Issue no: 955 • JUNE 16 - 19, 2017 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 Source: huffi ngtonpost In this week’s issue... Germany Supports Georgia’s Defense Reforms NEWS PAGE 2 GIP Commentary: What Georgia Can Learn from Montenegro’s NATO Accession POLITICS PAGE 3 Longest Serving US Female Lawmaker on Georgia, it’s FOCUS Future & the Importance of ON WOMEN IN POLITICS Women in Politics UNDP study shatters the myths POLITICS PAGE 7 and we interview Senator Barbara Mikulski, the longest serving US Animal Migration Route, female lawmaker PAGE 4&7 Bio Security Points & Sheep Dipping in Georgia BUSINESS PAGE 9 Georgia Improves Position In Need of a Financial Hug: Gori Welfare & Development Center SOCIETY PAGE 10 in Doing Business Rating Katy Perry BY THEA MORRISON Wears Georgian uropean Chamber (EuCham) has CULTURE PAGE 15 released the list of the European coun- tries which appear to have the best economic environment out of the 46 Rugby & Rehabilitation: nations considered in the analysis. EIn the list of the Best European Countries for UNICEF Announces Upcoming Business 2017, Georgia has improved its position and is now ranked the 17th, having earned a score Film on Child Prisoners of 68.6. SPORTS PAGE 15 Georgia’s score makes it a leading country among its neighbors in doing business. Armenia came in at 53.3 (54.6 last year) while Azerbaijan was rated at 49 (48.4 last year) and Turkey at 54 (55.6 last year). Based on this study, Nordic countries rank at the top of the list and can be identifi ed as nations way and the United Kingdom. lowest performance and 100 represents the best in which it is best to do business. Ukraine takes the last (46th) position on the performance. It results from the average between Given the variables taken into consideration, list with a score of 46.5, while Russia is ranked the DTF (Distance to Frontier) index of World it is clear that the EuCham score addresses the 44th with a score of 51.1 (in 2016 it was in 42nd Bank and the CPI (Corruption Perception Index) overall integrity and ethical issue of doing busi- place with a score of 50). of Transparency International, since business ness, together with its natural fi nancial objective, The European Chamber ranks European coun- integrity and transparency play an important also refl ecting its long-term sustainability goals. tries based on their business environment. The role. In particular, the higher the average between Like last year, Denmark tops the ranking with ranking, named the EuCham Score, is refl ected these two values, the more favorable the coun- a score of 88, followed by Sweden, Finland, Nor- on a scale from 0 to 100, where 0 represents the try's business environment is. GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS JUNE 16 - 19, 2017 The Tbilisi Flood, Two Years On Germany Supports nation works, while donations were made by phys- BY THEA MORRISON ical and legal entities, as well as budgetary organizations and banks. With total assistance and donations, more than 26 million GEL was raised,” xactly two years have passed since the the statement said, adding that 10,250,000 GEL was devastating June 13, 2015 fl ood in Tbilisi, given by the Cartu Charity Foundation, a fund estab- Georgia’s Defense which took the lives of 21 people and left lished and fi nanced by Georgian businessman and more than 200 families homeless. Two former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, the people are still missing. The deadly fl ood founder of the Georgian Dream party. Ealso damaged homes, businesses and other infra- The Mayor’s Offi ce reported that about 35 people structure on more than 20 streets in central Tbilisi who lived in the disaster area received fl ats, and that and killed nearly half the animals in the Tbilisi Zoo. some families were paid compensation instead. Reforms According to the World Bank, the fl ood caused more About 153 people whose vehicles were damaged also ted to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization BY THEA MORRISON than 100 million GEL worth of damage to Tbilisi received compensation from the State. The state- (NATO) commitments and added that the Georgian infrastructure. ment also said that City Hall has fully rehabilitated military contingent continues to participate in the The Tbilisi Zoo is now fully restored and has added damaged infrastructure in the city, which cost 40 international mission in Afghanistan under the many new animals. Since the disaster, many coun- million GEL. ithin the framework of an offi - aegis of NATO. tries have gifted animals to the zoo. “Construction of an educational center, sports cial visit to the Federal Repub- The Georgian Minister thanked his German col- The president of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili, complex, forest-park, bicycle and pedestrian paths lic of Germany, Georgian league for her cooperation and support and noted recently issued a statement regarding the disaster. is planned for Vere Gorge and the surrounding areas. Defense Minister Levan Izoria that 2017 is declared as the year of Georgia-Germany, “June 13 will always remind us of irreparable human Mziuri Park is currently under construction and a met with Ursula von der Leyen, which features various activities and celebrations loss and the destruction of the city center. Today, new park will be planned [in the gorge],” the May- WFederal Minister of Defense of Germany. within the framework of the contacts between the we pay tribute to the victims of the disaster,” he or’s Offi ce said. Following the welcoming ceremony, the ministers two countries. wrote. The president also said that based on this The fl ood hit the capital of Georgia on the evening discussed issues of bilateral cooperation between Izoria also expressed his gratitude to the German past disaster, any future projects and initiatives of June 13, 2015 and continued through the night. A Georgia and Germany. side for their contributing to the NATO-Georgia should be based on human security standards. landslide in the nearby village of Akhaldaba accel- Georgia’s Defense Ministry reports that von der substantial package (SNGP) implementation and The Tbilisi Mayor’s Offi ce also released a state- erated the fl ood in the Vere Ravine. Tunnels failed Leyen promised maximum support in the implemen- pointed out that the initiative of the package, Defense ment about the fl ood, describing their work since to divert the water, and the river damaged the Vake- tation of defense reforms in Georgia. The sides also Institutional Building (DIB) school and Joint NATO- the disaster. City Hall said more than 10,000 volun- Saburtalo connecting road, as well as Heroes’ Square, defi ned future cooperation plans in the defense fi eld. Georgia Trainings and Evaluation Centre (JTEC), teers at the time got involved in the disaster elimi- the Tbilisi-Tskneti highway and the city center. Izoria emphasized that Georgia remains commit- are examples of successful mutual cooperation. Georgia, Kazakhstan Discuss Deepening of Economic Cooperation Georgia is well represented. BY THEA MORRISON “We have always had an extensive relationship with Kazakhstan and currently opportunities exist to further strengthen this cooperation. This includes uring an offi cial visit to Astana on the development of economic relations in terms June 13, Georgian representatives, led of energy carriers and other products," said Marg- by President Giorgi Margvelashvili, velashvili at a joint press-conference. discussed ways to strengthen eco- Nazarbayev called the visit of the Georgian rep- nomic cooperation between Georgia resentatives very timely and necessary and noted Dand Kazakhstan with Kazakh offi cials. The repre- that it would motivate the governments of the two sentatives emphasized that Georgia and Kazakhstan countries to carry out specifi c tasks in order to have great potential to develop economic relations further strengthen ties. and more efforts should be made to realize this As President Nazarbayev pointed out, Georgia potential. Considering other trade agreements that and Kazakhstan are countries with great potential Georgia has signed, Georgia has favorable condi- for transit and that it is paramount to make full use tions for further expanding trade with Kazakhstan. of these opportunities. He also emphasized the The discussion focused in particular on Georgia’s importance of further strengthening relations in FIRST BRAND HOTEL IN KUTAISI UNDER BEST WESTERN INTERNATIONAL role as a transit corridor, connecting Europe, the culture and education. Caucasus, and Asia and emphasized Georgia’s work “We should exchange students, in order for the Within the framework of the Georgian Hotels’ Regional Three mobile conference halls are available with a total Network Development Project “12 hotels in 12 regions” by capacity of about 100 persons. to become the logistical center of the region. Geor- next generation to continue our tradition and pro- GHYHORSPHQWFRPSDQ\³6LPHWULD´WKH¿UVWEUDQGKRWHOKDV gia has historically played an important role in the mote our relationship,” the President of Kazakhstan been opened in Kutaisi under the Best Western International (XURSHDQFXLVLQHFDQEHHQMR\HGLQWKHJURXQGÀRRUFDIp Silk Road project and is also involved in numerous stated. brand. and a grill-bar menu in the roof top restaurant other transport projects. President Margvelashvili and his delegation also with panoramic views over the city. The hotel accommodates 45 guest rooms, including 40 Prior to the meeting, Margvelashvili and his Kazakh participated in Expo-2017 in Astana. They visited standard rooms and 5 suites. The hotel was designed taking The International Hotels Management Company “T3 counterpart, Nursultan Nazarbayev, met, with the the Georgian and Kazakh pavilions and as a part into consideration special conditions and safety for guests Hospitality Management,” providing the hotel management, Georgian president thanking Nazarvayev for the of the exhibition and attend a celebration of the with disabilities.