Issue no: 1254 • JULY 10 - 16, 2020 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50 Want to watch it LIVE? Scan here and enjoy! In this week’s issue... Enterprise Georgia Shortlisted for World Trade Promotion Organization Awards 2020 NEWS PAGE 2 Contemporary Int’l Relations & Georgia’s Possible Response: Challenges, Risks, Answers. Part II POLITICS PAGE 6 Tbilisi Hills Golf & Residences: Meticulously Designed to Serve Every Imaginable Need BUSINESS PAGE 9 Beeline’s New SMS Portal Enables Companies to FOCUS Manage & Plan Mass SMS ON TURKEY Campaigns In an exclusive interview, the BUSINESS PAGE 9 Turkish Ambassador talks about neighborly support, post-COVID PAGE 4 Mortgage Subsidy: Encouraging Borrowing in the Midst of a Crisis Georgia Opens Borders ISET PAGE 10 Tourism Sector Challenges Unconditionally to 5 Countries Worldwide & Opportunities he Georgian government's admin- to Overcome Crisis Caused Image source: cnn.com istration released a statement made by the Prime Minister's Adviser by Global Pandemic Irakli Chikovani regarding the deci- 11 sion to open borders to 5 EU coun- SOCIETY PAGE Ttries. The statement reads: "The European Union, The Hidden Shame of Gori, on June 30, included Georgia on the list of safe countries and issued a recommendation on the And No, It’s Not Stalin possible reopening of borders to these countries. Based on said recommendation, the Government SOCIETY PAGE 12 is holding bilateral negotiations on opening bor- ders with relevant EU member states. Notably, based on the epidemiological situa- Natela Iankoshvili – An tion in the world and Europe, some EU member states have, at this point, opted against opening Artist’s Life between borders to foreign citizens, including from the EU. And a 14-day quarantine at one's own expense Coercion & Freedom is still mandatory upon arrival in a number of CULTURE PAGE 15 countries. Georgia is also monitoring the global picture and takes cautious steps to protect the health of its borders to the following 5 countries: As for other countries, in making this decision, Georgian Basketball Team its citizens. 1) Germany the Council considered the fact that several As of today, of the countries who have opened 2) France countries have opened their borders, among Captain Shengelia to Play their borders to Georgia without reservation, 3) Latvia others, to states not listed by the EU as safe Georgia, on the decision of the Interagency 4) Lithuania countries. for CSKA Moscow Coordination Council, will unconditionally open 5) Estonia Continued on page 2 SPORTS PAGE 15 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS JULY 10 - 16, 2020 Open-air Cultural Events to be Allowed Hungarian FM Praises Georgia's Success from July 13 as EaP Leader, Distinguished NATO Ally Government Administration, and Irakli BY ANA DUMBADZE Chikovani, Advisor to the Prime Minis- ter on International Relations, attended the meeting held at the Government s part of his offi cial visit to Administration. Georgia, Hungarian Foreign Earlier today, the Hungarian FM met Minister Péter Szijjártó met with his Georgian counterpart David with Georgian Prime Min- Zalkaliani. ister Giorgi Gakharia. The topics discussed at the meeting BY ANA DUMBADZE ABoth sides noted that the fi rst high- included the opening of borders. level visit to Georgia since the start of “There are many Hungarian citizens the pandemic is an important signal of who want to come to Georgia. In order pen-air cultural events will how close the partnership between the to give them this opportunity, we agreed be allowed in Georgia from countries is. to set up a working group to exchange July 13, Prime Minister During the meeting, the Prime Minis- information. Our friendship has deep- Giorgi Gakharia announced ter of Georgia and the Minister of For- ened during the pandemic. A large num- at a government meeting eign Affairs and Trade of Hungary dis- ber of medicines are imported to Geor- Otoday. cussed issues of bilateral cooperation on the success of the countries in the country was also stressed. gia from Hungary. We want Georgia's He added that the above will apply to and future prospects. The focus was on fi ght against COVID-19. The Hungarian The talks touched upon the possibility integration into Europe to be fast. We any type of event, including open air the country's European and Euro-Atlan- minister noted that Georgia has very of intensifying tourism between the know that Georgia is a country of very exhibitions. tic integration agenda. important positive results in this direc- countries as soon as possible. The sides deep civilization and culture. At the same “The ban on open-air cultural events Péter Szijjártó praised the successful tion and the decisions of the country's noted that the restrictions on interna- time, the Bank of Hungary has created will be lifted from July 13. I think, espe- reforms implemented by the Georgian government and the efforts of the citi- tional travel will be eased gradually, a fund of 155 million euros, which can cially now, in the summer, when domes- government and noted that the country zens are noteworthy. consistently and carefully so as not to be spent on the territory of Georgia tic tourism is becoming more and more is a leader in terms of both the Eastern The Hungarian Foreign Minister endanger the lives and health of citizens. today," said Péter Szijjártó. relevant, it is very important. All events Partnership and NATO relations. In his focused on the favorable business envi- Péter Szijjártó reaffi rmed Hungary's He explained that the line of credit will that are held outdoors will be allowed,” words, Georgia is a clear example of ronment in the country and the desire unwavering support for Georgia's sov- be used by Hungarian businessmen aim- PM Gakharia said. what kind of alliance NATO can have of Hungarian companies to operate in ereignty and territorial integrity. ing to invest in Georgia and expressed Georgia resumed domestic tourism on with non-member states. Georgia. The successful operation of the David Zalkaliani, Minister of Foreign hope that the line of credit will be fully June 15. During the meeting, the talks focused Hungarian company Wizz Air in the Affairs, Natia Mezvrishvili, Head of the utilized. Georgia Opens Borders Unconditionally to 5 Countries Continued from page 1 status quo will be maintained by Geor- The recommendations and the list of be obligated to complete a mandatory gian citizens more than 200 Euro. gia as well. Besides the 5 countries above, safe countries published by the EU will 14-day quarantine period. Importantly, our Georgian Airways, formerly Airzena, The citizens/residents of the 5 coun- in the case of countries listing Georgia be reviewed every other week. citizens must also consider the approaches is carrying out commercial charter fl ights tries above can only use direct fl ights to as a safe country or imposing various Importantly, to encourage economic to reopening borders taken by the EU to the following capitals: Vienna, Amster- Georgia for any type of visit. types of restrictions, their citizens will activities in Georgia, business trips from member states listed above. dam, and Tel Aviv, while Qatar Airways Before crossing Georgia's border, they be able to enter Georgia as long as they all countries will be allowed without Negotiations are underway with inter- will, in the next few days, carry out a must fi ll in a special e-form and list their complete a 14-day quarantine period at reservation, based on a completed spe- national airlines to resume air travel and one-off commercial charter fl ight from travel history in the course of the previ- their own expense. cial form and coordination with relevant regular fl ights with the 5 EU member the capital city of Doha, to repatriate 105 ous 14 days, as well as the location of Besides the 5 countries above, work on sectoral agencies. Business visitors to states who have unconditionally reo- Georgian citizens. their stay in Georgia, contact informa- relevant procedures continues with the Georgia are obligated to carry out a PCR pened their borders to Georgia. In par- The presently applicable regulations tion, etc. countries that have unconditionally test for COVID-19 at their own expense ticular, an agreement has been reached will remain enforced on Georgia's land With their consent, or in case thermal opened their borders to Georgia. every 72 hours, or complete a mandatory with Lufthansa to carry out two fl ights borders. screening at the border reveals a tem- At this point, the following countries 14-day quarantine, also at their own a week to Munich starting in August. We The Government of Georgia continues perature higher than 37.0, a PCR test will have not opened their borders to Geor- expense. Of course, that does not apply are also negotiating with Air Baltic and active cooperation with partner EU be performed at the airport. gia: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, to the citizens/residents of the 5 coun- Air France. member states. Based on the relevant Testing and quarantine will be manda- Norway, Malta, Finland, Switzerland, tries enjoying unconditional border To ensure the orderly repatriation of recommendation, the rules for entering tory for those with a history of traveling Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary. Notably, reopening with Georgia. Georgian citizens abroad, Wizz Air and Georgia and for Georgian citizens enter- to high-risk non-EU member states in a joint commission with Hungary has Relevant e-forms mandatory for the MyWay Airlines will carry out fl ights ing various EU states will be reviewed the course of the previous 14 days. been established to work on the issue of citizens of the EU member states listed from the following destinations in July: jointly once every other week.