Georgian Secret Services Allegedly Thwart Russian Assassination Attempt on Journalist
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Issue no: 1251 • JUNE 19 - 25, 2020 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 Want to watch it LIVE? Scan here and enjoy! In this week’s issue... FOCUS 5th Tourism & Hospitality ON HILTON BATUMI Conference Held Online An exclusive look into with the Support of Bank how Hilton Batumi survived the pandemic PAGE 7 of Georgia NEWS PAGE 2 Geopolitics of the EU’s new Eastern Partnership Vision POLITICS PAGE 4 Kopaladze: Suspending Authorization of Caucasus Online Might Cut Off 3 mln Customers from Safe European Internet Services BUSINESS PAGE 6 The Graduates of the Guivy Zaldastanishvili American Academy in Tbilisi Enrolled in World's Top Universities SOCIETY PAGE 8 Georgian Secret Services Allegedly Thwart Finalists of ‘Keep Georgia Tidy’ Kids' Environmental Russian Assassination Attempt on Journalist Contest Revealed BY AMY JONES SOCIETY PAGE 9 eorgian Prime Minister Giorgi “Corona Days” Artworks Gakharia claimed on Tuesday that the Georgian Secret Services (SSG) of Young Georgian Artists: had thwarted a plot to assassinate Georgian journalist Giorgi Gabunia. Giorgi Gabiskiria G“The Georgian Secret Services have foiled a very serious crime,” Gakharia announced at a CULTURE PAGE 11 press briefi ng. He responded to claims by Nika Gvaramia, Gabunia’s boss, that a Russian assas- sin was sent to Georgia to kill the journalist. Prepared for Georgia Today Business by Gabunia gained attention last July following Markets Asof12ͲJunͲ2020 an outburst against Russian President Vladimir STOCKS Price w/w m/m BONDS Price w/w m/m BankofGeorgia(BGEOLN) GBP10.50 Ͳ2,1% +14,1% GEOROG04/21 100.50(YTM6.13%) Ͳ0,0% +4,0% Putin. Speaking in Russian live on Rustavi 2 TV GeorgiaCapital(CGEOLN) GBP4.80 Ͳ2,8% +11,6% GEORG04/21 102.58(YTM3.65%) Ͳ0,2% +1,3% station, he called Putin a “fi lthy invader” and GHG(GHGLN) GBP0.90 +5,9% +2,6% GRAIL07/22 101.89(YTM6.75%) +0,1% +4,2% insulted his mother saying: “Oh, your mother’s TBCBankGroup(TBCGLN) GBP9.01 Ͳ4,9% +16,3% GEBGG07/23 99.46(YTM6.19%) +0,3% +4,7% dead… Let her burn in hell with you and your COMMODITIES Price w/w m/m CURRENCIES Price w/w m/m CrudeOil,Brent(US$/bbl) 38,73 Ͳ8,4% +29,2% GEL/USD 3,0381 +2,5% Ͳ5,3% father.” GoldSpot(US$/OZ) 1730,75 +2,7% +1,6% GEL/EUR 3,4197 +2,1% Ͳ1,6% Gvaramia, who is director of the pro-opposition GEL/GBP 3,8081 +1,4% Ͳ3,1% INDICES Price w/w m/m GEL/CHF 3,1962 +3,7% Ͳ3,3% TV station Mtavari Arkhi TV, claimed in a tel- FTSE100 6105,18 Ͳ5,8% +1,8% GEL/RUB 0,0435 +0,7% Ͳ FTSE250 17077,34 Ͳ6,3% +5,6% GEL/TRY 0,4459 +1,8% Ͳ2,6% evised address on Monday that a Russian hitman DAX 11949,28 Ͳ7,0% +10,4% GEL/AZN 1,7872 +2,5% Ͳ5,2% under the name of Vasambeg Bovok came to DOWJONES 25605,54 Ͳ5,6% +7,7% GEL/AMD 0,0063 +3,3% Ͳ4,5% NASDAQ 9588,81 Ͳ2,3% +6,5% GEL/UAH 0,1136 +1,8% Ͳ5,3% Georgia to assassinate Gabunia. MSCIEMEE 149,77 Ͳ3,9% +10,8% EUR/USD 0,8884 +0,3% Ͳ3,6% Georgian authorities were alerted to the plot MSCIEM 987,01 Ͳ1,6% +8,5% GBP/USD 0,7975 +1,0% Ͳ2,2% SP500 3041,31 Ͳ4,8% +6,0% CHF/USD 0,9524 Ͳ1,0% Ͳ1,8% by Ukrainian authorities, Gvaramia claimed. MSCIFM 2173,94 Ͳ1,3% +9,3% RUB/USD 70,1923 +2,2% Ͳ4,8% GTIndex(GEL) 1582,68 ͲͲTRY/USD 6,8140 +0,6% Ͳ2,6% Continued on page 2 GTIndex(USD) 1208,13 ͲͲAZN/USD 1,7000 ͲͲ GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS JUNE 19 - 25, 2020 5th Tourism & Hospitality Conference Held Online with the Support of Bank of Georgia he Welcome to Georgia! gia since 2015. It has successfully estab- National Tourism Awards lished itself as a reliable, unique plat- is working non-stop to form that has made a signifi cant con- adapt to the new reality tribution to the development of the and has pledged to do its Georgian tourism and hospitality Tbest to encourage the industry again. industry, and the number of nominees “The 2020 Tourism and Hospitality and winners are growing by the year. Conference was held on the opening Now, the support of tourism is even day of domestic tourism, as we wanted more important due to the new reality, to help and motivate our colleagues to which is why we are glad that we are start their activities with enthusiasm contributing to the development and and renewed vigor,” says the founder encouragement of the Georgian tour- of Welcome to Georgia! National Tour- ism and hospitality industry,” the Bank ism Awards, Maryna Chayka. of Georgia representative noted. The 5th Conference on Tourism and The aim of the project is to encour- Hospitality was held on June 15 via age the Georgian tourism and hospi- Zoom, and lasted fi ve hours, seeing the tality industry, to increase the aware- participation of representatives of gov- ness of companies and brands working ernment agencies as well as the private in this fi eld, and to better represent sector. The event was attended by: Georgia on the international tourism Tbilisi City Hall, Adjara Tourism market. The Bank of Georgia has been Department, Georgian Ecotourism a co-organizer of the project for several Association, Enterprise Georgia, Geor- years and actively supports the indus- gian Airports Union, BDO Georgia, try. Bank of Georgia, and Hotel Contract “Four days on from the conference Georgia. and we are still receiving requests to A panel discussion was also held with share the recording of the conference. the main topic ‘Industry during the vili for aviation, and Keti Mikashavidze from beginning to end on the impact which has hosted more than 400 guests We’re happy that we did something Pandemic and Beyond.’ It was moder- for hospitality. of COVID-19 on the tourism industry. in the past, was held online this year. interesting for people. Thank you to ated by Maia Sidamonidze alongside Due to the developments in the world, The pandemic also led to a change in “The Welcome to Georgia! National all participants and co-organizer Bank active participants Giorgi Molodinash- the topic of the conference was devoted the usual format, and the conference, Tourism Award has been held in Geor- of Georgia,” Chayka said. Kazakhstan’s First Deloitte NY HQ Presents fi rst President Tests Positive Findings for Post-crisis Plan to for Coronavirus Georgian PM, Economic Team he Government of Georgia continues to work on a medium to long-term sta- bility and development plan together with high-level Texperts. The New York Offi ce of Deloitte made its fi rst presentation of fi scal, mon- etary and sectoral economic policy analysis to the Prime Minister and Eco- nomic Team of the Government of Geor- gia on Thursday, which included the recommendations of international con- sultants. The experts praised the measures imple- mented by the government towards the anti-crisis agenda and sector-specifi c support. International consultants noted during the meeting held in the format of azakhstan’s former presi- decades before resigning last year, a video-conference that each step made dent Nursultan Naz- though he still retains considerable by the authorities of Georgia during the pects in terms of its milestone achieve- holders include the Deloitte NY HQ arbayev has tested positive infl uence as chair of the country’s pandemic was based on the best interna- ments and international ratings to grow (economic team), professors of the Cam- for COVID-19, his press Security Council and leader of the tional practice and experience. The experts into a more attractive investment plat- bridge and London Universities, and service announced today. ruling party Nur Otan. noted their understanding that every form. Georgian experts. KNazarbayev remains in self-isolation Kazakh offi cials have been warning effort deployed for the support of citizens The Government of Georgia is work- Along with PM Giorgi Gakharia, the and will continue to carry out his of a potential second lockdown as came effi ciently and timely. ing on its Post-Crisis Economic Plan in video conference involved Natia Tur- duties remotely, the statement from cases multiply following the easing of It was mentioned at the meeting that the format of several work-groups with nava, Minister of Economy and Sustain- the press service said, adding that restrictions last month. the world is currently facing a new real- full funding provided by the United able Development; Ivane Matchavariani, “there is no reason to panic”. As of June 18, Kazakhstan has reported ity, and discussions are being held on States Agency for International Devel- Minister of Finance of Georgia; and Beka Nazarbayev, 79, served as Kazakh- 15,877 cases of COVID-19, with 97 the diversifi cation of businesses. It was opment (USAID) and United Nations Liluashvili, Adviser to the Prime Minis- stan's president for close to three deaths and near to 10,000 recoveries. noted that Georgia has promising pros- Development Program (UNDP). Stake- ter of Georgia on Economic Affairs. Georgian Secret Services Allegedly Thwart Russian Assassination Attempt on Journalist Continued from page 1 a post on his Telegram channel, he wrote: Human rights organizations have On Thursday, the SSG announced they 2008 led to the Russian-backed breaka- “Believe me, if someone is acting on my accused the powerful leader of various had launched an investigation into the way of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two The SSG confi rmed that they had orders, he will accomplish them, and if human rights abuses, including the per- assassination and that they had reached Georgian territories.