July 10 - 16, 2015

WEEKLY PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY www.georgiatoday.ge Price: GEL 2.50 Georgia Today 24 p. ISSUE No.774 Produce in Georgia Assists Hundreds of

Enterprises in First Year IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OP-ED Georgia and Turkmenistan Coy on Energy Speculation BUSINESS HEADLINES Irking Russia? Relations between the two post-Soviet PASHA Bank’s Shurgaia states may well be in transit Appointed as a Georgian towards a new energy

Stock Exchange relationship. P.17 Supervisor P.11 Education Ministry GUAM to Simplify Presents School Customs Control P.11 Readiness Program for Fourth Annual Gender One year of success has passed since the Georgian 5-Year-Olds Equality Awards Held Government first launched its Produce in Georgia program to encourage new entrepreneurs and stimulate local New Law to give young in Tbilisi P.14 production. children the opportunity to Hotel Kiparis Awaits You P.13 mature, in all developmental Spanish Tourists Attacked near areas, prior to starting P.12 Spanish Tourists Attacked near school. P.15 FLIGHT SCHEDULE Zugdidi: Police and Doctors Accused of Misconduct Oil Prices While the Georgian Government markets the country as – the P.4 Eastern Europe’s top tourist destination, it looks like all may Effect on not be well for foreigners here. P.8 Georgia P.6 2 JULY 10 - 16 POLITICS Georgians Influential in Washington Post Claims of Ukraine Police Reform Growing Pro-Russian Vibe in Georgia are Weakly Founded By Zviad Adzinbaia

American newspaper the Washing- ton Post has published an article specu- lating about potentially growing pro- Russia support in Georgia. “TBILISI, Georgia — in this fiercely pro-Western nation that fought a brief New Patrol Police in Ukraine. war with Russia in 2008, few thought the Kremlin could ever regain a toehold. By Zviad Adzinbaia The reform, according to the information, But with the West backing away from will be completed by the end of 2016 if Georgia’s path to E.U. and NATO mem- Ukraine’s leaders watched on as enough funds are raised. bership after a year of conflict in Kyiv’s new traffic police force under- As Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine’s Presi- Ukraine, pro-Russian sentiments are on went its initiation ceremony in Kyiv on dent, wrote on his Facebook page, the the rise,” The Washington Post wrote on Archil Chkoidze who openly support pirations are irreversible: “We don’t July 4 with euronews reporting that offi- new officers will be stationed in the in 4 July. Georgia’s entry in Russia’s Eurasian have time to be disappointed.” cials were hopeful that as many as 2,000 cities of Lviv, Kharkiv and Odessa. “The former Soviet nation’s leaders Union. Among many opinions garnered, the new recruits would be able to clean up The presentation of the new police are warning that Russia may yet prevail Instead of seeing European integra- article cites Kakhetian small business- what is traditionally one of the country’s officers was staged in Kyiv by the high- if Georgia is shut out from Western tion as a possibility, the analysis seems man Jemal Veliashvili who warns “Stop most corrupt institutions. est officials of Ukraine including the clubs. Wary of further provoking Rus- to view this as unrealistic in the long run. meddling with Russia.” The new officers will be trained by President, PM and Interior Minister sia, Western politicians have quashed “Neither Ukraine or Georgia are cur- According to Veliashvili, his business their counterparts from the US, Canada Zguladze, who has been in office since talk of NATO and the European Union rently on a path to NATO membership”, had tripled since the trade ban was lifted. and Japan, and will be paid more than the end of 2014 tasked with supervising expanding eastward anytime soon. Rus- said a statement President by Obama The reality speaks differently, and the their predecessors. the police reform in Ukraine. sia has stepped into the vacuum, increas- before the Minsk agreement of 2015. hopes of reopening Russian market for Eka Zguladze, Ukraine’s Deputy Min- Several days ago, Mikheil Saaka- ing its presence by opening Georgian- Clearly, some of the western states Georgian businesses have faded as the ister of Internal Affairs stated: “The sal- shvili, Georgian ex-president and a gov- language outlets of its state-owned news are afraid of a backlash from Russia unpredictable country creates artificial ary of a new recruit starts at 8,000 ernor of Odessa district said that Califor- network and deepening investments in which can explain their occasionally obstacles. Additionally, the main format hryvnias (342 euros). It is not millions, nian police will train Odessa’s officers. the energy industry and other key sec- weak stance. For Georgia and Ukraine, proposed by the Georgian Government but it is something on which you can live “Within the framework of Odessa’s tors,” the article reads. though, this cannot be regarded as an (2012), the Karasin-Abashidze talks in and sustain your family. We hope that anti-corruption measures, the U.S. gov- Overall, the article carries negative authentic argument to prove that Geor- Prague, is currently viewed as being on there will be very few incidents ernment agreed to provide funds for the perceptions of Georgia’s western aspi- gian people has opted for Russia or that the brink of failure. of corruption. What is corruption? It’s a salaries of the new team of [Mikhail] rations echoing the same rhetoric of Russian nostalgia prevails here. More- The article succeeded in winning at- crime, simple, full-stop.” Saakashvili,” - the Governor himself Euro-skeptics in the country. over, the author forgets the Georgian tention but its claims of a sea-change in The new Ukrainian police officers hope posted on his Facebook page after he met The article mentions Georgia’s ef- youth, professionals, uncorrupted people Georgian attitudes toward its northern they will benefit from a similar approach with the US Ambassador to Ukraine, forts to integrate with the West however, and the new generation in general, who neighbor with which it was at war less undertaken by Georgia in the 2000s. Geoffrey Pyatt. Georgian troops in Afghanistan, democ- see the west as an unalterable future path than seven years ago, is far-fetched and “In Georgia, police salaries increased Police reform was one of the most sig- ratization processes, combating corrup- for Georgia. based on slender grounds. In reality, 15 times during the reforms. I hope the nificant breakthroughs in Saakashvili’s tion and other unprecedented achieve- At the same time, the article includes Georgians may not back their govern- same thing will happen in Ukraine. But reign as president and even his fiercest ments by the country failed to convince quotes from David Bakradze, the state ment on many things but the European today it is very important to change critics would concede that this was suc- the author. Moreover, the article notes minister on European and Euro-Atlan- aspirations it pursues are still widely what’s happening in the country, so that cessful. Ukraine now seeks to mirror Russia’s Fifth Column and the likes of tic Integration, who says Georgia’s as- supported. people and the police will be friends and Georgia’s success in this regard but it will work together,” stated Zguladze. be some time before the reform will bear At this stage, 2,000 new police offic- fruit in an institution notoriously rife with ers will be patrolling the streets of Kyiv. corruption. NATO Secretary General: Russia Biggest Threat for Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General.

By Zviad Adzinbaia a defensive way, which is proportionate end of the Cold War, according to and in line with the alliance’s interna- Stoltenberg. “Russia is ready to use force against tional commitments. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has re- its neighbors,” said Jens Stoltenberg, “We have increased the preparedness leased a new National Military Strategy, NATO Secretary General to Deutsche and readiness of our forces. We have the first update to that document since Welle, a German news broadcaster, strengthened our military presence on 2011, saying the US is facing near-peer about NATO’s defensive stance. the eastern borders of the alliance. We adversaries like Russia and China while “Everything we do is defensive. We have decided to set up a network of simultaneously having to handle diffuse are protecting the allies. Russia is behav- smaller headquarters in the Baltic States, militant groups like the Islamic State. ing aggressively. The annexation of Bulgaria, Poland and Romania. We have “Since the last National Military Crimea is an aggressive behavior. Rus- also stepped up our air patrols and pres- Strategy was published in 2011, global sia continues providing separatists in ence in the eastern countries of the alli- disorder has significantly increased eastern Ukraine with modern weapons, ance in response to Russia’s behavior,” while some of our comparative military anti-aircraft systems, sends troops there he noted. advantage has begun to erode,” Chair- – this is an act of aggression. We protect In addition, Moscow now has a bet- man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. our allies, Russia uses force to redraw the ter-equipped and better-prepared army, Martin Dempsey wrote in his introduc- borders and destabilize Ukraine,” he added. tion to the strategy document. Stoltenberg said, according to DW. “What is more, they conduct unex- The strategy specifically calls out “Russia is ready to use force against pected maneuvers to conceal aggressive Russia among China, Iran and North Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. Russia actions against its neighbors. That is how Korea as aggressive threats to global more often mentions nuclear weapons Crimea was annexed,” he added. There- peace. “Hybrid conflicts” — not just the HAVE YOUR HAIR CUT AT OUR SALON as part of its defense strategy,” Stolten- fore, by addressing these threats, NATO Islamic State, but forces such as the AND GET HAIR DIAGNOSTIC AS A GIFT! berg notes, adding that NATO is re- has been strengthening its military ca- Russian-backed rebels in Ukraine — are sponding to new security challenges in pabilities, being unprecedented since the likely to expand” – reads the strategy.

4 JULY 10 - 16 LAW DecDecherhertt OnPOnPoint:oint: RRecentecent DeDevvelopmentselopments inin CorCorporporaatete GoGovverernancenance Dechert Georgia, through the con- a company and that the Revenue Service tribution of partners Archil Giorgadze may not claim tax liability of a company and Nicola Mariani, joined by senior as- from the company’s shareholders; more- sociates Ruslan Akhalaia and Irakli over, the business community often as- Sokolovski, as well as Ana Kostava and sumes that a director must always fol- Ana Kochiashvili, is partnering with low the shareholders instructions and that Georgia Today on a regular section of the director is on the safe side if he/she the paper which will provide updated follows such instructions. The Court, information regarding significant legal however, clearly debunked such assump- changes and developments in Georgia. tions. Given the fact that the Decision was In particular, we will highlight signifi- rendered by the Supreme Court and was cant issues which may impact busi- made in a case involving the Revenue nesses operating in Georgia. Service, we may expect the Revenue Ser- Dechert’s Tbilisi office combines lo- vice initiating similar proceedings against cal service and full corporate, tax and other shareholders and directors. So, finance support with the global knowl- whatever was readily assumed about edge that comes with being part of a payment of taxes by the Company. to take care of the company as any rea- derstood to include the right of the direc- separation of a company’s liabilities (in- worldwide legal practice. sonable person in the same position tor to resort to tax evasion. The Court also cluding tax liabilities) from the personal Dechert Georgia is the Tbilisi branch JUDGMENT OF THE COURT would do, and act in good faith to ensure clearly ruled that in cases when a direc- liabilities of the directors and sharehold- of Dechert LLP, an international law The Court ruled that, under certain that such action is in the company’s best tor violates said duties, the Revenue Ser- ers can no longer be assumed and the di- firm that focuses on core transactional limited and specific circumstances, the interests. This, according to the Court, vice may bring civil action against the rectors and shareholders of limited liabil- and litigation practices, providing world- directors and shareholders of the Com- implies that the director should reject the director and claim reimbursement of the ity companies should take into account class services to major corporations, fi- pany may be personally responsible for instructions of the shareholders if such Company’s tax liabilities on the basis of the personal implications of engaging nancial institutions and private funds the tax liabilities of the Company. The rejection is a better course of action for the director’s personal property. their companies in certain tax planning worldwide. With more than 900 Lawyers Court further clarified that in the case at the Company. schemes. in our global practice groups working hand the Respondents were responsible One additional note the Court made IMPLICATIONS FOR THE in 27 offices across Europe, the CIS, and liable for the taxes and tax penalties in its Decision was that the director’s duty BUSINESS COMMUNITY * * * Asia, the Middle East and the United assessed on the Company if the Company of care towards the Company includes The above described decision of the Note: this article does not constitute States, Dechert has the resources to de- was proved to be financially unable to proper fulfillment of the Company’s tax Court is a very important development legal advice. You are responsible for con- liver seamless, high quality legal services pay such taxes and penalties. obligations. The Court also specified that in Georgia. Too often, the Georgian busi- sulting with your own professional legal to clients worldwide. For more informa- the director’s duty to increase the ness community assumes that sharehold- advisors concerning specific circum- tion, please visit www.dechert.com or SHAREHOLDERS’ LIABILITY Company’s profitability must not be un- ers are immune from the tax liabilities of stances for your business. contact Nicola Mariani at nicola.maria- The Court confirmed that under the [email protected]. Law on Entrepreneurs a limited liability SOCIETY company is a separate legal person from RECENT DEVELOPMENTS – its shareholders, and therefore such com- CORPORATE GOVERNANCE pany is solely responsible for its own Fire near Chernobyl May The Supreme Court of Georgia (the debts, including its tax liabilities. The “Court”) recently published two impor- Court, however, further noted that share- tant decisions on cases brought by the holders can be held liable for the under- Increase Radiation Levels LEPL Revenue Service of the Ministry lying company’s debts if the sharehold- “The ash is carried by wind over of Finance of Georgia (the “Revenue ers abuse the limited liability nature of long distances and creates the danger Service”) against directors and share- the Company by implementing a tax of radiation spreading over large areas. holders of limited liability companies. scheme. In reference to this principle, the Then the ash residues get deposited on Both cases concerned the potential tax Court ruled as follows: when a company plants and soil and in water. Of course, liabilities of limited liability companies. is used as a tool for acquiring undeclared these concentrations may be approxi- This edition of OnPoint reviews and ana- income and the clear objective of the mately equal to the maximum permis- lyzes one of these Decisions (the “Deci- shareholders is to evade tax obligations, sible parameters at large distances from sion”) and its implications for the busi- the nature of the limited liability com- the fire epicenter. But it is a serious ness community at large. pany is abused, i.e. if the privilege of the limited liability inherent in the legal en- threat for the surrounding area,” she FACTUAL CIRCUMSTANCES tity is used to avoid liability toward third highlighted on July 8. The Revenue Service assessed addi- parties and, effectively, to damage them, The Minister of Emergency Situa- tional taxes and tax penalties on a lim- then the shareholders may be held liable tions of Russia, Vladimir Puchkov, said ited liability company (the “Company”) for the debts (including taxes) of the com- that there is no excess of radiation near which was found liable for tax evasion. pany. On the basis of this reasoning the the Ukrainian border. According to Due to its financial situation, the Com- Court confirmed that one of the share- Puchkov, Russia is using every avail- pany was not able to pay the additional holders of the Company, which was ac- able radiation monitoring system and taxes and tax penalties to the Revenue tively involved in the management of the also monitoring the situation from space. “We provide all the necessary Service. The directors and shareholders Company and was deemed to have used Photo of the Chernobyl Forest provided by www.forumdaily.com (the “Respondents”) of the Company the Company to shield itself from incur- information about radiation to people were later found guilty by the Batumi ring liabilities, was liable for the debts, By Eka Karsaulidze is still ongoing. around the clock,” he said. City Court on charges of intentional tax including the outstanding tax liabilities, The State Inspectorate for Nuclear The Ministry of Emergency Situa- evasion, for which additional taxes and of the Company. Ukrainian rescuers are struggling to Regulation of Ukraine recorded on July tions of Belarus also announced a nor- tax liabilities where assessed on the Com- cope with fires that have been raging in 1that radiation was ‘excessive’ in some mal radiation level near their border pany. The Revenue Service brought a DIRECTOR’S LIABILITY the Chernobyl Forest in the Chernobyl areas of the blaze. Head of the Ukrai- with Ukraine. civil suit against the Respondents claim- According to the Law on Entrepre- exclusion zone since June 29. The fire, nian Ecological League, Tatiana Weather forecasters predict that high ing that, despite the Company’s limited neurs the director of a limited liability fed by dry grass and tree roots, came Timochko, said that the dry vegetation temperatures will continue until Satur- liability status, they were responsible for company owes fiduciary duties (i.e. duty about due to a period of hot, dry weather. and tree root systems were burning in day followed by an overcast period with paying the tax liabilities of the Company of loyalty) to the shareholders of the com- The area of the fire was at one point up a ground-level fire which affected the a slight drop in temperature. Intermit- as compensation for damages sustained pany, including the duty of care. Accord- to 130 hectares, though this has been top layer of soil where the radionu- tent rain is expected to contribute to ex- by the Revenue Service due to the non- ing to this principle, the director is obliged reduced to 5.2 hectares in which the fire clides are. tinguishing the fire.

Tel: (995 32) 2 45 08 08 10 Galaktion Street E-mail: [email protected]

6 JULY 10 - 16 ECONOMY

The Galt & Taggart Research team comprises Georgian and Azerbaijani finance and economic experts who have broad experience of covering the macro and corporate sectors of the two countries. Our current product offering includes Georgian and Azerbaijan macroeconomic research, Georgian sector research, and fixed income corporate research. For free access to Galt & Taggart Research, please visit gtresearch.ge or contact us at [email protected]. OilOil PricesPrices –– thethe EfEfffectect onon GeorGeorgiagia By Tamara Kurdadze Exhibit 1: Average monthly price for crude oil, US$/barrel, 2014-2015 Exhibit 2: Georgian imports of oil and oil products in US$ ‘000, 2014-2015 and Nino Papava

Crude oil prices have tumbled from $112 per barrel in June 2014 to $57 in the beginning of July. The drop can be attributed to a handful of key reasons. On the demand side, weaker economic growth in Asia and the ongoing weak- ness in Europe have facilitated the drop in oil prices. The gradual shift toward more energy-efficient vehicles has also weighed on demand for oil. On the sup- ply side, domestic production in the United States has nearly doubled over the last six years, owing largely to new capabilities in shale oil. The spike in US domestic supply has drastically reduced Source: Geostat the need for imported oil, which now ter in terms of savings on oil imports. mittances, while tourist arrivals have must be diverted elsewhere. OPEC – the For the world economy, the net effect is held up well. In 5M15, exports fell by Source: Bloomberg supposed to be positive, as wealth is 46% y/y to CIS countries. The most sig- Organization of the Petroleum Export- *July 2015 crude oil price calculated as the average price over July 1-6, 2015 ing Countries – has further exacerbated transferred to consumers, who are more nificant drops have been to Russia, the resulting glut on the world markets six world powers – the US, UK, France, with up to 700,000 barrels per day. Ac- likely to spend it. Azerbaijan, and Armenia, where exports by refusing to decrease production. China, Russia, and Germany. Iran’s cording to International Energy Agency How well does Georgia fare in this have roughly halved. Remittances de- Their rationale rests on experience – the nuclear programme – the topic of dis- analysts, oil prices might tumble down new reality? At first glance, it benefits creased by 42.2% y/y from Russia, the last time they propped up the oil price cussion in Vienna – has been the cause to US$15/barrel if the sanctions on Iran from lower oil prices as it imports 100% largest contributor with close to 40% of by reducing output in the 1980s, they of far-reaching western sanctions on the are lifted. of its consumption. The country has al- total remittances. lost both revenues and market share to country. If the negotiators reach an The primary effect of lower oil prices ready saved almost US$ 100mn on its In the short term, the negative effects competing producers. This time, OPEC agreement by the self-imposed deadline is a transfer of resources from oil-pro- oil import bill in the first five months of have outweighed the savings from a has in fact increased its production. of July 7th through 9th, sanctions on Ira- ducing to oil-consuming countries. In 2015, which amounts to 28% savings lower import bill for Georgia. However, As this article goes to print, talks are nian crude oil exports will be lifted, hit- 2015, an estimated US$ 1.6 trillion will compared to the same period a year ago. in the medium to long term, Georgia underway in Vienna between Iran and ting the already oversupplied market change hands from the former to the lat- These savings can be used on goods and should come out a winner. Firstly, it is services that can fuel economic growth. generally understood that agriculture ben- POLITICS Furthermore, lower oil prices restrain efits more from lower oil prices than does inflationary pressures in the face of cur- manufacturing. With agriculture making rency depreciation. However, a closer up around 30% of Georgian exports, the Alexander Kvitashvili Leaves Office look reveals vulnerabilities, as Georgia potential benefits are clear. And secondly, has significant ties with oil-producing Georgia has already demonstrated its of Ukraine’s Health Minister countries hard hit by the lower oil prices, adaptability and resilience following the such as Russia and Azerbaijan. More- Russian embargo in 2006. If the lower proposed the candidacy of Kvitashvili, over, the Russian slowdown, resulting oil prices are here to stay and the current stating that successful reformer in Geor- from a confluence of low oil prices and reduced level of exports to CIS countries gia could also make the same progress in sanctions, has impacted other CIS coun- is the new normal, we hope that there will Ukraine”- Georgia Today wrote about tries. As these economies, which are be sufficient stimulus for a new wave of Kvitashvili back in December 2014. major Georgian trading partners, have diversification of export markets. Proper Ukraine’s President Poroshenko be- been battered, Georgia has experienced implementation of DCFTA regulations lieved in the need for reforms and shar- negative spillover effects. Two key ar- and a continued improvement of the busi- ing international experience, which eas of direct exposure, which have been ness environment will play an essential prompted the appointment of Kvitashvili negatively affected, are exports and re- role in these endeavors. among other Georgian reformers. Having fronted one of the key sectors in developing Georgia in 2008-10, Kvitashvili carried out some drastic reforms in the sphere, such as modernizing and building new hospitals in different regions of Georgia, improving health care and building foundations to successfully imple- ment the general healthcare policy, which Alexander Kvitashvili, the now-ex Minister of Health of Ukraine. Photo from www.rbc.ua currently operates in Georgia. The well-educated Kvitashvili has By Steven Jones healthcare system are losing income. But worked for the United Nations Develop- this is Ukraine’s first and last chance to ment Program, United Methodist Com- Alexander Kvitashvili, Ukraine’s carry out healthcare reform,” Kvitashvili mittee on Relief, International Fund of Health Minister, has left his office after stated. the Georgian NGO - Curatio, and several months of efforts to reform The rampant corruption which has the East-West Institute. At different times, Ukraine’s healthcare system. widely permeated into the system had he has also consulted various interna- Kvitashvili insists that the resignation made Ukraine’s healthcare sector very tional organizations based in Azerbaijan, was his own decision. As one of several unhealthy, as had happened in Georgia Latvia, Ukraine, Armenia, and Greece on Georgians leading reforms in Ukraine’s years before. However, a solution to the education, healthcare and social security- modernization, Kvitashvili was believed Ukrainian problem was not to be found related issues. After resigning from the to lead the county’s most sensitive sec- by the Georgian technocrat. position of Minister, he served as a Rec- tor, its healthcare system. “The newly formed Government of tor of TSU from December 2010 until “I came to Ukraine to carry out re- Ukraine gave credit to Georgian techno- June 2013. forms. We are now ready to do this. Ev- crat to be officially involved in the pro- Currently, the resigned Kvitashvili erything is ready. We have changed the cess of reforming the health sector in the says he is to assist his successor, a new procurement system. We are following a country, which recently underwent the Minister, as the Georgian reformer has transparent, normal, civilized path. I un- dramatic events for its European future. unique experience which can still ben- derstand that many people working in the Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko, efit Ukraine.

8 JULY 10 - 16 POLITICS Government: Dialogue with Private Sector is Essential for EU Integration By Baia Dzagnidze “Good collaboration and partnership the future should be export oriented with the private sector is essential in and competitive on world scale,” he Aiming to assist Georgian and Mold- this process and [from our side] we ac- explained. ovan businesses and governments to tively cooperate with them in planning “Slovakia’s experience proved that achieve more coordinated dialogue on and monitoring of the process of imple- dialog between private and public sec- potential costs and benefits in the EU mentation. Right from the beginning tor is essential to get the most benefits integration process, the PMC Research when AA entered into force, we [the of- of EU economic integration and to pro- Center, with the support of International fice] involved civil society, NGOs, busi- vide successful reforms and changes that Visegrad Fund, hosted a two-day knowl- ness society, trade unions into planning increase economic growth and conver- edge-sharing workshop on July 2-3. process of our annual action plans,” he gence,” stated Ivan Miklos, the ex-Vice The workshop presented the experi- explained. Prime Minister and Minister of Finance ences of Poland, Czech Republic, Slo- Boris Iarochevitch, the EU Deputy of Slovakia. “From our experience we vakia and Hungary (Visegrad countries) Ambassador to Georgia, noted that AA would highly recommend intensive for- accumulated in the process of creating implementation will be a long and de- mal and informal dialog and communica- effective platforms for dialogue between manding process. “The government and Kakha Gogolashvili, Director of the Center of EU Studies at GFSIS, Mikleil Janelidze, tion between government and public in the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Ivan Miklos, ex-Vice the public and private sectors. parliament are working hard on passing Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Slovakia and George Welton, Executive general, including representatives of Davit Bakradze, the State Minister and implementing a number of laws, it Director of AmCham. employers, employees and NGOs,” he of Georgia on European and Euro-At- will take a long time as the DCFT is a The workshop included several pan- Minister of Economy and Sustainable continued. lantic Integration, highlighted in his wel- road map of 7-8 years with hundreds of els on various topics where government Development talked about the export George Welton, the Executive Direc- coming speech that Georgia and Moldo- pieces of legislation to be passed and agencies, business associations, experts, potential of Georgia and stated that tor of the American Chamber of Com- va are in a very important but at the implemented. And as the EU, we always international organizations and donors the country needs to be export-ori- merce stated that the DCFTA gives Geor- same time very demanding process of insist on wide consultation with all the talked about the prospects and challenges ented. “We see our future in the in- gia a huge growth opportunity (22% of implementation of the Association stakeholders before the laws are passed, for Moldova and Georgia, export, intel- dustries which are export oriented. We its exports are exported to the EU), Agreement and DCFTA, as both coun- as well as insist on impact assessment lectual property rights, agriculture and are a small market and it has no sense structural opportunities because of its tries transform their legislation and mod- being done by the government or the food safety and measures to support to be closed market. All the indus- location and the chance to westernize ernize their economies in the pursuit of Parliament for each piece of legislation,” SMEs. tries that currently are operating, as its business activities is preferable to the EU approval. he stated. Mikheil Janelidze, the Deputy well as those which will develop in alternatives seen in the region. How the New European Neighborhood SOCIETY Spanish Tourists Attacked near Zugdidi: Policy Could Reflect on Georgia Police and Doctors Accused of Misconduct By Nino Japarashvili the ‘neighbors of neighbors’. Security dimension – the paper ac- By Christian Smith On July 6-8 the European Parliament’s knowledges that security and stability plenary session took place in Strasburg. are basic concerns in the neighborhood While the Georgian Government Among many important topics, the and that current developments in the keeps marketing the country as Eastern Members of the European Parliament region call for a strong security compo- Europe’s top tourist destination, it looks (MEPs) discussed the European Neigh- nent in the ENP, which has regrettably like all is not well for foreigners here. borhood Policy (ENP); with a draft re- been missing to date. On the night of June 23 to 24, 2015, port on the review of the ENP present- The new ENP, if updated according two Spanish tourists, I.L. and J.G., were ed at the session. to the above mentioned features, will attacked and severely beaten while trav- “We need to rethink our approach impact the EU’s approach towards Geor- eling from Mestia to Kazbegi, which in- and put our partnership on a new foot- Photo of the European Parliament, taken gia. In comparison with earlier years, in volved spending a day near the area of ing,” said Johaness Hann, Commission- from presspack.rte.ie the frames of the new policy, Georgia Zugdidi city. They decided to visit the er for European Neighborhood Policy European Commission launched a con- will not be assessed by the EU together hot springs there but found the place and Enlargement, who took the part in sultation process on the review of the with the other five post-communist blocked off for construction works. They the EP debate. ENP in March 2015. states. Instead the EU will take an indi- were then redirected by locals to a place The European Neighborhood Policy The draft report discussed by the vidual case-by-case policy approach. where they [the locals] had “diverted the (ENP) was developed in 2004 with the MEPs in Strasburg, shows the potential The new ENP will also make a dif- hot springs to meet the course of a cold spring in a natural pool”. The two decid- J.G., hospitalized following an objective of avoiding the emergence of features of EU’s new neighborhood policy. ference with regards to the Russian fac- unprovoked attack near Zugdidi. new dividing lines between the enlarged Differentiation - the report stresses tor. While the EU ignored Russian threats ed to camp on a field near the spot. EU and its neighborhood. This frame- that differentiation should take place not earlier, the new EU policy towards Geor- According to I.L., nothing seemed out English was questionable”, altered nu- work is proposed to the 16 of EU’s clos- only between Eastern and Southern part- gia will be shaped with the Russian fac- of place during the day and they fell asleep merous facts about the attack and later est neighbors out of which ten are south- ners but also among the ENP countries tor taken into consideration. Overall, the at around 11 pm only to be woken up in stated that these were unimportant. The ern neighbors, covered by a sub-initiate themselves and develop into a more tai- EU’s involvement in Georgia will be the dead of night by a rainfall of thump- pair was later denied a copy of their own Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EU- lor-made and flexible policy framework modified according to the existing secu- ing sounds on the tent. “Suddenly, we statement under the claim that it is ille- ROMED), and another six, Eastern Part- able to adapt to the diversity that exists. rity dilemmas. started feeling and hearing hits on the tent, gal in Georgia. Georgia Today has since nership (EaP) countries, uniting post- Neighbors of neighbors –this notion The commission consultation phase and we woke up alarmed and shouting. I been told by a representative of the communist states, including Georgia, is the biggest novelty of the new ENP. of the debate on the ENP has come to an thought it might be a cow that was in the House of Law that it is in fact the legal into one policy framework. The report underlines the importance of end with institutions already having field that night, walking over the tent – obligation of the police force to hand With the emergence of new security ensuring that the ENP is part of the EU’s consulted stakeholders such as the EU that seemed to me the only explanation over a copy of a statement to the giver threats from Russia on EU’s eastern broader external policy and of taking into member states, partner countries, civil for the overwhelming weight that we felt of that statement if requested to do so. border, and the rise of extremist move- account the other strategic players that society organizations, business, local and pressing down on us.” “The legal significance of this is frankly ments in the southern neighborhood, the have influence on the neighborhood – regional governments. J.G. quickly realized that it was an alarming: if we ever went to trial and the attack when heavier hits started to im- police happened to produce a fake copy pact on the tent, which eventually broke, of our statement, saying whatever other Greece Debt Crisis: The People Say “No” to EU Bailout and J.G. took the brunt of the attack thing they want it to say, we have no By Nini Gegidze with several blows to the head as he tried way to prove them wrong,” said I.L. to stand up. When he managed to pull To make matters worse, after arriv- Partying on the streets of Athens his head through the now broken tent he ing in Tbilisi, tests at MediClub Georgia overnight spelled out a Europe-wide was able to see the distant silhouette of revealed that J.G. had fractures in both hangover on Monday, after more than a tall, thin and slightly long-haired male his left leg and right arm, despite the 61 percent of Greeks voted to reject running away towards the main road. claims to the opposite of the doctors in tough economic bailout conditions. The “We don’t know if they left because they Zugdidi hospital, who also failed to give final result in the referendum, published saw J.G. finally standing up, or because him a herapin shot, so risking “a poten- by the Interior Ministry, was 61.3% they just ran out of stones. A terrifying tially deadly case of thrombosis.” “No”, to 38.7% who voted “Yes”. silence was constant throughout the at- According to J.G. and I.L., it seems Greece’s governing Syriza party had Partying on the streets of Athens overnight spelled out a Europe-wide hangover on tack: we heard no shouts, no talking and that the police are not even investigating been campaigning for a “No” vote, say- Monday, after more than 61 percent of Greeks voted to reject tough economic bailout no laughter. Only the brutal hits one af- the case and they suspect that the de- ing the bailout terms were humiliating. conditions. ter the other… We knew that it had to tectives know who the attackers are but Their opponents warned that this could funding is suspended, Greek banks will on Monday. be more than one person, because of the are secretly trying to have the case see Greece ejected from the Eurozone, need to repay it quickly — which could “I really hope that the Greek Gov- frequency of the hits,” I.L. told Georgia closed. “On our way back to Tbilisi we and a summit of Eurozone heads of state be mean the country crashes out of the ernment - if it wants to enter negotia- Today. stopped in Chitatskaro to thank the was called for Tuesday. Eurozone. tions again - will accept that the other After an excruciatingly painful trip neighbors that helped us, and they told Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras Eurozone finance ministers say they 18 member states of the Euro can’t just across the field, I.L. and J.G. made it to us that no policemen had showed up said on Sunday evening that Greeks had expect to hear new proposals from go along with an unconditional haircut, the nearest house and called for help. An after the incident to ask any questions. voted for a “Europe of solidarity and Greece after the country voted to reject “ said Sigmar Gabriel, who is also Ger- ambulance arrived shortly and they were They were even surprised at the idea of democracy”. the terms of a bailout. many’s Vice-Chancellor. taken to Zugdidi Hospital, where, after stones being thrown at us, which means While the poll marked a victory for German Chancellor Angela Merkel At an earlier news conference in Brus- undergoing several tests, they were told that no one had even remotely talked to Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, and her French counterpart Francois sels, the European Commission Vice-Pres- no bones were broken. J.G.’s left leg them about the attack,” said I.L. it threatened to further jeopardize the Hollande also called on Greece to make ident for the Euro, Valdis Dombrovskis, and right hand were immobilized in half- Georgia Today contacted the Minis- nation’s crippled economy as well as the “serious” proposals. said the Greek government needed to be casts, while I.L.’s “mobility was not try of Internal Affairs for more informa- future of the European currency. Meanwhile, Greek banks stayed “responsible and honest” with its people heavily compromised”. tion but was told that no file has been All eyes now are on the European closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. about the potential consequences of the At around 9 am, I.L. went to the po- recorded under the classification of ‘at- Central Bank to see whether it will main- They had been due to reopen on Tues- decisions it was facing. But he said the lice station to provide an account of the tack’ which means that either the Zugdi- tain emergency funding for Greek lend- day but the head of the Greek Banking stability of the eurozone was not in ques- events. I.L. says the attitude of the po- di police filed the case under a different ers. The bank’s policy makers are ex- Association, Louka Katseli, said the tion, adding: “We have everything we need lice was very hostile and unprofession- classification, or chose not to file a re- pected to meet on Monday and if the period had been extended following talks to manage the situation.” al. The translator, “whose command of port at all.

JULY 10 - 16

Produce in Fourth Annual Georgia Assists Gender Hundreds of Equality Enterprises in Awards Held First Year P.13 Business in Tbilisi P.14

PASHA Bank’s Shurgaia Appointed as a GUAM to Simplify Customs Control Georgian Stock Exchange Supervisor Board Member of PASHA Bank Supervisory Board, Nikoloz Shurgaia, has been appointed as a member of the Georgian Stock Exchange Super- visory Board by the General Meeting of Member- shareholders. The Georgian Stock Exchange (GSE) is the only organized securities market in Georgia. De- signed and established with the help of USAID and operating within the legal framework drafted with the assistance of American experts, GSE com- plies with global best practices in securities trading and offers an efficient investment facility to both local and foreign investors. The automat- ed trading system of GSE can accommodate thou- sands of securities that may be traded by brokers from the workstations on the GSE floor or remote- ly from their offices.

As of June 1, 2015, 129 companies were trad- Flags of the GUAM member countries. ed on GSE, with a total market capitalization of USD 0.880 billion and an average daily turnover Members of GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azer- customs inspection results due to the fact that some of USD 587.55. baijan, Moldova) discussed the draft protocol for member countries of GUAM have no direct bor- Nikoloz Shurgaia received his bachelor’s de- the implementation of the Facilitate Trade and ders,” said Valeri Chechelashvili, Secretary Gen- Board Member of PASHA Bank Supervisory Board, Transport (FTT) project in Baku on July 8. eral of GUAM. gree in Finance and Credit at Tbilisi State Univer- Nikoloz Shurgaia, has been appointed as a member sity in 1995. In 2004 he obtained his Master of of the Georgian Stock Exchange Supervisory Board. According to the head of the Customs Co-opera- The main topics of the FTT are: legislation im- Business Administration Degree at London Busi- tion of the Department of International Relations of the provement and harmonization, GUAM countries’ ness School. He began his career at the United He continued his career at Belarusky Narodny State Fiscal Service of Ukraine, Oleg Semenenko, this borders and customs empowerment; the fight Georgian Bank working as a loan officer in 1994, Bank as Executive Chairman, while he simulta- protocol will create favorable conditions for the devel- against terrorism, cross-border crime, smuggling and was later promoted to the following positions: neously served the Bank of Georgia as Deputy opment of foreign trade and transport facilitation. and violation of customs regulations and illegal Head of Mortgage Division; Deputy Director, CEO. From 2012 to 2014, Mr. Shurgaia worked “Mutual recognition of the results of customs con- migration; the harmonization of border and customs Lending; Director, International Relations; and in Azerbaijan for Rabitabank as a Chairman of trols will help to accelerate customs procedures and control and their clearance according to internation- Director, Corporate and Retail Lending. the Management Board and since 2011, Mr. Shur- their simplification,” said Semenenko. He also men- al standards; intellectual property protection; and In 2004, Mr. Shurgaia moved to Moscow and gaia has worked as an Independent Advisor and tioned that at present the protocol requires some mi- information system creation. These aim to will re- joined ABN AMRO BANK as Assistant Vice Pres- Entrepreneur in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan nor corrections, after which it will be submitted for duce the border control time and increase efficien- ident, Integrated Energy Group. From 2005, he and Belarus. final discussion. cy while improving the quality of staff checkpoints began working as a Principal Banker at EBRD, Mr. Nikoloz Shurgaia was appointed a Mem- “It is very important to recognize the separate and ensuring the interoperability of transit systems. London. From 2008 to 2009 he worked for VTB ber of the Supervisory Board of PASHA Bank on Bank (Georgia) as the Chief Executive Officer. January 31, 2015. Cushman & Wakefield | Veritas Brown to Promote Timeshare Ownership Service in Georgia has strong ties to all the world’s main hotel opera- tors. We are happy to support RCI and Wyndham Hotel Group to establish and promote this new res- idential real estate system in Georgia. A timeshare is a property with a particular form of ownership or use rights. These properties are typically resort condominium units, in which multiple parties hold rights to use the property, and each sharer is allot- ted a period of time (typically one week per year, and almost always the same time every year) in Cushman & Wakefield |Veritas Brown have be- which they may use the property. A co-owner can gun to promote timeshare and fractional ownership exchange their allocated time either internally or opportunities in Georgia. International company externally for thousands of other resorts worldwide. RCI (Resort Condominiums International) in co- For example, if you own a 5-week period on a real operation with Wyndham Hotel Group, who plan estate in one resort zone, it can be exchanged for to open three new hotels in the country, will pro- another country’s resort real estate corresponding vide this service line in Georgia with Cushman & to the same value. Wakefield | Veritas Brown providing support to RCI oversees the system by controlling more market this innovative and unique opportunity. than 100 hotels throughout the world and timeshare Fractional ownership enables several unrelated real estate. Their interest in Georgian tourism is parties to share in, and mitigate the risk of, owner- huge and they believe in its potential. They plan to ship of a high-value tangible asset, such as a jet, research the country’s main summer and winter yacht or real estate. One of the main incentives for resorts, specifically the real estate market, and pro- a fractional purchase is the ability to share the costs ceed accordingly. We will be joining them in pro- of maintaining an asset that will not be used full moting this service line.” time by a sole owner Ali Egilmez, Affiliate Manager of RCI, ex- As for timeshare, it is an arrangement that grants plained the advantages of timeshare ownership: “In the right to several joint owners to use a property timeshare ownership people don’t need to buy an as a holiday home under a time-sharing scheme. entire property for a second home but only for the The affiliation fee in the timeshare and fractional time they need it. As we spend just 2 or 3 weeks ownership system is $15,000. per year on vacation it is not necessary to buy a Nina Kipiani, Head of Country and Director at whole house for such short periods of time. In this Cushman & Wakefield | Veritas Brown talked to case, all clients need to buy is a piece of inventory Georgia Today about the project: “Cushman & for a resort,” – said Egilmez, adding that timeshare Wakefield|Veritas Brown has been active in the resorts are most suited to middle class families with Georgian market for three years. Apart from stan- children. dard real estate consultancy services we also pro- RCI includes 100 countries where the timeshare vide a bespoke hospitality advice. Our company system can be utilized. It now adds Georgia to the list. 12 JULY 10 - 16 BUSINESS David Sergeenko: Implementation of Primary Health Care Reform is Underway

The Ministry of Health, Labor, ing Primary Healthcare. and Social Affairs plans to reform “Our first step was to devel- the Primary Healthcare service in op the Universal Healthcare and the near future, Minister David Hepatitis C Elimination pro- HotelHotelHotelHotel Sergeenko announced during a grams and to date we have conference on the Hepatitis C launched both of them success- Elimination Program at the Na- fully. At this stage, I can tell you SympatiaSympatia tional Center for Disease Control that now one of our main goals SympatiaSympatiaSympatiaSympatia and Public Health. is to improve primary health- According to Minister Ser- care,” Sergeenko said. “To this geenko, together with the Uni- end we have been in active con- versal Healthcare and Hepatitis sultation with the international C elimination programs, his min- consulting group ‘Global Alli- istry plans to focus on improv- ance’.” Dr. Jean-Elie Malkin: Unique Chance to Fight and Eradicate Hepatitis C 4, V. Daraselia Str. On July 4, the National Cen- lem throughout Georgia. Tbilisi, Georgia ter for Disease Control and Pub- “The Georgian Government lic Health hosted an event on emphasizes this is a first step to Tel: (995 32) 2 99 55 88, 2 37 05 90 behalf of the Hepatitis C Elimi- improve the whole health sys- Tel./Fax: (995 32) 2 37 62 63 nation Program. The name of the tem,” said Dr, Malkin, assessing Hotel’s network www.sympatia.ge conference which was attended the Hepatitis C elimination pro- “Sympatia” E-mail: [email protected] by many international experts gram as a key priority to improv- from France was “The Way For- ing the whole health system in ward”. Georgia for the benefit of popu- President of the ‘Global Alli- lation. ance’, Jean Elie Malkin, talked Dr. Malkin also stressed the about the importance of this fact that, after the elimination of event, and said it emphasized the Hepatitis C, the next step will be Car Rent elimination of Hepatitis C as one a reform of Primary Health Care. of the priorities for the govern- He expressed the full support of Tel: 599 16 16 70 ment, because this epidemic has ‘Global Alliance’ in this pro- been shown to be a huge prob- gram. from 35 euro per day Raising Awareness: Meet Tours to all direc- tions of Georgia Young Ambassador Jorjoliani (with driver and By Nini Gegidze my country’s development.” ond interview. Guide) for 4 per- He heard about the Young Now, with this new appoint- son from 40 euro. Georgia Today met Ioseb Jor- Ambassador program through a ment, Ioseb will have to com- Nissan pathfinder – joliani, a recently appointed a Georgian woman from Voice of plete a project that raises aware- 2004, 4X4, AT Young Ambassador of Georgia America, a broadcast institution, ness of Georgian culture and life. to the United States. Ioseb is an where he interned last summer. He said: “I have to organize exchange student at Washington He said, of applying for the a Georgian Youth Forum in & Jefferson College (W&J) who project: “The application was which Georgian students will is in the middle of his sophomore seven pages long and at first I gather and discuss the relative year. He is extremely excited felt lazy to complete it but of world events in relation to Geor- about the new opportunity and course by the deadline I sent my gia. The government also wants sees it as the fulfillment of a life- seven page project with its finan- to create a fellowship of Geor- long dream. cial plan and all additional doc- gia’s friends which will include “I have always wanted to umentations to the Ministry.” American and other internation- serve my country and assist it on He then went on to talk about al students who express interest Mercedes-Benz Viano – 2004 Toyota RAV 4 – 2000, its way to future success. As a the project: “The project lasts a in Georgian culture.” 4X4, AT Governmental Scholar I already year. 140 students aged 18 to 29 Ioseb is an active member of had a huge responsibility to main- applied from 10 different coun- the W&NJR community. He tain a high academic GPA for my tries. They finally selected only hosts a global news radio show governmental scholarship. How- ten. I waited for two weeks and in WNJR, plays on the Rugby ever, this project of young ambas- finally they woke me up at 7 am.” team and is the special events Ioseb Jorjoliani, a recently sadors created a direct opportu- Ioseb said questions followed appointed a Young Ambassador and activities coordinator for the nity for me to play a real role in about his project as well as a sec- of Georgia to the United States. W&J International House. Hotel Kiparis Awaits You By Beqa Kirtava taurant serving both Georgian garden, which is a perfect place future and will constantly strive and European dishes. to relax and where you’ll be able to make our visitors’ stay even If you’re planning to avoid “Hotel Kiparis is a place to see numerous extremely beau- more enjoyable. Hotel Kiparis this year’s scorching summer where the soothing atmosphere tiful and rare exotic plants,” said will soon have a large conference days in Tbilisi by paying a trip enables our guests to spend a tru- Dali Metreveli, Hotel Kiparis room, special kids’ center with a to one of Georgia’s most beauti- ly pleasing summer holiday with Marketing Manager in an exclu- video gaming room and anima- ful sea resorts like Kobuleti, you their families. We have just fin- sive interview with Georgia To- tion entertainment alongside live are in luck. Hotel Kiparis (#218 ished working on our spacious day. “We have big plans for the evening shows.” Aghmashenbeli Ave.) has just The hotel’s administration opened its doors to anyone who also plans to offer guests tours wishes to make this holiday sea- around the region, where for- son truly delightful. eigners will have the chance to The location for Hotel Kipar- see the most interesting sights of is was specifically chosen to be Batumi and Kutaisi. both very close to the sea and So, whether you’re planning easy to get to by public transport. to dive into the world of enter- The hotel consists of two build- tainment or let go of all the has- ings which combine a total of 64 sle, Hotel Kiparis, with its cus- rooms, including several semi- tomer-friendly prices, makes a suites and two large suites. The perfect holiday stay for the local amenities include an out- whole family. Don’t miss out and door swimming pool, 2 cafe- get a taste of Kobuleti this sum- bars, free Wi-Fi access and a res- mer. BUSINESS JULY 10 - 16 13 Produce in Georgia Assists Hundreds High Time to Care about Cyber Security By Beqa Kirtava country. For instance, in 2011, CERT.GOV.GE* discovered a botnet of Enterprises in First Year “Cyber Security,” a term which would control server that had hacked By Tako Svanidze have undoubtedly drawn a surprised re- ema.gov.ge; presa.ge; psnews.ge; cei.ge sponse of “what!?” just a decade ago, is and several other Georgian websites. One year has passed since the Geor- gradually turning into a buzzworthy top- If the local incidents don’t set a prop- gian Government first launched its Pro- ic in Georgia, with more and more atten- er example of the importance of cyber duce in Georgia program to encourage tion being directed towards the cyber security, we could look back at one of the new entrepreneurs and stimulate local threats that the country faces. most talked-about cyber-attacks of re- production. Earlier this month a special regional cent history – the 2014 Sony Pictures The Head of the Georgian Govern- workshop on cyber security was held in Entertainment (SPE) hack. Numerous ment, Irakli Garibashvili, and the Min- Georgia, bringing together more than 50 accusations have been made about the ister of Economy and Sustainable De- representatives of 18 countries. The above-mentioned crime, including the in- velopment, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, summed two-day event was organized by the Data volvement of North Korea, former SPE up the achievements the program so far Exchange Agency (DEA), within the employees and even current workers of at exhibition center Expo-Georgia on framework of NATO’s Science for Peace the company. Whichever the case, one June 7. and Security (SPS) program. According thing is for sure, the hack resulted in the The Prime Minister highlighted that, to the Head of the DEA, Irakli Gvene- leak of Sony employees’ personal infor- since launching the program, more than tadze, the project served as “the first mation (pictures, emails and salary fig- 130 enterprises had been funded, and time NATO has participated in such a ures), as well as copies of previously over 600 revamped. During the last year, high-level workshop in Georgia”. unreleased films, ending up costing the 90 new projects were undertaken under The aforementioned event, amongst corporation a whopping total financial the program with a collective investment many others, is a logical continuation of loss of 14 billion Yen ($170 million). of $252 million, providing jobs for more Georgia’s stance against cybercrime, which While the rest of the world seems to than 5,000 people. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili speaking at the Expo-Georgia summary of was publicly declared in 2012 when the be at its peak of cyber-awareness, Geor- “Today, more than 130 enterprises Produce In Georgia. country ratified the Council of Europe’s gia still has a long way to go. The fact are funded and more than 600 enterpris- (CoE) Convention on Cybercrime (2001). that the Convention on Cybercrime was es are further supported. We invested a $150,000 to $2 million. welcome foreign companies to Georgia, total of 900 million GEL in the agricul- In terms of infrastructure accessibil- but for us the main concern is the devel- ture sector during the past two years,” ity, which means real estate assistance, opment of local industry and the cre- the Prime Minister said. program beneficiaries are either granted ation of new jobs for our citizens,” he David Bardavelidze’s pet’s furniture real estate with an amortized price, added. and accessories business is among the which is state property, or the building The Georgian PM stated that gov- hundreds of new projects implemented is ‘sold’ to the applicant for a symbolic ernment officials are going to hold talks within the Produce in Georgia program, 1 (one) Lari ($ 0.44). with persons who have obtained licens- enabling him to export goods in Europe- “When you’re going to start a new es to extract the country’s natural re- an Union member countries. business, start-up funding is the most sources. “Traditionally, such products are difficult part,” said Mamia Motsradze, “The waste of our natural resources produced in China and from there are owner of the Energy Georgia company. has taken place over the past twenty imported into Europe. In our case, we “Due to high risks banks don’t trust you years. As a consequence, we have hun- are exclusively cooperating with a Ger- to give back the money, or offer loans dreds of licenses issued for unique re- man company and managing export into with a high interest rate. Thanks to the sources, which, unfortunately, are not According to the Ministry of Internal Af- ratified 11 years after its creation gives a EU member countries. We are competi- [Produce in Georgia] project, we have used. This happens because these peo- fairs (MIA), the steps towards making pretty clear picture of how far behind tive with the Chinese market, because, an interest rate of 1-2 percent. Challeng- ple seized the state resources through Georgian legislation more coherent with the country is. However, the recent nu- unlike other Asian countries, we do not es are always there, but I’m sure every- different persons’ lobbying efforts at the the Cybercrime Convention were taken in merous projects regarding the challeng- pay 12 percent import taxes. Today, we thing can be accomplished.”. time and these resources go unused to- 2008-2009 and, today, Georgia is actively es, including the regional workshop, Ale- are producing 20 million Gel ($8, Locally produced VS Import day. This is a crime. No one has the right cooperating with Estonia and the US Fed- ksandre Chikaidze’s discussions about 929,000) worth of products and we plan Garibashvili announced that the Geor- not to use the country’s resources and eral Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in order cyber security with his Spanish coun- to gradually increase this amount up to gian Government had set a goal to grad- to reserve them only for personal inter- to “increase capacities of the Georgian terpart earlier this year, and DEA’s in- 100 million Gel,” Bardavelidze said. ually replace imported agricultural goods ests,” Garibashvili said, adding that it MIA operative units in the process of com- creasing contribution to the fight against The Prime Minister highlighted that with locally produced alternatives. was shameful that so many Georgian bating cybercrime and the seizure of digi- cybercrime, gives much promise to a the program supports any entrepreneur “I had conversations with the lead- citizens were living in poverty. tal evidence.” country still dipping its toes tentatively who decides to create a new industrial ers of our neighboring countries who “We can start to implement projects One may ask why the Government into the digital era. and agriculture enterprise. have successfully promoted local pro- together with enterprises. Produce in of Georgia suddenly took an interest in * “CERT.GOV.GE operates under Data In this case, the Government has been duction and development programs. Georgia and cheap Agro-Credit programs cyber security issues in 2008 while such Exchange Agency of the Ministry of Jus- offering three type of assistance: finan- They have followed the path for years provided by the state are everything an motivation seemed almost nonexistent tice of Georgia and is responsible for han- cial, infrastructure accessibility and con- and have had good results. They have entrepreneur could ask for. Within the before. The reason for this was the Rus- dling critical incidents that occur within sulting service. strong agricultural and industry sectors. program entrepreneurs have to pay only sian-Georgian war of the same year, Georgian Governmental Networks and crit- Within the program, entrepreneurs Establishing such enterprises creates jobs 1-2 percent of a loan, as we cover 10 when the local websites came under a ical infrastructure. CERT.GOV.GE started have to pay only 1-2 percent of a pref- for many Georgian people. This is one percent,” Garibashvili said. number of serious cyber-attacks from its operations in January, 2011. Since the erential loan, as the Government covers of the main tasks of our Government,” The Prime Minister also announced Russia, closing down numerous govern- National CERT does not operate in Geor- 10 percent of the interest cost. The credit Garibashvili said. that several components will be added mental and non-governmental webpag- gia at this moment, CERT.GOV.GE han- line for those involved in industrial pro- “I want to emphasize that we are not to the program for its further develop- es. Since then, many other similar cy- dles all critical computer incidents which duction enterprises ranges from against imports. On the contrary, we ment. ber-attacks were launched against the occur in the country.” (Source: DEA) UfUfaa HostsHosts BRICSBRICS andand SCOSCO By Eka Karsaulidze Xi Jinping talked about the interface of the Silk Road and the EEU. Gui Congy- The Greek crisis, Ukraine and the ou, Deputy Director General of China’s expected lifting of sanctions against Iran Foreign Ministry Department of Euro- are just some of the topics that Brazil, pean and Central Asian Affairs, said that Russia, India, China and South Africa China is preparing for big investments are discussing at the BRICS summit in in Russia. Oil and gas mastering in Rus- Ufa on July 8-10. sia is one of the priorities for China. In total, Ufa City, Russia, will wit- “Besides oil and gas, we are ready to ness the bringing together of heads of invest in the Russian economy, includ- state and government of nearly two doz- ing in infrastructure development in so- en countries, as well as the heads of sev- cial projects fields, such as affordable en international organizations. The sum- housing for people,” Congyou said. mit is expected to involve the signing of Experts agree that the BRICS has a number of important documents as well gradually been transformed by changing as many bilateral meetings. the format of dialogue to a coordination President of Russia Vladimir Putin structure, so becoming a platform for has already met with Indian Prime Min- concrete actions. ister, Narendra Modi, President of Bra- International security topics also will zil, Dilma Rousseff and President of be in the spotlight, in particular the sit- Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko. uation in Ukraine and the problem of It is significant that Belarus and a international terrorism. number of countries outside the BRICS Leaders of Shanghai Cooperation are very interested in this platform and Organization (SCO) – Russia, China, sent their representatives to Ufa. It is Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and quite understandable – it is an event with Uzbekistan – are to meet today, Friday the participation of leaders of the big- Photo of the BRICS center, from www.bashinform.ru. July 10. gest and fastest-growing emerging mar- Energy efficiency and the economic discussed at the BRICS summit with expanding trade and investment ties. Keep up-to-date with the latest de- kets. situation are among the top issues being BRICS’ heads planning on talking about Vladimir Putin and Chinese President velopments on www.georgiatoday.ge 14 JULY 10 - 16 BUSINESS Fourth Annual Gender Equality Awards Held in Tbilisi ceremony: “Today we celebrate the fourth Gender Equality Awards in Georgia. We of the United Na- tions and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are joining forces with the Gender Equal- ity Council and Government of Sweden under the special participation of the President of Georgia to highlight the importance of gender equality both because gender equality is a human right, a wom- an’s right, but also because it is the foundation of social, economic and democratic development in every country worldwide. And the message is clear – gender equality in business and politics and also President Giorgi Margvelashvili presents Nutsa Abramishvili from Schuchmann Winery with the Best protection for women and girls, means a more pros- Woman Entrepreneur Award. perous Georgia for all,” Sharp said. Manana Kobakhidze, Chair of the Gender By Meri Taliashvili Equality Council and the First Deputy Chairper- son of the Parliament of Georgia noted that despite On July 6th, the fourth national contest of Gen- Georgia’s achievements in gender equality it still der Equality Awards was held in Georgia with Geor- needs more gender equality. “Georgia needs more gian President Giorgi Margvelashvili as a special gender equality in political life and in business. I guest. The event was organized by the Gender am sure we are moving in the right direction and Equality Council of the Parliament of Georgia with we will to achieve significant progress in this par- the support of the United Nations Development ticular area,” she said. Programme (UNDP) and Government of Sweden The Gender Equality Winners of 2015 are: in order to enhance Gender Equality in Georgia. Grand Award for Gender Equality – Kula; Before the winners were awarded, Shombi Woman Entrepreneur Award – Nutsa Sharp, acting Head of the UNDP in Georgia award- Abramishvili (Schuchmann Winery); ed President Margvelashvili with a special award Gender Balance at the Executive Level - Per- for his contribution to gender equality issues. sonal Data Protection Bureau, Policy and Manage- The main award was granted by the Georgian ment Consultancy Group; President himself to Nutsa Abramishvili from Best Innovative Gender Policy - GTS Elec- Schuchmann Winery for the Best Woman Entre- tronics; preneur Award. The President went on to address Special Recognition for Gender Awareness the attending guests and in his speech mentioned Trainings - Zurab Zhvania School of Public Ad- Georgia’s accomplishments towards the issue. ministration; “Georgia has gone a long way to ensuring gender Special Recognition for Female Empower- equality in political, economic and social life. And ment Programme – Geocell; yet we are determined to build a society where ev- Special Recognition for Gender Budget Im- eryone will be able to enjoy their rights and exer- plementation - Ozurgeti City Hall; cise their choices without any discrimination,” said Special Recognition for Supporting Women President Margvelashvili. Entrepreneurship - Cooperative Alvani; Shombi Sharp clearly expressed the meaning Special Recognition for Supporting Women and the importance of gender equality at the award in Leadership - Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel. SOCIETY JULY 10 - 16 15 Education Ministry Presents School Message for World Readiness Program for 5-Year-Olds Population Day By Katie Ruth Davies Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin UNICEF and the Ministry of Educa- United Nations Under-Secretary-General tion and Science presented a new pre- school program to media and education and UNFPA Executive Director specialists this week which aims to give 11 July 2015 young children the opportunity to ma- A recent United Nations report ture, in all developmental areas, another warns that the number of forcibly dis- year prior to starting school as well as placed people has risen to a record num- to learn skills that will enable them to ber – almost 60 million at the end of achieve success in the education sys- 2014. Among these, most women and tem. adolescent girls face particular threats Early childhood education is of para- as a result of the absence of health and mount importance for every child as it other essential services that they need. lays the foundation for further growth Even under normal conditions, re- and development. Investment in early productive health complications are a childhood development improves not leading cause of death and illness only the health, learning and protection among women of childbearing age. In of young children, but also economic humanitarian situations, an estimated growth in the country over the medium one in five women and adolescent girls and long term. are likely to be pregnant. As skilled birth “International studies have shown attendance and emergency obstetric that a child who has preschool educa- care often become unavailable, pregnant Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin tion is less likely to drop out from school women’s and girls’ vulnerability to United Nations Under-Secretary- and three times more likely to end up in death and injury is further exacerbated. General and UNFPA Executive Director the top 10 percent of the 14 year olds in Women and adolescent girls also school achievement,” said Sascha face much greater risk of abuse, sexual governments, the United Nations sys- Graumann, UNICEF Representative in exploitation, violence and forced mar- tem, local partners and others on di- Georgia. “As adults, they have higher riage during conflicts and natural disas- saster preparedness to ensure that re- earnings and are less likely to depend ters. In addition, many women who sur- productive health is integrated into on social assistance. vive a crisis become heads of house- emergency responses. “Investment in Early Childhood De- hold, with the sole responsibility of car- UNFPA deploys hygiene kits, ob- velopment impacts not only the health, ing for their children. They often have stetric and contraceptive supplies, wellbeing and protection of young chil- to overcome immense obstacles to pro- trained personnel and other support to dren but also contributes to the eco- vide health and care for children, the vulnerable populations. It also works sick, the injured and the elderly, and to ensure the needs of women, ado- nomic growth of the country and, ac- Photo from pixabay.com cording to some studies, it contributes bear the heaviest burden of relief and lescent girls and young people are to up to seven times a return on invest- standard across the board. The report dren should have equal opportunities to reconstruction. As a result, they may served through both an emergency and ment in the long term.” [Public Defender’s Office Monitoring enjoy a free and universal School Readi- neglect their own needs as they care for the reconstruction phase. Our aim is Children up to the age of six learn best Report on Preschool Institutions (2015)] ness Program that will help them to bet- others. to ensure that women’s and adolescent in environments which encourage play is a hard pill to swallow but these are is- ter succeed in school.” The complex emergencies we are girls’ right to sexual and reproductive and nurture strong relationships between sues which are being dealt with, and dealt A further issue of contention is the responding to include protracted con- health is protected and their safety is the child and the educator and between with quickly.” status of kindergarten caregivers, pointed flicts, made worse by poor or failed ensured. the school and the family, and which pro- It is important that in addition to mu- out by Member of Parliament, Gia governance, the consequences of cli- On this World Population Day, we vide an abundance of play and learning nicipal monitoring, the relevant central Jorjoliani, who emphasized that the mini- mate change, and the engagement of call on the international community to material, as well as a mix of structured agencies monitor the implementation of mum remuneration of kindergarten teach- extremist groups claiming territory, re- redouble efforts to protect the health and unstructured activities. the education, sanitation and hygiene, ers should equate to the minimum salary sources and power. and rights of women and girls. We The main idea of the School Readi- infrastructure, and nutrition standards. of primary school teachers to reflect their That is why the theme of this World must enable women, adolescent girls ness Program is: Classroom sizes should not exceed the training. Minister Sanikidze confirmed Population Day, “Vulnerable Popula- and young people to play their full role - to promote learning by play and in- range of 15-22 children respectively for that there are plans in this direction. tions in Emergencies”, is intended to in peace talks, peace building and re- dividual approach so that children’s in- different age groups, and to this aim the This author, being the mother of three highlight the special needs of women covery, and to ensure that govern- dividual needs and interests are better Tbilisi Mayor’s Office, represented at young children, two of whom are cur- and adolescent girls during conflicts and ments comply with international law considered; the press conference by Deputy Mayor rently in the state kindergarten system humanitarian disasters. and bring perpetrators of sexual vio- - to support the development of Irakli Lekvinadze, announced the with one the right age to be eligible for One of the priorities of UNFPA, the lence to justice. By prioritizing health, socio-emotional and critical thinking planned opening of six new kindergar- the new pre-school program, has high United Nations Population Fund, is to rights and the full participation of skills that will help children to be pre- tens in the Tbilisi Municipality by hopes for the future, though low expec- empower and safeguard the well-being women, adolescent girls and young pared for the challenges of the school- autumn in hopes that the many children tations of how soon the developments of women, adolescent girls, and young people in public life, we increase our ing year where the learning process is currently without placement opportuni- will realistically and effectively take people and address their specific needs prospects for a more just, stable and more structured, considering obedience ties will at last be allowed access to the place. and concerns. We work closely with peaceful world. to new types of rules; kindergarten system. - to realize the potential of every Tamar Sanikidze, Minister of Educa- child based on his/her development, age, tion and Science of Georgia highlighted interests and needs and to create equal the voucher aspect of the new program AgAgeingeing PPolicolicyy inin GeorGeorgiagia opportunities for all children through- whereby those kindergartens unable to out Georgia. accommodate children could allocate free On July 7, 2015, a conference Age- The recent Public Defender’s Office access vouchers to parents to register their ing Policy in Georgia took place at the Monitoring Report on Preschool Institu- children in private kindergartens, funded Cinema Hall of the Parliament of Geor- tions (2015) identified systemic flaws in by the Ministry of Education and Science. gia, in Tbilisi. the areas of quality, access and violation It is not clear at this time, however, how The conference was designed to sup- of children’s rights in the preschool edu- exactly it will be decided who will re- port integration of ageing-related issues cation sector. Psychological violence ceive such vouchers. into public policies and programmes, in against children was observed in 70 per- “We are not a Ministry for experimen- order to advance the country’s sustain- cent of the monitored preschool institu- tation with risks,” Minister Sanikidze able development. tions, while cases of physical violence said. “The necessary infrastructure is in The United Nations Economic Com- against children were revealed in 40 per- place to make this program work.” mission for Europe (UNECE) in col- cent of institutions. Only 20 percent of She refuted the direct responsibility laboration with the United Nations institutions had safe and adequate infra- of the Ministry, however, when ques- Population Fund (UNFPA) supported structure and physical environment. The tioned on the readiness of regional kin- the development of the comprehensive mographic Renaissance Foundation of participants developed and adopted the report also emphasizes the low qualifi- dergartens, some of whom, with over 40 Road Map for Mainstreaming Ageing in Georgia. Resolution, which provides recommen- cation of the teaching workforce, which children in a class to two care-givers, are Georgia, which represents a solid Participants of the conference – dations on further steps for integrating is negatively reflected in their ability to clearly not ready for the extra responsi- ground and a significant step towards the Members of the Health and Social Is- ageing-related issues into all the govern- provide child-centered inclusive educa- bility of a structured pre-school system. development of the action plan on Age- sues Committee of the Parliament and ment policies and programmes. tion. These major issues emphasize the “Since July last year UNICEF has ing. other MPs, leadership and the represen- The conference was organized importance of introducing a legal frame- been supporting the Ministry of Educa- Opening remarks at the conference tatives of relevant Ministries, academia, through the initiative of the Healthcare work that creates a stronger system to tion and Science [of Georgia] to develop were delivered by Mr. Dimitri Khun- the United Nations Agencies and Inter- and Social Issues Committee of the Par- improve the preschool education sector. the School Readiness curriculum based dadze, Chairperson of the Healthcare national and non-governmental organi- liament of Georgia in collaboration with “The Law on Early and Pre-school on Early Learning and Development and Social Issues Committee of the Par- zations discussed the current situation the United Nations Population Fund Education is in its draft form at present Standards, a School Readiness manual liament of Georgia; Ms. Lela Bakradze, regarding ageing in Georgia, identified (UNFPA) Country Office in Georgia, and will create a legal framework for the and activity book for educators, and train- Assistant Representative, UNFPA Geor- needs and discussed on-going, as well USAID/Good Governance Initiative in School Readiness Program,” said Eka ing modules to ensure teachers are ready gia Country Office; Ms. Vitalija as upcoming activities in Georgia. Georgia, and the Demographic Renais- Beselia, Member of Parliament. The to support the children,” said UNICEF’s Gaucaite Wittich, Chief of the Popula- The Framework of Actions for the sance Foundation of Georgia. Law is expected to be submitted to Par- Graumann. “It is important that munici- tion Unit, Statistical Division, United follow up to the Programme of Action After the conference a photography liament in the autumn session. palities understand and introduce the pro- Nations Economic Commission for Eu- of the International Conference on exhibition Take Care of Time: “Ageing “Pre-school education is not currently gram at the local level. For the success- rope (UNECE); Mr. David Smith, Chief Population and Development (ICPD in Georgia seen through the eyes of its functioning as it should,” Beselia la- ful implementation of the program over- of Party, USAID/Good Governance Ini- PoA) Beyond 2014 and its recommen- older citizens” opened in the Queen mented. “Children need to be better pre- all monitoring should stay with the Min- tiative in Georgia (GGI); and Ms. Tamar dations were also presented to the audi- Tamar Hall of the Parliament of Geor- pared for school. There should be one istry of Education and Science. All chil- Chiburdanidze, Chairperson of the De- ence. At the end of the conference, the gia.

SOCIETY JULY 10 - 16 17 CULTURE AmCham and US TbilisiTbilisi OpenOpen AirAir Embassy Celebrate 239th By George Abashvili US Independence Day Another year, another Tbilisi Open Air festival: this time near the Tbilisi Sea with warm weather accompanying many mas- sively popular bands and musicians such as Placebo, Archive, Black Label Society, Beth Hart, The BearFox, and Zemfira, playing to a varied audience throughout the five-day festival, July 3-7. This year’s Tbilisi Open Air was big- ger than ever with more than 70 musi- cians playing live and delivering on their promise to provide an incredible and unforgettable experience for the twenty thousand strong crowd. The BearFox - Live at Tbilisi Open Air 2015. The Festival had two main stages ized the music industry. Perhaps the shocked by the audience and their ex- on which artists played nonstop. Rock next “The Clash” was playing on the citement and expressed their wish to and Pop music shifted to Electronic stage of this year’s Tbilisi Open Air- play in Tbilisi again soon. when midnight came, and shifted back we saw it first! The Tbilisi Open Air festival has to Rock and Pop in the morning. Each “Placebo” unsurprisingly earned the been around since 2009. It has a broad day had its own genre, from Pop Rock most attention this year, playing both old appeal, entertaining everyone from to Progressive Rock to Heavy Metal and new compositions and delivering hipsters to goths, all there to break free to Blues to Alternative Rock. Sticking with energy. As always, the band took from everyday life. After all, music does with Open Air tradition, aside from the special care of its listeners and asked break us free, just as the Open Air orga- popular bands, new musicians were them to “look after your brothers and nizers told the audience: “This year’s welcomed to try and pave their way sisters around you, give each other space Open Air confirmed that the festival is to fame as “Newcomers.” This year it and let each other breath. Let’s enjoy this going to get bigger and bigger every was particularly interesting to see evening without any casualties!” The year. It was one of the best five days and AmCham's Michael Cowgill and Ambassador Richard Norland at the annual American some new bands choose to play sup- organizers noted on facebook that ap- thank you all for contributing and being Independence Day picnic, 2015. posedly “dead” Punk music- very parently “Placebo” will be donating half so beautiful. Thank you very much and By Meri Taliashvili Independence Day and say: our Inde- popular back in the 70s and then again of their fee from the festival to the we promise you that we won’t stop pendence Day is Georgian’s Indepen- in the late 1990s and early 2000s with people affected by the flood of 13 June. growing and bringing you more beauti- On July 4th, the US Embassy to- dence Day!” said Ambassador Norland. “Pop Punk” when bands such as “The Another internationally famous band, ful music. We love you! Remember, gether with the American Chamber of Richard Norland was appointed as Clash” and “Sex Pistols” revolution- “Archive,” said that they were pleasantly music breaks you free!” Commerce in Georgia celebrated the a US ambassador in 2012 and finished OP-ED 239th anniversary of the signing of the his ambassadorial tenure this summer. Declaration of Independence. A pic- American congress representatives nic party was organized during which also joined the party and spoke about Georgia and Turkmenistan American, Georgian and international US-Georgia relations. Republican Con- families gathered together to celebrate gressman Peter Roskam from Illinois US Independence Day. The party in- spoke about US-Georgia’s close eco- Coy on Energy Speculation cluded a barbeque, entertainment ac- nomic relations and reaffirmed US sup- tivities, toys for children, live music port for Georgia against Russian ag- and games. The party ended with a fan- gression. “It is great to be here with tastic display of fireworks. Half the the US Embassy, celebrating US Inde- proceeds raised from ticket sales went pendence Day and celebrating Geor- to support the flood disaster relief. gian democracy as well. The ties be- Michael Cowgill, the Vice-President tween Georgia and the United States are of AmCham of Georgia, explained the very, very close. We are part of a bi- meaning of July 4th. partisan delegation here to honor Geor- “On behalf of the American Cham- gia and to make those ties deeper, ber of Commerce and the US Embassy, deeper and deeper. The commercial re- we would to welcome everybody to the lationship, the trade relationship, the Fourth of July picnic. We hold it every relationship with the US, the Chamber year but this year there are two reasons. of Commerce and American businesses One, we want to get American and are strong and should be stronger to Georgian and other nationalities to- draw the two economies closer to- gether to have fun and, second, we re- gether. Georgia is at the front line of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow met his Georgian counterpart Giorgi Margvelashvili. ally want to celebrate the American freedom and is pushing back hard Independence. This is a symbol of a against Russian aggression and we are By Zaza Jgharkava was obvious that operating the new en- because of consumed gas debts, are im- free world and for everyone who here to stand with Georgia and deepen ergy corridor was much more beneficial proving. struggles for freedom,” said Cowgill. the ties with the United States.” Last week the central streets of Tbilisi for Turkmenistan. Back then, President In only two years, the debt of con- US ambassador Richard Norland Democrat Congressman David Price were decorated with national flags of Berdimuhamedow’s predecessor re- sumed gas exceeded $400 million. noted the significance of the day and from North Carolina: “We are impressed Turkmenistan and Georgia as the capital fused to worsen relations with Russia. Georgian thermo electric power stations thanked Georgians for their well- with many aspects of Georgian democ- of Georgia hosted a high-ranking delega- In the recent visit, President Ber- used to work fully on Turkmen gas, wishes. racy. One of the most impressive is the tion from the Central Asian state. Simi- dimuhamedow had a detailed discussion which increased the amount of debt even “This is a particularly significant vigorous parliament in which the par- lar to the visit of Vladimer Lukashenko, about the gas pipeline with Prime Min- more. Of the debt accumulated in 1991- day as it will be my last 4th of July as ties are represented and in which vigor- President of Belarus, the visit of Presi- ister Irakli Garibashvili. However, after 1993, Turkmenistan wrote off $50 mil- US ambassador in Georgia- I’ll be leav- ous debates take place,” said Price. dent Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow was the end of the meeting, neither Prime lion in 1999 and out of the remaining ing in about two weeks. The signifi- On July 4th, 1776, the Second Con- not announced in advance, stirring specu- Minister Garibashvili nor President $350 million President Niyazov agreed cance of the American Chamber of tinental Congress adopted the Thomas lation that some kind of sensational dec- Berdimuhamedow spoke about the is- to write off only part, which was used Commerce being here and the work that Jefferson Declaration of Independence laration was to be made. Alas, it was not sue, offering only general phrases, to repair the Turkmen Su-25 at the it does makes it a very strong part of and thirteen colonies declared a new, to be. which touched upon modernization of Tbilisi Aviation Factory. Georgia’s economic development and independent nation - the United States The declaration summarizing the transit corridors. However, in the joint Since 1999, the debt to Turkmenistan US-Georgia relations. We’re pleased to of America. Since that day the nation visit, which was signed at the President’s declaration, for the first time it was writ- has been gradually paid back through see that each year the involvement of has celebrated Independence Day an- Avlabari residence, clearly showed that ten that citizens of Turkmenistan and repairing Turkmenistan’s aircraft at the American business community gets nually on every 4th of July with carni- Georgia and Turkmenistan have a long Georgia are “brother nations” and that Tbilaviamsheni and by sending sugar stronger, as does discussion about free vals, fireworks, picnics, parades, con- way to go in their cooperation. However, deepening relations between their and other Georgian products to trade with Georgia. I want to thank all certs, barbecues, fairs, baseball games, it was clearly felt that the official peoples is also of strategic importance. Turkmenistan. The debt decreased to Georgians who wished us well on our and political ceremonies. Ashgabat delegation led by President Moreover, it was written in the declara- $193 million and during the rule of Berdimuhamedow started a new energy tion that Georgia will provide full sup- President Saakashvili, in 2006, it was dialogue. At the concluding press con- port to Turkmenistan in the transit cor- fully covered. The epoch of Turkmen ference, President Berdimuhamedow’s ridor issue. Turkmenistan meanwhile gas, which was provided to Georgia by FOR RENT responses indicated that gas, which goes promised that during voting at the the Russian company “Itera”, is now to the west via Russia, might soon United Nations, it will support the re- over and the political elite appeared to Apartment in Vake (behind the Vake Swimming Pool) in an change route and go via the Baku- turn of Georgian IDPs to Abkhazia and have forgotten Turkmenistan altogether. ecologically clean environment with beautiful views. Ceyhan pipeline. Back in the 1990s, South Ossetia. However, assessing the unexpected The 120 sq. m. duplex apartment on the 10th floor, newly reno- Georgia’s second president Eduard After signing the declaration, Presi- recent visit of Turkmenistan’s president vated, with a new kitchen, fireplace, balconies. Shevardnadze tried to convince then dent Berdimuhamedow brought flowers to Georgia, all observers came to the con- Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov to the memorial of those who died fight- clusion that President Berdimu- of the benefits of transiting gas via Geor- ing for territorial integrity. This gesture hamedow’s visit was not merely a sym- gia, avoiding Russia. Although clearly implied a diminishing harmony bolic gesture and that relations between Price: 1100 USD Shevardnadze toiled to convince his between Ashgabat and Moscow and it the two post-Soviet states may well be in Tel: 577521020 Tekla (English) Turkmen counterpart to give up the also suggested that Georgian-Turkmen transit towards a new energy relationship, 597000109 Dato (Georgian) multi-million Russian deal. However, it relations, which were once quite tense one that would seriously irk Russia.

CULTURE JULY 10 - 16 19 Photo Exhibition Depicts WW1 Through Georgian Eyes translation of the diaries written in Rus- feed prisoners with the food that is for- eral B. arrived. The buildings are being sian. It is gratifying that this unique bidden by their religion?” swept, the roads sanded. Now the meet- archive has gained interest abroad and In another excerpt, she attacks the ings will start again for the serious, im- the exhibition already has been invited bureaucracy interfering with her work. portant cause of rendering the aid to to Switzerland,” Davit Lortkipanidze, “10 January. We do not change the bed patients; these meetings are like comic Director General of the Georgian Na- sheets for the wounded unless they are operas. They just act with words. People tional Museum stated. badly torn or too filthy. We were cadg- are dying like flies. There are often cases “I have always wanted to realize this ing for shirts for a long time, but did not of mental derangement.” project, as Nino Jorjadze was a close get any. And here one of the functionar- The funds raised from the sale of the relative of my husband. She was single ies said: ‘I do have 1000 shirts, but I books will be entirely donated to a foun- and lived with my mother-in-law. I am don’t know under which article they fall’. dation for those who suffered from the happy that at last, as a dedication to the Paper kills all that’s alive, doesn’t allow recent Tbilisi flood. The supporters of centenary of WWI, the exhibition is one to do the job.” the project are the Ministry of Culture open,” Tamar Lortkipanidze, author of The amateur photographer also ex- and Monuments’ Protection and the the project told Georgia Today. hibited a sense of humor, even amid such Swiss Agency for Development and The extracts from Nino’s diaries are depressing and frustrating times: “Gen- Cooperation. particularly enlightening including this example: “11 November. My window overlooks the mortuary which brings melancholy. Every day the abandoned, lonely soldiers are brought. That’s hid- By Maka Lomadze mentarian of the brutal times of the Cau- eous. There are 25 unburied dead bodies casian front, depicting battles of in the mortuary. 12 of them have been The Georgian National Gallery is Sarikamish, Kars, Begliahet, Bitlis, lying there for two weeks now. No grave- hosting an exhibition of female amateur Karakamis, Nazik and Anis-Kala. She diggers, not enough people. This is noth- photographer Nino Jorjadze, dedicated can be perceived as a creative person ing else but barbarism not being able to to the centenary of the First World War. and a photo historian who played a piv- pay a last tribute to the deceased.” For the first time, the residents of Tbilisi otal role in the development of Georgian Jorjadze writes that she does not will see this unique material, including photography. approve of quitting the front even in a photos, diaries and other documents “The archive displays the history of dangerous situation, as she thinks that from the family archives, restored by a Georgian military aristocrat who was the sisters should be everywhere where the Georgian National Museum. The on military service in the Russian Em- they are needed. She also scolds those book “WWI in the Eyes of a Georgian pire and creates a photo chronicle of the who do not look after the diseased and Woman” has also published. Caucasian front during the First World only attend to the wounded, as if the The exhibition displays significant War that is important on historical and latter were “a tasty piece of cake”. events during WWI, military actions, ethnographic, social and cultural grounds. Jorjadze is full of protest. She de- historical persons and different ethno- Employees of the Dmitry Ermakov picts, when, at last, the Russians decide graphic groups. Jorjadze had a western photo archive department of the Geor- to feed the wounded Turks. “They are education and became a member of the gian National Museum carried out con- given porridge with lard. It’s really bar- International Red Cross as soon as WWI servation work on the photo collection. baric. First of all, their stomachs cannot broke out. Thus, Nino, as young aristo- Well-known Georgian writer Aka digest the lard and everybody is down crat woman, became a thorough docu- Morchiladze worked on the Georgian with dysentery and then how can you WHAT'S ON IN TBILISI

THEATRE MAGIC MIKE XXL MAGIC MIKE XXL IOSEB GRISHASHVILI TBILISI pictures of David Kakabadze (1889- MOVEMENT THEATRE Directed by Gregory Jacobs (Info Above) HISTORY MUSEUM - KARVASLA 1952) and Lado Gudiashvili (1896- Address: 182, Aghmashenebeli Ave., Cast: Channing Tatum, Joe Language: Russian Address: 8 Sioni St. 1980) together with sculptures of Mushthaid park Manganiello, Matt Bomer Start time: 11:45 Telephone: 2 98 22 81 Iakob Nikoladze (1876-1951) and Telephone: 599 555 260 Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music Ticket price: 7:50 – 8.50 Lari photographs from the National Language: Russian SERGO PARAJANOVI – “21ST Archives of Georgia and Iakob MUSEUM July 10, 11, 12 Start time: 12:00 CENTURY DREAM” Nikoladze House-Museum depicting IGI (HE) Ticket price: 7:50 – 8.50 Lari MUSEUM OF SOVIET the sculptor’s life and creative work. Jemal Karchkhadze OCCUPATION IOSEB GRISHASHVILI TBILISI Directed by Kakha Bakuradze RUSTAVELI CINEMA Address: 1 Rustaveli ave. HISTORY MUSEUM - KARVASLA GAMREKELI GALLERY Composer: Sandro Nikoladze Address: 5 Rustaveli Ave. Telephone: 2 99 80 22 Address: 8 Sioni St. Address: 14 Ingorokva St. Choreographers: Giorgi Gongadze and Telephone: 255 50 00 Telephone: 2 98 22 81 Lasha Robakidze www.kinoafisha.ge The exhibition is dedicated to the his- July 2-15 Scenography: Anuka Murvanidze tory of the anti-occupational, national- SERGO PARAJANOVI - 21ST OLEG TIMCHENKO’S SOLO Dolls: Irakli Khoshtaria JURASSIC WORLD liberation movement of Georgia and to CENTURY DREAM” EXHIBITION CULMINATION Start time: 20:30 Directed by Colin Trevorrow the victims of the Soviet political repres- The exhibition is dedicated to Sergo Ticket price: From15 Lari Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas sion throughout this period. Parajanovi’s art which was born due MUSIC to the multicultural traditions of CINEMA Howard, Ty Simpkins Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi SIMON JANASHIA MUSEUM Tbilisi. The project aims to expose ARTAREA Language: Russian OF GEORGIA the innovative prospect of the diverse Address: 10 Dodo Abashidze st. AMIRANI CINEMA Address: 3 Rustaveli Ave. and creative inheritance of Sergo Address: 36 Kostava St. Start time: 16:00, 19:30 Ticket price: 8.50 – 10.50 Lari Telephone: 2 99 80 22 Parajanov in order to expand July 10 Telephone: 299 99 55 international artistic dialogue between LIVE@TWILIGHT www.kinoafisha.ge Georgian and Ukrainian artists. PRESENTS: MISHO URUSHADZE POLTERGEIST "ARCHAEOLOGICAL TREASURE" FEAT. AMIKO / MOKU T (LIVE) Directed by Gil Kenan July 10-16 GALLERY Start time: 21:00 INSIDE OUT Cast: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie June 27 – October 31 DeWitt, Kennedi Clements “GEORGIANS IN WORLD WAR Directed by Pete Docter, THE NATIONAL GALLERY MTKVARZE Genre: Horror, Thriller II” IS AN EXHIBITION Ronaldo Del Carmen Address: 11 Rustaveli Ave. Cast: Pete Docter, Ronaldo Del Carmen Language: Russian DEDICATED TO THE 70TH www.museum.ge July 10 Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama Start time: 22:30 ANNIVERSARY OF THE VICTORY RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY Language: English Ticket price: 11.50 – 12.50 Lari OVER FASCISM. June 17- July 17 PRESENTS Start time: 17:30 The exposition will showcase at least THE EXHIBITION “THE DASHA RUSH, A.TABUKASHVILI, Ticket price: 9.50 – 10.50 Lari LOST IN KARASTAN 250 little-known items from the collections of the Georgian National CAUCASUS FRONT THROUGH ZURKIN, ZITTO Directed by Ben Hopkins NINO JORJADZE’S CAMERA Main Room: MINIONS 3D Cast: Matthew Macfadyen, MyAnna Museum, including the private letters of Georgian combatants, certificates, LENS” IS DEDICATED TO THE Dasha Rush (DJ Set) / Fullpanda Directed by Colin Trevorrow Buring, Noah Taylor greeting cards, medals, orders, and 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF WWI. Records, Berlin, DE Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Genre: Comedy weaponry such as guns, pistols, Nino Jorjadze was the first Georgian A. Tabukashvili Howard, Ty Simpkins Language: Russian Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi machine-guns, assault rifles, etc. made woman photographer who created Visuals by Giorgi Mozgovoi Start time: 16:00 Language: English in the USSR and Nazi Germany. photo series about WWI that reflect a Small Room: Ticket price: 9.50 – 10.50 Lari Start time: 19:50 One of the most distinguished diverse and thematically rich history. Zurkin Language: Russian artifacts are a greeting letter from For the first time at the exposition ZITTO Start time: 12:30, 14:40, 17:20, MINIONS 3D Simon Chikovani addressed to visitors will have the chance to see Start time: 21:00 19:40, 22:00 (Info Above) General-colonel Konstantine Nino Jorjadze’s photos, letters, Ticket price: 10 Lari Ticket price: 7.50 – 12.50 Lari Language: Russian Leselidze, the orders of Konstantine diaries, documents and personal items Start time: 12:00, 14:20, 17:00, Leselidze, General Janjgava’s medal of from the Caucasus Front in 1914- MUSHTAIDI PARK TERMINATOR GENESIS 20:00, 22:15 honor, uniforms of Georgian generals 1918. Also on display are photos Address: 182 Agmashenebeli ave. Directed by Alan Taylor Ticket price: 7.50 – 12.50 Lari and officers, and the unique flags of from the family archives, which were Telephone: 599 01 55 67 Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Georgian partisans who were fighting restored by the Georgian National Clarke, Emilia Clarke TERMINATOR GENESIS in France and Italy. Museum’s photo-paper conservation July 15 Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi (Info Above) Visitors will have a chance to see the laboratory. VALERIAN SHIUKASHVILI Language: Russian Language: Russian private pipe of Joseph Stalin and an CONCERT TO SUPPORT Start time: 16:30, 19:40, 22:30 Start time: 14:20, 17:05, 19:50, 22:40 ivory vase specially made for his 50th PIROSMANI’S 150TH CHILDREN WITH CANCER Ticket price: 9:50 – 12.50 Lari Ticket price: 8:50 – 12.50 Lari birthday. The National Gallery is hosting Start time: 20:30

SOCIETY JULY 10 - 16 21 HearHearsese bbyy Candlelight:Candlelight: Zugdidi-EtseriZugdidi-Etseri

By Tony Hanmer ered by having a dead body in the car; it ter-in-law poured out her anguish in a was inside the coffin anyway, with the loud voice. (I’ll have more to write soon follow- lid on. It was just the emotional outpour- Near the dead man’s home, they took ing from last week’s mountain herding ing which was hard. Single, too young in his coffin out to carry it to his poor wait- article, which is now what you might call his early fifties, and his passing com- ing elderly mother by hand. His teenage a Developing Story. For now, this inter- pletely unnecessary. I likely have the last nephew drove me and my goods home, lude.) photos taken of him, as he and his nephew and we were done for the day. Now the This place, these people, seem steeped had helped plough our potato field by body will be on display (refrigerated) in in death, I thought yet again when I heard oxen in mid-spring, with me document- a room filled with wailing women, until the news. I was in warm Zugdidi and had ing. Now I know a little of how the people funeral day, just under a week from now. just finished some shopping for the lat- feel who accompany the Olympic Flame Everyone who comes will be able to eat est phase of house renovation and for the as it travels from Greece to wherever in and drink to the memory of the departed. shop. This time it was going to be awk- the world every two years: or do I? The biggest feast will be on the day ward as well as tragic: the dead was my We stopped several times on the way, of the funeral, once the procession has driver’s brother, in hospital not far away, as friends and relatives heard the news carried the coffin to the local hamlet’s the cause a non-life-threatening medical and wanted to pay respects. The first cemetery and buried it. Then, every Sat- issue which he had simply ignored and stop was about halfway up, someone urday until the ormotsi (40 days from kept quiet about until the then necessary waiting outside a roadside cafe. Then a death feast), another feast. Ormotsi, and operation was too late. My copious shop self. The only thing I lack to finish my Then we were off, my bags and boxes small car, which had come down about then tslistavi, a year after death, to wrap stock-up purchases and I would have to grisly collection will be attending some- surreally encircling the coffin in the back 40 km just to meet us, its driver and pas- it up formally. All contributed to finan- travel back up with the corpse and the one as they actually die. I suppose I can of the minivan. The sister, sister-in-law sengers men, all sobbing. A minivan full cially by everyone who takes part (hope- wailing. wait for this. and her young daughter (mercifully of the village’s men was next, a bit closer fully 100%), and labor-wise the same. Do As I look back over the numerous fu- There is a lot more to Svaneti, but sleeping, wrung out by the day’s emo- to home. Each time we stopped, the men you see where my feeling comes from, nerals and other death rituals in which it death is one of its seemingly more tions) sat right beside the coffin, while exited, brief toasts were made, the sis- that Svaneti is focused on death? has been my dubious but necessary privi- present realities, alongside glorious land- the brother drove, he and his wife weep- lege to partake as a villager in Svaneti, a scape beauty and the differences brought ing (she all the more as he still had to Tony Hanmer runs the “Svaneti Renaissance” Facebook group, now with form emerges. It’s the shape of a neck- by every season, the towers and treasures, concentrate on his task). Another unspeci- over 1000 members, at lace, but not one of precious stones; more the lovely people. Lovely until they die, fied relative sat next to me in the front. www.facebook.com/groups/SvanetiRenaissance/ . like lumps of coal strung on barbed wire; and then they become human-parodying He held a long fat Orthodox candle, put- He and his wife also run their own guest house in Etseri: and it’s nearly complete. I have been at husks, same as everyone else. ting it into a plastic cup when the hot wax www.facebook.com/hanmer.house.svaneti almost every part, now including the pro- The first mini-feast today was where got to be enough on his hands. cession of the body from hospital to the Svaneti drivers from Zugdidi gather, The candle stayed lit the whole way; home, as well as too many pre- and post- near the “Svan Tower”: wine, bread and something to do with the departed’s en- funeral events and the great sad day it- tinned fish on a thin sheet of plywood. try into heaven, I think. I wasn’t both- Tune in to OKFM!

Radio OKFM interviewing Georgian celebrity Kristi Kipshidze. OKFM 104.7 has entered the Geor- organizations and advertisers,” said Sha- gian radio space with a much anticipated rashidze. boom, and is set to be on air 24/7 provid- The editors at OK! Magazine, once ing listeners with tasteful music and a again aiming to grab readers’ interest, satisfying mix of interesting and enter- have created a website for the magazine taining news stories. The radio opened on which loyal readers will be able to on July 8th. According to George get full information. Sharashidze, the founder of Radio Nino Ioseliani, Editor-in-Chief of OKFM, the information aired through it OK! Magazine took some time out from will be mainly based on celebrity news. the opening ceremony, which was at- “We hope that OKFM will become tended by a number of Georgian celeb- a very popular radio station for Geor- rities and public figures, to talk to Geor- gian listeners. The radio is contempo- gia Today: “Today, we are celebrating rary in its format and so its listeners are the radio OKFM’s opening. We have also expected to be contemporary. Such high hopes that the radio will be enjoy- an audience offers very attractive and able for listeners and we’re confident it interesting marketing potential for many will become a favorite,” she said. Waste Management, New Lifestyle Forty families in the Saguramo settle- ment for internally displaced people are learning how to manage and process solid waste. Three separation bins have been in- stalled in the village to sort the house- hold waste and prepare it for processing. The residents also receive assistance in composting organic waste and produc- ing fertilizers for their agriculture plots. Through the practical local work that benefits small communities, the initia- tive promotes the European model of Centre and Coop Georgia. waste management and contributes to Andreja Skerl, Policy Officer of the enhancing environmental governance in European Commission; Nino Antadze of Georgia. UNDP in Georgia; and representatives The project is supported by the Eu- of the Ministry of Environment and ropean Union, United Nations Develop- Natural Resources of Georgia, visited ment Programme (UNDP) and GEF the Saguramo settlement on 3 July. They Small Grants Programme (SGP) in met with the local residents and saw the Georgia, in cooperation with the Re- progress of the waste management gional Development and Social Support project.

SPORTS JULY 10 - 16 23 AAuthoritiesuthorities BrBracedaced fforor SuperSuper CupCup TicTickketet ScrScrambamblele

By Alastair Watt

Football and Tbilisi city authorities are confident that the long-delayed and calamity-plagued sale of coveted tick- ets for the UEFA Super Cup will pass peacefully after putting in place numer- ous security measures. Following a short briefing at the Georgian Football Federation HQ on July 7, it was announced that 22,000 tickets for the Super Cup match to be played between Barcelona and Sevilla on August 11, will go on sale from 9am on Sunday 12 July at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium. A video was then released on Youtube on July 9 by the Georgian Foot- ball Federation (GFF) providing a vir- tual reality run through of how ticket sales will operate. The process appears well-organized and relatively profes- sional, compared to the ill-fated online sales which caused the organizers much embarrassment. When the online sale was attempted, well over 100,000 residents of Georgia were virtually queuing for the most sought-after tickets perhaps in the country’s history. Only a very fortunate few do not remain ticketless and the desire to see the current Barcelona side, arguably the club’s greatest ever en- voice of concern was far from alone. If they all do so, then that will be ex- First, when will people start queu- online from June 22, however exclusive semble, has not dissipated. If anything, Nevertheless, such fears appear to actly 5,500 happy customers, with the ing? Although the sales begin at 9am on ticket sellers biletebi.ge’s website was it has intensified. have been heeded by GFF, the city au- count of disappointed customers sur- Sunday, people are likely to be queuing quickly overwhelmed and crashed after With nowhere in Georgia more than thorities and the Ministry of Internal passing that several-fold. long before that. Overnight camping selling less than 100 tickets. a day’s journey from Tbilisi, there is no Affairs as the ticket sales are to be In GFF’s advisory video, which de- cannot be ruled out, and when word UEFA then agreed to divide the sale reason why this vast number of willing heavily policed. Queuing fans, accord- picts a blissfully calm scene unlikely to spreads of early queue-goers, it may not in two, with one allocation reserved for ticket-buyers will not be replicated on ing to the aforementioned instructional be replicated on Sunday, it reassures be long before thousands follow suit. Georgian residents and the other for in- Sunday. Indeed, the (largely negative) video, will be penned in Vake Park queuing fans that their safety will be Will police disperse campers and early- ternational sales. publicity the Super Cup has been get- which is roughly adjacent to the Mikheil protected by the Ministry of Internal comers? The earlier this starts, the more However, a second attempt by ting could in fact increase the number difficult it will be to control. biletebi.ge to sell tickets on June 30 of those willing to queue. Moreover, for The management of ticket sales has been widely Second, how many people will brave proved largely unsuccessful with fewer older generations, the online sale may the queue? This is very difficult to pre- than 2,000 tickets sold in 24 hours. The have been unattractive or inaccessible. criticized by fans both inside and outside of Georgia dict but, clearly, the number of people following day, the international sale did The physical sale opens the door to any- and biletebi.ge has announced that it expects to be queuing will far exceed the number of take place and was apparently success- one with an ID card. tickets available. There is a guarantee ful, with a further 4,300 tickets sold. When the announcement was made on the receiving end of UEFA punishment for its of disappointment and how people re- The management of ticket sales has the previous week that tickets would be act when the “sold out” signs go up, been widely criticized by fans both in- sold physically, many predicted chaos failure to fulfill its ticket selling assignment, for particularly if they have been queuing side and outside of Georgia and at the ticket booths. which it had been granted a reported $45,000. in the summer heat for many hours, will biletebi.ge has announced that it expects Georgian football supporter Andro be important. Promises will have been to be on the receiving end of UEFA pun- Atoev, now living in Poland, was not Meskhi Stadium. Affairs. They also reveal that the queu- made to sons, daughters, brothers, fa- ishment for its failure to fulfill its ticket convinced that the authorities had given Stewards will then let through people ing area will be fitted with bio-toilets thers, mothers, uncles, cousins, wives, selling assignment, for which it had been the idea their full consideration. fifty at a time, to walk up the steps to and water stations to keep people hy- girlfriends etc. Going home empty- granted a reported $45,000. “I am not sure they have had a proper Chavchavadze Avenue where they will drated. In addition, the emergency ser- handed will not be worth contemplat- Biletebi.ge announced via Facebook look at this. This will not be fun to be escorted along the 300 meter walk to vices and first aid crews will be on hand. ing for some. on July 8 that it had begun a process of watch. In Georgia a line of 5 in a gro- the stadium ticket booths. The implication is clear – the authori- But, breaking the news that Lionel refunding hundreds of customers who cery store usually ends with a mild ar- Everyone will need to present their ties expect unrest. Messi, Neymar, Andres Iniesta, Luis had paid for tickets but not received gument. And that is a grocery store identification card to a steward before In the virtual serenity of the video, Suarez and co. will be playing in your them. The responses on the page were where you are guaranteed to get your proceeding to the ticket booths where a they seem to have reached a practical city, but you won’t be going, is a speech typically ferocious with some disap- product when your turn comes. Imag- maximum of four tickets will be sold per solution. However, there are two key that several thousand people need to be pointed customers alleging corruption ine thousands of angry people in the one person. It is likely that most of those variables which will determine how preparing. and tickets being sold covertly, an ac- place. Bad idea,” said Atoev, whose queuing will buy the maximum amount. peacefully this will pass. Initially, 30,000 tickets were to be sold cusation the company swiftly denied.

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

See answers in the next issue www.sudoku.com Answers to previous puzzles EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Katie Ruth Davies Address: 1 Melikishvili Str. Reproducing material, photos and COPY EDITOR - Alastair Watt Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia JOURNALISTS: Zviad Adzinbaia, Joseph Alexander Smith, Joseph Larsen, Katie Ruth Davies, Beqa Kirtava, advertisements without prior editorial GENERAL MANAGER - George Sharashidze Alastair Watt, Tony Hanmer, Eka Karsaulidze, Baia Dzaginadze, Zaza Jgharkava, Meri Taliashvili, Teona Surmava, Tel.: (995 32) 229 59 19, 294 55 24 permission is strictly forbidden. The Ana Lomtadze, Maka Bibilashvili, Nino Melikishvili, Nina Ioseliani, Tatia Megeneishvili, Karen Tovmasyan, Nino Gegidze, Advertising, Subscription: author is responsible for all material. Dimitri Dolaberidze, Nino Japarashvili, Maka Lomadze, Tamar Svanidze, George Abashvili, David Lolishvili. 597 970444; 597 955565 Rights of authors are preserved. The BUSINESS MANAGER - Iva Merabishvili PHOTOGRAPHER: Zviad Nikolaishvili TECHNICAL SUPPORT: Misha Mchedlishvili E-mail: [email protected] newspaper is registered in Mtatsminda CIRCULATION MANAGERS: David Kerdikashvili, David Djandjgava MARKETING MANAGER: Mako Burduli district court. Reg. # 06/4-309