Issue #1327

Issue no: 1327

• DECEMBER 17 - 23, 2021 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

Corona Updates: Stability Continues in Georgia as the World Battles Omicron NEWS PAGE 2

Why Ukraine, Why Now POLITICS PAGE 4

The Sit Down: The UK-Georgia Defense Relationship with Lt Col Tony Brumwell POLITICS PAGE 5

FOCUS

A First for Georgia: Corporate Social Responsibility Knowledge HUB - www.csrgeorgia.com

ON THE WORLD'S BEST VINEYARDS Château Mukhrani was awarded 58th position in the Top 100 Vineyards Worldwide

BUSINESS PAGE 8

PAGE 6

PM Meets with NATO Sec Gen, President of the European Council and European Commissioner at 6th EaP Summit

BY TEAM GT

T

he Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili took part in the 6th Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels on December 15 at the joint invitation of the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, and the Prime Minister of Slovenia, which currently holds Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

During his visit to Brussels, the Head of the Georgian Government held high-level bilateral meetings with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi, and President of the European Council, Charles Michel.

The Georgian delegation headed by the Prime Minister included the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Davit Zalkaliani and the Head of the Government Administration Ilia Darchiashvili.

"This format is extremely important for Georgia because it is one of the best ways to get closer to the EU. In the last 12 years, since the establishment of the Eastern Partnership for-

How to Bring Life to Land & Turn it into a Modern Project to Boost Opportunities for Regional Development BUSINESS PAGE 8

'U LVA' - A Restaurant that Combines Georgian and European Values SOCIETY PAGE 10

USAID Holiday Fair CULTURE PAGE 11 CULTURE PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

Markets As of 13ͲDecͲ2021

BONDS

mat, Georgia has made very serious progress in this direction,” Minister Zalkaliani said prior to the summit.

"The expectations are really positive, and I am sure that as a result of the visit, we will have significant tangible results, which will determine the further steps towards Georgia's integration into the European Union,” he added.

The government administration reports that the Georgian PM, in his speech at the summit, reaffirmed the steadfastness of Georgia's European aspirations and European choice, and spoke about the Associated Trio, describing the format

as one that clearly demonstrates one of the partnership's key principles of differentiation. The Prime Minister expressed hope that the cooperation between the Trio and the EU will “grow even deeper to help fully tap into the opportunities offered under the Association Agreement.”

He also focused on the region's security challenges and emphasized the need for the EU's enhanced engagement in conflict-resolution, including toward the full implementation of the August 12, 2008 Ceasefire Agreement mediated by the EU. Continued on page 2

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2

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 17 - 23, 2021

Corona Updates: Stability Continues in Georgia as the World Battles Omicron

BY ANA DUMBADZE

I

n recent days, a slight decrease has been observed in both newly detected cases reported daily and in the number of fatalities. However, the number of daily coronavirus cases in Georgia is still high.

Omicron has not been registered in Georgia yet.

Speaking of Omicron, NCDC Head Amiran Gamkrelidze noted that it would appear in Georgia, too, and urged citizens to get a booster dose due to its effectiveness against the new variant.

“Preliminary laboratory studies demonstrate that three doses of the PfizerBioNTech Covid-19 vaccine neutralize the Omicron variant,” said Gamkrelidze, adding that a fourth booster is likely to become necessary.

“Israel has already started thinking about it,” he added.

THE STATISTICS The country reported 3988 coronavirus cases, 4588 recoveries, and 49 deaths on Tuesday. Tbilisi recorded the highest number of 1699 Covid-19 cases, followed by the Imereti region with 658 cases, and

the Shida Kartli region with 312 cases.

Georgia reported 3278 coronavirus cases, 3890 recoveries, and 53 deaths on Wednesday. Tbilisi recorded 1444 cases, followed by Imereti with 472 and Shida Kartli with 286 cases.

3123 coronavirus cases were reported on Thursday, alongside 4215 recoveries and 39 deaths. Tbilisi recorded the highest number of 1430 Covid-19 cases, followed by Imereti with 481 cases, and the Adjara region with 243 cases.

The daily test-positivity rate stands at 6.34 %.

Georgia’s total case tally reached 901,202, among which 849,090 people recovered and 12,918 died.

As of December 16, 2,349.643 people had received the Covid-19 vaccine.

THE CASES WORLDWIDE Concerns about the Omicron strain continue to grow among health officials, who urge the population to strictly observe safety norms and refrain from traveling.

As such, the federal government of Canada said it would change its travel guidance Wednesday to officially advise Canadians to avoid non-essential travel outside of the country.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghe-

MAQRO Construction Involved in Construction of Sagarejo Bypass Road of Int'l Importance

T

he consortium of ‘MAQRO Construction’ and ‘Gocay Insaat Taahhut ve Ticart’ is to build a new 4-lane expressway on the 7.66 km long section of the Sagarejo bypass road.

The agreement was signed by the General Director of MAQRO Group, Murat Avci, and the Deputy Head of the Roads Department of Georgia, Salome Tsurtsumia.

Construction of the Sagarejo bypass road covers a distance of 27,840-35,800 km on the Tbilisi-Bakurtsikhe-Lagodekhi international road. The project plans to build a 7660-meter 4-lane highway and a 20,667-meter secondary road with all the necessary infrastructure, be it bridges, ramps or soil and asphalt-concrete roads of local importance.

"It is very important and a great responsibility for our company to participate in this project. It is a road of international importance and modern standards, which is very important for Kakheti, being one of the regions with the greatest interest in tourism. The construction of a new road will significantly improve traffic safety and reduce travel time. In addition, the project will support the development of agriculture and tourism in the Kakheti region and increase the competitiveness of transit corridors through Georgia. That is why we are pleased that we will contribute to the development of this region," Avci said.

The budget of the Sagarejo bypass road project is 149.9 million GEL. The construction process will be completed in 24 months.

breyesus told reporters on Tuesday that Omicron had been detected in 77 countries and was probably present in most countries worldwide.

The worldwide data provided by Reuters, CBC News and The Associated Press is as follows:

SOUTH AFRICA South Africa reported a record number of daily Covid-19 infections Wednesday in a fourth infection wave believed to be caused by Omicron. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases reported 26,976 new infections.

THE UK The United Kingdom also recorded a new daily record of 78,610 new infections Wednesday. England's chief medical officer warned the situation is likely to get worse.

Britain is also accelerating its national vaccination program, with a goal of offering a booster dose to every adult by the end of December.

THE EU Greece, Italy and a handful of other European Union nations began vaccinating children ages 5-11 against Covid-19 on Wednesday as EU governments braced

for the Omicron variant to spread quickly during the travel and big gatherings of the holiday season.

cron on December 6. The new strain was detected in two people who traveled into the country from South Africa.

THE US

ARMENIA

The US is facing rising infections and the new Covid-19 variant. This week, the US death toll from Covid-19 passed 800,000, the highest reported toll of any country in the world.

“The deadly milestone comes as cases and hospitalizations are on the rise again in the US, a spike driven by the highly contagious Delta variant, which arrived in the first half of 2021 and now accounts for nearly all infections,” reported the Guardian.

The Situation in Georgia’s Neighboring Countries

As of Wednesday morning, 212 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of cases has reached 342,977. 11 more deaths from COVID-19 were registered, making the respective total 7856 cases. The country is still battling a strong vaccine denial movement. Currently, only 15% of the population is fully vaccinated.

RUSSIA Russia on Thursday confirmed 28,486 Covid-19 infections and 1133 deaths. Russia has not yet provided all the information requested by WHO to certify the country’s flagship Sputnik V vaccine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday, reported the Moscow Times.

Russia confirmed its first cases of Omi-

AZERBAIJAN Covid-19 infections are decreasing in Azerbaijan, with 1051 new infections reported on average each day. That’s 25% of the peak — the highest daily average reported on December 14.

There have been 607,076 infections and 8137 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began.

The vaccination rate in the country is high: more than 4.5 million people, which is slightly less than half of the country’s population of ten million, have now been fully vaccinated.

PM Meets with NATO Sec Gen, President of the European Council and European Commissioner at 6th EaP Summit Continued from page 1 The EU members of the summit in turn said they welcomed the efforts of the Associated Trio (Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine) toward deeper cooperation with the EU, and their seeking to put in place close coordination with one another in this process, including for the implementation of the Association Agreement and intensification of cooperation under the Eastern Partnership.

The leaders reiterated firm support for partner countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity within their internationally recognized borders. Special attention was paid to the region's security situation, emphasizing that blatant violations of international law and undermining of peace in Europe. In this context, the need to renew efforts toward regulating regional conflicts was emphasized, something which implied the EU's enhanced engagement.

The summit's participants expressed support for differentiation, one of the Eastern Partnership's key principles, which defines granting, on an individual basis, EU integration tools to concrete partner countries. In this context, the Associated Trio's gradual integration into the single EU market is planned.

"At the summit, the leaders adopted a political declaration expressing full support for pressing priority issues within the scope of the Eastern Partnership.

The new agenda of the Eastern Partnership, as part of the declaration, was developed through Georgia's active involvement together with the EU and other partners. Consequently, an ambitious agenda has been set to promote the empowerment of the partner countries' security, economy, institutions, and environmental and digital transformation mechanisms,” reports the government administration press office. “The new Eastern Partnership agenda, besides maximally strengthening general resilience tools for the Eastern Partnership member states, also involves reaching important short- and medium-term objectives, to be ensured through the new EU External Investment Plan with a volume of 2.3 billion Euro (with the potential to attract 17 billion Euro in investments). For Georgia, this means stronger transport, energy, and digital

connectivity, including through maximally tapping into the Black Sea's potential. Other important projects will be implemented as well to bring tangible results to citizens, including accession to the single Euro payments area, reduced roaming fees between the region's countries and with the EU, support for SMEs, including startups, fostering the mobility of students and the academic community, enhanced access to the European Solidarity Corps, Erasmus + and Horizon Europe programs, and more.”

As part of his visit to Brussels and participation in the Summit, the Georgian PM met with Charles Michel, President of the European Council.

During the face-to-face meeting, the parties discussed all important issues on the agenda of Georgia-EU relations, and the importance of voicing strong messages and reflecting Georgia's priority issues in the Eastern Partnership Summit's political declaration.

PM Garibashvili pointed out that Georgia prizes gradual integration into the single EU market and strengthening energy and digital connectivity.

He thanked Charles Michel for his personal effort in supporting Georgia's path toward European integration, adding that European integration is the choice of the vast majority of Georgia's population, and the Georgian Government's ambitious plan to apply officially for full EU membership in 2024 serves this very purpose.

The meeting touched on Georgia's reforms and the importance of their continuous implementation.

PM Garibashvili also met with Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, which saw the two discuss the NATOGeorgia Agenda and steps made by Georgia toward integration with NATO. The PM highlighted that accession to NATO is a foreign and security policy priority of the country, supported by the absolute majority of the Georgian people.

Focus was put on the close cooperation between Georgia and NATO, with note that the country has all the practical tools to join the Alliance and that it is important to have a political decision on its accession to NATO. It was stressed at the meeting that every nation has a sovereign right to choose its foreign political route, and the inte-

gration of Georgia to NATO is based on this very principle.

The discussion evolved around the practical cooperation of NATO and Georgia on Black Sea security issues, and particular note was made of the significance of stability in the Black Sea region in ensuring overall Euro-Atlantic security.

The Prime Minister of Georgia expressed his gratitude to the Secretary General and allies for their solid support of the sovereignty, territorial integrity of Georgia and non-recognition policy.

The same day, the Prime Minister of Georgia also met with European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi.

Their meeting focused on the key directions of Georgia-EU relations and the agenda of the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit. The parties emphasized the importance of ensuring that the summit’s political declaration maximally reflects issues prioritized by Georgia.

The meeting reiterated the strategic importance of the Eastern Partnership to the EU and reaffirmed strong support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The conversation also revolved around the adoption of the new Eastern Partnership agenda to foster the empowerment of the partner countries’ security, economic, institutional, societal, environmental, and digital transformation mechanisms. The new agenda seeks to achieve concrete results through the new EU External Investment Plan.

The Head of Government thanked European Commissioner Várhelyi for presenting the economic investment plan for the Eastern Partnership member states during his recent visit to Georgia, also adding that the Georgian government is taking active steps toward implementing relevant projects. PM Garibashvili singled out the importance of support from the European Commission and the EU member states in this effort. *** The Eastern Partnership Summit is the highest-level format for dialogue between the EU and the Eastern Partnership member states. Convened one every two years, it involves discussing crucially important strategic and political issues and agreeing them by the relevant parties.

4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 17 - 23, 2021

Why Ukraine, Why Now

BY EMIL AVDALIANI

R

ecent months have seen unusually coordinated diplomatic and military moves aimed at testing Kyiv’s resolve for self-defense, and the collective West’s willingness to support Ukraine’s sovereignty. Indeed, tens of thousands of Russian troops have amassed along Ukraine’s border in what is the biggest concentration of forces in Europe since end of the Cold War. The Western reactions betray fears and concerns, as, behind the military moves, Russia exacerbates its diplomatic rhetoric and makes a series of demands to obtain written guarantees from NATO on nonexpansion of the military alliance along Russian borders. While the demands have been shunned, their unprecedented nature indicates that Moscow is serious about settling its “Ukraine problem” at this particular juncture of time.

What makes the present conditions different from earlier Russian military moves and diplomatic demands is both the evolving balance of power in Russia’s immediate neighborhood and global geopolitical trends which favor Moscow’s position.

But first, it needs to be emphasized that for Russia, Ukraine is increasingly seen as unfinished business on its path to reasserting its position on what crudely corresponds to the territory of the former Soviet Union. Arguments that Moscow is trying to resurrect the defunct empire are surely oversimplification, but what the Kremlin does indeed seek is to maintain the military perimeter it enjoyed in the Soviet period.

Recent tensions around Ukraine also show that although there were attempts within the Russian analytical community to downplay the country’s importance to Russia, Ukraine’s significance rather increased. Moscow needs at least a neutral Ukraine as the world enters a protracted era of great power competition. In order to secure a respectable place in the emerging multi-polar world, Russia needs much more than just a successful military operation in Syria or growth of its influence in NagornoKarabakh. Ukraine’s territorial size, population, economic potential and most of all geographic

Ukrainian soldiers build a bunker on the front line in Zolote, Ukraine. Source: Bendan Hoffman, Getty Images

position (it provides a necessary buffer to Russia), place it squarely within Russia’s imagined geopolitical sphere of influence.

There is also a deeply personal influence when it comes to Russia’s dealing with Ukraine. Putin has witnessed many defeats in Ukraine since the early 2000s. Moreover, for Putin, Ukraine is an inseparable part of the Slavic heartland and is the historic birthplace of the first Rus state, which calls upon him a mission to accomplish – re-establish Russian influence. Those who believed that Russia got most of what it wanted in 2014 by annexing Crimea and instigating separatism in Donbas, miss the bigger picture.

It is indeed personal, as seen in the scathing articles published by Putin and the former president Dimitry Medvedev, where a sense of urgency to find a solution to the “Ukraine problem” is palpable. Medvedev even argued that there is no point negotiating with the government in Kyiv. To this

should be added Putin’s recent comment that the end of the Soviet Union disintegrated historic Russia. The rhetoric thus sets the scene for what to expect. Russia argues it has a legitimate right to act freely along its borders. It is essentially an argument for spheres of influence.

Ukraine does not worry the Russian leadership because the country is not Georgia or Moldova, whose potentially successful democratic development is unlikely to serve as a raw model for Russians to follow: Moscow simply fears that Ukraine is steadily turning into a more organized state with a functioning military and rather more agile economy than before 2014. Yet, while Crimea and Donbas undermine Ukraine’s ability to become a NATO/ EU member state, Moscow also sees that there is growing military and economic cooperation with the West.

Thus, for Putin, it is time to correct Russia’s increasingly deteriorating position in Ukraine. And

a certain momentum is in Moscow’s hands: Putin has settled the Belarus problems, at least for now – the country is increasingly dependent on Russia, thus killing off any remnants of/attempts at the diversified foreign policy Minsk tried to pursue prior to 2020. Turning against Ukraine at this exact moment makes sense.

Now a wider, Eurasian picture to see the momentum behind Putin’s moves: The China-US competition and the resulting recalibration of Washington’s foreign policy away from the parts of western Eurasia to the Indo-Pacific region makes America less willing to commit militarily in geopolitical sensitive territories. The wider Black Sea region could be yet another such region. And Putin is testing this possibility. He is also gambling that the US will be unable to grapple with two-front tensions around Ukraine and Taiwan, and that eventually Washington will have to make a concession to Moscow. It is smart thinking, but it completely negates the agency of Ukraine’s nearly 40-million population. It also takes for granted the Chinese position. Beijing might not be entirely willing to follow this geopolitical logic.

Thus, it is naïve to believe Russia is content with the existing status quo in Ukraine. All indicates the opposite. Russia is likely to ramp up pressure on its Western neighbor even if present tensions are settled. The real question, though, is whether Washington is ready to commit to Ukraine’s defense.

Biden argued that no military moves will be made in the case of a frontal attack from Russia, which signals that Washington does not see Ukraine as part of its defense perimeter.

Against all these arguments of refusing to commit militarily, sending significant lethal arms to Ukraine offers some strength. Yet, while limited Western military support does little to influence Moscow’s decision regarding potential military action, this limited aid is used in Moscow to explain why Ukraine is considered a threat. Thus, if the present limited aid irritates Moscow but is also not enough to defend Ukraine, further help will be needed. It is this dilemma Washington will face in the long run.

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

Legislation on Gambling is being Tightened in Georgia

BY KETEVAN SKHIRTLADZE

A

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Tbilisi, Georgia, Alexander Tsurtsumia 14, 0103 577 262 242

t the joint sitting of the four committees, the legislative package was discussed in an expedited manner, envisaging the tightening of the legislation on gambling.

Relevant changes are included in eight laws. The draft law was submitted by Members of Parliament: Davit Songhulashvili, Levan Mgaloblishvili, Gela Samkharauli, Gocha Enukidze, Bezhan Tsakadze, Elguja Gotsiridze and Irakli (Dachi) Beraia.

Through a legislative initiative, Davit Songhulashvili presented the accompanying package of projects ‘On Amendments to the Law of Georgia on Lottery, Gambling, and Gaming.’

"The bill serves a specific purpose. These are two simple facts. One is to limit access as much as possible and the other is to limit provocation of interest," he said.

The bill raises the minimum age for gambling to 25 years, and also bans public officials and vulnerable people from gambling. In total, this restriction applies to up to 1 million citizens.

The project reflects the notion of “a person addicted to games” and “a prohibited person.” The rules and deadlines for entering data on the list of addicts were defined.

Within the same project, foreign gambling using Georgian payment cards and online payments are prohibited, while all tax service providers, including commercial banks and microfinance organizations, will be barred from establishing relationships with foreign gambling companies to secure payments in their favor.

The package of legislative changes also envisages the emergence of new clauses in the Code of Administrative Offenses, which will be related to the violation of the requirements of the law.

Also included are changes to the Advertising Act, the Gambling Business Fee Act, and other laws.

Administrative liability for gambling and gambling

is tightening, with new types of fines to be introduced, and the amount of fines provided by law increased. Further, advertising of gambling companies on TV and online will be banned and advertising sponsorship at sporting events will be limited to company logos alone.

The Gambling Business Association responded to the project by saying that the expected regulations would put the heaviest pressure on companies operating in the gambling business sector, which will automatically lead to the need to optimize costs and make it impossible to invest in the development of Georgian sports.

"The sponsored advertising activities permitted by the bill do not constitute marketing or a financially viable cost for the companies; therefore, unfortunately, in the face of the announced legal restrictions, the gambling business sector will have to refuse to sponsor sports," the Gambling Business Association said in a statement.

Media representatives also responded to the bill.

"This [gambling advertising] is very important income for TV stations. Against the background of other parallel bans, they are now also banning advertising. It’s pointless, because if a wealthy person wants to have fun, what difference does it make if you ban advertisements?” said Tamta Muradashvili, a lawyer for the Main Channel.

“With this regulation, the government will leave our channels with virtually no entertainment content,” said Nika Gvaramia, Head of Mtavari TV Channel. The Coalition for Media Advocacy noted that there is a risk that the passing of the bill will have a significant impact on the financial independence of broadcasters.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY DECEMBER 17 - 23, 2021

5

The Sit Down: The UK-Georgia Defense Relationship with Lt Col Tony Brumwell itize the areas of activity. Coherence is a challenge too: we have to ensure that what we are doing is coherent not only with Georgia’s own reforms but also with what other partners are trying to achieve. And, of course, we need a common language, which is why one of our priorities is to provide English language training.

HOW DO YOU PLAN ON OVERCOMING THOSE CHALLENGES? ARE THESE SOLUTIONS ACHIEVABLE IN MONTHS, YEARS, OR DECADES? The UK recently published its Integrated Review, which lays out how its defense and security objectives will be pursued internationally. Through an approach of ‘persistent engagement’, the UK seeks to have an enhanced presence in the region that will do the work of training and providing education required by Georgia’s MOD and Defense Forces. It’s a strategic approach, so we are planning for the long-term, but we’re making solid progress towards the targets each year.

We try to focus our efforts on providing Georgia’s defense and security institutions with a greater ability to detect, deter and counter hostile activity. Of course, that includes increasing resilience against Russian hybrid attacks including cyber and disinformation. The UK is especially invested in further hardening Georgia’s MOD against cyberattacks and in both developing the free media and actively countering disinformation.

THE ROYAL NAVY ROUTINELY VISITS THE PORTS OF GEORGIA AND PARTICIPATES IN NAVAL EXERCISES IN THE BLACK SEA, DESPITE THE IRE OF THE RUSSIAN LEADERSHIP. HOW WOULD YOU GAUGE THE NEED FOR GREATER DEVELOPMENT OF GEORGIA’S NAVAL WARFIGHTING AND COASTAL DEFENSE CAPABILITIES?

and territorial integrity; more than that, they help ensure freedom of navigation both in Georgia’s waters and the international waters of the Black Sea. We enjoy excellent co-operation with the Coast Guard, whose boarding teams are now accredited for NATO operations.

US, UK and wider NATO initiatives are all providing uplifts to Georgia’s maritime flank security.

WITH NATO MEMBERSHIP BEING EVER SO CLOSE YET SEEMING JUST OUT OF REACH, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE TO ANY GEORGIAN DEFENSE OFFICIALS OR POLITICIANS READING THIS?

We feel port visits to Georgia by Royal navy ships are a vital part of our cooperation package.

They provide a clear message on the UK’s support for Georgia’s sovereignty

The UK remains fully committed to Georgia’s NATO progress. The UK’s ongoing support to SNGP is just one example of this commitment. The UK will also provide troops to next year’s NATO-Georgia exercise. British Forces are proud to be partnered with Georgian Defense Forces and Georgia’s Coast Guard; our common focus is security, deterrence and stability.

bay and continue working on NATO membership at the same time.

Having all that in mind, a conclusion is asking to be made that Georgia is at serious risk of either angering Russia or dropping its European family membership dream. How long can Georgia last in this weird modus vivendi, caught and tightly squeezed in a diabolical space between the hammer and the anvil? What a painful and unfair suspension! And all this because of the world’s super-powers’ continuing predicament for not being able to finally divide the world between them and have done with it!

Russia and NATO will continue to exist and operate at daggers drawn for quite a

while to come. And Georgia will stand gaping at the Hobson’s choice of patronage over its fate and happiness. I just wonder if we, the people, are at least remotely clear about our country’s future niche on the planet. Where do we want to find ourselves eventually? In the new and comfortable lap of Europe, or in the old and already-tasted Russian orphanage? Yet, the decision about that will never be made here, on Rustaveli Avenue in our capital city, which is right now getting ready for Christmas and the New Year celebrations while at the same time living under the threat of further political manifestations, in no way contributing to the decisions that so much bother the nation.

IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, HOW WOULD YOU RANK THE VARIOUS TYPES OF ASSISTANCE BEING OFFERED

BY GEORGIA’S PARTNERS: TRAINING SUPPORT, MATERIAL AND HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT, ARMS AND WEAPONRY, BATTLEFIELD TECHNOLOGY, AND INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT?

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY MICHAEL GODWIN

T

he United Kingdom and Georgia have quite the interesting and historic relationship, particularly with regard to many other Western European nations. At the formation of the first Democratic Georgian Republic in 1919, the UK maintained both political and military ties, including a contingent of troops in the nation with the aim of deterring the growing Bolshevik threat. In the modern era, the two nations have rich and intertwined economic, social, and military ties.

Today, these military cooperative missions fall under the purview of Lieutenant Colonel Tony Brumwell. GEORGIA TODAY talked with Lt Col Brumwell about the UK-Georgia defense relationship, regional conflicts, and NATO membership.

WHAT ARE TODAY’S KEY GOALS FOR THE UK’S MISSION WITH THE GEORGIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE? Defense and security forms a really central part of the UK’s relationship with Georgia. As such, we place great emphasis on assisting with the MOD’s institutional reforms, and also on building capacity for Georgian Defense Forces.

NATO readiness is the goal, so of course we are supporting NATO initiatives (under the SNGP- Substantial NATO Georgia Package) as well as pursuing bilateral co-operation. And this is a partnership – there’s much the UK can learn and gain through our co-operation.

WHAT ARE THE TOP 3 LARGEST OR MOST SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES IN ACHIEVING THOSE GOALS? We try to see challenges, rather than obstacles! Resources are a constraint: neither Georgia nor the UK has unlimited capacity, and so we need to prior-

Having played such a key part in NATOled operations in Afghanistan, Georgia’s Defense Forces already have extensive capability in the tactical fundamentals – to Shoot, Move, Communicate and Medicate.

Now, under the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package, there are capability developments underway in many other areas, such as Strategic Communications (led by the UK). Each of these SNGP initiatives is seen as having equal priority. And more than this, since combat effectiveness is a product of its conceptual, moral and physical capabilities, these areas all need to be developed in harmony.

THE INVOLVEMENT OF RUSSIA IN THE BELARUSIAN-POLISH BORDER CONFRONTATION WITH IMMIGRANTS, A BUILDUP OF FORCES AROUND UKRAINE, AND THE CONTINUING MATTER OF BOTH RUSSIAN FORCES IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH AND HOSTILITIES BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN, HAS MADE THE EU AND NATO MORE CONCERNED. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU HERE IN GEORGIA?

Hobson’s Choice for Georgia OP-ED BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

G

eorgia is nominally an independent country, but it has never been as dependent as it now is on internationally determined circumstantial factors and exigencies – social, political and economic. Our declared geopolitical orientation is, ideally, propelling us toward our Euro-Atlantic future, potentially putting to the service of the nation the western culture and its pecuniary power, and ridding the country of anything that reminds us of our socialist past and communist prospect.

As the polls would have it, the majority of the people of Georgia are happy with the first model of outlook, but Georgia’s westernization as such has become a sharp thorn in the Russian side. Russians don’t even want to hear that Georgia

might someday be welcomed into NATO as a full member of the western military alliance – it is one of Russia’s worst nightmares. Ironically, if Russia wanted, it could also attempt, with a considerable chance, to be welcomed into the club itself. Imagine what a relief this would be for the rest of the world – Russia, a NATO member, the strongest guarantor of peace and prosperity in the world!

Well, this won’t happen of course. Instead, it’s a bit of a “dog in a manger” situationthe metaphor derived from an old Greek fable meaning someone who has no need of, or ability to use, a possession that would be of use or value to others, but who prevents others from having it. That’s exactly what Russia is doing to Georgia – “I don’t have it but you won’t enjoy it either.” The Russian Foreign Ministry recently submitted to NATO a harsh and unembellished statement about the need to disavow the decision of the 2008 NATO summit that Georgia be granted member-

ship in the alliance. This is all I wanted to make clear: Georgia wants to make a free decision in favor of its better future, and, all of a sudden, there is Russia brashly going against it, against a move by a country merely making an attempt to give its long-expectant population the chance to raise its living standards.

Russia is a strong nuclear power, entertaining its own state security paradigm, which purports to having no countries along its borders that belong in the adverse military block. NATO is a military alliance of countries, perpetuating the idea of doing no harm to any peace-loving nation in the world, and believing that any country has the right to decide, independently from any other, where to belong and where not to. Meanwhile, Georgia, aspiring to NATO membership, has a long border with Russia who reckons NATO its adversary. The contradiction born out of this circumstantial factor creates the exigency for Georgia to keep Russia at

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

6

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 17 - 23, 2021

Château Mukhrani Awarded 58th Position in Top 100 Vineyards Worldwide: a First for Georgia

C

hâteau Mukhrani has been honored by being named as the 58th best winery destination in the world, according to the World’s Best Vineyards 2021 annual ranking, besting many prestigious establishments across the globe. This is the first time a Georgian vineyard has made the list, which is compiled by an international panel of wine and wine-tourism experts.

The assessment is based on the overall experience of visiting a vineyard, includ-

Georgia, represented by Château Mukhrani.

The panel, representing different regions of the world, is made up of sommeliers, wine journalists, travel experts and lovers of wine who travel frequently, each of whom have seven votes. Participants are asked to use their votes to nominate the wineries they deem to offer the best experience for visitors, and that they would recommend to friends. ing a tour, wine tasting, ambience, food, staff, view, reputation, accessibility, and all the things that make a vineyard visit delightful and rewarding.

ranking many famous wineries in the world’s best-loved wine regions, such as Napa Valley, Champagne, Bordeaux, and Piedmont.

HIGHLIGHTING THE BEST

A LIST FROM EXPERTS

The World’s Best Vineyards is an annual listing that highlights the very best winery destinations in the world – the top places to taste terrific wines and learn about winemaking and grape-growing.

Château Mukhrani is the first winery from Georgia to make the list, even out-

The list is created based on nominations from nearly 600 wine, travel, and winetourism experts from across the globe.

The 2021 list covered five continents and 18 countries, with 17 new names, including legendary wineries in France, Italy, California, and now for the first time,

CHÂTEAU MUKHRANI – PAST AND PRESENT GLORY The history of winemaking at Château Mukhrani started in 1878 with its first vintage. It was Prince Ivane Bagration, a descendant of the noble Bagrationi family, who, after returning from France where he learned the fine art of winemaking in the Bordeaux and Champagne regions, decided to introduce the concept of a château in Georgia. He implemented contemporary winemaking methods and

started producing wonderful Georgian wines on the ancestral Mukhrani estate, which became a gathering place for a glittering crowd of Georgian and foreign elites.

Today, Château Mukhrani, with its 19-century palace, restaurant, beautiful gardens, and lush vineyards, unites Georgian history with contemporary wine tourism and hospitality.

The château, located in the Kartli region near Tbilisi, cultivates 102 hectares of Georgian and international grape varieties and practices organic viticulture.

The wines created by natural fermentation perfectly express the individuality and authentic character of the Kartli terroir, which has resulted in Château Mukhrani wines winning more than 200 awards in international competitions worldwide. https://www.worldsbestvineyards.com/ list/51-100

A First for Georgia: Corporate Social Responsibility Knowledge HUB - www.csrgeorgia.com

BY TEAM GT

A

new online information platform created by the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG) provides the most up-to-date, diverse, and comprehensive information on corporate social responsibility, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and responsible business issues, globally as well as within Georgia. It is the only CSR knowledge hub in Georgia, offering a variety of resources about CSR and the SDGs. By providing access to information and resources, the goal of this website is to raise awareness on corporate responsibility and sustainability, promote its concept among

business circles and various groups of society, and to help establish sustainable development principles and responsible business practices in Georgia.

This is the first such knowledge hub in Georgia, making it an important step towards development of CSR in the country. Through the website, everyone interested in Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development will have access to wide-ranging resources and information, and they can navigate this plethora of data with the simplest search systems.

“This website is designed to promote the knowledge, popularize the concept of CSR and establish responsible business practices in Georgia,” says Lela Khoperia.

Head of the Corporate Social Responsibility Program at CSRDG. “Users can find a range of materials on corporate social

responsibility on this platform – news, international standards, publications, examples of best practices, state policies in various countries, and much more.

“It is meant for a large audience, among them heads of companies or their CSR managers, civil society organizations, media professionals, representatives of government bodies, academic circles, responsible customers, company employees or ordinary citizens who would like to learn more about the social and environmental impacts of companies’ activities.”

The website was created in the framework of the European Union and KonradAdenauer-Stiftung (KAS) funded project ‘Civil Society STAR Initiative: CSOs as Sustainable, Transparent, Accountable and Resilient Development Actors in Georgia.’ The aim of the project is to strengthen civil society as an independ-

ent, sustainable, transparent, and accountable development actor throughout Georgia.

The project is implemented by the Consortium led by KAS and composed of the following CSOs: the CSRDG, the Civil Society Institute (CSI), the Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), the Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC), and the Institute for European Politics (IEP).

The ‘Civil Society STAR Initiative’ builds on the experience and lessons learned of the EU-supported action ‘Georgian Civil Society Sustainability Initiative’ (CSSIGE 2017-2020).

ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION The Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia, which was established in 1995, has successful multi-

year experience in the field of civil sector development in Tbilisi, as well as in the regions of Georgia. CSRDG has been focused on results that can improve the lives of individuals and society in general. It was the first Georgian organization to prepare and publish: A sustainability report in accordance with GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) sustainability reporting guidelines; The first Georgian-language textbook on CSR for higher educational institutions; and comprehensive analytical research on ‘Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Sector’s Role’ (analysis and recommendations for the Government of Georgia).

For Further Information Please Contact Salome Topuridze, PR Expert CSRDG Tel: (+995) 599 326 555 E-mail: salometopuridze@csrdg.ge

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

8

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 17 - 23, 2021

Mediator's Professional Day Celebrated in Georgia

O

n December 14, 2019, 14 December was declared as a day dedicated to the profession of mediator.

This week, Mediation Week was celebrated for the second time in Georgia.

GEORGIA TODAY spoke with the Chairman of the Mediators Association of Georgia, Irakli Kandashvili.

“Mediation is a new word in the Georgian reality, an unprecedented reform in the last decade which gives the sides in a dispute the chance to decide an existing conflict between themselves,” Kandashvili notes. “The last two years were full of challenges for new associations and mediators, but it can be said that the Mediators Association of Georgia coped with all the difficulties with dignity, and we were able to take a number of effective steps that will be a prerequisite for the development of the profession, all designed for the development and future of the profession,” he added.

TELL US WHAT ACTIVITIES WERE CARRIED OUT. The introduction of a new profession and its institutional recognition needs the solid infrastructural arrangement of the organization, as well as an increase in awareness and reliability.

Over these two years, we have made effective steps in this direction by setting up a solid working environment in an office.

With the involvement of foreign experts, we were also able to develop European standards for entering the mediation profession. This results in increasing

public confidence in the qualification of persons in the profession.

We also developed a Code of Professional Ethics of European standards, and a procedure for disciplinary proceedings, as well as agreeing on annual professional development courses for mediators.

Society knows that they will be able to communicate with mediators that entered the profession on the basis of high professional standards, who will be trained annually and whose activities will be based on ethical standards.

We have further implemented a mediation online remote production platform despite the background of the global pandemic- the right and most efficient step in the development of the profession.

The priority for the Association is to increase the awareness of mediation in society, and a Memorandum of Cooperation has been signed in this direction with representatives of the public and private sectors, with whose support the process and establishment of mediation will be successful in Georgia. Among them is the priority of introducing training in mediation as a dispute alternative mechanism in medium and higher education institutions, and it can be said with pride that we introduced mediation in the ninth grade text-book in Septem-

ber 2021, and in three universities Mediation is a mandatory subject, and in almost all other legal faculties it is an elective subject.

In 2021, with the support of the United States Agency for International Development, we have established an important international forum for ‘Mediation for Business’ and ‘Mediation for Lawyers,’ that is held annually and field specialists have a platform where ongoing news and practice in the field of mediation can be introduced.

WHY IS MEDIATION DISTINGUISHED FROM OTHER DISPUTE RESOLUTION MECHANISMS? Mediation represents the only mechanism of dispute resolution which allows the parties to be able to achieve mutual agreement. With development of mediation, a culture of reasonable dialogue and social peace are being introduced to Georgia.

I will take advantage of your newspaper and once again wish each mediator on their Professional Day professional success, and ask them to keep in mind that the good name, reliability and collective reputation of our profession is standing, and that today's professional activities are tomorrow's day of the mediation profession!

How to Bring Life to Land & Turn it into a Modern Project to Boost Opportunities for Regional Development INTERVIEW BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

he key to taking advantage of the growing opportunities to achieve economic prosperity and sustainable development of the economy is having a modern approach to business. This first and foremost means aiming in your business activities to protect and cause no harm to the environment, and working toward stable regional development that ultimately benefits the entire country.

The topic of proper and smart land management is a hot one in Georgia today, and with that in mind, we sat down with experienced businessman and economist Giorgi Begadze, author of the Bega Projects.

“The diversity that characterizes our country is a significant advantage, but so far we have been unable to take full advantage of it, or we use it incorrectly,” Begadze says.

“Regions have a good opportunity for development and, most importantly, should be the best examples of sustainable development. Municipalities should do their utmost to support investors and

Winevillage

project initiators who enhance the sustainability of cultural heritage or natural resources in parallel with business projects,” he tells us.

“Our team promotes exactly such projects for those who want to implement new, modern, attractive and sustainable projects. We’re always open to new relationships in this direction- not to fulfil a commercial goal, but to fulfill the desires of all those who want their country to develop properly and for the regions to become oases of modern, cultural, traditional, eco or agro settlements.

We are currently implementing two projects, with more already in the pipeline.

The first is the ethno settlement project “Winevillage” in Kvareli. It boasts 4.5 hectares in the Kindzmarauli (vine) zone, in a unique, exotic environment.

The second one is Ecovilla, also a unique location, near Tbilisi.

The third project is at the preparation stage, and we’re keeping it under our hats for now.

WHAT WAS THE MAIN IDEA BEHIND YOUR BUSINESSES? It all started with an idea that came to me a long time ago - to make a synthesis of modern settlements, culture and tra-

ditions. Naturally, in a country with 8000 years of wine culture, this would be related to wine... So we started thinking about a “wine” village.

My two partners and sons, Giorgi and Nikoloz, and I started sketching out the first idea and sharing thoughts. I went to find a suitable piece of land and wrote a concept, Giorgi started to study the relevant programs for architectural planning, photo-video visualization and digitalization of the project, while Nikoloz became European Champion in boxing and was able to buy the first piece of land with the prize received. And so it all began....

TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR PROJECTS. Winevillage is a closed settlement which anyone can buy a piece of land and build an ethno house in. There, they can produce their own wine from a vineyard already planted, in brick cellars which, if they wish, they can rent out to guests.

We decided to arrange a recreational square in the middle, where we will organize wine and ethno-themed exhibitions and festivals, and add a pool so that residents can cool off in the hot sun of Kakheti. We discovered ancient clay pots in the area and we will have a space

Businessman and economist Giorgi Begadze, author of the Bega Projects

where guests can discover this piece of ancient history. Communications (electricity, gas) are located underground, and the amazing views of the mountains and vineyards are further beautified by the tiled houses built there.

The second ambitious project, Ecovilla, is related to creating a real eco environment for residential settlements. The concept aims to create a high-class, comfortable, safe and sustainable environment that offers the possibility of a harmonious, healthy coexistence with nature.

Communications are also arranged underground in this case, as we aim to take maximum care of the environment, and we have plans to plant much more greenery.

The streets in Ecovilla is already lit by solar lights, solar panels will be installed on the roofs of all houses, chargers for electric cars will be installed, owners will have the opportunity to receive eco products at home, we will have a rainwater management system, mini greenhouses, eco septic tanks, yoga and relaxation areas.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS? We plan to negotiate with the state for the purchase of nearby land and to make additional investments for environmental and sustainable development purposes, such as the creation of a solar panel system, electric vehicle charging and flying electric transport parking infrastructure.

Our priority is the sustainable development goals. We have a lot of vision, and our upcoming projects are set to be very interesting. Landowners contact us wanting to find the advantage in their lands, and then we jointly create a concept and give the project a visual form for further implementation.

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10

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 17 - 23, 2021

How Do I Write This?

BLOG BY TONY HANMER

I

had a friend over recently, one of my neighbors, with whom I have had a very fruitful back-and-forth ongoing discussion about all sorts of things over the decade Lali and I have lived in this house. He and I just click, and it had been a few weeks (while I was in Tbilisi) since we had slipped effortlessly into discourse mode. He dropped in, I put on coffee, and we got into it.

The topic list, as usual, was quite wideranging. He is highly educated, very open and honest; and religion, morality, politics, the environment, local affairs, family life and much more flow through our conversations.

One of our ongoing subjects has been my strong suspicion that Upper Svaneti, which has had free electricity for longer than the 21 years I have been in Georgia, would be an ideal place for someone to exploit for bitcoin mining. I’m not going to get into the technical aspects of this esoteric but very current process here; Google it if you want to. Suffice it to say that a couple of years ago, out of simple curiosity, I began investigating what kind of computer is ideal for such numbercrunching, the goal of which is just to make money (called cryptocurrency) electronically.

I very soon realized that my little laptop, or anyone’s standard or even soupedup home computer, doesn’t cut it for bitcoin mining. This is because the calculations are very intensive, needing huge computing power and speed, and actually such machines as are necessary generate a LOT of heat, and need a LOT of electricity simply to keep them cooled.

So I gave up on the thing before even starting: it’s out of my price range entirely.

You have to be rich in order to get into bitcoin processing.

Funny thing is… the rumors persisted that such things were being done up here, where electricity is without cost, winters are long and cold (helping somewhat with the cooling problem; maybe generating USEFUL heat in the process!), and the law is sliding backwards into the corruption and chaos of the Aprasidzes’ Wild West, which existed until President Saakashvili put an abrupt stop to them.

I have a decade’s worth of living in the same house up here now. Things should be improving infrastructure-wise. But I have to say that this is turning into the worst winter we’ve had thus far, and it’s hardly even under way: we are getting RAIN as I write this, not snow. The thing that’s worst is the amount of electricity available to my house and, reportedly, to those of my neighbors. We’re all using electric heaters to some degree, alongside the ubiquitous and largest-anywhere wood-burning Svan stoves. But the peripherals which should also be able to run alongside them are really struggling now, so that’s a noticeable difference. For our microwave, under-thecounter lighting strips and a few other things to work normally, as they would in other winters, we now have to switch off heaters for a while. More so than ever before. My friend has to turn off any electric heaters just to run the washing machine!

I’m not writing this to complain that my usual life of luxury (ha ha, not there yet) is being curtailed, or that the things I’m so used to having are less available, poor me. But the worse electricity, right now, does point not only to a decaying system not being maintained, but to one

being strained far beyond its normal and intended parameters.

Look, the new kindergarten, three years in the building and hardly used at all yet until recently, was recently discovered to have had all its new electric wiring burnt out except for that in its director’s office, useless, dangerous and needing replacement. A new local transformer for its area of our village had been installed next to it as part of the building project: one which, nearly four times as powerful as the one which serves my house and many more houses than the kindergarten one’s area. And yet it too had inexplicably burnt out and had to be replaced, while our old one keeps on keeping on. So, this stinks. As of yet, nothing is being noised about all this; any wrist-slapping is being done very quietly. A great environment for the rumors to flourish, suspicion and crazy theories to take root. Such as… bitcoin mining in Upper Svaneti, to fatten the fat cats even further while enmiserizing the lives of the rest of us. (That’s a word I just made up).

When beginning to write this article, I asked many of my neighbors, and other villagers I came across, how their power supply is this year compared to earlier.

All say the same: much lower; one benchmark being the need to turn off all heaters to run a washing machine. The only exceptions are those handful of households fortunate enough to be connected to that powerful new transformer at the kindergarten: they have plenty of juice!

Am I endangering myself writing about all this, with nothing more to go on than what you have now read? The rotten structures in regional government are certainly powerful and not known for restraint. I am comforted greatly, however, in the firm beliefs that 1) God is not

stupid or blind, only patient, and in the end always just, and 2) one can only die once.

Since I made a phone call about this to a friend out of the region and the village lost electricity for some hours twice immediately afterwards, and while writing this article I lost the internet I need to send it for publication (both of which are fairly frequent occurrences, I freely admit), should I then claim intimidation, or just call it coincidence? The former requires that both my phone conversations (in English) and my typing on the computer (ditto) are being monitored, a degree of paranoia which I am very loath to suggest.

What do we want? The perpetrators exposed and brought to justice, the outright bitcoin mining/power THEFT to

stop, electricity supplies to return to normal all over Upper Svaneti. Thank you very much and good luck to us.

(I hope my modified Bitcoin logo doesn’t look too comical: the effect is supposed to be sinister.)

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

Tony Hanmer has lived in Georgia since 1999, in Svaneti since 2007, and been a weekly writer and photographer for GT since early 2011. He runs the “Svaneti Renaissance” Facebook group, now with nearly 2000 members, at www.facebook.com/ groups/SvanetiRenaissance/ He and his wife also run their own guest house in Etseri: www.facebook.com/hanmer.house.svaneti

'U LVA' - A Restaurant that Combines Georgian and European Values the segment, because the public really wanted to order khinkali in one space along with premium quality beer.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE NAME ULVA? Ulva means “lion” in Czech. The lion is an important figure in Georgian and Czech culture, a symbol of the Czech coat of arms, and is also found in Georgian literature and proverbs. The lion is traditionally a sign of strength, while in us it evokes the association of happiness.

WHAT FEATURES AND ADVANTAGES DISTINGUISH ULVA FROM OTHER RESTAURANTS?

BY KETEVAN TUKHASHVILI

U

LVA is a restaurant with traditional Georgian and Czech values and standards, offering guests a new, varied variation of old dishes and premium quality craft beer in a friendly, comfortable, homely, and sophisticated environment. Ulva is a second home for the restaurant staff, so a cohesive and friendly team works together to achieve common success.

We talked to its co-founder Tamar Gilashvili to find out more.

“The idea of establishing Ulva first came to my partner, Zdenek Radil, a

Czech beer expert and lover, who wanted to develop and popularize the still less common craft beer in Georgia,” she says.

“My co-founder has 20 years of experience in the beer industry and came to Georgia to run a brewery. After that, he decided to independently develop his own beer line, share his experience with Georgians, and open his own restaurant to sell his own beer.

“In Vake, the first branch of Ulva on Abashidze Street was initially pub-style and offered guests traditional Czech dishes. Later, the restaurant concept was changed, the Zdenek Craft Beer Collection was added, and it was transformed into a steakhouse. In Saburtalo, we decided to create a second branch on Tsintsadze Street due to the demand of

Ulva is distinguished by a unique, highquality collection of 6 types of craft beers made from imported hops and malt. Our restaurant differs from the competitors with a special concept, because we offer guests a tasteful tandem of Georgian and European standards. We took the bases of traditional Georgian dishes, approached them from a gastronomic-creative point of view, and turned them into modern and very diverse variations. For example, in Ulva, you will meet traditional Mtiuluri and urban khinkali, as well as beans and mushroom khinkali, which are less common on the market. In addition, Ulva prepares a delicious Ojakhuri, which is not only associated with bouilli pork and potatoes, as the flavorful sour sauce comes with it.

TELL US ABOUT DISHES THAT ONE SHOULD TRY AT ULVA. When visiting Ulva, one should definitely try Georgian khinkali with Apkhazura sauce, smoked tomato soup, mushroom

and spinach pies, Czech traditional Svickova, and Koleno. We have added to Koleno a traditional Georgian feature, the meat for this dish is boiled in premium quality beer, but instead of the oven, it is cooked on the grill, the amazing aroma of which gives the meat more tenderness and variety. When preparing khinkali with cheese, we mix 4 types of Georgian cheese, which is accompanied by a tasty sauce. In order to prepare Apkhazura, Ulva is supplied with fresh, high-quality pork and beef every day. This dish is served with an appropriate sauce, which perfectly separates the quality of the meat and greatly diversifies the whole dish.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR MENU. Our menu is varied. For drinks, we serve wine, vodka, and Czech beer. One of the main values of Ulva is constant quality control. We explain to each guest what the difference is between craft beer and pasteurized beer. In addition, we constantly provide customers with seasonal novelties. Our chef also prepares special orders.

TELL US ABOUT THE ULVA STAFF. Ulva has a very qualified team of cohesive and friendly staff.

We think a class hierarchy would prevent us from achieving success, so we constantly strive to make the work environment a cozy, comfortable, loyal, and warm place. Ulva is not just a job for the restaurant team- it has even become a second home for us, so we all take care of its development together to offer guests traditional Georgian standards along with a comfortable and homely environment. We often have healthy arguments too, but we always take each other’s remarks into account.

DESCRIBE THE DESIGN, STYLE, AND INTERIOR OF YOUR RESTAURANT. We tried to bring out the interior of the Czech beer restaurant at Ulva, so it mainly combines wood, brick, and stone. The restaurant space is divided into two floors, the first part is a daily environment for unscheduled meetings and lunches. And the second floor is of minimalist design, lounge-type and is suitable for birthdays and different types of celebrations. An aquarium makes Ulva's interior unique, which is much loved by our younger guests. In addition, we have a grill in the interior of the restaurant so that guests can watch how their dishes are made. The bar at the entrance combines imported beer, while the indoor bar offers guests a craft beer made by my partner, Zdenek Radil.

WHO LOVES ULVA MOST? The menu of our restaurant is very diverse and is not designed for a specific type of person. Ulva mainly unites beer lovers and people interested in new tastes.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FUTURE PLANS. My partner Zdenek prepares beer using his own recipe in contractor microbreweries. However, we have already started building our own brewery in Sagarejo, near my vineyard. Our brewery will of course also have a small tasting area where people will be able to taste freshly brewed beer. In the future, we plan to add another branch of Ulva in the city, at the same time we are going to go beyond the borders of Georgia.

CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY DECEMBER 17 - 23, 2021

11

USAID Holiday Fair “It was also an excellent opportunity for USAID beneficiary businesses to promote their products and build new connections and sales opportunities between themselves, the public, and other businesses.

“Our support for the Holiday Fair, and for Georgia’s entrepreneurs in general, reflects our broader strategy to help Georgia build a more inclusive economy that provides economic opportunities across the country.

“We put a significant emphasis on empowering Georgia’s entrepreneurs to build successful businesses and create jobs in their communities, thus helping create a more robust economy that is more resilient to economic shocks.

Development of small businesses and entrepreneurs’ economic empowerment is critical for Georgia’s future prosperity,” Chaus notes.

TELL US ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS AND THE PRODUCTS THAT WERE PRESENTED AT THE FAIR. Anna Chaus, Project Management Assistant,Office of Economic Growth USAID/Georgia

O

n December 5, with the support of USAID, a holiday fair exhibition-sale was held in Dedaena Park.

USAID promotes Georgian entrepreneurs, helping them to create successful businesses and work in their communities. 100 entrepreneurs from Tbilisi and the surrounding areas participated in the festive exhibition sale.

USAID’s programs have supported hundreds of these entrepreneurs with financing, training, and mentoring. To learn more about the event, GEORGIA TODAY sat down with Anna Chaus, USAID Economic Growth Office representative.

“The USAID Holiday Fair in Dedaena Park was supported by three different USAID programs that are helping Geor-

gia build a stronger and more inclusive economy: the USAID YES-Georgia program (Supporting Youth and Women Entrepreneurship), the USAID Agriculture program, and the USAID Economic Security program,” Chaus tells us.

“The Holiday Fair featured nearly 100 entrepreneurs from Tbilisi and the surrounding areas, women and men of different ages selling a diverse array of products. The fair was open to the public, designed to help handicraft and food producers raise awareness about their products and hopefully increase their revenues, both at the fair and in the future.

“At the fair, visitors had an opportunity to get acquainted with the entrepreneurs and purchase their products,” she says.

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GEORGIA TODAY

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Editor-In-Chief: Katie Ruth Davies

The USAID Holiday Fair united nearly 100 entrepreneurs who are beneficiaries of three different USAID programs, all in the Economic Growth sphere: the USAID YES-Georgia Program, which supports youth and women entrepreneurs; the USAID Agriculture Program, which supports farmers and food processors; and the USAID Economic Security Program, which supports the modernization of key industries. These programs have supported the participating entrepreneurs with financing, training, and professional mentorship.

The items for sale, all of which were produced in Georgia, included handmade accessories and jewelry, leather and felt goods, souvenirs, art, and ceramic products, Christmas decorations, paintings, clothes, bags, and shoes, children’s toys, handmade self-care and cosmetic products, and plants and wine.

The entrepreneurs presented an array

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of agricultural products, including dairy goods, honey, jams, dried fruit, churchkhela, tea, and ajika. It was an excellent opportunity for visitors to do their holiday shopping.

In addition, we created a holiday atmosphere for fair visitors: as the event was family friendly, we invited animators and face painters to entertain the children, music to create a holiday spirit, and gluhwein to keep the grownups warm!

WAS THE USAID HOLIDAY FAIR A ONE-TIME EVENT, OR IS USAID PLANNING TO HOLD MORE EVENTS LIKE THIS IN FUTURE? Fairs like these help Georgian entrepreneurs access markets, build relationships with other businesses, and introduce their enterprises and products to the wider public. Certainly, these kinds of

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fairs will continue to be held in the future, as they promote the professional growth of USAID-supported entrepreneurs.

For those who missed the USAID Holiday Fair, there is an opportunity to visit the smaller holiday fair at City Mall Saburtalo organized by the Georgian Heritage Crafts Association with the support of the USAID Economic Security program, from December 10 until January 6.

In addition, with the support of the USAID Agriculture program, a wide range of agricultural products will be presented in the unique gastronomic space at the newly opened Orbeliani Bazari. The fair will be held for two months, starting mid-December.

USAID plans to hold more of these events in the future, so stay tuned and Happy Holidays!

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