Issue #1328

Issue no: 1328

• DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2021 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

FOCUS

ON SABUKO

Ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources without significantly affecting economic activities- the Iori Valley and Chachuna Reserve

PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

5,000 Products at Your Fingertips: Carrefour Introduces New Delivery Service App NEWS PAGE 2

PAGE 8

Our Different Christmasses POLITICS PAGE 4

UNM Announces Mass Hunger Strike to Free Misha POLITICS PAGE 4

500 Women in Technology Large-Scale Training Project Begins in Georgia SOCIETY PAGE 10

Swefland Group Hosts a Unique International Investment Conference Before the New Year

O

n Tuesday, December 28, at Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace, investment conference INVEST HUB 2022 is to take place. The International conference covers such issues as the Georgian economy and investment opportunities, featuring top-level of Arabic and international investors, Georgian government and business leaders, and global investment companies and institutions.

This is an international conference about investment in Georgia. The event will highlight Georgia’s profile to a global business and investment audience. Foreign investments are of critical significance for the re-launching of the economy.

The conference will provide foreign investors with unique networking opportunities with Georgian business representatives, as well as with members of the local government delegation.

The conference is initiated and hosted by Swefland group and organized by the “Cross-Cultural Communication Center.” Swefland Group is a leading investment group in Georgia focusing on serving, as a start, the Middle East and Arabia region.

Continued on page 6

The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Tbilisi Organizes Online Meeting - “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the United Arab Emirates and Georgia” SOCIETY PAGE 10

Solomon Art Gallery Presents: Innovative Artist of Contemporary Georgian Painting, Otar Chakvetadze CULTURE PAGE 11 CULTURE PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

Markets As of 20ͲDecͲ2021

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STOCKS

Price

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GRAIL 07/28

100.44 (YTM 3.92%)

Ͳ0,0%

Ͳ0,8%

Bank of Georgia (BGEO LN)

GBP 15.44

Ͳ2,3%

Ͳ7,2%

GEBGG 07/23

BONDS

106.36 (YTM 1.93%)

Price

+0,1%

w/w

+0,4%

Georgia Capital (CGEO LN)

GBP 6.38

Ͳ1,8%

Ͳ1,1%

GEOCAP 03/24

102.65 (YTM 4.84%)

+0,3%

Ͳ0,3%

TBC Bank Group (TBCG LN)

GBP 15.36

Ͳ1,5%

Ͳ3,2%

SILNET 04/24

107.65 (YTM 7.28%)

+0,1%

+0,0%

TBC 06/24

105.52 (YTM 3.42%)

Ͳ0,2%

Ͳ0,9%

GGU 07/25

106.29 (YTM 5.79%)

Ͳ0,1%

Ͳ0,3%

CURRENCIES

Price

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GEL / USD

3,0920

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GEL / EUR

3,4865

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COMMODITIES

Price

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GEL / GBP

4,0841

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Crude Oil, Brent (US$/bbl)

71,52

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Ͳ9,3%

GEL / CHF

3,3590

+0,0%

+0,0%

1 790,93

+0,2%

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Gold Spot (US$/OZ)

INDICES

GEL / RUB

0,0417

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GEL / TRY

0,2337

+4,4%

Ͳ15,7%

GEL / AZN

1,8224

+0,1%

Ͳ0,6%

FTSE 100

7 198,03

Ͳ0,5%

Ͳ0,4%

GEL / AMD

0,0064

+2,2%

Ͳ1,9%

FTSE 250

22 549,88

Ͳ0,4%

Ͳ4,0%

GEL / UAH

0,1134

Ͳ1,3%

Ͳ3,3%

DAX

15 239,67

Ͳ2,4%

Ͳ5,7%

EUR / USD

0,8868

+0,1%

+0,0%

DOW JONES

34 932,16

Ͳ2,0%

Ͳ1,9%

GBP / USD

0,7571

+0,0%

+1,8%

NASDAQ

14 980,94

Ͳ2,8%

Ͳ6,7%

CHF / USD

0,9211

Ͳ0,2%

178,53

+0,5%

Ͳ7,6%

RUB / USD

74,1784

+0,9%

+0,9%

1 190,08

Ͳ3,3%

Ͳ6,2%

TRY / USD

13,3274

Ͳ3,6%

+18,1%

MSCI EM EE MSCI EM SP 500

4 568,02

Ͳ2,2%

Ͳ2,8%

AZN / USD

MSCI FM

2 633,46

+0,2%

Ͳ2,1%

AMD / USD

Ͳ0,7%

1,6975

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Ͳ0,1%

482,6900

Ͳ2,3%

+1,2%

2

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

5,000 Products at Your Fingertips: Carrefour Introduces New Delivery Service App The new service makes shopping even more convenient with delivery in under 60 minutes

QR code of the application

throughout Tbilisi, with plans to expand further into the country.

The affordable delivery fee is only 3.90 GEL, with a minimum order of 20 GEL required. Customers can place orders between 9:00 AM until 9:00 PM.

A

cceleratingGeorgia’se-commerce industry, MAF CARREFOUR, Carrefour’s recently launched delivery service app, will offer customers the option to shop online with ease and have the order home-delivered within 60 minutes. The app provides consumers access to a convenient service that was born out of analyzing consumer preferences, priming shoppers for a more seamless shopping experience.

The new app and delivery service offers ‘5000 products in 60 minutes!’, providing customers a vast catalogue of diverse

products to order from online and the promise of delivering orders placed through the app in under 60 minutes.

When planning a shopping trip, customers are looking for convenience and speed. They want their experience to be as fast and efficient as possible. However, the pandemic has altered consumer habits, and individuals are now much more likely to do their grocery and essentials shopping online. Taking into consideration evolving shopper needs, the need for convenience, as well as health and safety, Carrefour’s new app offers customers an elevated safe and seamless

The Loyalty Program MyClub is also available in the app, which allows customers to accumulate points.

The users of the new application will benefit from various exciting promotions and gifts. Notably, a customer who pays with a MasterCard will receive a 30% discount on the full cost of the basket (maximum 15 GEL). One customer can get a discount only once. Discounts do not apply to the delivery fee – it’s fixed at 3.90 GEL. Carrefour is a customer-centric brand focused on providing comprehensive tech-driven services and experiences at all levels. The physical and digital expansion of the brand actively continues, and Carrefour is expected to offer more innovative products to its loyal customers, especially during the festive season.

shopping experience.

Striving to deliver unbeatable choice, quality, and value to its customers, Carrefour is constantly seeking to innovate its customer service. The combined app and delivery service is therefore a digitized solution that allows consumers to shop from the comfort of their own home, or whilst on the move. Integrating techdriven solutions and innovations ensures Carrefour continues to evolve its digital offering, providing a digitized full omnichannel experience to customers.

MAF CARREFOUR is available on Android and iOS, and is now active

Corona Updates: First Cases of Omicron Strain Detected in Georgia

O

n Monday, December 20, the first two cases of the new Omicron strain were detected in Georgia.

NCDC Head Amiran Gamkrelidze announced that both patients infected with Omicron were Georgian citizens, with one of them having a history of traveling to the US, and the other to Dubai.

“Although Omicron has been detected [in Georgia], I do not expect a rapid deterioration of the epidemic situation, at least until the New Year. Then, if it spreads at the speed it is characterized by, of course, it will become a burden on the healthcare system, but we hope that the majority of cases will be outpatients,” he said, adding that this strain spreads about 3-4 times faster than other strains of coronavirus.

On Wednesday, Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia said that 24 cases of Omicron had been registered in the country so far, mainly characterized by mild or moderate symptoms. Reportedly, all cases of Omicron in Georgia are outpatient and, at the moment, 53 contacts of those confirmed cases are being investigated.

Gabunia also noted that a rapid increase in cases is expected in late January.

To reduce public mobility during the festive season, the government has imposed holidays at public institutions from January 1-10. Similar recommendations have been issued by the Council to the private sector. Holidays have been set for schools from December 28 to January 17.

The new circumstances caused by the

viral spread of Omicron have been taken into consideration by the Council, which did not deem it justified to ease any restrictions. As such, the planned reopening of nightclubs was postponed indefinitely.

The Inter-Agency Coordination Council again urged citizens to wear facemasks, practice social distancing, and get actively engaged in the process of vaccination to make sure that no need arises for the nation-wide introduction of tight restrictive measures.

THE STATISTICS Georgia reported 3282 coronavirus cases, 3 263 recoveries, and 53 deaths on Tuesday. Tbilisi recorded the highest number of 1378 Covid-19 cases, followed by the Imereti region with 532 cases, and the Adjara region with 272 cases.

The country reported 2739 coronavirus cases, 3072 recoveries, and 52 deaths on Wednesday. Tbilisi recorded 1246 new cases, followed by Imereti with 437 cases, and Adjara with 204 cases.

Georgia reported 2164 coronavirus cases, 3767 recoveries, and 68 deaths on Thursday. Tbilisi recorded the highest number of 1074 Covid-19 cases within 24 hours, followed by Imereti with 291 cases, and the Adjara region with 149 cases.

The daily test-positivity rate now stands at 4.98 %, down from 6.43 % in the past 14 days.

Georgia’s total case tally since February 2020 reached 918,641, among which 873,178 people recovered and 13,289 died.

As of December 23,2,428.334 people had received the Covid-19 vaccine.

THE CASES WORLDWIDE Health officials remain concerned regarding the spread of Omicron. Countries across Europe have been tightening restrictions as the heavily mutated variant spreads, the BBC reported this week.

A major incident has been declared in London and more than 10,000 new Omicron cases have been confirmed in the UK, as the variant spreads rapidly across the country. 90,418 new Covid cases were reported in the UK on Saturday, after days of such record highs.

Scientific advisers have warned England's hospital admissions could reach 3,000 a day without new measures.

Advisers said indoor mixing was the "biggest risk factor" for the spread of Omicron, and that large gatherings risked creating "multiple spreading events".

The Netherlands has begun a strict lockdown over Christmas amid concerns over the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Non-essential shops, bars, gyms, hairdressers and other public venues are to remain closed until at least 14 January.

Two guests per household will be allowed - four over the holidays. Events are not permitted other than funerals, professional sports matches are to be held with no spectators, and all schools are closed until at least 9 January.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the measures were "unavoidable". The new rules in the Netherlands are the strictest to have been announced over Omicron so far.

South Africa has been at the forefront of the Omicron wave. After hitting a high of nearly 27,000 new cases nationwide last Thursday, the numbers dropped to about 15,424 on Tuesday. In Gauteng province, South Africa's most populous with 16 million people, including the largest city Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria, the decrease started earlier

and has continued.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that while vaccines have saved many lives this year, their unequal sharing "has cost many lives," adding that the vast majority of people who are hospitalized or die are unvaccinated.

In the Asia-Pacific region, Australia on Thursday reported a major spike in coronavirus infections, a day after Prime Minister Scott Morrison rejected lockdowns or mask mandates to slow the spread of Omicron.

Japan has found its first suspected instance of community spread infection from the Omicron variant of coronavirus, the governor of the Osaka prefecture said.

In China, one local case has forced the city of Dongxing to order its residents to stay at home, halt public transport and some school classes, and postpone the clearing of travelers and cargo through its port of entry.

In Georgia’s neighboring countries, the situation is most alarming in Russia.

Moscow on Thursday confirmed over 3000 new Covid cases, a 60% jump compared to Wednesday.

Russia has detected 41 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 so far, health authorities said Tuesday.

“Russia claimed its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine provides “robust” long-term protection against the Omicron variant, disputing the findings of an independent study which found the Russian jab produced no antibody response whatsoever to the new highly transmissible variant,” reported the Moscow Times.

4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

Our Different Christmasses OP-ED BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

C

hristmas is very near, coming up in just a couple of days, but we will not be celebrating it here in Georgia. We have our own Christmas Day, and it has nothing to do with the Christmas celebrated by most of the Christians of the world: ours is a fortnight later because we are different, so to speak, and we feel separated from the rest of the world in this respect. The 25th of December is going to be a regular Saturday – some of us relaxing and some working away, depending on our occupation and our place in society. Nothing special will be happening on the 25th because we will be saving our rejoicing energy, fun-having mood and partying capacity for New Year and then the 7th of January, which the majority of Georgia’s population sincerely believes is the real Christmas, gifted to them by the Lord and the indigenous religious tradition. Of course, there are some people in this country, like Catholics and Protestants, who will not lag behind the rest of the world in their Christmas celebrations, and will elatedly hail the birth of the most popular saint and prophet in history, Jesus Christ, on December 25th. So, I always tell them Merry Christmas before I join my Orthodox brothers and sisters in wishing the same to one another.

The New Year is a little different, as, in this, Georgia will celebrate the Day of onset of the next year together with all other inhabitants on the planet. And it feels so good! But incidentally, we also have our own New Year, which is toasted to on the 14th of January, and we call it the Old New Year. This might seem a little strange, but this is what we do here – see the New Year in on two occasions annually.

But that’s not the end of differences in the Christian realm. The coming Orthodox Easter Sunday

will fall on the 24th of April in 2022, but Catholics and Protestants believe that Christ arose on the 17th of April. The same day, the Orthodox believers will be celebrating Palm Sunday, but their fellow Christians of Catholic and Protestant belief will already have done so on April 10th. Such are those minor calendar differences in the Christian Church, which likely purports no harm. And still, those little diversities do feel like a nuisance.

Why should we be divided even that much? Why does it make sense to be scattered all over the calendar? Would not Our Father hear us better if all of us prayed at the same time with the same zealous Christian heart, and with a Christian mind that brings us together rather than divides? Christians of the world, unite! Although the slogan is borrowed from the Communist manifesto, it might still work to the benefit of Christian believers all over the Earth.

Take our brother Muslims for example, be it Sunnites or Shiites: They all celebrate Ramadan the same day, without even a vestige of calendar distinction or spiritual disparity, unless my knowledge of religion fails. I am not ashamed of taking a good example from anybody who gives that good an example, because a good example is a good example, be it based on Christian or Muslim credos.

Religious dissimilarities and contradictions have never worked to the benefit of Mankind. Vice versa, they have instigated in history bloodshed and millions of deaths. And the differences within one and the same religion are even worse. Man is so funny: never sated with his ambitions, whatever those ambitions are associated with, be they major beliefs or petite principles. And some of those ambitions and aspirations are bizarre, if not totally stupid.

Conclusively, I would like to have the Christians of Georgia, in their sincerest entirety, celebrate Christmas and New Year and Easter, and whatever else there might be to celebrate, in peace and brotherhood, and in loving togetherness.

A traditional Georgian "chichilaki" tree. Georgians believe that it resembles the famous beard of St. Basil the Great, who is thought to visit people during Christmas. It is also a symbol of hope. Every year, people buy chichilakis and decorate them with small fruits and berries. The chichilakis are then ceremoniously burned the day before the Georgian Orthodox Epiphany on 19 January to symbolize the passing of the previous year's troubles. Photo by Irma Laghadze

UNM Announces Mass Hunger Strike to Free Misha

BY TEAM GT

Rooms from 75 USD

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

T

his week, the opposition party United National Movement launched a mass hunger strike and encouraged its supporters to join them. Nika Melia, the UNM Chairman, introduced the decision to protesters in front of Parliament, adding that the hunger strike will not stop until Mikheil Saakashvili is released from prison.

Melia noted the hunger strike will take place on the territory of the UNM HQ on Kakheti Highway, where the relevant infrastructure has already been set up.

He said he could not call on anyone to join the mass hunger strike, but noted that “the more people who join, the sooner Mikheil Saakashvili will be released.”

“It is a difficult decision, but it is our constitutional right and a non-violent form of protest. The whole world should see that we won’t put up with the captivity of the third president of the country,” Melia said.

He also welcomed the process of national consensus suggested by President Salome Zurabishvili last Friday.

“We have been through a lot of difficulties as a nation, and, with the exception of periods where there was total controversy, there were always two or more camps,” the President said. “The past, which we have not yet analyzed, is a burden today, and society is tired. With all those unbearable situations, with the emergence of Covid-19, and considering the social and economic conditions, there is too little prospect in the country for calm and the chance to take care of the main issues: development, overcoming poverty, uniting society.

Even the Church is divided. We are also forgetting to pay attention to the world around us; to see what is happening; to understand the threats and opportunities.

“To move forward, we need a consensus platform, where we will jointly decide what the next stage of talks should be, with the help of foreigners, but more importantly with Georgians. No matter our foreign partners’ efforts and diligence, they do not have the understanding from within to manage this difficult and long process, which is why we should be the ones to manage it, and it will take time,” Zurabishvili said.

“I, together with my friends, respect and welcome personally the process of the national agreement initiated by the President, and we will do our part to play a positive role and contribute to this process if there is even the slightest chance of consent,” Melia said in his speech at the rally on Rustaveli Avenue.

He highlighted that confrontation is not good for anyone except the regime, and he will be personally involved in the national reconciliation process.

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

6

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

Swefland Group Hosts a Unique International Investment Conference Before the New Year and investment destination and what lies ahead. Investors and businessmen from Middle East , Finland, Czech, Estonia, and China will speak about the expectations and attractiveness of Georgia as an investment destination.”

He then spoke about the investment opportunities that the conference will bring to Georgia.

“Talking in numbers, Swefland Group is expecting to recruit more than $224,000.000 in Georgia. By visibility studies and the calculations of our investment department, we are inviting more than 25 top-level investors who are interested in increasing their investment wallet in Georgia,” he said.

TELL US ABOUT THE SWEFLAND GROUP. WHY IS IT SUPPORTING INVESTMENTS IN GEORGIA? WHAT ARE YOUR INSIGHTS, AS YOU HAVE ALREADY INVESTED HUGE AMOUNT OF MILLIONS USD HERE? The initiator and host of the event is Swefland Group group, a leading investment developer in Georgia focusing on serving the Middle East - Arabian region and the conference is organized by the “Cross-cultural communication center” and it represent Georgia within china, EU and Arabic countries as a hub for the investors. The main goal is scaling the investment landscape of 2022 and representing Georgia as a regional hub for investors.

Swefland Group actively works in the investment market in Georgia. Company was established in 2017 with more than 10 years’ experience of the investment market in Middle East And Greece, and over 5 years’ experience in Georgia, the group boasting a success story for developing Real estates and managing to Handle all clients and investors’ needs.

We are a multinational investment group that invests in many sectors of investment in Georgia. Right now, we have 5 established companies in Georgia: Swefland Real Estate, Stateya Real Estate, Swefland Contractions, FC Gardabani, Mtsvane Kalaki 98.5 FM “Green City Radio,” and Tourzilla Travel & Tourism.

Continued from page 1 Swefland Group aims to introduce trends, new opportunities, and the investment landscape of 2022, and to present Georgia as a international hub. “We are very proud that we an represent Georgia within china, the EU, and Arabic countries as a hub for investors. We believe that the Georgian economy will benefit from these investments,” Mahmoud Sami, CEO of Swefland Group, told us.

GEORGIA TODAY sat down with him to learn more about the investment conference.

“The 1st investment conference INVEST HUB 2022 is an international event that highlights Georgia’s profile to a global business and investment audience.

The forum showcases the developments and reforms in the Georgian economy and the investment opportunities, as well as sharing insights and successful cases from investors who already invested huge amount of hundred’s million USD in Georgia.

“Foreign investments are of critical significance for the re-launching of the economy,” he noted.

HOW WILL THIS CONFERENCE PROMOTE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN GEORGIA? The conference will highlight the advan-

tages of the investment climate of Georgia. It will be a promotion before large scale Arab, EU, and Chinese investors and business leaders. Guests are interested in investing and making business in Georgia. They are committed to work with the Georgian government to achieve joint intentions for more Arabic and international investments in Georgia, which will bring economic benefits.

WHO WILL INTRODUCE NEW TRENDS AND ECONOMIC REFORMS OF GEORGIA FOR 2022 FROM THE GEORGIAN SIDE? Several key Georgian government representatives will outline their specific programs and policies in the sectors of their portfolios. They will introduce Georgia's business climate and new opportunities for foreign investors.

Deputy ministers and representatives of government agencies will present the developments and reforms in the Georgian economy.

“As for speakers and guests of the conference, a top-level group of CEOs and other executives will discuss trends, developments, and opportunities for each of the main areas of the economy,” Sami told us. “A group of international investors will share their insights as to why they chose Georgia as a business

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE FORMAT OF “CONFERENCE” AND HOW WILL IT BE EFFECTIVE? The conference is providing foreign investors with unique networking opportunities with Georgian business representatives, as well as with members of the local government delegation. Networking opportunities include pre-conference networking, panel discussion, and a networking lunch.

During the conference, communication and networking time will give speakers, government representatives, investors, and businessleaderstheopportunitytoexchange ideas, discuss the challenges, and share insights and opinions in one space.

We hope that this format will give us the result that we are looking forward to from this event.

MEMORANDUMS WILL BE SIGNED AT THE CLOSING OF THE EVENT. TELL US MORE. The signing of the memorandum of understanding between investors is the conclusion of the conference, showing a mutual desire for cooperation. A bilateral agreement between parties In the frames of the conference, the memorandum of understanding will be signed between investors from China and Arabic countries. Also, document will be signed between Arabic company Swefland Group, and Chinese company OPLUS Groups and document between Swefland Group, International charity organization REGI BASE and REGI BASE Georgia. And it will express a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. As such, the MOA will be the logical conclusion document of the conference.

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS AFTER THE CONFERENCE? We are planning to cooperate with the investors after the conference periodically and to work to involve them in the Georgian investment environment. In the long term, we are planning to organize INVEST HUB conference every year and invite more business persons interested in investing in Georgia.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

7

ISET GDP Forecast | Poised to See Nearly 10% GDP Growth in 2021, Georgia Still Struggles with Inflation, Stagnant Consumer Confidence and Slow Tourism Recovery REMITTANCES.

BY DAVIT KESHELAVA AND YASYA BABYCH

In October, remittances increased by 13.7% annually and reached 206.7 million USD (the growth was partially driven by increased use of bank transfers rather than physically carrying money via border due to COVID regulations ). The main contributors to this increase were Italy (by 20.2% YoY, contributing 3.1 ppts), Kazakhstan (by 306.2% YoY, 3.1 ppts), Kyrgyz Republic (by 1037.6% YoY, 3.1 ppts), Germany (by 37.6% YoY, 1.6 ppts), USA (by 11.6% YoY, 1.4 ppts), Azerbaijan (by 33.3% YoY, 1 ppts), Israel (by 10.9% YoY, 0.8 ppts), and Russian Federation (by 3% YoY, 0.6 ppts). Whereas money inflows decreased from Ukraine (by 33.5% YoY, -2 ppts), Turkey (by 15.1% YoY, -0.8 ppts), and Greece (by 2.7% YoY, -0.3 ppts). Overall, the recovery of remittances flows made a positive contribution to the growth forecast.

I

SET-PI has updated its real GDP growth forecast for the fourth quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022. Here are the highlights of this month’s release:

HIGHLIGHTS • Recently, Geostat released its preliminary estimate of real GDP growth for the first and second quarters of 2021.

The Q1 and Q2 growth rates were revised upward to -4.1% (by 0.4 ppt) and downward to 28.9% (by 1 ppt) respectively.

• The real GDP growth rate amounted to 6.9% year-on-year for October 2021.

Consequently, the estimated real GDP growth for the first ten months of 2021 was 10.5%.

• As a result of the update, the growth forecast for Q4 of 2021 decreased by 0.1 ppt to 10.8%. ISET-PI’s second forecast for Q1 of 2022 puts GDP growth at 7.3%.

• Based on October’s data, we expect annual growth in 2021 to be 10.7%, which is 0.1 percentage point lower than the previous forecast.

NATIONAL AND FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSITS. The first set of variables with a moderate effect on our forecast relates to national and foreign currency deposits in commercial banks. All categories of national currency deposits (except time deposits with maturity less than 3 months) grew in annual terms in October. In particular, national currency demand deposits saw an annual increase of 7.9%, while time deposits increased by 5.9% annually. Consequently, national currency total deposits increased by 17.3% yearly. In the same time period, demand deposits decreased by 3.4% in monthly terms, while time deposits and current account increased by 1.4% and 3.5% respectively compared to the previous month.

In addition, foreign currency total deposits increased by 9.8% compared to the same month of the previous year. In the same time period, currency in circulation and foreign currency demand deposits increased by more than 15% annually. As a result, deposit dollarization increased by 0.1 percentage points monthly and has reached 61%. Despite positive annual trends, deposit-related variables still had a slight positive contribution to real GDP growth based on our model.

VAT TURNOVER. As far as other variables of interest, VAT turnover in October increased by 9.2% yearly and 2% monthly. Consequently, this variable had a positive contribution to real GDP growth.

CONSUMER CREDIT. The other group of variables that had an important impact on the GDP growth

TOURISM.

predictions is related to consumer credit.

In October 2021, the total volume of commercial banks’ consumer credit increased by 27% yearly and 2.8% monthly.

However, the volume of commercial banks' short-term consumer credits decreased by 9.8% yearly and increased by 1.3% monthly. The negative annual growth was driven by short-term consumer credit in national currency, which declined by 15.6% yearly. While shortterm deposits in foreign currency increased by 23% yearly. Whereas, the volume of commercial banks' long-term consumer credits increased by 28.7% and 2.9% yearly and monthly respectively.

Overall, the variables related to consumer credit have had a slight negative impact on the growth forecast.

MONEY SUPPLY. All monetary aggregates, including the largest, Broad Money (M3), and the smallest, Narrow Money (M0), experienced yearly growth: 16% and 0.3%, respectively. Moreover, currency in circulation increased by 3% yearly. However, some of the monetary aggregates, including currency in circulation, M0 and M1 aggregates, slightly declined in monthly terms. Overall, money supply related variables had a slight negative contribution to the real GDP growth for the last quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022 based on our model.

INFLATION AND STRICT MONETARY POLICY. In October, the annual inflation of consumer prices amounted to 12.8%, which is notably higher than the targeted 3%.

Approximately 5.3 percentage points of CPI inflation were related to higher food prices, which increased 19.2% annually (this was driven by the hike in food prices worldwide – FAO Food Price Index

increased by 31% yearly). Furthermore, increased oil prices made a notable positive contribution (1.9 ppts) to the annual inflation measure. The latter trend is mostly a reflection of significantly increased oil prices on the global market (Euro Brent Spot Price (COP) increased by 107.9% yearly). The other important contributors were increased prices on healthcare (0.6 ppts), tobacco (0.2 ppt) and utilities (1.7 ppts). Meanwhile, the measure of core inflation amounted to 6.2%. Due to higher annual inflation rate compared to the targeted 3% and risks of emerging inflationary expectations, National Bank of Georgia (NBG) increased Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 0.5 percentage point to 10.5% in December 2021. Overall, CPI related variables had a slight negative contribution to the GDP forecast.

EXPECTATIONS. In the fourth quarter of 2021, ISET-PI’s Business Confidence Index (BCI) decreased slightly by 5.8 index points reaching 30.6 points. The highest decrease in business confidence is observed in construction (-21.0), services (-15.3), and agriculture (-8.8) sectors. A negative change in BCI for Q4 2021 was driven by worsened future expectations and weak past performance. In contrast, compared to Q3 2021, BCI increased in retail trade (+20.9), manufacturing (+9.8) and financial sectors (+6.7).

After the increase of consumer confidence in September, The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) once again reverted to the level similar to June 2021.

The CCI decreased from -29.5 in September to -32.5 in October, with both the Present Situation Index and the Expectations Index moving downwards. From a broader perspective, there can be several factors contributing to decreased

sentiment from the population: (1) the results of the first round of municipal elections likely dampened people’s expectations; (2) Georgia entered its fifth wave of COVID-19 in October, where the number of cases and the death rate began to rise in the middle of the month; (3) inflation reverted to its highest point (12.8%) in October, with increased oil and food prices being major contributors, which placed additional pressure on households.

MERCHANDISE TRADE. In October, Georgia’s exports experienced an 31.4% annual growth, which was mainly driven by increased export/ re-export of ferro alloys (contributing by 13.9 percentage points), copper ores and concentrates (by 2.2 ppts), motor cars (by 1.2 ppts), natural grape wines (by 0.8 ppt), alcohol spirits (by 0.9 ppt), and mineral and chemical fertilizers (by 2.8 ppts). In contrast, Georgian exports of raw gold declined notably (by -1.1 ppts).

During this period, the import of goods increased by 24%, driven by an increased import of petroleum and petroleum products (by 4.1 ppts), packaged medicines (by 2.6 ppts), computing machines and their blocks (by 0.9 ppt), immune serums (by 1.8 ppts), petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (by 0.7 ppt), flat rolled carbon steel (by 0.9 ppt), and coal or lignite coke and semi-coke (by 1.5 ppts). In contrast, Georgian imports of motor cars (by -2.1 ppts), copper ores and concentrates (by -0.1 ppt), and telephones (by -0.3 ppt) declined notably.

Consequently, the trade deficit widened dramatically by 18.3% yearly, and amounted to 492.8 million USD. Overall, trade related variables still had a small positive contribution to the GDP growth forecast.

Tourism arrivals and receipts only partially recovered in October of 2021 after a sharp decline in 2020. In October, the number of international visitors increased by 313.7% yearly (decreased by 69.1% compared to the same month in 2019), while the increase in tourist numbers (visitors who spent 24 hours or more in Georgia) amounted to 331.5% (decreased by 57% compared to the same month in 2019). Overall, recovering numbers of visitors and tourists, along with a moderate increase in touristic spending has made a small positive contribution to the growth forecast.

WORLD PRICES. The other variables of interest in our growth forecast were Metals Price Index (PMETA) and the Agricultural Raw Materials Index (PRAWM). Metals form a significant share in Georgia’s exports, while food and oil are among the main imports. Therefore, a global increase in the price of metal will likely cause improvement to the Georgian economy, whereas an increase in the price of agricultural products will be damaging. In annual terms, metal prices increased by 42% in October, while raw agricultural material prices increased by 4.9%. On the balance, adding the PMETA and PRAWM indicators to the model thus increases the growth forecast for both quarters.

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Georgia amounted to only 299.0 million USD in the third quarter of 2020, which is 1.4% higher than the same figure for 2020, and 25.9% lower than same number in 2019. FDI experienced notable increase in agriculture and fishing, manufacturing, energy, construction, hotels and restaurants, transport and health and social work, while FDI decreased in mining, communications, real estate, financial and other sectors. The recent trends in FDI are not yet taken into consideration in our model.

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BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

SABUKO: Fruitful Collaboration with Local Farmers & State Agencies Leads to Achievements in Ecosystem Restoration

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henitcomestoachieving significant results, paperwork alone is never enough. Reaching high goals needs continuous practical work and direct contact with stakeholders. One of the most distinguished organizations in this regard, well-known for its dedicated practical work and activities in Georgia, is SABUKO, (Society for Nature Conservation and Birdlife Partner in Georgia) which aims to protect and restore ecosystems and at the same time ensure the sustainable use of natural resources without significantly affecting economic activities.

One recent and successful project being implemented by SABUKO is ‘Restoring Gallery Forest and Grasslands in the Iori River Valley.’

The Iori River, located in Georgia’s Dedoplistskaro municipality, and the gallery forest stretching along the valley, are integral parts of south-east Georgia’s steppe ecosystem. Yet, the steppe areas have been subjected to over-stocking with livestock, causing overgrazing, erosion, and competition with native herbivores. There is also the biodiversity of Chachuna Managed Reserve located nearby, which has faced a severe problem of degradation due to unregulated grazing.

INTRODUCING A SOLUTION ROTATIONAL GRAZING SCHEME To improve the dire situation on the ground, SABUKO has been implementing the landscape restoration project since January 1, 2019, with the support of the Cambridge Conservation Initiative. As part of the project, the organization developed a rotational grazing scheme.

In order for the grass to grow, the area needs to be rested for some time from grazing. SABUKO presented a rotational grazing scheme to the Agency of Protected Areas, which put this point in its contract with farmers. Initially, some farmers were skeptical about rotational grazing, but when it was planned and implemented with one, others also became interested and followed their example.

Rotational grazing turned out to be fruitful, as, afterwards, better grass grows in the area. This made the whole team of SABUKO very happy and proud. The results are truly promising, bringing hope that despite degradation, the unique biodiversity existing on the ground can be maintained and restored.

SABUKO and its partner organizations spare no effort to use the opportunity for restoration, and as a result of this active work, very tangible results have

been achieved, though there are still a lot of things to be done.

To raise awareness of degradation and sustainable land management, SABUKO made a short documentary film which was recently premiered for a wider audience and received very positive feedback.

On December 14, SABUKO and EcoFilms presented to the public the first documentary about the Chachuna Reserve, entitled ‘Facing the Desert.’

The documentary covers the ecological problems existing on the ground and possible ways to establish sustainable use of natural resources.

The audience attending the presentation of the film also had the opportunity to see the works of photographer Natela Grigalashvili from the Chachuna Reserve.

Under the Artists' Residence Program, supported by the Cambridge Conservation Initiative, the photographer will work for a year in the reserve to document the interaction between Man and nature. These photos were taken at the very beginning of this project.

At the event, it was also possible to see footage of rare wildlife species living in the territory of the Chachuna Managed Reserve, taken by photo traps installed

by SABUKO.

SUCCESSFUL COOPERATION WITH STATE STRUCTURES The recent period has been marked with an important change at the legislative level: for two years, the team of SABUKO has been actively trying to introduce a definition for the permissible amount of cattle grazing per hectare, in cooperation with state structures, by sharing research.

Legislative innovation has already been adopted in the current quarter to define that permissible amount, which is very important for biodiversity conservation.

The above legislative change currently applies to state-owned pastures.

The practice of mutual cooperation between the non-governmental agency and the state structure implemented by the adopted regulation can be considered very successful.

“The problem was that the legislation regarding pastures was very general- there were no relevant normative acts,” Tinatin Arveladze, Policy Manager, explained.

“The above change was one of the first steps towards the sustainable development of pastures the state could make.”

“The legislative change was adopted on 6 October 2021. SABUKO contributed to this process even prior to introduction of the legislative regulation, as it developed a rotational grazing scheme.

For example, when two pastures were leased in the territory surrounding the Chachuna Reserve, the pasture tenants were instructed to follow SABUKO’s

rotational grazing scheme as enshrined in the lease agreement by the Agency of Protected Areas. This was gradually implemented in practice by those who grazed sheep in this area. Adopting the legislative act was a big goal for SABUKO, and a result of a lot of enthusiasm, which was also met by the local municipality and the Agency for Protected Areas.

However, a legislative act alone is not enough, as protecting and restoring biodiversity is also a matter of each shepherds’ personal responsibility.

“Monitoring is also an important issue,” Arveladze noted. “A new Land Agency is to become the main agency in terms of sustainable management of these pastures. However, it doesn’t have enough resources for constant monitoring. If no monitoring is carried out on how this obligation is being fulfilled, this record will remain a mere formality. Having enough human resources, experts who would evaluate the condition of grass cover, is crucial in this process. In SABUKO, we have a qualified German expert, but in general, a shortage of experts in the field is notable in Georgia.”

Nata Sultanishvili, Head of Planning and Development Service at the Agency of Protected Areas, assesses collaboration with SABUKO as “very active and successful.”

“Previously, there was no management plan or relevant studies conducted in terms of the sustainable management of pastures in the Chachuna Managed Reserve in the Kakheti region. Thanks to SABUKO, in a close collaboration with the Agency of Protected Areas, this was achieved and a plan was developed that defined the permissible amount of cattle per hectare in the area.

“There is a very good international and local practice that protected areas are managed with a Management Plan, where programs of various directions are determined and the relevant actions and steps are taken. The Chachuna Reserve didn’t have such a plan before. Together with SABUKO, we created one.

“However, adopting an act is one issue, and monitoring its implementation is another,” she added. “Accordingly, the management of the Agency of Protected Areas and our rangers will be actively involved in this process to verify compliance with the terms of the contracts.

“Various measures have also been taken to prevent cases of overgrazing, such as fencing off certain areas, which is also very important. In addition, the organization works very actively to protect the biodiversity existing on the ground. Such actions eventually serve the goal of strengthening the eco-tourism in the country, which is crucial for the economy,” Sultanishvili notes.

The administration of the Chachuna Managed Reserve is also very thankful to SABUKO for their hard work.

“We’ve been successfully collaborating with SABUKO since 2019,” Sultanishvili says. “Their team has drawn up better development ways for the unique flora and fauna existing in the area. They’ve done a great job. Together, we installed photo traps in the Chachuna Reserve and surrounding areas to detect unique wildlife species. As such, our photo traps detected an endangered Eurasian lynx which we knew that lived in the Chachuna Reserve, but couldn’t have been detected before.

“Yet another important issue was water supply to floodplain plants. Due to the characteristics of the River Iori, which is the main source of water on the ground, it was very difficult before. SABUKO implemented a great project, as part of which soon the level of the water will be artificially raised using stones, and floodplain plants will be watered. As the floodplain of Chachuna Reserve is degraded, we, the reserve administration, and SABUKO, are doing whatever we can to improve the situation and revitalize the ecosystem.

“Development of ecotourism services is also carried out on the spot through the efforts of SABUKO. For the lovers of birdwatching, a wonderful observation spot has been arranged. Tourists can watch unique species of birds living here, such as the Eastern Imperial Eagle.

Soon, the infrastructure will be further improved and more hiking trails will be added to the area,” noted Natia Zurashvili, Representative of the administration of Chachuna Reserve.

“We’ve been collaborating with SABUKO as part of the project ‘Establishment of Dedoplistskaro Biosphere Reserve in Kakheti as a Model of Sustainable and Inclusive Development,’ funded by the EU and implemented by REKI and the Dedoplistskaro Municipality,” says Lali Tevzadze, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development Programs Manager from the organization Reki.

“One of the components of the project was restoration of floodplains in the Chachuna Reserve. SABUKO has longterm experience working in Chachuna.

Restoration of the floodplains is not easy, and therefore, an experienced organization was necessary for such a responsible task. To protect biodiversity from overgrazing, a special corridor for the sheep to drink water has been arranged by the organization, which reduced damage to grass and allowed it to grow again.

We don’t have such a unique biodiversity in many areas in Georgia, so we must all protect it with joint forces.”

BUILDING CONFIDENCE-BASED RELATIONS WITH LOCALS The right approach and harmonious relations with locals were yet other priorities for SABUKO, the result of which is clearly visible today.

Notably, farmers shepherding sheep in the nearby areas of the Iori River Valley, in Dedoplistskaro municipality, now have an exemplary relationship with the SABUKO team.

Aleksandre Mikeladze, Project Manager, says despite certain controversies and uncertainty among the locals towards SABUKO’s activities, which was natural before the awareness- raising campaign, nowadays they collaborate with each other very actively.

“SABUKO initially developed a different and innovative approach towards the local farmers. Unlike many other projects, where farmers are perceived as beneficiaries, here they were perceived as partners with whom collaboration was necessary for achieving a mutually beneficial goal. The organization created a special questionnaire for them, and in doing so, revealed the persons who would agree to participate in this experiment, changing their behavior and role to eliminate chaotic grazing and unsustainable use of natural resources.

“Gradually, more and more farmers got interested in taking part in the rotational grazing scheme developed by SABUKO, which, naturally, positively affects the ecological situation on the ground.

“In order to reduce grazing cases in the floodplain forest, SABUKO assessed the potential location of the areas where sheep drink water. Based on the results, SABUKO arranged eight facilities for sheep to drink water, wells, and a 2.5-kilometer corridor, which provided significant help to reduce the impact of sheep grazing on floodplain forests and the River Iori.

“Importantly, SABUKO is also contributing to building harmonious neighborly relations among the Georgian and Azerbaijani farmers living together on the ground, and it helps the Azerbaijani population overcome still existing language barriers.

“As such, this month, the SABUKO team are completing the construction of a bridge for a local Azerbaijani farmer, which will allow him to connect his land plots and introduce rotational grazing,” Mikeladze explains.

All the above useful activities have deservedly gained the organization the trust and high reputation among local farmers.

RAISING AWARENESS AMONG YOUTH As ecological restoration needs a scientific base, SABUKO actively cooperates with Ilia State University, aiming to involve the young generation in this important work. As part of this collaboration, students are allowed to visit the Chachuna Managed Reserve, even live there for a certain period of time, conduct research and gain experience.

Moreover, the SABUKO team collaborates with German expert in the field Marinus Gebhardt, a Natural Resources Manager who has been actively communicating with local farmers and shepherds and contributing to the development of new skills. In addition, the expert, living near the Chachuna Reserve along with his family, has been sharing his experience with the young generation.

The SABUKO team will continue to spare no efforts to revitalize the ecosystem and ensure sustainable use of natural resources in the Iori River Valley.

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10

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

500 Women in Technology - Large-Scale Training Project Begins in Georgia

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ith the support of the Un i t e d Na t i o n s Women and the Government of Norway, the Business and Technology University, together with companies, is training 500 women throughout Georgia to strengthen the role of women in technology and increase their involvement.

Training in the field of technology will be carried out in 6 main areas: Front-end development; Back-end development; UI / UX design; Graphic Design; Digital marketing, and; Testing of digital products.

Participants will be selected from Tbilisi as well as from different regions of Georgia: Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Shida Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, SamtskheJavakheti, Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi, Kvemo Svaneti, Adjara, Guria, Samegrelo, and Zemo Svaneti.

In addition to retraining tech modules, there will be intensive English language courses and a career bootcamp, which will provide candidates with the skills needed to find work in the technology field. In the bootcamp format, participants will receive training in leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, business communication, and career planning.

Individual mentors will work with them intensively, and will help in their career development and finding a suitable job.

The project also involves large local and international organizations in Georgia, which will train participants in

various components and cooperate with them to promote further employment.

The number of partner companies is growing systematically, and at this stage, the following organizations have

expressed their readiness to support the project: GITA, TBC, Epam, Exadel, ExactPro, GeoSTQB, Noxtton, Griffin, Phubber, Sambrela, Sweeft Digital, Travel Guide, WaterGunz, and Bodyshop.

Any woman aged 16+ can participate in the project.

With the support of the United Nations Women, the Coding School for Women was established at the Business and

Technology University in 2019 and has more than 2,500 beneficiaries, whose training in the field of technology was fully funded. The employment rate of trained beneficiary women is up to 75%.

The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Tbilisi Organizes Online Meeting - “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the United Arab Emirates and Georgia” meeting: • On October 8, 2019, the Arab Charter of Women’s Rights was launched in Abu Dhabi to serve as a guideline for all Arab League member states, with the aim of informing legislation and ensuring Arab women’s rights.

• Emirati women make up 60% of the country’s total UAE national university graduates and 43% of the UAE national workforce.

• In 2018, the Law on Equal Wages and Salaries for Men and Women was approved by the UAE Cabinet in support of gender equality, as well as paid maternity leave and reduced working hours for new mothers.

Ms. Almarzooqi also highlighted the participation of Emirati women in Governmental institutions and the country’s outstanding success in this regard.

• Emirati women in the UAE hold twothirds of public sector jobs, with 30% in leadership roles and 15% in technical and academic roles.

• 25% of cabinet-level minster roles in the UAE are held by women.

• Women make up 20% of the UAE’s diplomatic corps.

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n December 20, the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Tbilisi, in coordination with the Human Rights Secretariat of Georgia, organized an online meeting on “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the United Arab Emirates and Georgia,” with participation of representatives of the Human Rights Secretariat, a structural unit of the Administration of the Government of Georgia, which ensures the coordination of the executive branch in the process of elaboration and implementation of the state policies of the government in the field

of human rights.

During the discussion, Maka Peradze, head of the Human Rights Secretariat of the Government of Georgia presented the main tasks of Human Rights Secretariat and its ongoing projects, activities and plans in the field of human rights protection, gender equality and children’s rights issues.

Munira Almarzooqi, Charge d’Affairs of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates to Georgia highlighted the efforts and achievements of the UAE in the field of gender equality and women’s rights issues. In particular, she underlined the key facts and presented actual milestones,

such as the UAE Constitution guarantee for equal rights regardless of gender identity, and the leading position of the UAE in international reports, which assess the progress in terms of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Moreover, the head of the UAE mission pointed out the vision of the UAE state leadership, one which focuses on women’s empowerment and agenda, in line with the goals of strengthening social cohesion and developing a competitive knowledge economy aiming at increased gender balance.

Key points of the UAE achievements in this regard were displayed during the

Women’s economic empowerment and numerous programs that aim to promote the economic and social development of female entrepreneurs and provide financial literacy to young women were also highlighted during the virtual meeting.

Ms. Almarzooqi, in her speech, pointed to the participation of the UAE in international treaties and conventions for the protection of human rights, and its contribution to humanitarian projects focused on women, in addition to the country’s donations targeted at supporting gender equality and women's empowerment.

Key facts highlighting Emirati women’s distinguished success in the fields of defense and education were also presented during the online event.

In her closing remarks, governmental administration representative Maka Peradze praised the Embassy’s initiative to organize the event on the issue of women’s rights, while expressing her hope towards further enhancing the mutual cooperation between the two countries in human rights issues through implementing mutual projects.

CULTURE

GEORGIA TODAY DECEMBER 24 - 30, 2021

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Solomon Art Gallery Presents: Innovative Artist of Contemporary Georgian Painting, Otar Chakvetadze

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tar Chakvetadze was born on November 24, 1963, in Tbilisi. From 1982-88, he studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts of Tbilisi State Academy of Arts. His teachers at the Art Academy were artists Tengiz Samsonadze and Dinara Nodia. The young artist's creative vision was formed under their direct guidance. After graduating from the Academy, Chakvetadze was awarded the qualification of graphic artist and painter. From 1989-1991, he took a postgraduate degree at the Creative Workshop of the Moscow Union of Fine Arts.

Otar Chakvetadze is a professor at the Painting Department of the Apollon Kutateladze State Academy of Fine Arts in Tbilisi. He works in both graphics and painting.

People find his work exceptional because of his choice of color and abstraction of forms. The compositional solution of the image is important for the artist, as is the interrelation and harmony of color, line and shape. In the artist's abstract compositions, the pictorial plane is completely filled with geometric shapes and linear accents ("The East of the Sun", 2021). Sometimes, his works are of a collage nature, and in addition to color, pieces of colored rope are used, or pieces of fabric are embossed on the compositions (“A Big Room”, 2020; “ The Dream

of the Midsummer Night”, 2020 ; “The Reflection”, 2020).

It is also characteristic of the artist to use photographs as color accents in compositions ("The Unforgettable Kiss", 2020). The artist often uses abstract forms as a background for a specific compositional theme (“Jazz”, 2020; “The Silence of the Lambs”, 2021).

Various landscapes created with geometric shapes have a special place in the work of Otar Chakvetadze, from the urban landscape of any city ("Alhambra" 2020) to the portrayal of nature using minimalistic geometric forms ("Borjomi Gorge", 2020). The artist often portrays the landscape in contrasting colors, with minimalistic portrayal of forms (“Mallorca Coast”, 2020). All these compositions are thoughtfully depicted and are characterized by great tact and mastery of color matching.

HIS EXHIBITIONS Otar Chakvetadze has been actively involved in various exhibitions since his student years: in 1985, while he was still a student of the Academy, he participated in an exhibition organized at the HouseMuseum of the famous writer L.Tolstoy in Yasnaya Polyana. In 1987, he participated in the spring and autumn exhibitions of artists at the Artist's House in Tbilisi. In 1989, the Union Exhibition of the Graduates of the Higher Art Institutions "The Best Diploma Work" was held at Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Academy of Arts, where Chakvetadze's diploma work was exhibited. The same year, he participated in the Seventh Union Exhibition of Etching in Moscow. At the same time, his work was awarded with a silver medal at the artists' exhibition at the Kaliningrad Museum of Art, and he was named the laureate of the exhibition. In 1990, the City Gallery of Kaliningrad hosted the first Union Biennale of Graphics, exhibiting works by the young artist.

In 1990-1991, exhibitions of the young artist's works were organized in cities

of the Federal Republic of Germany: Gluckstadt, Schorndorf,Hambrucken, Bruchsal. In 1992, Chakvetadze's personal exhibition was organized in the Newark University, Delaware, USA. That year, his personal exhibitions were also organized at the City Hall Gallery of Wilmington and the Central Library in Delaware.

Since 1993, Otar Chakvetadze has been working actively in Germany, where his personal exhibitions have been organized over the years, often of a charitable nature. His works have been exhibited in the following cities: Karlsruhe (1993, 1997), Stuttgart (1995), Schorndorf (1996), Freiburg (1997), Denzlingen (1998), GrozZimmern (1998), Oberhausen (1999), Hilden (1999), and in Worpswede (2001), in art galleries and exhibition halls of various institutions.

In the 1990s, Tbilisi hosted a personal exhibition of the artist twice at Sheraton Metekhi Palace - in 1993 and 1996.

After returning from Germany in 2001, Chakvetadze took part in an exhibition of the contemporary Georgian artists organized by Gallery "N" in Tbilisi. In 2002, a "Jubilee Exhibition" of the professors of the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts was held at the Gallery of Contemporary Art in Tbilisi, where works by Otar Chakvetadze were exhibited. In 2003, a personal exhibition of the artist was organized at Lado Gudiashvili Artist House in Batumi, while the following year, his personal exhibition was organized at the Embassy of the Unites States of America in Tbilisi. In 2006, Chakvetadze participated in the "Christmas Exhibition" at Gallery Hobby in Tbilisi. In 2006, an exhibition of the works of professors of the Painting Department was held in the exhibition hall of Tbilisi State Academy of Arts, and Chakvetadze's works were shown too.

The same year, his personal exhibitions were organized in the galleries "Rea" and "Arsi" in Tbilisi.

In 2006, Chakvetadze's works were exhibited at the “Galerie am Rathaus” in Gluckstadt, Germany; in 2007, at the Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey, and in an exhibition held at the University of Tehran, Iran.

In 2008, with the support of the Embassy of Georgia in Germany, a retrospective exhibition of works by Georgian artists was held in Marburg, at the galleries "Ge Wo Bau" and “NWZ” in Frankfurt, also featuring works by Otar Chakvetadze.

In 2009, Chakvetadze's works were exhibited in Germany, Hamburg at the Walterczak Gallery; in Madrid, at the Gallery “Dali Plaza”; in Romania, at the Central Gallery of Bukovina and the Sighisoara Exhibition Hall. In 2010, the artist's works were exhibited in Bulgaria in the exhibition hall of Varna City Hall; in 2011 at the exhibition "Georgian Artists in Iran" organized in Iran, Tehran;

in 2012 at the exhibition hall of Byala City Hall in Bulgaria, and in 2013 at the Gallery of Burgas, Bulgaria.

In 2013, Chakvetadze's personal exhibition "Colorful Framing" was organized at "Gala Gallery" in Tbilisi; in 2014 the artist's personal exhibition "Mystery" was held at the Gallery "Sfumato" in Tbilisi. The following year, the works of the artist were exhibited at the Gallery of the Academy of Arts on Shardeni Street in Tbilisi, then in 2017 at the Museum of Contemporary Art MOMA in Tbilisi. In 2020, the artist participated in a group exhibition in Dresden, Germany and in 2021, his personal exhibition was held at Solomon Arts Gallery in Tbilisi.

Otar Chakvetadze's work is one of the most important and interesting achievements of contemporary Georgian painting, having greatly advanced the field.

PM: Holiday Events Planned across Georgia to Meet all Applicable COVID Regulations

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n the initiative of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, holiday celebrations will be held in every region of Georgia from December 24 through January 8. Christmas fairs and exhibitions and children’s entertainment areas will be organized in all 63 municipalities. In the same vein, wooden New Year huts, photo booths, and installations will be set up.

Santa Claus will treat little ones in Georgia’s regions to sweets and presents.

In the evening, concerts will be held featuring both local and visiting performers from the capital. At the end of these events, fireworks will be lit.

COVID regulations will be observed at every event.

The schedule of events is as follows: Mestia, Tkibuli, and Telavi on December 24; Ozurgeti, Ninotsminda, Kareli, and Dusheti on December 25; Marneuli, Chkhorotsku, Terjola, and Gurjaani on December 26;

Sachkhere, Khashuri, Akhalkalaki, and Kobuleti on December 27; Abasha, Samtredia, Lagodekhi, and Tetritskaro on December 28; Aspindze, Khelvachauri, Kaspi, Ambrolauri, and Chiatura on December 29; Kutaisi, Dedoplistskaro, Gardabani, and Tianeti on Ddecember 30; Zugdidi, Borjomi, and Tsageri on December 31; Baghdati on January 1; Tsalka, Akhmeta, Keda, Oni, Kazbegi, and Tskaltubo on January 2; Senaki and Vani on January 3; Rustavi, Shuakhevi, Adigeni, and Kvareli on January 4; Zestaponi, Khobi, Dmanisi, Tsnori, and Sighnaghi on January 5; Martvili, Khulo, and Bolnisi on January 6; Lentekhi, Poti, Tsalenjikha, Sagarejo, Akhaltsikhe, Mtskheta, and Gori on January 7; Kharagauli on January 8; and Lanchkhuti and Chokhatauri on January 13.

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