Issue #1315

Issue no: 1315

• SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2021 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

Corona Updates: Vaccination Rate Alarmingly Low; Politics “Interfering” with the Vaccine Promotion Process NEWS PAGE 2

Revising Police Procedural & Critical Response Tactics POLITICS PAGE 3

Personality Cult 2.0 - A Simple Anatomy of Putinism POLITICS PAGE 5

Where to Find the Truth – in Real Life or on TV?

FOCUS

POLITICS PAGE 6

ON ISRAELI WEEK

120 guests from Israel, including members of the Israeli Knesset, public figures and businessmen will visit Tbilisi at the invitation of the Israel-Georgia Chamber of Business and the Israeli House.

BUSINESS PAGE 8

PAGE 6

Bangladeshi Ambassador on Future Business, Cultural and Educational Collaboration with Georgia EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY KATIE RUTH DAVIES

H

.E. Mosud Mannan, the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Turkey, Georgia and Turkmenistan, took up his Ankara-based posting last October. He came to Tbilisi for the first-time at the beginning of September to officially present his credentials to Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, and to hold some preliminary meetings with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Culture, as a first step towards closer collaboration between the two countries.

GEORGIA TODAY went to meet him to find out more about his stay.

“Altogether, it was a good visit. I explored Tbilisi and visited Gori and Mtskheta to view historic sites in and around the town. I plan to return in future to see Batumi and other places,” he tells us.

“I had a very good impression of Georgia from childhood. I was 10 in 1971, when Bangladesh became independent.

Continued on page 4

Promising Target Markets for Georgian Tourism Hotels & Preference Hualing Tbilisi GM on Running a Hotel During a Pandemic & Recovery Prospects for the Hospitality Industry BUSINESS PAGE 9

Georgian Women Artists in Berlin. Work-Show 1 CULTURE PAGE 11 CULTURE PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

Markets As of 20ͲSepͲ2021

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NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

Corona Updates: Vaccination Rate Alarmingly Low; Politics “Interfering” with the Vaccine Promotion Process ENKA: Namakhvani HPP Will No Longer be Built

BY ANA DUMBADZE

E

NKA Renewables has terminated its contract with the state of Georgia, which means that a hydroelectric power plant will no longer be built in Namakhvani, near the city of Kutaisi.

The relevant statement was issued by ENKA INSAAT, the parent company of ENKA. The statement reads that the reason for the decision is a violation of the terms of the contract and a force majeure.

“Our company’s 90% owned subsidiary, ENKA Renewables LLC, has notified the State of Georgia to terminate the Build-Operate Agreement that was signed with the Georgian State within the scope

of the development, construction, ownership and operation of the Namakhvani Cascade HEPP Project in Georgia on April 25, 2019, for long-standing breaches of contract and force majeure,” reads the statement.

Irakli Kobakhidze, Chairman of the Georgian Dream party, calls Enka’s decision to terminate the construction of Namakhvani HPP “unfortunate.”

“It was obviously a move made by the company itself. Ensuring energy independence is one of our top priorities. This is a bad signal for further investments, however, the Georgian government will do its best to make large investments, specifically in the field of energy. The government has a 10-year action plan, including in the field of energy, and it is planned to attract billions of dollars in investments in this field,” Kobakhidze said.

Nona Gaprindashvili The Real Queen of Chess

Beth Harmon in The Queen’s Gambit is played by Anya Taylor-Joy. Nona Gaprindashvili says it was a lie to suggest she had never played men.

SPLASH NEWS /ALAMY

BY HELENA BEDWELL

M

y entire family are movie buffs. We like watching movies in cinemas or on TV via Netflix or YouTube. My son, a moviemaker himself, often discusses new or old movies and the values they carry and make for our society, especially those based on real stories and historical events; otherwise, he says, what is the point of them?

As a multi-national family, we easily get excited when the small country of Georgia gets a rare international mention. Still, I usually find a lack of knowledge or poor research behind those references when it does get shown or talked about. We try to ignore it, because bad PR is better than no PR. Once, I was re-watching a James Bond movie and had to pause it, because the beautiful actress Femke Janssen and Bond refered to my native language Georgian as Russian. I wondered how I could have missed this slip when the movie

came out long before, or how such a powerful blockbuster team could have missed such a simple mistake. This was a crucial point for me, and I decided to take on a quest to spotlight such mistakes everywhere I saw them. Another example- several documentaries on various channels have spoken about the Golden Fleece legend incorrectly, claiming it as Greek, and our food as “unidentified Caucasian flavors”.

So, should we interfere with someone’s intellectual property? Do we have any say about a fictional movie or even YouTube content? When do we say “enough is enough”? It seems that Nona Gaprindashvili, the legendary female world chess champion, has got to that point.

As someone who defeated men and became the first woman to be named a Grandmaster, Nona has taken on Netflix in an extraordinary battle. The lawsuit, filed last week in Los Angeles and seeking $5 million, demands they fix Nona’s falsified image as someone who, prior to 1968, had never faced male competitors in chess; further, that she is mentioned as “Russian”.

Continued on page 10

Image source: Getty Images

BY ANA DUMBADZE

F

ollowing the recent decrease in newly detected coronavirus cases and fatalities, the vaccination rate has significantly dropped in Georgia.

Health officials are alarmed, and are calling on the population to get vaccinated.

“There is a serious need to stimulate the vaccination program,” said Tamar Gabunia, Georgia’s deputy health minister.

However, contrary to their calls, last week, billboards promoting the vaccination process in Georgia were replaced by political images aimed against the opposition United National Movement party. The NCDC called for the immediate restoration of the vaccine-supporting posters.

Meanwhile, various organizations are trying to improve the situation and fight the population’s distrust towards vaccines and vaccination. One example can be found in UNICEF, whose representatives recently visited the Guria region within the teachers’ vaccination campaign aimed at safe school reopening.

“As frontline workers, it is important that teachers have access to vaccinations for safe school reopening. Teachers from Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti and Chokhatauri municipalities attended the info sessions and received answers from prominent doctors,” UNICEF announced.

After the meeting, many teachers got vaccinated against Covid-19. The meeting was organized by UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science, and the NCDC. Earlier this month, UNICEF also visited the Kakheti region to promote the vaccination process among local teachers. The campaign is expected to continue across the country.

Moreover, to help Georgia fight the pandemic, the EU, four UN organizations (WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNOPS) and the Ministry of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia launched a new initiative, “Minimizing the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak in Georgia through telemedicine and digital health solutions”.

Under this new EU-UN action, 200 rural facilities will receive basic equip-

ment, and another 50 will receive telemedicine equipment to support the safe management of Covid-19, while also ensuring uninterrupted and expanded access to care for persons with chronic conditions, and provision of routine health services for children.

Regarding fatalities caused by the disease, unfortunately, the number of young people, and even children becoming victims is increasing in the country. This is obviously related to the spread of the more aggressive Delta variant and other new strains.

On September 20, infant twins infected with coronavirus, who were being treated in the intensive care unit of the Beaumonde Clinic in Kutaisi, died. The twins had been at the medical facility for more than a month. Both of them were infected with coronavirus at birth and developed Covid pneumonia.

A 33-year old woman died this week due to a blood clot which developed after her being infected with and then recovering from coronavirus.

THE STATISTICS Georgia reported 2470 coronavirus cases, 2243 recoveries, and 46 deaths on Tuesday. Tbilisi recorded the highest number of 705 Covid-19 cases, followed by the Imereti region with 492 cases, and the Kakheti region with 319 cases.

The country reported 2016 coronavirus cases, 2024 recoveries, and 43 deaths on Wednesday. Tbilisi recorded 708 cases, Imereti 289 cases and Kakheti 301 cases.

There were 1653 new cases, 2646 recoveries and 47 deaths on Thursday, with 28,553 tests having been conducted.

Coronavirus detection rates in the country are: 6.85% in the last 14 days, 6.44% in the last seven days.

A total of 602,065 cases of coronavirus infection have been identified in Georgia since February 2020, of which 570,443 people have recovered and 8711 have died.

THE GLOBAL SITUATION There has been important international news this week, regarding both Covid-19 and the vaccination process.

THE US The US is easing its coronavirus travel restrictions, reopening to passengers from the UK, EU and other nations. The move answers a major demand from its

European allies.

From November, foreign travelers will be allowed to fly into the US if they are fully vaccinated, and will have to undergo testing and contact tracing, the BBC reported.

The US has had tough restrictions on travel in place since early last year.

“The current rules bar entry to most non-US citizens who have been in the UK and a number of other European countries, China, India, South Africa, Iran and Brazil within the last 14 days.

“Under the new rules, foreign travelers will need to demonstrate proof of vaccination before flying, obtain a negative Covid-19 test result within three days of traveling, and provide their contact information. They will not be required to quarantine,” reports the BBC.

ITALY Based on the same source, Italy is to make it compulsory for all workers to have a Covid "green pass" - proof of vaccination, a negative test, or recovery from the virus. Anyone without a pass will reportedly face suspension from work and may have their pay stopped after five days.

The measures are a first for Europe, and are some of the strictest in the world.

They are due to come into force on October 15, and aim to boost vaccinations in a country that has been badly hit by the virus.

School staff are also required to show a pass, and some teachers have reportedly been turned away from work.

ARMENIA “In Armenia, a new bill presented to the Armenian parliament would mandate all state employees to either be vaccinated or submit bi-weekly PCR tests.

Some have raised complaints that highranking officials, including ministers, MPs, and judges, would be exempted,” OC Media reported this week.

If the bill passes, it would come into force on October 1 and would apply to all individuals working for the government, including municipal employees, as well as privately employed individuals in several sectors, among them industrial production, construction, transport, retail, and education.

Reportedly, pregnant women and those who have permission to forgo the vaccine for health reasons would also be exempted.

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

3

Revising Police Procedural & Critical Response Tactics

A police marksman maintains an overwatch position across the street from the Bank of Georgia building in Zugdidi. By Zurab Tsertsvadze

OP-ED BY MICHAEL GODWIN

O

ver the past year, Georgia has seen a rise in the frequency and intensity of high profile criminal incidents, particularly with regard to banks. To many, the idea of a bank robbery is something of a relic of the past, perhaps even of the old American West or the spate of bank robberies in the latter half of the 20th century in Europe.

The idea that one person, or even a small team, could infiltrate a financial institution and extract an exorbitant amount of cash is typically relegated to the plots of films and novels. However, Georgia has witnessed these attempts in full display, leaving police on the defensive.

The Georgian police, under the purview of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, have gone through several reformations in recent decades. They have come leaps and bounds from their Soviet predecessors, and, with training from their European and American counterparts, have become a unit of dignity compared to their beginnings. Despite this, there still remain many who resist the advancement of European Union (EU) and American standards in law enforcement, justice, and the laws regarding interaction with both the accused and the innocent.

In their evolution, the Georgian police force has developed a system of standards that mirror that of their Western compatriots. Due process, professionalism, and tactical prowess have become watchwords of the new breed of officers. However, despite this revolution in policing, many have found that

the force in Georgia leaves much to be desired.

Some have stated abuses of power, unwarranted physical assault, and wrongful imprisonment. One interviewed individual stated that he was imprisoned without trial and without a formal statement of the charges for which he was being arrested, not only once, but on multiple occasions. In one occurrence, the individual was beaten without reason for five hours, including strikes to the groin and spitting. In one incident, the individual was pressured to receive an injection of an unknown substance, only to be defended by other inmates. With no translating services offered, he was placed under arrest and relegated to the confines of a cell for three months. In summation, the individual stated he has “no faith in anything here.”

In another incident, another individual explained that they were arrested during the process of reporting that a crime had been exacted upon themselves.

In addition to scant details about the detainment, the same sub-par inmate services, accommodation, and sustainment standards were present. The absence of legally adequate translation services was evident, according to the individual, as well as protection from other volatile inmates. Paired with a seemingly disinterested attitude from their embassy, the individual was left not only convinced that Georgia had failed them, but with a clear venomous distaste for the nation.

Unfortunately, these examples are far from being just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to reports of similar activities in Georgia.

With all of this testimony, it is difficult for one to see the proverbial light at the end of the reformation tunnel. Recent issues between members of the press and their inherent right to protection from

US Embassy Condemns Violent, Seemingly Politically Motivated Attacks in Dmanisi and Rustavi

unlawful and aggressive acts have further highlighted some of the issues in the nation. However, the multitude of bank crimes have greatly raised the police response issue to yet another platform.

Within the past year, bank branches have been targeted by armed assailants taking hostages and demanding exorbitant amounts of money for their safe release. While the reasons for this string of violent crimes is yet to be clarified, it is the police failing to effectively deter the criminals that deserves more attention. Justice and community safety are the foundations of a modern society.

Like any national police office, Georgia has an approximately battalion-size unit of quick response officers able to respond to complex situations.

These officers, with tactical uniforms and weaponry fit for a military force, are tasked with handling the most delicate of circumstances. Unfortunately, they have not been able to dissuade the more hardened criminals from attempting their grandiose schemes.

In Zugdidi, despite negotiating the release of all but three hostages, they allowed the man to walk off with $500,000. While it was certainly a highly tense and complex situation, early strike opportunities and interdiction tactics were allowed to slip away. At the time of writing, the man identified as Badri Esebua has yet to be apprehended.

In Digomi, Tbilisi, another bank heist saw robbers make off with a yet to be determined amount of money. Earlier this year, there was another bank incident near Avlabari Station in Tbilisi, though law enforcement was able to secure the individual in this instance. And this is not a comprehensive list of bank-related incidents that have happened in past months. It is, however, a shock to the fabric of not only Georgian society but also the law enforcement community.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs undoubtedly does not want to see these types of events persist,

not only for its reputation's sake, but also as it is in their specific charge to prevent them. The natural heavy-handed response at the street level has yet to provide any results, and as such, perhaps a more nuanced strategy may be needed for the nation's police force. For the rapid reaction teams, tactical exploitation of opportunities and a more proactive or even aggressive response to these armed and barricaded individuals should be explored.

A key part of the total security picture, which is to say the sovereignty, of Georgia is the establishment of law, order, justice, and peace. If this is compromised, the pillars that thousands worked and others died for to ensure that Georgia, a nation thousands of years old, would last many thousands more would be sacrificed for a momentary hour of security. The broader picture is that Georgia’s future lies with the West, the part of the world responsible for the advancement of modern society. For Georgia to be a part of this, it must shed the old scales of the past that only scar that advancement.

Author’s Note: The Ministry of Internal Affairs did not respond to requests for comments or interviews for this article.

The exterior of Gldani Prison, where multiple accounts of abuse, neglect, and inhumane conditions have arisen in recent years. By David Mdzinarishvili/Reuters

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BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

he United States has condemned the violent, seemingly politically motivated, attacks which took place on September 21 in Dmanisi and Rustavi.

Based on the statement released by the embassy, this, along with numerous reports of pressure and intimidation against opposition candidates and their supporters throughout the country, raises serious doubts about the government’s commitment to a safe, fair pre-election environment and a democratic election process.

“Violence is unacceptable in an election campaign.

The government bears primary responsibility for creating an environment that protects individuals’

rights, and ensures a free, fair, competitive election that voters can have confidence in.

“The Government of Georgia should redouble its efforts to ensure that candidates and their supporters can exercise their democratic rights of free speech and assembly, without threats of intimidation, harassment, or violence, and take proactive steps to hold accountable those who commit election violations.

“All parties have a civic duty to promote a peaceful atmosphere in which citizens can discuss the issues, express their preferences, and choose their candidates free from the threat of violence and intimidation,” reads the statement.

On September 21, two opposition activists were wounded in the village of Gantiadi in Dmanisi.

Davit Dautashvili, the son of the majoritarian candidate of the Georgian Dream, was detained by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Contact us: 577 57 69 77

4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

Bangladeshi Ambassador on Future Business, Cultural and Educational Collaboration with Georgia Continued from page 1 The Soviet Union, the 15 republics within it which are now independent countries themselves, were very supportive with their leadership for the independence and emergence of Bangladesh. This is the 50-year anniversary. That is why I wanted to come and pay my respects to the Georgian people, while presenting my credentials to the President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and to meet Bengali students in Georgia” he tells us.

“I personally, as a diplomat, believe that cultural diplomacy best reaches the people, and is very much needed, sideby-side with political diplomacy. Bangladesh has a long-standing relationship with Georgia, but no big business to date.

Now, we need to explore the possibilities.

“I want to learn a bit from the Bengali community based in Georgia, of which there are around 100 people in Tbilisi and Batumi. Some of them got married to Georgians and have children, some have their own small businesses. A number of them came to meet me on my arrival, and spoke very highly of the culture, food, and their lives here.

“They tend to be engaged in small local businesses, or are studying. They don’t yet have particularly large business links with Bangladesh. When I met them, I asked them to keep in touch with me. I aim to encourage them to grow and expand, slowly but steadily. They didn’t mention any challenges, and are eager to know how they can get the support of financial institutions here.

“Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, this year Bangladesh has become a developing country – a world success story,” the Ambassador notes. “It is one of the first five fastestgrowing economies in the world, number one in South Asia. We also know that the Georgian people are very dedicated towards business and development. And Georgia’s medical institutes and universities are quite well known. So, first, we will assess the local potential in Georgia, and then work to develop together. When I spoke about this in my meeting with the Deputy Foreign Minister, I also proposed to have an agriculture agreement like the one we have with Turkey. Prior to my next visit in December or January, I will speak to the Agriculture Minister of our country so that, within six months to one year, we can sign a memorandum of understanding.

“Georgia is opening up in all sectors, overcoming its political challenges, becoming more stable,” he says. “If our government gives the green light, we can have more business cooperation, not only in industrial matters, but in the field of culture too. I am eager to start our future collaboration with some cultural activities and develop from there. With the help of the small local Bengali community, as I mentioned before, I wish to encourage private sector business, cultural and education exchange, all with a view for the long-term.”

The Ambassador notes that during his tenure, he will also be facilitating highlevel visits, even online meetings, between

competitions. We also do exchanges in chess. I was one of the first chess club General Secretaries after our independence. It’s a passion of mine, and I believe we can successfully promote the exchange of chess players between Georgia and Bangladesh.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS & POLITICS

the two countries’ ministers.

“One or two events or meetings per month, and in six months that will already be 12 things done for our mutual collaboration! And not all these things will require a physical presence, as we are all now accustomed to Zoom meetings.

It’s about encouraging people, connecting people, with the blessings of the political leadership. I will do what I can during my tenure, and those after me will continue the work.”

We asked him what challenges he foresees.

“We expect the usual challenges to our plans,” he replies. “Good preparation is necessary. The key is to win the hearts of the people where you are assigned, to earn their trust. If you learn about their culture, mindset and history, you can more easily open them to your own country, introduce them to the quality of your own products.”

AGRICULTURE Ambassador Mannan notes that Georgia has been famous for centuries for its agro-sector, agro-products, and, more recently, agro-chemicals. As Bangladesh is also mainly an agricultural country, we asked him what potential for collaboration he sees in Georgia.

“We have developed the textile industry in a big way, being the second largest producer after China,” he says. “But the majority of the 170 million population is still engaged in agriculture and is based in rural areas. There is an opportunity to learn from each other; to share information, then technology, and eventually, perhaps, low-cost goods, via Georgia, whose logistical position for Eastern Europe and westwards is excellent. It is also a chance for those Bengalis who are already here, some of whom have been here 10 years or more, to expand their businesses.

“Agro chemicals, agro machinery, agro products - such fields are run in Bangladesh by the private sector. Using my position as a diplomat, private sector representatives can be invited to come and see the products and Georgia can offer- like high quality but well-priced flour, water, etc. We need to achieve an understanding “government-to-government”, then “business-to-business”, beginning with our chambers of commerce. My goal is to encourage them to

work towards the signing of a memorandum. I will let the businesses decide themselves what they want. My duty is to put them together through the chambers.

“Agriculture here is a very big business, going far beyond the wine Georgia is famous for: the grassroots agro businesses are equally as significant, as is animal husbandry,” the Ambassador notes. “There is various potential in the fields of agriculture and education, especially medical education. I plan to explore this more on my next visit.”

CULTURE “In the field of culture. Georgia has a unique language for which it is famous” he tells us. “Our students in Georgia can learn the Georgian style of writing and painting, their dance. In exchange, interested Georgians can learn about and enjoy the Bengali culture and style. We can learn faster from each other if we promote cultural exchange.

“Every two years, Bangladesh holds the Asian Art Biennale, and we invite many countries of the world to attend!

I will make sure to invite one or two artists from Georgia, both male and female, to come to Bangladesh, or to contribute their works to the exhibition. Painting, music, dance, translation of literatureall are ahead of us!”

The Ambassador, also a writer and translator, tells us he has the English version of Shota Rustaveli’s Knight in the Panther’s Skin, and over the next year, plans to make a synopsis in Bengali of the epic poem and get it published.

“And a Bangladeshi food festival is also on the agenda for next autumn,” he adds.

“We can do a two-country program with Bengali chefs, starting in Ankara, moving to Istanbul, where flights come direct from Bangladesh, and then spending a week here in Tbilisi. The festival would take place in a 4- or 5-star hotel and would have diplomats, media representatives, interested business persons, and political leaders in attendance.

“In Britain, there are 1 million Bengalis from Bangladesh and 13,000 Bengali restaurants. Leading on from the food festival, I will encourage my friends in the culinary business from Bangladesh and Britain to consider starting a restaurant in Tbilisi. I encouraged the same in Slovenia and the Czech Republic.

In terms of art, the Ambassador tells us of his plans to facilitate a variety of exhibitions.

“One Bengali man came to meet me with his Georgian wife. He’s an artist and we hope to include him in our plans to exhibit art-works of Bangladesh and Georgia perhaps next year,” the Ambassador notes. “He’s very interested in promoting art and culture.

“Further, we are currently observing the 100th anniversary of the founder of independent Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the Golden Jubilee of Independence of Bangladesh.

We want to do some projects to show how one person made a big change to the lot of a nation. Perhaps we can commemorate him even in Georgia, maybe with a painting exhibition within the next six months. In exchange, Georgia could perhaps organize an exhibition on

its own history in Bangladesh.”

TOURISM We asked the Ambassador what had impressed him most about Georgia during his short, initial visit here, and how he sees Georgia’s tourism potential moving forward in its collaboration with Bangladesh.

“In Georgia, I am most impressed by the natural beauty and the good nature of the people,” he tells us enthusiastically. “Just looking out of my hotel window at the beauty of Tbilisi, that winding river. Or Gori, Mtskheta and their surroundings- green fields, and mile after mile of fruit trees. The nature here is unique and truly beautiful. And you can easily feel the warmth of the people. In restaurants, even the waiters greet and serve you food from their hearts. Long ago, Georgia was a nation of warriors, but now they have transformed themselves into a peace-loving nation. That makes you feel welcome, and helps diplomats such as me to see this country as a good place to promote business, tourism, and culture.

“The pandemic makes it hard to predict what will happen tomorrow, but I am sure tourism will be back, slowly but steadily, boosted by the young generation who will come with innovative ideas.

I saw the same in Morocco, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The success was high and it will be back,” the Ambassador affirms.

“In terms of what would be of interest to Bangladeshi tourists in Georgia, particularly the middle class, of which there are several million, they would need good marketing to attract them. A direct flight would certainly help, although Turkish Airways connects the two countries. Online marketing- reviews and recommendations- would benefit, promoting the good food, history and midrange hotels. Students would like cheaper hotels. The main target should be to market Georgia’s heritage and food.

“In Bangladesh, we have around two million Christians,” he notes. “We have a big Catholic representation, too, so they can come and see how Georgian Christian Orthodoxy works and enjoy the great architecture. Understanding will lead to fellowship, then friendship, and will eventually build relationships.”

SPORTS Sports are another way to promote diplomacy, and, considering Georgia’s recent success in the Olympics and Paralympics, we asked the Ambassador what his plans were in this regard.

“I will be promoting sports. I congratulate the Georgians on their success in the Olympic Games. One of our main sports is cricket, and we are making excellent progress globally. Unfortunately, Georgians do not play cricket. Bangladesh would be interested to learn more about Georgian sports and its experience, and benefit through training programs and exchanges of teams, especially in football and volleyball. We have done very well in such collaboration with former Soviet Union countries, with Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and especially Kyrgyzstan. We have had a lot of exchanges and held numerous

“There has been excellent progress in women’s empowerment over the past 50 years in Bangladesh,” the Ambassador tells us. “Our Prime Minister is a woman, the leader of the opposition is a woman, the President of Parliament (Speaker) is a woman. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has focused on the empowerment of women and has successfully completed legislation to ensure adequate representation of women in the local government bodies, leading to the election of more than 14,000 women to these bodies beginning in 1997. She has taken major initiatives to stop violence against women and children. She has also provided leadership in the field of education, particularly for the education of girls in her own country, as well as advocating for global support. Her government has greatly enhanced budgetary allocation for primary education, focusing on girls’ education. Sheikh Hasina is also earnestly supporting the activities of her fellow women in the chambers and labor unions.

Even in Britain, there are four Bengali women MPs in the British Parliament.

“In business, there are women directors of Chambers. There are also countless women independently controlling their own businesses, running their own factories. We should also recognize the couple of million women working in the textile and garment sector of Bangladesh, who have made this vibrant industry a success through their hard work and dedication,” he says.

We note it seems education and financial opportunity has opened up the country for rich and poor alike, and the Ambassador agrees.

“Good female graduates are joining the police, the diplomatic and other civil services, even the armed forces, essentially empowering themselves. In the private sector, women are doing very well in garments but particularly in microfinance. They take a loan, make an investment, sell it on and take on a bigger loan to invest again. This leads to self-sufficiency, and in this way many women have changed their lot and become breadwinners for their families. We earned a reputation for micro-finance all over the world. Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for their success in bringing the poor, especially women, out of poverty and aiding in self-reliance. This is work towards peace, because if there is hunger, there can be no peace.”

We commend this fine example of women’s empowerment, and wonder what lessons Georgia could learn from Bangladesh in this regard.

“We have projects overseeing these microfinance activities and can easily offer experience-sharing and training in English,” the Ambassador informs us.

To close our interview, we wish the Ambassador success in his plans and in Bangladesh’s future cooperation with Georgia.

“Bangladesh is at a very good stage of development, and I very much look forward to working closely with Georgia, as I have done before with other countries, so we can help each other to move forward and be more established on the world map of business, education, culture, practice of democracy, rule of law, etc,” he says. “I request the government and people of Georgia to start considering doing more projects jointly to benefit each other.

“We must celebrate the long-term good understanding Bangladesh and Georgia have. It is high time to appreciate this more, and show it through our growing collaboration.”

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

5

Personality Cult 2.0 - A Simple Anatomy of Putinism OP-ED BY DAVID BRAGVADZE, GEORGIAN INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY POLICY

D

ear Russians, “In a few hours, we will see a magical date on our calendars, the year 2000, a new century, a new mil-

lennium. “…Today I am sending you my last New Year’s greetings. But that’s not all: this is the last time I am addressing you as President of Russia. I have taken a decision, one which I pondered long and painfully. I am resigning today, the last day of the departing century. “…I want to ask your forgiveness for the dreams that have not come true, and for the things that seemed easy but turned out to be so excruciatingly difficult. I am asking your forgiveness for failing to justify the hopes of those who believed me when I said that we would leap from the grey, stagnating totalitarian past, into a bright, prosperous and civilized future. I believed in that dream, I believed that we would cover the distance in one leap.” On the night of December 31, 1999, with these words, Russian President Boris Yeltsin resigned and handed over the reins of power to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

According to polls and surveys, Boris Yeltsin's approval rating at the time of his resignation was only 2%. Consequently, the vast majority of Russian citizens welcomed his resignation. At the same time, there was a belief that Putin would be the leader who would usher in a bright future for Russia. By this time, Vladimir Putin had been Prime Minister of Russia for five months. Two weeks after his appointment, he had started the second war in Chechnya, which ended three weeks after his official inauguration as President.

It was the Second Chechen War that was one of the main reasons for Putin's growing popularity, as he was able to achieve in eight months what his predecessor had failed to do for almost two years during the First War. Putin was able to accumulate major political capital during his short tenure as prime minister, although he also managed to build a certain reputation during his tenure as head of the Federal Security Service and as secretary of the Security Council.

Putin's presidency has restored Russian citizens' belief in a brighter future.

However, how this "bright future" was supposed to look was not agreed upon by everyone. For some, it was important that the future be civilized along with being bright, which in itself meant overcoming the totalitarian past. Others did not care much about civilization and overcoming totalitarianism and only needed a bright and at the same time rich future. The young president took the path of the latter because, unlike Yeltsin, he believed that "the collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the twentieth century."

Vladimir Putin took over the presidency on May 7, 2000. The term "Putinism" appeared in the Russian press on the 11th. In an article published by Andrei Piontkovsky in the newspaper Sovetskaya Rossiya, "Putinism" was defined as "the highest and final stage of bandit capitalism ... when democratic freedoms and human rights are denied ... the nation is" consolidated "around hatred of any ethnic group ... "Freedom of speech is being persecuted and the process of brainwashing the masses is underway...

Russia is isolated from the outside world and the process of economic degradation continues."

After Piontkovsky, a number of scholars became interested in the phenom-

enon of Putinism. This was influenced

by Putin's long, arguably endless rule, as well as its specific nature.

One of the main characteristics of Putinism is the cult of personality. According to many scholars, "Putinism" in the 21st century is as important a term as "Stalinism" was in the 20th century. The entire political elite, the state bureaucratic machine, and the Kremlin-controlled media are working to glorify Putin in order to strengthen the cult of personality. Putin is portrayed as a "national hero" who was able to "get Russia back on its feet”, which had fallen into the worst situation since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and "restore dignity" to it. Attempts to glorify him sometimes go so far as to equate the state with Putin.

Putin's foreign policy approaches play an important role in strengthening the cult of personality. Particularly important in this regard are the Kremlin revisionism, the attempts to revise the world order agreed upon after World War II, and chauvinist nationalism. Such an attitude implies a sharp confrontation with the free world on a number of issues, as a result of which Russia often suffers, although it can easily dupe its citizens into thinking otherwise. Russia is a superpower and it is not obliged to coordinate its actions with anyone. A clear expression of revisionism and chauvinist nationalism was the 2008 RussiaGeorgia war and the recognition of Georgia's occupied territories as independent states, as well as the occupation of Crimea and the declaration of the Russian Federation. Violation of the principle of inviolability of borders and territorial expansionism make Putin’s Russia a particularly aggressive force, which violates the rules of the game agreed upon in the civilized world. On the other hand, such a policy receives special approval among a solid part of Russian citizens and is the main inspiration of their “imperialistic" aspirations.

That is why it is not surprising that in domestic and foreign policy, Putinism is actively romanticizing the Soviet past.

In the prism of Putinism, the Soviet Union was the most powerful superpower, creating a balance in the bipolar world and a worthy rival to the West, and first and foremost to the United States. In addition, people in the Soviet Union lived “happily ever after” without any concern for freedom of speech, human rights, or other democratic notions. Russia weakened under Yeltsin.

He could no longer afford a decent resistance to the West, and Putin changed that picture radically. Today, Russia is an accountable force that creates a new reality and is a worthy successor to the Soviet Union in this regard. Putin is trying to at least partially fix the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the twentieth century."

The cult of personality itself implies the concentration of power in the hands of one person. One of the main features of Putin's rule is the complete usurpation of power, where the president is everything and state institutions are practically non-existent. The government of the Russian Federation is weak and powerless, and the parliament is a puppet. In 2008, Putin's second four-year term expired. He then moved to the post of Prime Minister and continued to rule the country from there. At the same time, in order to strengthen his power, constitutional amendments were adopted which set the term for the election of the President at six years instead of four, although the restriction on being elected twice in a row remained in force. In 2012, Putin was elected for a third term, and in 2018 for a fourth term, after which the limit of two consecutive elections expired again and ahead of 2024, it became necessary to find a new solution.

Russia has begun work on a new pack-

Image source: en.kremlin.ru

age of constitutional amendments. Many experts suggested that Putin would no longer remain as president and would continue to run the country from another position, which he already had experience with in 2008-2012, although the process developed against expectations.

Putin no longer wanted to even temporarily and formally hand over the top seat to someone else, and so developed a completely new approach. In 2024, Russian citizens will still be able to elect Putin, although this will not be the third election in a row, because his previous terms have been simply "annulled". It turns out that by 2024, the Russians will elect Putin as if he had never been elected before. In this way, Vladimir Vladimirovich extended his power until 2036.

Before that he has a lot of time to think and now everyone is sure that he will definitely find a way to maintain power.

The constant constitutional changes, the extension of deadlines, and the concentration of power in Putin's hands, also indicate his attitude towards his government. In 1999-2008, Putin replaced three prime ministers, but did not name any formal replacements and handed over the presidency to First Vice Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. In 2012, he exchanged seats with Medvedev and appointed him prime minister. In early 2020, he was promoted to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff of the Security Council (Putin himself being in charge).

This position did not exist before and was specially created so that Medvedev would not remain unemployed. Mikhail Mishustin was appointed Prime Minister, who has an even more nondescript name than Dmitry Medvedev.

The absolute power of one person needs a solid foothold. Putin's rule is no exception. The mainstay of Putinism is the Silovik clan. This is not surprising, since Putin himself is a "silovik" and his spy past is no secret. It is the Siloviks who hold the reins of political and financial power. Their power is immeasurably greater than that of other elite. They control more than 20 major Russian federal agencies. They are former employees of the Federal Security Service, militia, army, National Guard and other law enforcement agencies. Putin's coming to power is often referred to as a "Chekist coup", which means that Boris Yeltsin did not go home voluntarily in his time.

The power of the "Siloviks" in Russia is so great that some scholars are still trying to answer the most important question in Putin's Russia: Did Putin create a functioning system, or was Putin created by this system? There is no agreed answer to this, although the fact that reading has not lost its relevance in academic and expert circles for years is a clear indication of the scale of power of this group. According to 2004 data, the Siloviks made up 25% of Russia's politi-

cal elite. In Putin's inner circle, which consists of about 20 people, their concentration was 58%, they represented parliament 20% and the government 34%. These numbers are growing every year. Therefore, the above question will remain relevant as long as "Putin's Russia", often referred to as the "Chekist state", is alive.

The nature of the Putin regime and the high concentration of force in it naturally lead to the absolute opacity of the system. Decision-making mechanisms are vague, there is no public policy, and the state bureaucracy is in the service of clan interests instead of the people.

In addition, the clan has full control over the management of Russian state property and natural resources. Instead of a free market, the rules of the "clan corporation" apply. All the wealth of the Russian Federation is in the hands of a narrow group, which is clearly shown by the intensified anti-corruption studies in recent years.

The judiciary is also completely usurped. Selective justice has become a common occurrence in Putin's Russia.

The principle of "everything for friends, the law for enemies" is in force in the country, a clear example of which is the numerous high-profile cases of persecution of people opposed to the Putin regime.

That regime is particularly ruthless with its opponents. Putin's Russia is considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalistic activities. In the very first year of coming to power, 19 journalists were killed in Russia, and under Putin's rule, their number is in the hundreds. One of the most notorious of these was the October 7, 2006 murder of Anna Politkovskaya.

It is noteworthy that not only firearms but also various types of poison are used to kill journalists.

In addition to journalists, the regime actively fights opposition politicians.

The most active critic of the Kremlin, Boris Nemtsov, was shot dead on February 27, 2015 near the Kremlin walls. Alexei Navalny is still serving his sentence on absurd charges.

Like politicians, civil activists and civil society as a whole are persecuted. Various organizations are given the status of "foreign agents" and their activities are banned. Ex-agents fleeing the country are persecuted, poisoned and killed (Litvinenko, the Skripals). The Russian media is almost completely usurped.

There is censorship in the country, there is a circle of people who cannot be invited to state-run television.

The persecution of opponents is typical of all authoritarian regimes. Obviously, Putin's Russia is no exception.

Putinism does not need critics and dissent, because any criticism is out of place, any dissent is unacceptable.

As noted above, Putinism is largely fueled by Soviet nostalgia and tends toward its reincarnation. This is manifested in revisionism, territorial expansionism, clan governance, the absence of the rule of law, the persecution of opponents, etc., although there is something that distinguishes it from the USSR due to the current situation. Unlike the Soviet atheist regime, Putinism cooperates with the Russian Church. To be more precise, the criminal state is involved in a criminal deal with a criminal church.

Stimulating militant atheism is not one of the goals of Putinism, it is aimed at further desecularizing society. In the process, the Russian Church significantly strengthens the cult of Putin's personality and in return enjoys wide-ranging privileges from the regime.

In addition, the regime actively uses the policies of the Church and Orthodoxy in the foreign arena. He is trying to spread the concept of the "Orthodox world" widely in the Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and within the framework of this policy, Putin is the only force fighting the future perversion from the West, the main defender of traditional Orthodox values.

Putinism originated at the beginning of Vladimir Putin's rule, or perhaps before his rule. Over the past 21 years, a cult of personality similar to Stalinism has been firmly established, which has long alienated Russia from the civilized world. Putin's rule and the cult of his personality restored a sense of "pride" and "dignity" to some Russian citizens, making them feel that the Kremlin was still strong and that the Soviet Union could exist in any other form. Putin's government has had some economic success at some point, which has reinforced that sentiment. Yet, after 21 years in power, which is projected to last at least another 15 years, the average Russian citizen has achieved little. The illusion of the Soviet Union was aroused only in the feelings of some, because Putin's Russia cannot bring to the citizens even the quality of social guarantees and prosperity they had in the Soviet period. The Russians accepted Sovietlike rule, a violent state, clans, usurpations of power, censorship, lack of human rights, but failed to get what they had in the USSR in the face of it all - the minimum standard of welfare.

"Pride" and "dignity" were regained by the Russian state, as well as by the Russian citizen. Russia was able to occupy the territories of neighboring countries, recognize some as independent states, declare some as their own, establish effective control over some, but in return received sanctions, economic downturns, subsidized regions, and more financial costs.

Putinism has brought the corpses of journalists, civil activists, politicians and ordinary citizens both in Russia and abroad; brought the image of Russia as an unreliable, uncivilized state.

Putinism has ultimately done nothing good for the Russian citizen unless we consider it a good thing to create certain illusions, or to enrich members of a clan who are the same Russian citizens.

Although Putinism has only brought problems, today it is the only choice for Russians. The inevitability of Putin and Putinism as the only choice of Russian citizens is clearly seen in the assessment of State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin: "Today, when we look at the challenges and threats facing the world, oil and gas are not our priority. As we have seen, the prices of both of them, oil and gas, can fall. Our advantage is Mr. Putin, and we owe it to him to defend him."

And Putin himself will probably never be heard saying the following: "Dear Russian citizens, I am for the last time addressing you today as President of Russia."

6

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

Where to Find the Truth – in Real Life or on TV? OP-ED BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

L

ife in the Republic has turned into a real paradox, and it is bittersweet fun to watch, especially in an electoral season socially and politically heated to an excruciating redness. Notwithstanding the political temperature in Georgia, life is continuing in the same old way, with a more or less balanced ratio of good and bad, and fairly merging gives and takes: people somehow make ends meet, car tanks are full of gas, food stores stay alive with moderate success, prices are up but are still bearable, planes are flying, marriages are consummated, kids are born, funerals are served, divorces are filed, hospitals operate, teachers teach and students learn, games are played both on homerun computers and at social joints, sanitation trucks continue blocking the traffic, movies are being watched, restaurants keep

catering to our appetites, lands are tilled, businesses drag along, construction activities are in full swing, banks operate, taxes are paid, criminals are apprehended, indispensable surveillance has its negligible way, exports are executed and imports are in place, and money is earned and spent.

All this is happening in real life, but on TV, we witness a totally different version of our existence, as if real life and television happen to be two totally different realms of our being. The question is where the essentials are for our survival in this country. Functionally speaking, television, as a media of mass communication, is normally called on to inform, to educate and to entertain society. In Georgia, the last two of those three essential functions of media seem to be stuck in the idea of an Armageddon, which all of us, it claims, are a part of and victim to. We the media-watchers are faced with their informative job, drastically bisected as a political tool in the hands of the self-defending ruling

power and its ferocious opposition. The fight between them has put their watchers and listeners at a total loss, with no ability to discern between lie and truth, because the real-life truth has stopped being reflected in the reported version of the truth, especially on our TV screens.

Hence the question: where to find the truth that is still in demand – in real life or on TV? After all, we all need that truth so as to be correctly oriented in the ocean of electoral bickering and story-telling.

One could say that the politicians and media are kept safe from political disasters thanks to public gullibility in general, but the public (electorate) are also aware that ‘they can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but they cannot fool all of the people all of the time’. (Thank you so much, President Lincoln, for having me wax this fair and strong!) On the other hand, all is more than simple: what other way could media have to get a favorite politician elected except by blowing the assets of the preferred one

Image source: Getty Images/iStockphoto

into an oversize balloon of exaggeration, and inflating the faults of the opposite side into some monstrous parameters?

None!

So, let’s perform the political-choicemaking dance to the tune suggested by the barefacedly divided media so that the entire pre-electoral choreography looks decent enough to be believed in.

Meanwhile, let us carry on seeking the truth, which we also need to continue living, somewhere out in the open air, beyond TV’s technical capabilities and moral stands. The picture just described

is the clearest possible reflection of those roaring controversial values of liberal democracy. I only wonder if this is the best way to organize our lives well enough to avoid the potential missteps on our way to a better personal life and eventual national survival. There is something very substantial that makes this question fair and lawful; only, we need to gather some patience and acquire more knowledge to respond to it with some dignified truth and clear conscience. Both have become scarce and expensive to attain, but an attempt wouldn’t hurt.

BUSINESS

Israeli Week to be Held in Tbilisi

I

sraeli Week will be held in Tbilisi at the initiative of the Israeli House.

Especially for these events, 120 guests from Israel, including members of the Israeli Knesset (Parliament), public figures, businessmen and representatives of other spheres, will visit Tbilisi at the invitation of the IsraelGeorgia Chamber of Business and the Israeli House. The delegation is led by the Co-Chair, Israel-Georgia Parliamentary Friendship Group David Bitan.

Itsik Moshe, president of the IsraelGeorgia Chamber of Business and founder of the Israeli House, says due to COVID regulations, the events will be held in a different format. Regarding the business forum, it will be partially dedicated to project presentations and the other part -B2B meetings between businessmen and investors.

"Such a forum has not been held for the last 2 years and now we have managed to bring a representative delegation from Israel. To date, no Israeli business forum has been held in other countries.

There is a great desire from Israel to strengthen economic ties with Georgia.

We will focus on the potential, the business environment and caring for and increasing already incoming investments.

This, in turn, will help complete existing projects as well as attract new investment, ”said Itsik Moshe.

As part of Israeli Week, guests will plant trees in the Israel-Georgia Friendship Park together with members of the Tbilisi City Council; They will browse a 30-meter portrait of Anne Frank with GeorgianIsraeli flags painted on the wall of a residential building at the initiative of the Israeli House; They will attend a cultural event; They will meet with Georgian parliamentarians; They will attend the opening of an Israeli room at the university; They will learn about new tourism / cultural routes and potential; They will visit Kakheti, and learn about Georgian traditional wine production and folklore.

A book dedicated to 32 years of activity will be presented within the Israeli week.

The book mentions that Georgia was the first country in the Soviet Union to open its doors to Israeli and world Jewish organizations. It also tells about the projects implemented in the fields of education, culture and tourism and the cooperation of the "Israeli House" with international organizations in Europe.

Regarding economic ties, a brief presentation of 3 successful projects is planned at the business forum: Signing ceremony regarding WYND-

HAM Leader, exclusive and leading brand COLLECTION entry in Georgian market and application for construction of 3 hotels (with one under construction) with international management; Presentation of Georgian Kosher products - wine and processed products; And presentation of the completed tourist infrastructure of the tourist town of Tsalka - Dashbashi.

Due to the regulations, attendance will be limited and the working groups will be divided into 2-3 parts.

The business forum also marks the 25th anniversary of the Israel-Georgia Chamber of Business. In this regard, the President of the Israel Chamber of Commerce, as usual, sent a congratulatory letter to the forum.

During the forum, as part of the Jewish

Days of Jewish Culture, photos from seven countries that won the competition of The European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage co-funded by the European Union within the framework of the Creative Europe programme, will be displayed in the lobby. The route is implemented by the Israeli House in Georgia under the auspices of the Coun-

cil of Europe and with the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture And Sport of Georgia.

It should be noted that the Tenth Annual Consultative Forum on Cultural Route of the Council of Europe is being held in Kutaisi during the same days, in which the Israeli House participates as an organization presenting Jewish cultural routes in Georgia.

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

8

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

Promising Target Markets for Georgian Tourism Graph 1 Pre-Pandemic (2019) level of average expenditures and average nights spent per visit by international visitors

Table 1: Percentage change of prices in August 2021 over July 2021 and over August 2019.

I

developing business tourism with China as well.

n 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, total tourism accounted for 26.8% of the GDP of Georgia according to the WTTC. However, Georgia’s tourism sector at that time was concentrated with 71.4% of all visitors to Georgia coming from its four neighboring countries: Azerbaijan (19.8%), Russia (19.0%), Armenia (17.7%), and Turkey (15.0%). The outbreak of the pandemic has heavily damaged tourism, however, the current crisis and changing behavior of tourists also presents some opportunities to redesign tourism policies to bring greater diversification to industry. Visitors from the Gulf states, the USA, and some European countries tend to spend considerably more than the average visitor per visit and are already targeted by current marketing campaigns. However, China and Kazakhstan stand out as the markets with most potential in terms of expanding Georgia’s tourism sector, yet both are currently receiving limited attention.

In 2019, the average expenditure per visit of a Chinese visitor to Georgia was 1,908GEL, which means visitors from China spend nearly five times that of the average visitor from the largest source market, namely Azerbaijan (396GEL) and higher compared to all other traditional tourism markets of Georgia. Meanwhile, the average length of Chinese visitors to Georgia was 7.7 nights in 2019, which is also longer than that of Georgia's traditional source markets. As for

Kazakhstan, the average expenditure per visit for Kazakh visitors in 2019 was 1818GEL, while their average length of stay was 7.4 nights.

In previous years, the number of Kazakh visitors to Georgia had been persistently growing and reached 103,611 visitors in 2019, representing a leap of 75.7% compared to 2018. Moreover, there is significant potential for further development of the tourism relationship between Georgia and Kazakhstan courtesy of the recent introduction of regular and direct low-budget flights from three cities of Kazakhstan via FlyArystan, the easing of entry regulations, and through the general enhancement of economic cooperation between the two countries.

In 2019, the number of visitors from China reached 48,071, displaying a considerable 50.9% year-on-year increase.

The majority of Chinese tourists are from low- or middle-income groups who are largely attracted to budget-friendly tourist destinations, such as Georgia.

Cooperation between the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia and China’s leading travel agencies, accompanied by regular flights being provided by China Southern Airlines, means the situation is promising for the post-pandemic development of tourism from China. Considering that China is one of Georgia’s largest trading partners, and as Georgia is viewed as part of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), there is great potential for

Graph 2 Number of visitors from China and Kazakhstan in Georgia and its growth rate, 2015-2019

HOTEL PRICE INDEX In August 2021, in Georgia the hotel price index decreased by 0.9% compared to July 2021. The 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotel price index decreased by 0.5%, while for guesthouses, the price index decreased by 2.5%.

In August 2021, compared to August 2019, hotel prices in Georgia increased by 3.2%. The prices of 3*, 4*, 5* hotels increased by 3.6% and the prices of guesthouses decreased by 5%.

AVERAGE HOTEL PRICES In Georgia, the average cost of a room in a 3-star hotel was 151 GEL per night in August 2021, while the average cost

of a room in a 4-star hotel in Georgia was 268 GEL per night and the average cost of a room in a guesthouse was 95 GEL per night.

The average cost of a room in a 5-star hotel in Georgia in August 2021 was 514 GEL per night. In Guria, the average price was 807 GEL, followed by Tbilisi - 604 GEL, Adjara - 570 GEL and Kakheti – 546 GEL.

Graph 3: In the graph, average prices for standard double rooms in 3 and 4-star hotels and guesthouses are given by region. 5-star hotel prices are provided above.

Table 2: Basic economic indicators

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

9

Hotels & Preference Hualing Tbilisi GM on Running a Hotel During a Pandemic & Recovery Prospects for the Hospitality Industry INTERVIEW BY ANA DUMBADZE

T

he coronavirus pandemic, apart from bringing significant hardship to the population worldwide, and the healthcare sector, also affected companies and businesses.

However, for businesses with a previous crisis management strategy, it has been possible to dampen the impact and continue successful operation in the market and to maintain high service quality.

Running a hotel during the coronavirus pandemic has surely been no easy task, considering the lack of both human and financial resources. Yet, in Georgia, there are many hotels that, despite the challenging times, maintain their service quality and are ready to host and protect customers by following all safety regulations.

One successful example of managing a hotel through the pandemic is Hotels & Preference Hualing Tbilisi, managed

by BTL Hospitality Group. Located in a sleek building in a residential area at the edge of the city, the staff and management have been working tirelessly to offer its traditional best service to its guests.

Notably, this high-class business hotel has a new General Manager, Mr. Patrick U. Buder, whose views as a foreign specialist about the future of the hospitality industry in Georgia, a very important field for the local economy, were most inspiring.

He was appointed as the new cluster general manager for Georgia in February 2020. Prior to his arrival in Georgia, Mr. Buder worked at the hotel’s corporate management office, BTL Hospitality Group, in China, as Director of Projects & Operation, during his time there launching ‘BTL Collections’ and overseeing the expansion of the brand and supporting existing portfolio on operational issues.

Having started his career as a chef in a 5-star hotel in Switzerland following his graduation in 1998 from the Hotel & Restaurant Management School HGF in Thun, Switzerland, his career path has taken him from the Middle East and South East Asia to China and now Georgia.

With work engagements ranging from Leading Hotel of the World to Small Luxury Hotels, Buder accumulated a wealth of know-how in the luxury hotel segment before taking on the GM roles in international hotel management companies like Accor, Hilton and IHG. “I was delighted to join ‘Hotels & Preference’ hotels in new and vibrant tourism destinations such as Georgia. The team and I aim to engage with the clientele to achieve even higher levels of hospitality, delivering our guests the kind of experience that only Hotels & Preference by BTL Hospitality Group can offer, and to build an enduring love in them for our hotel and Georgia,” Mr. Buder told us.

GEORGIA TODAY spoke to him further to find out more regarding the hotel’s pandemic crisis management strategy, and business in general during such challenging times, as well as the current activities and future plans of BTL Hospitality regarding Georgia.

“Thanks to my working stints in Asia, prior to my appointment here in Georgia, I already had experience in managing crisis situations such as other smaller pandemics or economic crises.

Since my appointment at the corporate office, of course, I’ve been observing both the local business environment and the hotels I am managing. Hotels & Preference Hualing Tbilisi has already estab-

lished its niche and a high reputation in the Georgian market. Tbilisi had a fastgrowing and diverse and creative tourism industry prior to the pandemic, which I found exciting and a positive surprise. As we are already an established player in the Georgian hospitality market, our priority is to be brand ambassadors for BTL Hospitality Group, with its luxury boutique brand such as WEI retreats & resorts, YU Boutique Hotels, and DU House.

THESE ARE STRANGE TIMES FOR BUSINESSES WORLDWIDE. HOW CHALLENGING HAS IT BEEN TO RUN A HOTEL DURING THE PANDEMIC, CONSIDERING THE LACK OF HUMAN AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES? Of course, there have been significant challenges, but everything depends on how you manage not only during such times. I think our hotels have a good foothold here in Georgia, because we developed a good success planning program in the past and therefore a lot of in-house talent over the last five years.

Furthermore, our managers have longtime experience.

Another advantage is that having an Asian investor/owning company, loyalty is highly regarded. And, as such, when employees bear with us through both good and bad times, it’s always rightfully appreciated. Every business had to reduce employee numbers, it was an unavoidable step, but we tried to keep as many of our staff as possible. We communicated with our employees for them to understand and buy in to all the decisions we made, so that they will support us as well.

Regarding finances, everybody had or still has financial constraints, but having proven and strong fiscal management in place during good times and bad is our responsibility as a management company.

Our hotels have built up sufficient

resources, as we monitored our cash flows over the years and, to date, we have been able to run our business successfully without any extension of loans or capital injections. Being careful during normal or good times always pays off in bad times.

COULD YOU ELABORATE ON THE MISSION AND PROJECTS BEING IMPLEMENTED BY BTL HOSPITALITY? Using the Hotels & Preference name here in Tbilisi is an exception, as BTL (Bo Tai Lai) Hospitality Group has its own range of brands. Currently, the hotel brands founded and managed by founder Mr. Philip Wei Li include luxury range WEI Retreat (Oriental Elegance), YU (With YU), luxury 5* star full-service hotel BOLUN, French fashion hotel brand FAUCHON, theme hotel DU HOUSE, and DOMUS. BTL Hospitality Group is a hotel management company with offices in Beijing and Shanghai. Hotels in operation are situated in Japan, Georgia, and China.

There are also projects in the Philippines, Laos, and the Middle East. Obviously, due to the pandemic, the international pipeline has slowed, but in China, BTL Hospitality Group still has five hotels under construction at this moment, due to open soon.

For example, our property in Japan, Hokkaido, is called WE TOYA and was design by star architect Kengo Kuma who also designed the stadium in Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics, as BTL hotels are usually very design-oriented, with a vision of “From the Orient providing Global Hospitality Service”.

For the Georgian market, we also have a hotel under construction, YU Boutique Hotel, a luxury boutique hotel with 120 rooms in downtown Tbilisi. The opening is slated for 2023, as the process was hindered due to the pandemic, but this year the construction is in full swing and

on track. It will have a rooftop garden, rooftop bar, and unique spectacular recreational facilities.

HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF BTL HOSPITALITY GROUP? BTL Hospitality Group is active both internationally and in Georgia in terms of attracting investors, providing feasibility studies, technical service, and management in order provide quality service for customers. We might represent a relatively small group, but the advantage is that we can adapt and react faster to new and upcoming trends or individual preferences of investors and developers, and we are more flexible than larger operators. Plus, our experience in the luxury sector and in Asia allows us to understand Asian tourism segments and markets better than the competition. I believe that Georgia can and should attract and consider these markets, and we have active plans in this direction. The Asian and Chinese markets have very specific requirements, such as food, but it depends how you present and sell the products your country can offer. As such, in Georgian cuisine, just as in Asian culture, meat and pork occupy an important role. These two countries have certain similarities, and the same applies to drinks. So, Asians can adapt and feel quite comfortable while traveling in Georgia, as they are curious about history and culture.

HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IN GEORGIA POSTCOVID? WHAT SHOULD BE DONE FOR ITS EFFECTIVE ECONOMIC RECOVERY? I first visited Georgia in December 2019.

It was my first business visit to the country, and the Caucasus, and I was really very positively surprised! The concept of restaurants, shops, and hotels is very vibrant. Also, there are a lot of people

with creative minds. There is talent around, there are more development prospects, this is my honest opinion. We always see the challenge, but we hardly see the opportunity. So, we need to see and use these opportunities! Georgia is a beautiful country with amazing landscapes, history and culture, and it has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, I’ve seen too little of it yet due to the pandemic, but there’s a lot of things to explore, and I’ll definitely do that once the situation improves. I managed to visit the Kakheti region recently and was pleasantly surprised by its amazing nature and landscapes. The local people are very nice and friendly.

I’d say that there are basic similarities with other nations. We might look and speak differently, but there are always basic similarities, we just must look at the basic values, which make relationships easier.

The pandemic had such a negative effect worldwide, and the recovery will take time. This applies to Georgia too, as the country has a small population in comparison with China or Japan. It can’t rely only on domestic tourism. Georgia needs to make up its mind and focus on what kind of tourism they want, as not all kinds of tourism fit the country. They need to concentrate on a few segments and develop them well to create sustainable growth. The country can have both summer and winter tourism, but summer tourism is best known regionally, while the winter season is more a niche market in the internationally perspective. Medical tourism is a rather new target segment; hence its volume is relatively small. But it has very good potential with the right infrastructure.

There are also issues to be addressed regarding airlines, though the air traffic has increased, which is very good. We need to sit together and discuss it more to have a sustainable long-term strategy for the entire tourism industry!

10

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

Blocking It In: Etseri, Svaneti

BLOG BY TONY HANMER

T

he background: autumn is coming in Upper Svaneti, as the bushes and deciduous trees lose their chlorophyll and their leaves turn their actually natural reds and yellows.

Covid is now, only now, raging through the village, along with the whole gamut of responses from conspiracy theories and fatal silliness to mask-wearing and isolation. School, here as everywhere, is online only, with groans all around and a new decision marked for October 4 if anything has changed by then. Elections loom, which also means that local infra-

structure (gravel on the roads) is being improved in a hurry to make the Dreamers somehow look good.

The foreground: This is what 800 cement blocks look like, each weighing 13 kg, for a total of 10.4 tons. They came by dump-truck (itself weighing over 12 tons empty) from the factory just outside Becho, 10 km up the road from us, a leftover from the Saakashvili years of frenetic renovation in Svaneti. It can hardly keep up with the demand for blocks, such is the ongoing pace of houseand hotel-building in the Mestia region.

Better a trip of 10 km to us than, say, 100 km from near Zugdidi! We did that once, when building the garage; the “blessed” truck arrived at 4 am, and Lali’s father, brother-in-law and I had to unload 2000

of them at that ungodly hour.

This time we were dodging rainy weather and trying to coordinate blockmaking, transport and local help for unloading this new load. Finally, a dry enough window opened, and some phone calls began to set the thing in motion.

Blocks ready, check. Transport confirmed, check. Blocks loaded and on the way to us, check. But we were running into problems with our pool of young men (most still in grade 10-12 of school) at our end, a crucial last step. And afternoon was turning into evening.

The 22-ton vehicle and cargo arrived and pulled into our yard from the barnend gate, which I had newly remade since the last load (gravel) had been, delivered, and destroyed that old gate without anyone telling me; I was away at the time.

They sort of propped it up and hoped silently that the cunning local bovines would not test its now-rickety mode, smelling our irresistible grass and barging silently though to wreak havoc. I got to it beforehand, though, replaced it, and we were once again safe from marauders.

Two of our help showed up early, with a third joining them soon after the truck arrived. As the sun set, the nearly full moon rose, and by its sufficient light we began unloading at about 7:30 pm.

I realized after a few minutes that someone must get inside the box of the truck to move bricks to its edge for the three boys to take from there. This became my job. The driver, soon seeing that our efforts to summon even one more helper had failed, also pitched in next to me, a great help.

Two of the boys and the driver took a 13-kg block in each hand for the entire

run; one younger boy and I took one each in both hands. My two-cow milking days are a few years behind me now, and all that strength I built up from fingertips to shoulders has returned to its norm from that zenith, sadly. But I did what I could. We stopped for a break of Coke, ice cream and a smoke for the driver at the halfway and ¾ points, but got it done in about two hours.

Apparently, the blocks will actually be made harder if some rain douses them, otherwise we would have covered them with a tarp from the shop. The last, similar size load comes in a few more days and, as I write this the next day, I can honestly say that my upper body isn’t as sore as I had feared it would be.

I can DO this, not alone, but at least as one of the crew. Better by sunlight than

moonlight, true, but at least the weather’s cool enough to not make us break into a melting sweat.

Then the workers will return from near Zugdidi to block in the kitchen and bathrooms of our new café (which is what all this effort is for) and get the roof on before winter comes. Enough for this autumn’s building season!

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

Nona Gaprindashvili - The Real Queen of Chess

Continued from page 2 “After all, it’s a TV series, and it will be aired and watched for many years in future, meaning more damage will come,” she and her lawyers argue.

When I interviewed Nona herself in January this year via Zoom, together with my son, a graduate of the Bristol Media University, the movie was already accelerating interest towards her persona, and chess in general. She was not very pleased with the outcome of the Netflix TV series, to say the least. Despite not being a big fan of TV or movies in general, this particular one was keeping her very busy with phone calls and messages.

“My family asked me to watch it [The Queen’s Gambit], but I was not very enthusiastic,” Nona told me in the interview, noting that she was told about the mistakes in the finale of the series by her family members. “I will be polite and say ‘mistakes’. The main character is fictional, which is fine, in which case you

can make up stories, but when you use real characters, then I don’t think it’s forgivable to use unrealistic facts, especially when talking about the main Grandmaster title.”

Nona recalls that even her childhood started by her competing with boys. “I was a happy child, and used to play with the boys in many kinds of sports- volleyball, tennis, table tennis, even football,” she recalls. The pure chance of replacing her brother at a chess tournament was a life-changing turn. She fast became a winning machine and, at the age of 21, was crowned World Women’s Chess Champion after beating Russia’s Elisaveta Bykova in 1962.

“Ms Nona Gaprindashvili was very insulted, of course,” Nona’s lawyer, Maya Mtsariashvili, told me in an interview last week. “The TV series had a huge impact on people who watched the series, the last episode in particular. Many calls were made to her, asking why she was mentioned the way she was and treated that way.”

“The whole essence of the lawsuit is exactly that Nona Gapridnashvili is a chess player and sportswoman, and she was the first Grandmaster woman amongst men,” the BLB lawyer told me.

“She was the breaking point in woman’s chess-playing, and took part in the men’s tournaments successfully. This was the height of her career and achievements.

This is not a case about a regular woman chess player: she was the first female Grandmaster, and her whole career has been highlighted by that fact. She believes that this episode of the TV series has had a serious negative impact on her career achievements.”

Nona told me how she took part in the men’s tournaments, competing with famous males, highly ranked Grandmasters. She told me how she was mentioned and refered to as Russian during the Soviet era, but always corrected them.

As such, it was a surprise to see such a highly acclaimed and researched movie made with trivial errors, especially with Gary Kasparov as the consultant, whom

she said she doubts would allow such mistakes.

Nona and I talked about how the main character of the TV show, Beth Harmon, sees the chess moves on the ceiling or in her mind. Nona smiled at that, and said it is not quite realistic, though you do “have the game in your head.” She recalled the Ukrainian player Ivanchuk fondly, remembering that when walking around, he would stare into space, like The Queen’s Gambit character, seeing the games on the wall, possibly working out tactics in his mind.

I knew that Nona would not let go of these false details about her life in the Netflix show. At the time of our interview, no lawsuit was mentioned, but I was not surprised when the news broke: There is no doubt that Harmon’s character plainly draws on Nona’s achievements. The lawsuit states that the main character of the series is in many respects an Americanized and fictionalized version of the real-life female Georgian prodigy, who was the first to break gender barriers in international chess in the 1960s.

Nona’s lawyers prepared a lawsuit which, according to them, is simple in its factual and legal predicates. They claim Netflix lied about Gaprindashvili in a profound and obvious manner, that Netflix thinks this is just a “harmless story” and doesn’t contain defamatory statements or damage Nona’s name, reputation, and honor.

“We believe this completely disregards her career and achievements, and we do not understand why [it was done], with her name deliberately lowered to elevate the fictional character,” Mtsariashvili says. The lawsuit also states that as Gaprindashvili’s name is mentioned, an actor is shown sitting in the audience, watching the game, obviously meant to be Gaprindashvili, who I have to agree is striking similar to how I remember Nona Gaprindashvili.

Georgian social networks have been awash with news of the lawsuit. Many argue that Nona has a very slim chance of winning against Netflix, while others stand by her fight. I am on the fence

about it, because I’ve seen Quentin Tarantino change history many times onscreen, going on to face criticism and lawsuits to no avail. But Nona and her team are doing nothing unusual in their filing a claim. They are protecting her image.

“We will be serving the papers on Netflix and they will have 21 days to file a responding plea,” Nona’s lawyer told me. “Its first filing will be an answer in which Netflix will have to state whether it admits or contests the allegations in the complaint.”

Nona Gaprindashvili is a true female hero of the times. Born and raised in a rural area of Georgia alongside four older brothers, she was already a champion of female empowerment then. Nona says one of the best features of a good chess player is to have steady nerves; talent is not enough, as you also need patience, training and physical power.

She has all the above traits, and they will be needed while she waits for the outcome with Netflix, a true Queen in her strong yet humble personality, as well as in her colossal achievements.

After my mother, a chess lover who occasionally played with her grandkids, saw me recording that Zoom interview with Nona, she recalled how in Soviet times, “Nona Gaprindashvili” and “Nana Aleksandria” (another great chess player of ours) name-sake perfumes were released. She apparently had them both; Nona was featured as the Queen, and Nana was a pawn. I double-checked this with Nona. She told me she had no idea why they did that.

“A pawn is just as good and as important as the Queen,” she said with a smile.

CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY SEPTEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

11

Georgian Women Artists in Berlin. Work-Show 1

BY LILY FÜRSTENOW-KHOSITASHVILI

N

o-one can better understand women artists than women artists themselves. Teona Paichadze from Georgia has been painting women as the sole subject of her works for decades already. Women voyeuristic objects, naked women, women with guns pointed at the viewer, women in all sorts of poses, with cigarettes or without, in bleak surroundings of desolate urban landscapes, or simply in yellow or greenish-blue, sometimes in the dark that makes the women’s faces like masks. It seems Teona's work is more on the dark side, but what is not these days? The fate of contemporary women in Georgia and anywhere else in the world is far from bright and sparkling contrary to the glossy lifestyle magazines that would try to persuade us of the opposite. Contemporary women’s lives are full of drudgery, and the nudes by Teona Paichadze show the naked truth of it.

The landscapes by another Georgian artist, Ia Arsenishvili, also on show at the exhibition Work Show 1 curated by Lily Fürstenow, are more colorful. These are beautiful landscapes inspired by the Georgian seaside, meadows, forests and the rich variety of the Caucasus with its characteristic natural diversity.

The landscapes are done with much sensitivity to color, light and a profusion of picutresque detail, depicting the Georgian countryside where the artist spends much of her time in her private residence outside the city. Here, too, although in a more colorful style, one can trace the painter's desire to escape into an imaginary fantasy world

where idealized natural serenity reigns and the colors flow and are perfectly matched. An imaginary idyll that hardly exists anymore but in the dreams of a painter.

The curators matched with Ia Arsenishvili's landscape beautifully a delicate white porcelain piece by German artist Melanie Moeglich, posing a troubling question about what one’s soul desiresmeaning here not just a fleeting desire, but an inner core aspiration in the times of affluence and economic prosperity sometimes troubled by wars and pandemics. What one’s inner self really desires might seem a trivial question, but does anyone know the answer? Or even trouble to answer?

On the opposite wall, one finds an ironic response: give-away paper bags

by Rosika Janko Glage framed and painted over with images of wastelands full of rubbish in third world countries, with African kids cleaning or gathering left-overs dumped carelessly and rotting away.

Western consumer culture, excessive tourism and globalized economies of abuse are also a topic with Semra Sevin, whose photographs in heavy glass frames come next in the show. These depict immediately recognizable Berlin city highlights, like the Theater of Volksbühne, which would translate from German as folk's using the traditional East Berlin communist folklore emphasizing the theater stage. The photograph depicts the controversial sculpture symbol of the Volksbuhne. A wheel on short poorly sketched legs, likely symbolizing the motion process at infant stages, this sculpture remained in the limelight for quite a time recently after it was removed from the square in front of the theatre, when infamous theater director, curator from London Chris

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Derkon, tried to restructure the Volksbühne in a move to modernize it, but failed due to the opposition of the Berlin art scene. As a result, the wheels

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

sculpture was returned to its original place and the future of the Volksbühne is still to be decided.

Other works by Semra depict such touristic icons as the Oberbaum bridge brucke, and the East Berlin TV tower.

These are photographed through a lens that would distort and disguise them in a monstrous manner that would question their hype and purpose. What would Berlin be without its hype? From a female perspective, the city TV tower is just a symbol of media domination. Berlin is a city full of opposing parallel universes, like the Prinzenbad swimming-pool where people come together to enjoy and share. The artist, Melanie Moeglich, was here, and captured glimpses of the swimmers out on a sunny day. Like in times immemorial, water is here shown as a place of communal gathering; a source of life and regeneration; as in the depictions of paradise scenes of rejoicing people with Matisse, bodies rejoicing in the nature. The group of photographs is spontaneously arranged along the corridor wall and would comfortably fit into someone’s private sitting room to remind of a beautiful weekend captured by a frivolous camera.

Speaking of private apartments and sitting rooms, last but not least in this Work Show are the interiors by Paula Carralero Bierzynska made in colorful brushstrokes upon silk stretched on wooden frames. One almost sees through the silk when the light shimmers on it.

These light silk canvases represent

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interiors and stage-like spaces in reddish-yellow with glimpses of green and ochre. A grand piano in the center of an empty stage waiting for the audience and the curtain to rise, the heavy curtain lending a concert-hall excitement to the serene interior. This work group reminds us of painting metaphorically being a stage for the whole world to be projected on, with us, the viewers, invited to contemplate and ponder upon the vanities of the world.

Having this in mind, Yair Meshoulam's handmade rug hanging in the passage with its colorful motives of flowers comes here as an oasis of bloom intruding into the strictly ordered space. Chaotic and flamboyant, it bursts out the motives of nature to create a poetic disorder of ornamental curves. The sombre saturated colors remind one of an oriental carpet.

The Work Show 1 running during the Berlin Art Week is the first in a set of exhibitions focusing on the artistic practice of female artists who submitted works to the X-treme Women Art Prize organized by Martina Singer and curator Lily Fürstenow-Khositashvili with the support of the Scholarship of the deutscher Künstlerbund / Bundesprogramm Neustart Kultur. More information about the project is on the www.e-mergingartists.art online platform supporting women in arts. The exhibitions will run until December 2021 at Brunnenstrasse 145, 10115 Berlin at the Nachbarschaftszentrum Brunnentreff community center.

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