information but didn't confide it to the then Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, since they had suspicions about him.

Gakharia resigned as PM on February 18 due to differences of opinion about the arrest of Nika Melia. However, following his resignation, the former PM announced that he was not going to leave politics. He recently established a new political force ‘For Georgia.’

Georgia Elected as a Member of UNWTO Executive Council for 2021-2025

BY ANA DUMBADZE

G

eorgia has been elected as a member of the UNWTO Executive Council for the 2021-2025 period, the Deputy Minister of Economy of Georgia Mariam Kvrivishvili announced today, June 3, calling it a “historical day for Georgia and its tourism industry.”

“Through elections – against the background of tense competition with other countries, by a majority of votes, we were elected a member of the Executive Board of the UN World Tourism Organization.

“While a member of this important platform, Georgia will be granted the opportunity to be engaged in the implementation of UNWTO initiatives and projects, and most importantly will contribute to the global process of tourism recovery.

“We are grateful to our European partners for their declared support and showcased trust in Georgia,” Kvrivishvili stated.

Historical day for Georgia and our Tourism industry – Georgia has been elected as a member of the UNWTO Executive Council for the 20212025 period, – Deputy Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY JUNE 11 - 17, 2021

7

THE ISET ECONOMIST A BLOG ABOUT ECONOMICS AND THE SOUTH CAUCAUS

www.iset-pi.ge/blog

The ISET Policy Institute (ISET-PI, www.iset-pi.ge) is an independent think-tank associated with the International School of Economics at TSU (ISET). Our blog carries economic analysis of current events and policies in Georgia and the South Caucasus region ranging from agriculture, to economic growth, energy, labor markets and the nexus of economics, culture and religion. Thought-provoking and fun to read, our blog posts are written by international faculty teaching at ISET and recent graduates representing the new generation of Georgian, Azerbaijani and Armenian economists.

ISET Economist Blog | Managing Organic Waste Optimally – the Current Trends and Potential Solutions for Georgia

BY MARIAM CHACHAVA, MARIAM GOGOTCHURI, SHOTA KATAMADZE, AND IRAKLI JGARKAVA

A

s waste accumulation keeps expanding, it increasingly poses a serious threat to human health and the environment. Waste can be the source of many diseases, it emits large amounts of methane (a potent greenhouse gas), and exacerbates global warming. According to World Bank estimates, without urgent intervention, the current levels of global waste will increase by 70% by 2050.

Proper management can substantially mitigate the issues associated with waste.

When discussing optimal waste management, it is necessary to categorize the forms of waste and address each type separately. Within literature, one can encounter various categories of waste, for instance minerals, plastics, bottles, paper, or e-waste, while another key category of waste is biodegradable, so-called organic waste, which is simply a natural type of biodegradable refuse that is derived from either plants or animals. It is worth mentioning that 44% of the total global waste comes from organic materials (World Bank, 2018). According to World Bank estimates, developing countries from East Asia and the Pacific, as well as South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, are the largest contributors to the production of organic waste. This is unsurprising, as, within their assessment, low-income countries are found to be the highest generators of organic waste: in 2016, 57% of organic waste was generated by low-income countries. This number is even higher in Georgia, where researchers estimate that organic materials make up 60% of total waste (Heinrich Böll Stiftung, 2020).

ORGANIC WASTE MANAGEMENT IN GEORGIA In Georgia, there is currently no systemic approach that accounts for accumulated waste or an analysis of waste by type.

Moreover, there are no large-scale waste separation systems, and different types of waste are discarded together in landfills. Nevertheless, in certain Georgian regions, waste separation and recycling do exist, with mostly paper, plastic, glass, and wheels being recycled. Notably, the greatest part of recycling is from paper waste. The Waste Management Strategy of Georgia (2016-2030) aims for the country to have a fully functional waste separation system by 2025, and to recycle 80% of paper, glass, and plastic and 90% of metal by 2030. These are extremely ambitious targets, some of which are even higher than those set by the European Union. However, the strategy has not set any goals for organic waste recycling.

According to the current waste management policy in Georgia, organic waste should be conserved in landfills. Organic

Source: World Bank

materials typically decompose quickly and, once broken down by bacteria, create landfill gas (LFG), which is composed of several gases – methane, carbon dioxide, and a small amount of non-methane organic compounds. The problem is that these gases are dangerous to ecosystems, potentially causing both groundwater and air pollution, which also impact the climate.

Based on limited available data, the research suggests that LFG emissions from major landfills in Georgia will amount to 418.26 million tons of CO2 equivalent by 2030 (National SEA Pilot Project Team, 2015). The same research argues that if the Georgian government uses certain mitigation tactics, such as collecting and burning gas, emission levels could decrease to the CO2 equivalent of 291.76 million tons by 2030.

Considering the current pace of global warming, every country ought to fully attempt to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, despite the vast share of organic waste, there is no active policy in Georgia directly concerned

with organic waste management or landfill gas mitigation issues (Heinrich Böll Stiftung, 2020). Due to the notable proportion of organic waste, it is even more important to develop an optimal organic waste management policy for Georgia.

ronmentally friendly ways of producing vehicle biofuel. Globally, China, the United States, Thailand, India, and Canada share the lead in biogas production, and international experience reveals that the world is leaning towards biogas.

WIDELY ACCEPTED APPROACHES FOR RECYCLING ORGANIC WASTE

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS FOR GEORGIA

One way to address the issue is to move away from the classical formula of make, use, dispose of, towards the development of a circular economy that aims to recover waste for future use from as many resources as possible. This is supported by current scientific advances, which make it possible to recycle or transform waste at minimum cost. Scientists have developed several methods to manage organic waste, and in this blog, we introduce the two most widely internationally accepted approaches and that could be adapted in Georgia.

Composting - Composting is a natural biological process, carried out under controlled conditions, which utilizes naturally present microorganisms in organic matter and soil to decompose raw materials. During composting, various microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, break down organic waste into simple substances. Compost itself is a humus-like material that can be simply and harmlessly handled, stored, and used as a valuable soil conditioner, and used to improve the quality of soil.

Though it is necessary to separate waste for composting, as not all types of waste can be used, for instance chemically treated wood products. Using organic waste for composting also helps save significant space in the landfills, as well as reduce the methane and greenhouse gas emissions ordinarily derived from organic waste.

Biogas - Biogas from food waste has a high biomethane production, potentially due to its organic matter content, thus it can be used to generate renewable heat and electricity instead of fossil fuels.

Using organic waste for biogas production is considered to be one of the most power-efficient, energy-saving, and envi-

Although the aforementioned approaches towards organic waste may bring potential environment and economic benefits, they are also associated with drawbacks and implementation constraints. Biogas production, for example, is inefficient in areas where waste is not segregated and all forms of garbage are dumped together.

In Georgia, there is no waste segregation in landfills, therefore using this approach would be technically unfeasible at present. Secondly, biogas production depends highly on the climate, with the process being most efficient at temperatures over 15 degrees Celsius. As such, biogas generation would need extra energy requirements to be functional in winter, which might not be economically viable.

Composting is a relatively easy technique for handling organic waste. The initial cost for implementing this policy is also relatively small. Utilizing compost bins, individuals and businesses can immediately start composting without further investment. Given that compost is a good substitute for chemical fertilizers, thus inducing decreased costs for agricultural production, it could be economically beneficial for farmers to consider composting. Moreover, compost enriches soil in the long-term by retaining water and air. For example, the existing literature suggests that a one percent increase in organic soil matter helps hold 20,000 more gallons of water per acre (Bhadha, 2018).

Given the present challenges related to waste separation, as well as the limited availability of financial resources, encouraging composting appears the most appropriate policy option for the country. However, it should be noted, for a developing country like Georgia, that the successful implementation of any policy will require efforts to raise public awareness, define appropriate legislation, garner strong technical support, and acquire adequate funding.

Public awareness, participation, and positive attitudes toward waste collection and source-level segregation play vital roles in the managing of municipal waste. It is therefore essential that the public is fully informed about the existing scale of the problem, expected threats, planned policies, and their potential role in creating sustainable waste management systems. It is especially important to raise public awareness regarding the need for waste separation, as some of the most efficient waste management approaches cannot be adopted without the disaggregation of different types of waste. Accordingly, the government, alongside implementing their selected policy, should act in the interest of the education of its citizens and provide all the relevant information.

8

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

JUNE 11 - 17, 2021

Data-Driven Transformation for Georgia.Silknet begins Strategic Partnership with SAS - the world's leading American company. important events, like the signing of the partnership agreement today.”

SAS is a trusted analytics powerhouse for organizations seeking immediate value from their data. With SAS, companies can discover insights from data and make sense of it all, identify what’s working and fix what isn’t, make more intelligent decisions and drive relevant change.

More than 83,000 organizations rely on SAS to help them make better decisions. 91 of the top 100 companies on the 2020 Fortune Global 500® are SAS customers. SAS supports a wide range of industries, from finance, telecommunications to retail & CPG, manufacturing, utilities and government institutions.

SAS is leading digital government initiatives in government finance, public safety and criminal justice, infrastructure and transportation, health care, smart cities and many more data-driven projects.

“We are delighted to announce that we are collaborating with Silknet, the largest telecommunications company in Georgia and the Caucasus region,” Shukri Dabaghi, Regional Vice President, SAS Central Eastern Europe Middle East & Africa (CEMEA) at SAS, says. “Advanced analytics and SAS know-how, combined

O

n June 1, Silknet, Georgia's leading convergent telecommunication company, announced partnership with SAS, a world leader in advanced analytics. According to the agreement, SAS will provide its customer data analytics solutions to Silknet. In parallel, both companies partner to bring SAS solutions to Silknet clients – various businesses and organizations.

As a SAS customer, Silknet will implement SAS solutions, such as a campaign management system, taking its customer experience to the next level by delivering even more innovative and smoother services in the form of tailored offers based on customer needs. Apart from this, the SAS solution will provide one of the best in class customer loyalty systems, which will help Silknet to advance its customer-centric services further.

As a strategic partner of SAS in Georgia, Silknet will become the first company to deliver the most advanced and sophis-

ticated data analytical solutions to the Georgian market.

"I am excited to welcome SAS to Georgia and to launch our partnership,” says George Ramishvili, Chairman of Silknet’s Supervisory Board. “This is a very important event for the whole country as this partnership is the first of its kind in Georgia. Essentially, it means building a digital bridge between Georgia and America. I am proud to say that SAS has chosen our company as its local partner.

Silknet, Georgia's leading telecommunications provider, together with SAS, will enable companies and organizations to implement state-of-the-art data-driven processes. For Silknet, this is another successful step in introducing the latest technologies to Georgia for the benefit of the whole country.”

“The needs of our customers drives Silknet, and I am happy to announce the bringing of SAS data analytics solutions that will help us to serve our customers better,” notes CEO of Silknet, David

We are building a digital bridge between Georgia and America. George Ramishvili, Chairman of Silknet Supervisory Board

Mamulaishvili. “Silknet will be the first user of SAS Marketing solutions in Georgia. At the same time, we will help our clients- businesses and organizations -to create and enrich their own data analytics capabilities based on SAS technologies.”

“This partnership agreement brings together Georgia and the US to work in an innovative new sector: the digital sector,” Ambassador Kelly Degnan noted on the signing day. “This is an opportunity that we hope will lead to follow on initiatives in this sector– data analytics and varied uses of the information that data analytics allows companies. It’s so important that it can improve the efficiency of utilities; it can help agricultural industries improve their productivity; it can improve companies’ efficiencies and abilities to work together; it can make life easier for consumers. There are so many applications of this, and I think we have seen many of them during the past year with Covid. So, we are really thrilled to see an American company and Georgian company working together in the sector that is not the future, it is of the now. The US Embassy is always very happy to support American companies who are looking for opportunities in Georgia and we hope to see more

with Silknet capabilities and understanding of the market, will provide an engine to accelerate digitalization in both the public and private sector. Meaningful data and knowledge are important factors for organizations to gain a competitive advantage.”

“SAS, as a leader in advanced analytics with more than 40 years of experience, is helping its customers build a competitive advantage based on transforming data into insights,” Tayfun Topkoç, Managing Director, SAS Southeast Europe, highlights. “SAS technology will help Silknet to offer an excellent customer journey and advance its customercentric services. With our expertise in the analytics domain and our partnership with Silknet, we are ready to help businesses and organizations in Georgia for sustainable growth through data-driven digital transformation.”

Silknet is the largest convergent, fixed, and mobile network operator and multimedia content provider in Georgia, bringing connectivity to almost every family and organization throughout the country.

It is part of Silk Road Group, one of the leading investment groups in the region.

Silknet’s Eurobonds are listed on Euronext Dublin.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY JUNE 11 - 17, 2021

9

Education for Sustainable Development: Bazaleti Green Engineering Center's Collaboration with Youth

BY ANA DUMBADZE

I

n order to achieve sustainable human development and solve the energy and environmental issues of common concern in the world, green building has become a necessary form of future building development. Nowadays, countries worldwide strive to widely introduce the elements of green architecture in their economies, and Georgia is also a part of this global trend. Considering that this field is relatively new to the country, the role and activities of organizations that serve this goal becomes especially important.

One of the pioneers and initiators in the field locally, the Bazaleti Green Engineering Center, which has long been actively sharing its knowledge and experience through various campaigns to raise awareness about sustainable architecture and building a circular economy, organized yet another important educational event on June 4-5, on the occasion of World Environment Day, in collaboration with the Caucasus School of Technology Architecture Program.

The two-day event, aimed at raising awareness and deepening knowledge about the combination of ‘green’ skills and modern technologies, brought together students of the Faculty of Architecture of Caucasus University, International Black Sea University, University of Georgia, and Ilia State University.

Informing the young generation about nature-based solutions, perspectives of

their use in Georgia, and the integration of sustainable development principles for creating successful business models was the main goal of the event.

The participants and supporters of the event included CENN, ‘New Technologies Center,’ the Green Building Council Georgia (GBC), Association Forest Products, project studios DMARK, Escoes, and Meti Development.

As part of the educational event, participants had an opportunity to attend special seminars and workshops conducted by highly experienced mentors, attend public lectures, and take part in various environmental activities.

The first day of the event held at Caucasus University saw welcoming speeches by management and professors of the Faculty of Architecture of the University, introducing the activities of the Caucasus Environmental NGO (CENN), the role of the Forest Products Association in sustainable development, the principles of multi-apartment residential building planning considering sustainable initiatives, creating a bird-friendly urban environment, certification of green buildings, examples of green projects implemented in Georgia, such as ‘Business House’ – LEED certification, land architecture, philosophy of sustainable design, NBS -Nature Based Solutions and prospects of their use in Georgia, and more. Most importantly, students of the faculty had an opportunity to deliver speeches themselves and introduce their views and initiatives for achieving sustainable development.

At the end of the event, working groups

of students were created, who headed to Bazaleti Green Engineering Center the next day to carry out practical works and perform various special tasks given by their mentors.

After discovering the Bazaleti Green Engineering Center and its eco-friendly solutions, the students started performing group work together with their mentors in parallel with free environmental activities on the shores of beautiful Bazaleti Lake. The students enjoyed planted trees, and, together with Architecture Doctor Gvantsa Kheladze, planted several seedlings of rare trees in the yard of the Center to express their love of nature and to celebrate the World Environment Day. The culmination of the event saw presentations given of the students’ ecofriendly and creative works based on the tasks received by mentors, including: “birds’ dining house” arranged on a tree; compressed soil earth bricks; an energy efficient university campus project; a house project using energy efficient solutions; and a trombe wall for generating and maintaining heat in the building. The latter merited special approval from the evaluators and the representatives of the Bazaleti Green Engineering Center, however, as Center Founder Zaal Kheladze said at the end of the event, on this day, all the participant students were winners and victorious due to their creativity and environment-friendly ideas. He wished them success and expressed readiness for collaboration with the young generations interested in the sustainable development of the country.

“Our center and I personally are always ready to consult, advice and share our knowledge with all interested members

of society, especially the youth. They can visit our center, ask for advice in their future projects and activities, contact us via our hotline, and collaborate with us, so that together we can build a greener and healthier economy for our country,” Kheladze concluded.

He told GEORGIA TODAY that such informational meetings and events are important for finding and connecting with future professionals in the field.

“In our work, the decision-makers are architects and engineers. The challenge we see today is a lack of academic, highly experienced professionals. This also applies to other fields, so now we need professionals and academic staff, especially when we have an ambition to develop green technologies in the country. We want to find professionals for collaboration on the local level, that’s why active information campaigns are being organized with young people from various fields.

“About 15 years ago, our center was the first organization to launch seminars in green journalism and to organize a competition. We’ve had active collaboration with architects and engineers, organizing conferences and seminars for them. Such events significantly contributed to increasing their sense of responsibility in terms of environmental protection. It will continue so in the future, as the green lifestyle is for everyone, and one of the main goals of our center is to develop that sense of responsibility and care for natural resources within society.

“We started collaboration with universities quite a long time ago. In 2008, together with Technical University, the ‘Laboratory of Green Engineering’ was

Today, we are all winners. These young people came up with many interesting ideas, proving themselves consistent professionals. – Zaal Kheladze founded. An active relationship with young generations is always important, as they are our potential colleagues and partners. In the future, to increase awareness, we’re planning on creating a special platform, where syllabuses with relevant information will be published, to help interested professors and students in their studies. We have such platform, but for school teachers. Now we’re going to move on to the next level. This is our future goal,” he told us.

The Green Engineering Center has other exciting future plans, including holding a contest entitled ‘Green Wine Enterprise 2021,’ aimed at developing “green” production of wine, with a gradual expansion of the contest to cover more and more areas, and building an energy efficient heaters and heating systems factory near the Bazaleti Center, in the mountains, as such products are especially necessary for the population living there. They are eager to set up a vocational education institution on the basis of the enterprise, which will contribute to educating young professionals in specific areas, such as welding, electrics, etc.

The doors of the center are open for all environment protection enthusiasts. Further, the space can be hired for conferences or meetings, allowing businesspersons to share the practical experience of the center in terms of sustainable architecture and environmental protection.

SOCIETY

The Ninotsminda Orphanage Case Continued from page 1 “Meanwhile, social workers and specialists of the relevant state monitoring institutions should conduct regular visits to all institutions to provide a professional assessment on the safety and well-being of children.

“Children placed in the institutions should have access to a complaints mechanism to report abuse and misconduct.

“Individual plans for children placed in institutions should be formulated to determine relevant alternative care services and the professional support required. Relevant alternative care and family support services should be strengthened to support these children after their leaving the institution, as well as their families and professionals working with them.

“Relevant actors should respect the right of all children and their families to privacy at all stages of the deinstitutionalization process,” the UNICEF statement reads.

The organization went on to note that it stands ready to support constructive dialogue between different partners around deinstitutionalization and effective family support services. Any support should be directed towards strengthen-

ing families and keeping children in families rather than funding largescale care facilities.

“In the long-term perspective, UNICEF will support evidence generation of the push and pull factors for children’s institutionalization, assist relevant actors in the development of the de-institutionalization action plan and its implementation, and will support the strengthening of family support services.”

The State Agency for Care and Assistance of Victims of Trafficking said this week that 20 minors have left the Ninotsminda Orphanage-boarding school, seven of whom are children with disabilities.

In their best interests, they have been transferred to other forms of care, such as to their biological families, small family-type houses, or foster care.

In the meantime, the Public Defender’s Office continues to study the rights protection of children in the Ninotsminda boarding school. Based on the information received, investigations were launched into four criminal cases of alleged abuse of minors in 2016-2021.

Three cases concern alleged violence (Article 126 of the Criminal Code) and one case concerns alleged rape (Article 137 of the Criminal Code).

At this stage, the Public Defender's Office says it does not have detailed

information about the alleged offenses, circumstances, the persons involved, or the measures taken in response. The Public Defender's Office has already applied to the responsible agencies for the purpose of obtaining said information. “Despite evidence of child abuse, and the several ongoing criminal cases, including one for the rape of a minor, the doors of the Church-run Ninotsminda Orphanage remained closed to public scrutiny. Even Georgia’s Public Defender was barred from investigating what was happening at the orphanage,” OC Media reported in an article dated June 3.

“On 1 June, a protest was held in front of the Chancellery of the Government of Georgia, where about 100 people demanded that the conditions within the Ninotsminda Orphanage, a closed religious boarding house, must be investigated and made public. However, neither the Public Defender of Georgia, Nino Lomjaria, nor the Public Defender’s monitoring group have been allowed to meet with the children staying at the orphanage,” reads the article.

The refusals are said to have come directly from the Archbishop of Skhalta, Reverend Spiridon, who is alleged to have held the Prosecutor Public Defender's Office’s supportive stance toward

the LGBT community against them.

Yet, this week, the Georgian Patriarchate appealed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to make public the details of the criminal case related to the Ninotsminda boarding school.

“Based on the Public Defender's statement, it recently became known to us and the public that criminal cases have been launched in the Ministry of Internal Affairs in connection with the Ninotsminda boarding school,” they announced.

“We appeal to the relevant service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to make these cases public so that nothing is hidden from anyone and speculation does not take place.”

Mikheil Sarjveladze, Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights and Civil Integration, noted that “as a result of the involvement of the Ministry of Health, none of the children in the Ninotsminda children's boarding school is in danger and there is no reason to be nervous.”

“Currently, the Ministry of Health has virtually every leverage, both legal and factual, so that we can say with absolute certainty that none of the children in the boarding school is in any danger. Work will continue to ensure that the Public Defender can actually monitor the situation in the boarding school,” he said.

“After the child care service was given the opportunity to enter the Ninotsminda Orphanage and carry out its activities, six juveniles expressed their desire to leave the institution,” the State Agency for Care and Assistance of Victims of Trafficking announced on June 4. “Intensive work is currently underway, and up to 10 more children have been identified to be transferred. Psychologists of the agency are also involved,” reads the statement.

On June 7, the same agency reported that 20 minors had left the Ninotsminda Orphanage, seven of whom are children with disabilities.

10

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

JUNE 11 - 17, 2021

My Ansel Moment

BLOG BY TONY HANMER

A

nsel Adams (1902-1984, American) is widely regarded as the most important landscape photographer of the 20th century. He shot both in black and white and in color, but regarded his monochrome work as the more important. His sheet film negatives were between 4 x 5 and 10 x 14 inches, suitable for huge enlargements onto photographic paper. Original Ansel Adams prints sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars nowadays at auction.

His most famous image is called Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico. He forgot to date it, but astronomical information

within the image allowed it eventually to be dated exactly to November 1, 1941.

He describes it as a scene which he came across while driving at night, with a very short time to prepare and take the shot due to the changing weather conditions.

No time for a light meter… set up box camera on tripod… Although the moon is small in the scene, he exposed the whole thing (based on his extensive experience) so that the moon would have its tones intact, instead of being an overexposed pure white disk. The highest price to date paid for a single print of Moonrise has been $609,600, at a Sotheby’s auction in New York. It is a stunning image indeed (you might call it a “driveby shooting”), but also one of many hundreds of magnificent pieces in his archive.

I have a long way to go, but began my own photographic career at age 11, using the family’s Kodak Instamatic 126 camera to shoot some sunsets on Vancouver Island, BC on our first cross-country Canadian camping adventure from Ontario. My first large print, 16 x 20 inches, is from one of those color negatives. Nothing spectacular perhaps, but I was hooked. It wasn’t until 2008, aged 41 and with some tens of thousands of 35 mm negative and slide frames behind me, that I switched to digital.

While landscape work is one of my main subjects, it is best done as a combination of the right scene in the right lighting; the two are rarely found together at first glimpse. Rarely, but sometimes.

Usually you find the location, and return to it once or many times as the seasons

and light change. Occasionally, though, you just stumble across the right thing.

If you are ready, both to recognize what you have and then to capture it quickly, you can be hugely rewarded by those few seconds of everything coming together for you.

Such was the occasion for me on June 23, 2020, the day after summer solstice.

Stuck in Georgia by Viral conditions preventing travel abroad, I resolved to make the most of the occasion; this country has impossibly varied locations, microclimates and possibilities for its small size. One such excursion was with some guy friends to Khevsureti, northeast Georgia, including around Shatili, just south of the border of Chechnya in Russia.

I wasn’t driving, which gave me more

freedom to see. I tried not to make myself too annoying by requesting photo stops too often, but sometimes the wild mountain landscape, dotted with Khevsur slate watchtowers and threaded with whitewater streams, was just too much. Like something straight out of Middle-Earth, with nothing modern in it to break the spell.

There came one such moment on our trip up. “Stop please!” I called out; but it was the scene which was calling to me, loud and clear. All diagonals, partly cloudy sky gently darkening or lightening areas. Slash of river next to road.

Valley of slate and grasses. Pure magic.

Now, I only had my digital camera to hand-hold, switch on before we even stopped, frame and take the shot. Focus and exposure were automatic; and with the ability of the RAW file format to take in a great range of highlights and shadows, and nothing over-or underexposed drastically in the frame, it was a quick, easy, not too contrasty thing to shoot.

What changed it from rather good to possibly my greatest landscape shot ever, though, was the sudden appearance of two horsemen galloping into the scene!

They, small in proportion, add the human element of scale. I only took a single image, and it seems to work much better in black and white than in the greendominated color version; less to distract from the tones and composition of the piece.

Now I am considering how best to print this thing, in what numbers and sizes.

Probably a large format limited edition, hand signed and numbered. What serendipity, to come across such perfection and be ready and able to record it.

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

UN Country Team: Time to Recreate, Reimagine & Restore Ecosystems for Generations to Come

O

n the occasion of World Environment Day celebrated on June 5, the United Nations Country Team released a written message, calling for bold steps and practical measures aimed at preserving fragile ecosystems and protecting people and the planet from the adverse effects of climate change.

“As we celebrate World Environment Day, the flagship day of the United Nations for promoting worldwide awareness and action for the environment, the UN family in Georgia joins hands to call for bold steps and practical measures aimed at preserving fragile ecosystems and at protecting people and the planet from the adverse effects of climate change.

“The United Nations General Assembly has declared the years 2021 through 2030 the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This theme underlines the urgency of action needed to address multiple harms to the natural environment mainly caused by human activity.

“It also serves as a reminder that our lives, well-being, economy and social development all depend on critical services provided by ecosystems, such as oxygen and freshwater.

“By restoring and preserving ecosystems, conserving biodiversity, protecting the environment and introducing sustainable natural resource management, we can save the planet for future generations and ensure sustainable longterm economic growth that does not

destroy our natural habitat.

“These issues will be discussed at the COP26 summit in Glasgow on 1-12 November 2021, when all countries, including Georgia, will present their vision of greener and more sustainable development for the years to come.

“Georgia has taken important steps to fulfill climate commitments undertaken under the EU Association Agreement, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the Paris Agreement and EU Energy Community membership. It has declared to apply eco-friendly principles of sustainable development while transitioning to the green economy and new, innovative solutions for low-emission investments. Georgia is progressing on this pathway as climate policies and strategies, related laws are being elaborated, adopted and applied. As part of naturebased solutions to fight climate change, Georgia is progressing on the ban of harmful single-use plastic, has increased the area of protected territories to conserve its unique biodiversity and has pledged to unconditionally reduce national Green House Gas (GHG) emissions by 35 percent below its 1990 baseline by 2030, to name a few.

“Georgia faces significant environmental challenges caused by both direct human activity and global consequences of climate change.

“To mitigate the impact of climate change by limiting global warming to 1.5°C, we need to decarbonize fossil fuel-

based energy system and cut anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 45% by 2030 compared to 2010 levels. However, doing so would require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in every sector; devising low carbon supply and value chain models for a sustainable growth; restoration of ecosystems; introducing adaptive measures for changing climate patterns and reduce risk of climate-driven disasters, including use of climate information for forecasting and early warning systems; promotion of healthy, active and safe mobility and transport; healthy urban design; investment in renewable energy; the reduction of pollution by building

circular economies that drive down waste; boosting access to sustainable consumption and production; the development of incentive mechanisms for waste prevention, reuse, recycling and recovery; reducing the loss, fragmentation and degradation of the pasturelands and conventional tillage practices; using more organic fertilizers and integrated pest management; and taking stronger steps towards protecting Georgia’s rich and diverse forests, freshwater and sea areas.

“We are confident that Georgia will further address climate change and preserve the environment. Its long-term sustainable environmental management

and disaster risk reduction commitments will be matched by climate-sensitive policies and immediate actions aimed at reversing the decline of nature while protecting Georgia’s people, their properties and livelihoods.

“Underlining our shared commitment to a low-carbon, cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable post-pandemic future, we pledge our support to the Government, civil society and other partners in expanding access to green solutions and making environmental issues an integral part of the development, thus fulfilling the UNFCCC Paris agreement targets and Sustainable Development Goals by 2030,” reads the statement.

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY JUNE 11 - 17, 2021

11

Assisting Sustainable Tourism in Georgia: Introducing New Visitors’ Services in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park

T

he Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park is expanding its tourist services with a 32-kilometer trail that connects the Akhaldaba and Nedzvi villages with the Didi Karta and Shuano mountains. The trail offers visitors panoramic views of the Nedzvi Managed Reserve, the Mtkvari River and historical sites such as the ninth century Tamar Castle. Tourists can follow the trail’s international system of hiking markers for the day, stay at either a modern camping site or a new tourist cottage, and make use of other infrastructure, all of which comply with ecotourism standards.

The Agency of Protected Areas built the trail with GEL 230,000 in support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Global Environment Facility and the Caucasus Nature Fund. This support draws on a broader program to help Georgia improve the sustainable management of its 12 largest protected areas: Algeti National Park, Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park,

Javakheti National Park, Kazbegi National Park, Kintrishi Protected Areas, Lagodekhi Protected Areas, Machakhela National Park, Mtirala National Park, PshavKhevsureti Protected Areas, Tusheti Protected Areas, Tusheti Protected Landscape and Vashlovani Protected Areas.

Environmental Protection and Agriculture Minister Levan Davitashvili, UNDP Acting Head Anna Chernyshova, and Caucasus Nature Fund Executive Director Tobias Muenchmeyer visited the tourist trail on 8 June.

“A new hiking trail in the BorjomiKharagauli Protected Areas is located at 2,000 m above sea level. It will attract visitors interested in exploring ecotourism opportunities and fascinated by the beauty of Georgia's nature,” Davitashvili said. “Ecotourism development and the rehabilitation of hiking trails is important for Georgia’s economy. In 2020, even during the pandemic lockdown, the Ministry rehabilitated 200 kilometers of ecotourism trails in protected areas. A further 1,200 kilometer of hiking trails

will be rehabilitated in the next three years.”

“Protected areas are priceless resources that safeguard the environment, promote tourism and create economic opportunities for people,” he noted. “Environmental tourism is one of the ways to ensure that protected areas are financially sustainable and that they benefit local communities.”

“The travel restrictions and lack of tourist activities over the last year had environmental benefits and reduced pressure on rivers, forests and other ecosystems,” Chernyshova highlighted.

“As economic and tourist activities come back, we need to ensure that they develop sustainably and benefit the economy, people and the environment.”

UNDP has been assisting Georgia reform and develop its system of protected areas for over a decade. With funds from the Global Environment Facility and the Government of Sweden, UNDP has been working with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, the Agency of Protected

New visitors’ services have been introduced in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park.

Photo source: thdk.be

Areas, educational institutions, local authorities and communities to help introduce development strategies for protected areas, improve their manage-

ment and financial sustainability, train and equip park rangers, promote ecotourism, develop tourist infrastructure and carry out public outreach campaigns.

Creating Space for Everyone: Ambrolauri Social Inclusion Center to Open Doors for People with Disabilities and the Local Community

BY TEIKO KANDELAKI, MAGDA NOWAKOWSKA, UNDP

N

ona Gudulidze, a serene, 50-year-old nurse from Georgia’s mountainous Racha region, never imagined that she would be unable to walk or even to find work. Her life, however, changed forever when a 2020 car accident left her in a wheelchair.

The lack of accessible public infrastructure and disability-friendly jobs left her “sitting at a window and looking at life passing by,” she recalls. Now, a new multifunctional center of social inclusion is about to open in her hometown; Nona and dozens of other people with disabilities will gain a much-awaited chance to reclaim their professional and social lives.

“I cannot tell you how happy I am about

joining the staff at the center,” says Nona, who is eagerly taking up duties as the facility’s new librarian. “Finding a job these days is a challenge for everyone, let alone a person with a disability. But I get to feel accomplished again!” she said proudly.

The Center for Social Inclusion in Ambrolauri will be the first institution in Georgia to provide adult persons with disabilities with space for social activities, professional skills development and equal employment opportunities. It will include a specialized gym, a library, a vocational training classroom and a combined print shop and bookbinder.

These will provide much-needed jobs, training, counselling, physiotherapy and inclusive outdoor space for people with disabilities. Beyond offering vital services for up to 50 persons with special needs from Ambrolauri and nearby villages, the center will also serve as a social space for the elderly and local youth.

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The center is already adding verve to the entire neighborhood. The dilapidated walls of a former municipal building gave way to a renovated and revitalized space. Thanks to the renowned Georgian social artist Musya Keburia, the building’s formerly grim façade is now an exquisite mural, turning a shady building into a local landmark. “When people see the center, they should have a sense of belonging and unity,” says Musya. “I hope this mural will meet the needs and feelings of every person using this space.”

Initiated by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with support from the United Nations Fund for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG Fund), this life-changing enterprise is being developed in partnership with the Ambrolauri City Hall and a local community organization ‘Together for Real Change’.

The initiative is already attracting local and international supporters who are enthusiastic about contributing to its success. The Government of Bulgaria has already made additional funding available for equipping the center with adapted devices, and is supporting the further development of inclusive services.

According to Nana Lomadze, head of Together for Real Change, the social inclusion center is a game-changer that will set an example for Georgia on how inclusive services should work. “The model of inclusive environment suggested

by UNDP combines a fully adapted space with bespoke services designed to meet the needs of individuals with physical and mental disabilities,” says Lomadze.

“At the core of our work, we place the basic principle of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:

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

nothing about us without us.”

In Georgia, some 125,000 persons, 3.3% of the population, are registered as persons with disabilities (the actual number is likely much higher because disability affects around 12% of the population in most countries). Despite the progress Georgia has made in recent years, persons with disabilities remain one of the most excluded, vulnerable and marginalized groups in society; they face physical barriers and stigma in virtually every aspect of life.

However, things are changing for the better. UNDP research revealed an increasing consensus among Georgians that disability should not be a barrier to enjoying basic human rights or to participating in community life; Georgians are becoming more accepting of persons with physical disabilities. Two-thirds of survey respondents agreed that people with physical disabilities can achieve as much success in learning as other members of society, and half of the respondents said they believe that people with physical disabilities can live independently. This acceptance, however, drops dramatically for persons with mental or intellectual disabilities, showing that there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that all persons with disabilities enjoy equal access to education, employment and community life.

Acting Head of UNDP, Anna Chernyshova recently discussed systemic interventions that would improve the livelihoods of people with disabilities, stressing the importance of embedding pilot initiatives like the Ambrolauri center into the overall state response. “We have seen big changes in public attitudes over the last decade,” she said. “Now, among other findings, our research reveals that Georgians expect more support for peo-

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ple with disabilities from the government, especially in providing inclusive education and creating equal job opportunities. In this context, the Ambrolauri center is a benchmark in this quest.”

For over a decade, UNDP has worked in partnership with the Government of Georgia, the European Union, the Government of Sweden, UN agencies and other national and international actors to support Georgia’s efforts to protect the rights of people with disabilities and to build a more inclusive society.

In early 2020, six UN agencies launched a $2 million joint program in Georgia to improve social protection for persons with disabilities. As the pandemic (and related responses) created new threats, this program effectively adapted to address the specific challenges that COVID-19 poses for persons with disabilities.

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