GNTA: Number of Tourists in Georgia Up

Transcription

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Issue no: 807
• JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
• PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY
PRICE: GEL 2.50
In this week’s issue...
Hard Rock
Café to Open
in Tbilisi
NEWS PAGE 4
USD 40 Million to Be
Invested in Rixos Tbilisi
Construction
BUSINESS PAGE 6
THE NEW
IN FOCUS
A new Prime Minister
welcomes 2016 and
extols three years of
the Georgian Dream
Government’s Three Years
Report
POLITICS PAGE 7
PAGE 2
GNTA: Number of Tourists in
Georgia Up
BY TAMAR SVANIDZE
T
he Head of the Georgian National
Tourism Administration (GNTA),
Giorgi Chogovadze, summarized
tourism statistics from 2015 at a
press conference held in Radisson
Blu Iveria. According to Chogovadze there has
been a rise in the number of international visitors and tourists as well as income from tourism.
The number of international tourists has
increased by 7%, more than 280,000 tourists in
2015 compared to the previous year. The top five
countries where tourists came from were Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia and Ukraine.
Israel was in 6th place, where the Tourism
Administration has carried out marketing campaigns.
“Georgia underwent external shocks in 2015
caused by political and economic events in the
region. We were able to not only overcome these
external factors but also to increase the (number
of) international tourists and visitors as well as
increase the resulting income from international
tourism in the country’s economy,” Chogovadze
stated.
He continued that the positive trend was maintained in terms of tourists from European countries such as Germany, Italy and Hungary. Visitors from countries of the Persian Gulf was also
up.
The GNTA, under the Ministry of Economy,
Russia Visa Facilitation for
Georgians Only Worth the
n?
Paper it’s Written On?
POLITICS PAGE 8
Awaiting the White
Knight: Ogden on
Equal Opportunity
POLITICS PAGE 11
has carried out several marketing campaigns in
various countries. According to the data on the
first three quarters of 2015, the income from
international tourism in Georgia amounted to
around 1.5 billion USD.
Delicious Dishes to
Delight Food Lovers
Dechert OnPoint: Georgia
Launches First Technological
Center
SOCIETY PAGE 13
Your Last Escape: Svaneti
SOCIETY PAGE 14
The Most Anticipated
Movies of 2016
CULTURE PAGE 16
Play Your Part- Share
Your Shakespeare
Zandukeli Str. 27
CULTURE PAGE 19
2
NEWS
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
Next! New Prime
Minister Boasts
Achievements
While Critics
Murmur of
Instability
BY ZVIAD ADZINBAIA
L
ast week the Parliament of
Georgia approved a new
Cabinet headed by the new
Prime Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili.
Eighty-six MPs voted in favor of the
government, while 28 were against. The
main parliamentary opposition, United
National Movement (UNM) and the Free
Democrats did not support the decision.
In his comments at the parliamentary
hearing, PM Kvirikashvili declared that
the Georgian Dream has established a
new culture in Georgian politics, demonstrating how a government should
act in accordance with its population’s
interests.
PM Kvirikashvili named health reforms
and others as an achievement of his government, adding, “We can name more
examples but the main thing is that the
government listens to its voters.”
He indicated that economic development, encouraging an entrepreneurial
spirit and alleviating the bureaucratic
burden for businesses will be among
the government’s top domestic priorities. In his comments, PM Kvirikashvili affirmed the government’s
“readiness for constructive cooperation” with opposition parties on policy
initiatives.
Regarding the Russian-occupied territories, he asserted, “We must double
our efforts under the reconciliation
policy...Once again, we reaffirm our
commitment to sharing access to every
benefit and success in the country with
our Abkhazian and Ossetian brothers
and sisters.”
He also emphasized that a pragmatic
approach toward Russia, including the
Geneva International Discussions and
the format of direct dialogue between
Former and new
Prime Ministers of
Georgia: Irakli
Garibashvili
embraces Giorgi
Kvirikashvili
the PM’s Special Representative for
Relations with Russia and Russia’s
Deputy Foreign Minister, aims at mitigating risks towards Georgia’s path of
European integration.
PM Kvirikashvili stressed the importance of establishing a strong culture
of communication between the government and citizens and civil society.
“In 2012 the Georgian people chose
our government to serve them. A lot
has been done by this government to
demonstrate how it is possible for the
government to listen to its people,” said
the Prime Minister.
Despite the new PM’s announcement
regarding the possibility of changes in
the Cabinet, the Cabinet members remain
unchanged, except for the post of Foreign Minister, now occupied by Mikheil
Janelidze.
In ‘Georgia Analysis,’ a bi-monthly
analysis of political and other major
developments in Georgia by interna-
tional political analyst Lincoln Mitchell,
the scholar says the resignation of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili
was to be expected.
According to Mitchell, Garibashvili
was always heavily dependent upon the
good will of his predecessor, Bidzina
Ivanishvili, and named him a protégé
of Ivanishvili.
Mitchell emphasized the appointment
of the new PM indicated to governmental instability. “Kvirikashvili will be
Georgia’s third Prime Minister since
the 2012 election. While this is not, in
of itself, a strong cause for significant
concern, it suggests an instability in the
government that has, and will continue
to raise challenges related to governance,” Mitchell said.
AUTHOR OPINION
Opinions around the new PM’s potential to succeed are disunited, as the
opposition is concerned Kvirikashvili
will be controlled by Ivanishvili. Ivanishvili himself claims he has had no
formal affiliation with Georgian politics
since 2013 despite suggestions otherwise.
Although PM Kvirikashvili at the parliamentary hearing was considered as
more diplomatic and constructive than
his predecessor, UNM was quick to
remind him about the “unsuccessful
three years of his government,” highlighting the issues of economic shock
in the country, devalued national currency, and increased crime, claiming
“these are GD’s key achievements during their governance.”
For a professional observer or a commentator, the profile of Giorgi Kvirikashvili is hard to judge negatively;
however, his direct link with Ivanishvili
almost certainly eliminates the chance
that the governmental leader will be
independent in his decisions and policies.
NEWS
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
Business
Association of
Georgia: Police
Eviction Should be
Reinstated
BY ANA AKHALAIA
T
he Business Association
of Georgia said that the
bill to abolish police eviction should not be adopted,
calling it “[a] case where
the problem is not the lack of communication, but rather not taking into
account or ignoring the obvious and
generally known facts.”
According to the bill, eviction from a
residential area will only be possible
following a decision from the Court.
Paragraph 3 of Article 172 of the Civil
Code was repealed, according to which
eviction by police was possible.
After the Parliament of Georgia adopted
the bill, the Business Association of
Georgia and Association of Banks of
Georgia asked the President of Georgia,
Giorgi Margvelashvili, to veto the
Amendment. However, Margvelashvili
had already signed the bill.
The Business Association of Georgia
introduced arguments to the President’s
Administration as to why repealing the
Police Eviction Institution was inadvisable at this stage.
“Given the fact that the courts are very
busy with civil cases, hearing deadlines
are systematically violated and making
a decision often takes more than a year.
These legislative changes only mean
that today any owner in this country is
at risk; the risk that they have to spend
at least one year on disputes to defend
and take their ownership back. This
means that the government has violated
its constitutional obligation to protect
each person’s right to property and to
offer owners effective mechanisms to
defend their rights,” says the statement.
The initiator of the bill, Deputy Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee,
Paata Kiknavelidze, stated earlier that,
according to Article 20 of the Constitution of Georgia, no one has the right to
enter an apartment or other premises
against the will of the owner if there is
no court decision or urgent necessity to
do so backed by law. He said police eviction was an unconstitutional concept.
The Business Association of Georgia
claims that the Amendment will negatively affect both the real estate market
and financial sector.
“The Business Association believes
that all the existing legal mechanisms
should be used and consultations
launched with partner business associations to discuss the possibility of
filing a lawsuit in the Constitutional
Court,” the statement reads.
3
A Constructive Merger
BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE
T
he great English Language
is making confident and
vigorous strides into the
life of our beloved Georgia.
The nation is starting to
speak English – slowly but unquestionably. One of the surest corroborations
of this statement lies in the fact that our
people – not just our foreign guests and
friends – have started reading the English-language press and listening to the
English-language broadcast media. The
newspapers GEORGIA TODAY and
GEORGIAN JOURNAL have been good
and functional media for many a long
year. Having been competitors in the
most progressive and business
business-
like meaning of the word, they competed
respectfully, but never hated or wronged
the other as often happens in the complex and vitriolic business world. As we
well know, the marketplace has strict
rules that usually dictate business behavior in general. It was exactly the dictate
of the market and a healthy decision of
Georgia’s businessmen that resulted in
the smartest merger in the brief entrepreneurial history of this country: GEORGIA TODAY and GEORGIAN JOURNAL
have now merged into one bigger and
better publication, retaining the famous
title of Georgia Today. Functionally, the
newly renovated and revitalized edition
will continue its main job of keeping the
nation and the world informed on everyday happenings. Politically, it will
promote our chances of integration into
Euro-Atlantic
structures, and in
Euro
A
the long
lo run, it will stimulate
the creation
of a cohort of Georcre
gian journalists,
writing in Engjo
lish, w
which should be extremely
important
for securing Georimpo
gia’s Western
image and future.
W
I have
hav not seen a lot of business
mergers
merg lately in Georgia, but
this one is very special because
this particular niche in the
Georgian
media space has
Geo
now been filled by the edition
of g
great prospect. GEORGIA
TODAY
has always been a
TO
well-liked
publication, and
we
it will
w enjoy even more popularity
from now on. If there
ul
is anything that this country
needs
more in order to get
ne
across
local problems and
a
philosophy
of life to the
p
rest
r of the world, you could
certainly
count this Engc
lish-language
biweekly
l
which
has now reinvented
w
and repowered itself in
this constructive and extremely practicable merger. Congratulations and cheers
to every side of the merger and to the
wonderful team of journalists who are
going to keep up the good job they have
been doing to date, and will continue to
do in the future, strongly believing in
the golden and most meaningful journalistic motto ever: Facts are sacred,
comments are free. This nation truly
needs to have a newspaper like this, and
it has it indeed. Bilingual existence is
Georgia’s destiny, and it needs careful
and attentive treatment. Ignoring this
historical exigency is not a good idea.
Every single wasted day could result in
an enormous social, political and economic loss. This is why the role played
by GEORGIA TODAY, refreshed as it
now is, is truly significant, and tomorrow it will even be more so.
Nugzar Ruhadze, a Georgian journalist and
interpreter, was born in Tbilisi. He graduated
the Foreign Languages Institute in the faculty
of English Language. At various times he has
lived and worked in Egypt, England, and the
United States. When Mr Ruhadze returned
to Tbilisi he worked in the Georgian Foreign
Ministry as head of the Protocol Department,
but did not cease to engage in journalism.
Following a creative assignment in the United
States, he returned to his homeland with
invaluable experience and here organized
a radio program of English lessons for children
and founded English-language newspaper
Georgian Journal.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Georgia Today would like to welcome
Mr Ruhadze to the Georgia Today team
and to congratulate him for his long and
much-loved service in writing and education. It is with great pleasure that
Georgia Today publishes his 424th newspaper article and looks forward to many
more wise words from him in future.
4
NEWS
Abastumani Resort. Source: www.dariko.net
BY ANA AKHALAIA
T
he Abastumani resort, located in
southern Georgia, will see GEL 13 million invested in 2016, newly appointed
Prime Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili
stated at a plenary meeting.
Abastumani, seen as one of Georgia’s most
important resorts in Georgia, is a small town and
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
13 Million GEL
to be Invested in
Abastumani Resort
spa in the Adigeni Municipality, Samtskhe-Javakheti,
Georgia. The Georgian National Astrophysical
Observatory is also located in Abastumani.
The town possesses several landmarks and three
hyperthermic springs, rich in sulfate-sodium chloride waters. This unique resort was always considered as a treatment place for people suffering
from tuberculosis.
Green Party leader, Giorgi Gachechiladze freely
discussed the bad conditions in infrastructure,
canalization and water supply in Abastumani dur-
ing the plenary meeting. He added that resolving
these issues will have great importance in terms
of domestic tourism.
According to the Prime Minister, a general plan
upholding modern standards will be prepared to
make all the necessary infrastructure for the
resort.
“There is another serious problem we must consider- deforestation,” Gachechiladze told meeting
attendees. “The dust pine trees emit has healing
properties, beneficial for the treatment of tuber-
culosis. These trees are being replaced by spruce
trees. Pines have been cut down. Please consider
discussing this complex issue and take care of the
resort. This will be a very important step for tourism development and treatment for our patients,”
he said.
PM Kvirikashvili denied that pine trees had
been felled but recognised that, in general, the
control on timber licenses and its enforcement
is not as it should be and that more transparent
and stricter mechanisms should be introduced.
Ministry of Finance: Excise Tax Not Related
to Doubling the Price of Cigarettes
BY ANA AKHALAIA
A
fter the New Year, following the
approval of a bill on increasing excise
tax on cigarettes and alcohol on
December 11th by the Parliament of
Georgia, the prices of several types
of cigarettes, namely Parliament, Marlboro, L&M
and Chesterfield, has doubled or even tripled. The
Georgian Finance Ministry says the excise tax
increase has no connection with the increased
price of cigarettes mentioned above.
The updated price of Parliament is 10 GEL, Marlboro - 8 GEL, L&M and Chesterfield - 5 GEL.
These are produced by the company Philip Morris and the official distributed in Georgia by Omega
Group. This, however, may change with GDM Co.
Ltd moving in to take over the distribution.
Omega Group explains that raising the price
of cigarettes produced by Philip Morris was a
result of a deficit and due to which import was
suspended. Therefore, the numbers are small
and the demand is high. This, of course, reflected
on prices. According to the company, everything
will be clarified officially within a week.
The bill approved by Parliament involves
The World Health
Organization
demands maximum
limitation on
consumption of
cigarettes, and an
increase of excise tax
is one of the
measures towards
achieving this. Photo:
consumerist.com
increasing the tax by 0.20 Lari on filtered cigarettes, and by 0.05 Lari on non-filtered cigarettes.
The goal of the law is to tighten control on
tobacco to better align Georgia with EU Direc-
tives. The World Health Organization demands
maximum limitation on consumption of cigarettes, and an increase of excise tax is one of
the measures towards achieving this.
Hard Rock Café to
Open in Tbilisi
BY ANA AKHALAIA
H
ard Rock Café is scheduled to open
in spring 2016 in the heart of Tbilisi
and will mark Hard Rock’s longawaited introduction to the city.
Georgia Today met with the project
manager of Hard Rock Café Tbilisi, Levan Karalashvili.
“Negotiations with Hard Rock Café have been
underway for over two years now. We have signed
the agreement and Hard Rock Café Tbilisi is
expected to open in May, 2016. We are in the process of hiring staff and training and preparing them.
Reconstruction works on the intended location
have already started,” Karalashvili told GT.
The Café is to be located in the historical Vera
district, at Petriashvili Str No.1, in a restored wine
factory which boasts more than 1300 m2 of space
with 260 seats spread over two floors. The first
floor will be the main hall with a stage on which
performances will be held while the second floor
will be a lounge-type section with a veranda.
“Hard Rock group has developed its own design
format. It will be a traditional Hard Rock Café
design with guitars of American and European
musicians. We wanted to make a wall of Georgian
performers and we already have their permission
to do so. Now we are negotiating with several
Georgian rock bands to put their belongings on the
wall,” Karalashvili stated.
Guests of Hard Rock Café Tbilisi will enjoy the
Café’s exclusive dishes including Legendary Burgers and award-winning drinks. The Café will also
have a shop offering music-inspired items, as well
as collectible Hard Rock Café merchandise. Fans
will be also able to acquire Hard Rock’s muchcoveted signature pins.
“Prices will be adjusted to the local market. We
will develop a medium price segment so Hard Rock
appreciators can come and enjoy. We also want
Hard Rock Café Tbilisi to become a platform for
Georgian bands to get experience and perform.
This also is part of our negotiations- to find talent,
and the strategy of our founders is to support this,”
Karalashvili said.
The founders of Hard Rock Café Tbilisi are TBC
Holding, Goga Kalandadze, founder of Black Sea
Group and Zaza Shengelia, founder of Bravo Records.
Levan Karalashvili, who is a temporary representative of Hard Rock Café, also stated that after
the interviews they will choose the General Manager of Hard Rock Café Tbilisi from the six candidates already selected.
With a total of 204 venues in 64 countries, including 157 Cafés, 22 hotels and 11 casinos, Hard Rock
International (HRI) is one of the most globally
recognized companies. Hard Rock owns the world’s
greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is
displayed at its locations around the world. The
company owns, operates and franchises Cafés in
iconic cities including London, New York, San
Francisco, Sydney and Dubai.
6
BUSINESS
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
USD 40 Million
to Be Invested
in Rixos Tbilisi
Construction
BY ANA AKHALAIA
U
SD 40 million is to be
invested in the construction of RIXOS TBILISI,
1/3 of which is allocated
by the Bank of Georgia
based on the guarantee of the owners,
Georgian company City M, and the
remainder by Israeli investors.
Completion of the project has been
postponed a number of times. According to the last government resolution,
City M should complete the construction of the multifunctional complex
before June 1st, 2016.
The President of Israel-Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Itsik Moshe, explained
the reason for the delays to the project
as the fact it coincided with a time when
problems arose in the world economy.
Moreover, the construction of this kind
of hotel is not possible at high speed as
it takes time to work on precise design
and planning. The cost of the hotel chan-
delier alone, which is exclusively produced for RIXOS, is USD 1 million.
“Almost all the large-scale projects
were affected by the world [financial]
crisis and there are many factors in this.
We hear every day about companies collapsing. The crisis has led to the point
where the world economy ‘died.’ RIXOS
TBILISI hasn’t stopped for almost a sin-
gle day. In addition, we need to analyze
what kind of project will be built, with
what kind of technologies, and this takes
exactly the same amount of time in more
developed countries,” Moshe said, adding that the hotel will have no competition on the market because it will be the
most luxurious hotel with a unique service. 100 people are to be employed there.
Deputy Minister of Regional Development, 60,000 GEL will be spent in 2016
and 100,000 GEL in 2017 under the Mountains Law. A number experts don’t expect
these costs will have adequate effects.
Economists believe that the government
should take action to ensure a limited
number of people receive the status of
Mountains Law beneficiary in order to
avoid increased costs. Under the law,
people can register in the mountains,
but then do nothing there. In this case,
the state will have to take on additional
control mechanisms.
“The work force is lower in mountainous regions, with a high elderly population,” Rati Kochlamazashvili, Interna-
tional School of Economics (ISET)
researcher, told eugeorgia.info. “So this
law may have a social purpose rather
than business development. In general,
someone will open a hotel, someone
will build something, but the question
is how corresponding the effect will be
to State costs. Overall, this is a political
decision made for the elections, rather
than for the development of entrepreneurship.”
Mountains Law first was adopted in
1999 and ceased functioning in 2009.
Making a new Mountains Law was the
pre-election promise of coalition Georgian Dream, now the ruling party of the
Georgian Government.
Mountains Law: Political Decision or
True Aim to Boost Entrepreneurship?
BY ANA AKHALAIA
B
usinesses in the mountain
regions of Georgia were
released from taxes from
January 1st, 2016. According
to the Mountains Law, natural persons who start business in the
mountain regions will be exempt from
income tax for 10 years and legal entities
will not pay property and income taxes
for 10 years.
The Mountains Law also offers social
benefits to pensioners, doctors, nurses
and teachers who live in the mountains.
In particular, pensioners who are permanent residents in the mountains will
receive 216 GEL from September, 2016,
while other pensioners will receive 180
GEL. Medical staff of the mountainous
regions- nurses and doctors- will get
supplemental pay. Teachers will receive
at least an additional 35% of their basic
salary.
The Mountains Law also includes benefits for child birth. The first and second
child born after January 1st 2016, to at
least one parent being a permanent
resident of a mountainous region, will
receive at least 100 GEL a month for a
year; while the third and each subsequent
child will receive at least 200 GEL monthly
allowance for two years.
The Law also provides for the winter
period (from October 15 to April 15 of
the following year) to pay for electricity
from the state budget for permanent
residents of the mountainous regions.
The government has already approved
the list of mountain settlements. 1,582
mountainous settlements were granted
the status, including Khevi, Mtiuleti,
Pankisi Gorge and Gudamakari Gorge,
mountainous Adjara, Pshav-Khevsureti,
Tusheti, Upper and Lower Svaneti, Racha
and Lechkhumi.
The Mountains Law aims to develop
businesses and encourage people to stay
in mountainous regions.
“This Law aims to determine benefits
to stimulate social and economic progress of the mountainous regions guaranteed by the Constitution, to ensure
the welfare, raise living standards, support employment, and to improve social
and economic conditions of the people
living in mountainous regions,” state the
objectives of the Law.
Some experts, however, see risks in the
Mountains Law. One such risk is that
there is a chance of corruption; any governor can help people or their relatives
to register in the mountains and get the
needed status.
“We don’t have an institution of registration,” said Vato Lejava, Free University
Chancellor. “People can be registered
wherever they want. If there are some
benefits somewhere, no one would prevent it, for example, all the pensioners
could register in Oni district (located in
mountainous north western Georgia),
so a part of the costs cannot be controlled.
This Law will lead to a pseudo migration
process,” he said.
According to Tengiz Shergelashvili,
POLITICS
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
7
Government’s Three Years Report
BY EKA KARSAULIDZE
F
ormer Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili considered the absence of fear among
citizens, the settled prison
system, freedom of the media
and courts and the European Commission’s positive report on Georgia’s visa
liberalization as the most important
achievements of the Government in the
past three years. On December 23, Garibashvili resigned from office but a few
days prior to doing so, presented the
three years report of the Government’s
activities – covering the period from the
victory of the Georgian Dream Party in
the elections to present.
“When we started leading the country
three years ago, we aimed to make Georgia a strong, developed and united country which would become part of the
global community. And I am pleased that
Europe has recognized our achievements
and given the highest reward in the opening of the border for our citizens,” Garibashvili stated three days after the publication of a positive report from the
European Commission.
The Government the past three years
has focused on people, the former PM
noted, dedicating particular care to their
comfortable living conditions, freedom,
and rights, creating a peaceful environment, favoring development and ensuring protection. For this reason the government created a General Health Care
System; as well as increased healthcare
funding for mothers and children, which
reduced mortality amongst this group.
Each municipality is now able to boast
clinics, and salaries for rural medical
staff have increased.
Separately, Garibashvili highlighted the
Hepatitis C elimination program, which
has made Georgia one of the first countries in the world to defeat the disease.
The first phase began in April 2015, and
already 1720 patients have recoveredtentatively, 90% of the patients will be
able to overcome the disease in the next
stage. According to preliminary calculations, the program will save more than
200 thousand people’s lives.
“We have made medicine affordable
for everyone. It is no longer a business
– it is for the public good,” Garibashvili
declared.
Large investments have been made in
the education sector – research funding
saw an 82% increase, scientists’ salaries
were more than doubled, and the best
research projects were financed with 60
million Lari. Teachers’ salaries increased
by 65%, and in 2016 this will rise to
70-80%. “We understand that this is not
enough, but the government will continue to work hard to give a decent
evaluation to the work of the people
entrusted with the education and development of our children,” said the former
PM of Georgia.
Today, half a million students use free
student books and 1150 schools have free
transport services. According to a study
by the World Bank, this program reduced
family expenses on education to 60%.
The third priority for the Government,
along with healthcare and education, is
social support, Garibashvili stated. Within
three years, general pensions increased
by 80 Lari. The pension will reach 180
Lari in July 2016 and 216 Lari in September. The pensions of people with disabilities have increased by 28-45%. The
Government pays particular attention
to refugees from Abkhazia and South
Ossetia: 15 thousand refugee families
were provided with housing in the last
three years.
“For the first time in 22 years, 1061
refugee families will be provided with
apartments in new buildings, and 630
families will be accommodated in the
Olympic Village,” Garibashvili stated.
“We are also developing territories near
the occupied zone; in particular there is
a multidisciplinary hospital and shopping center in the Ruhi village, Zugdidi
district.”
The Mountains Law was created to
support the population living in the
Georgian mountains, which according
to the former PM are Georgia’s treasure
and the place which has by tradition
protected and preserved the Georgian
national identity and tradition. . The
Government will pay 100 Lari monthly
for one year for the first and second child
born in a mountain region and 200 Lari
monthly for two years for the third and
following children.
“The state has always relied to an extent
on the wealth of village products,” Garibashvili noted, highlighting the importance of Georgian honey, nuts and wine.
The harvests in the Kakheti and RachaLachkhumi regions earned 400 million
Lari over the past three years, an unprecedented result in the last 25 years. Georgian wine was represented in more than
100 international exhibitions, and sales
have increased in both China and Europe.
The ‘Produce in Georgia’ State Program
also gave a significant boost to Small and
Medium Businesses, with an expected
investment of 345 million Lari. It already
financed 139 new enterprises and a further 665 enterprises have been expanded
and strengthened. Garibashvili noted
that, following the signature of the Association Agreement with the EU, a new
great market has opened for Georgian
companies and exporters.
The Georgian railway received its first
cargo train from China, with a final destination in Turkey, on December 2015.
The former PM officially stated that
Georgia had become a part of the New
Silk Road. He also recalled the success
of the Silk Road Forum in Tbilisi and the
benefits reaped from free trade with
China, Turkey, the EU and CIS countries.
The great force of the Georgian economy, however, is the energy sector, especially with the construction of new Hydro
Power Plants (HPPs). Recently, 10 HPPs
came into operation and 104 projects are
currently at various stages of implementation. “First of all, I want to stress that
we care about our nature and these HPPs
do not harm the environment,” said
Garibashvili. “We need more energy to
be independent and to keep up with the
developing world. That is why we need
more HPPs, but HPPs which are built
wisely.”
Over the last three years, income from
tourism amounted to more than 600
million USD, making it one of the main
drivers of the Georgian economy. Since
2012, 17 million tourists visited Georgia,
as compared to just 12 million between
2005 and 2012. 120 types of hotel have
been built and ski resorts have been
developed, some being equipped with
snow machines that extend the winter
season by five months.
The Government carried out major
infrastructure projects like the construction and rehabilitation of roads, bridges,
enterprises, schools and residential
buildings. Among them were cultural
monuments such as Muco, Chachashi,
the Svan towers, Vardzia, Gelati,
Anchiskhati and a number of Georgian
monuments abroad such as the Ishkhan
monastery in Turkey.
Georgia made a name for itself in sport,
too, especially in 2015. Garibashvili noted
the success of Georgian rugby players,
wrestlers, chess players and Paralympic
athletes in particular. Georgia was also
chosen to host the European Youth
Olympic Festival, UEFA Super Cup and
other international competitions.
The former Prime Minister in his report
noted the changes in the structure of the
Ministry of Internal Affairs, Court, Prosecutor’s Office and the new rules governing elections for local self-government.
He noted that there are no violations of
prisoners’ rights, as there were prior to
2012. The Government introduced and
created a number of laws aiming to
ensure the protection of human rights:
the Human Rights Strategy, the new
Labor Code, the Code of Local Government and the Office of the Personal Data
Protection Inspector of Georgia.
Against a complex and challenging
global background, Georgia managed to
adopt a rational approach to foreign
policy. In addition to the above-mentioned
visa liberalization with the EU, the country has made considerable progress with
its strategic partners on NATO integration issues and strengthened political
and economic relations with the US. The
Government actively cooperates with
Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Moldova. The former Prime Minister also
welcomed the decision of the Russian
authorities on visa facilitation for Georgian citizens.
In conclusion, former PM Garibashvili
said that this report is the result of hard
work. “We know that our people do not
like an empty government which is content with advertising on television - we
will not do so. Our main objective is to
work for the future generations,” he concluded.
8
POLITICS
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
Russia Visa Facilitation for Georgians
Only Worth the Paper it’s Written On?
What is the purpose of the Russian
visa-liberalization, since the same
government was responsible for the
deportation of thousands of Georgians
from the country in 2006?
Photo: www.blackbirdtree.org.uk
BY ZVIAD ADZINBAIA
L
ate December, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory
Karasin said Russia is ready
to restore diplomatic relations
with Georgia, following a
positive report by the European Commission of December 18th on Georgia’s
visa liberalization with the EU.
Karasin said Georgia’s ex-President
Saakashvili decided to cut diplomatic
ties with Russia after he was forced to
‘cope with aggression and the recognizing of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.’
According to the Russian official, the
initiative to cease diplomatic relations
came from the Georgian President. “We
were ready to restore relations, but they
demanded that Russia withdraws its
recognition of the sovereignty of Abkhazia and South Ossetia first.”
Prior to Karasin’s proposal, Russia
announced that from December 23 a
visa-regime will be facilitated for Georgian citizens. The statement published
said that for business, working, educational or humanitarian purposes in Russia, multiple entrance visas will be
granted. In response, the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said no
interagency negotiations concerning the
issue are underway.
The Russian MFA said Russia is committed to encouraging the maintenance
of relations between citizens of the two
states, which may in the future be
reflected in introducing rules for visafree travel.
The Georgian PM’s Special Envoy in
relations with Russia, Zurab Abashidze,
stated that simplification of the visa
regime for Georgians is the right step
for Russia to take and will solve problems that many Georgians face.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
early December at his annual pressconference stated that “Georgia’s former adventurist government should
carry the historic blame for the country’s break-up. Russia did not initiate
the degradation of Russian-Georgian
relations.”
ANALYSIS
Russia occupies one fifth of Georgia’s
sovereign territory – Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia). After the
Russian aggression of 2008 in Georgia
and the recognition of the two breakaway regions as independent states, the
then Georgian government cut diplomatic ties with the Russian government.
The majority of pro-westerners in
Georgia consider the Russian initiative
a meek diplomatic trick to gaining the
favor of the Georgian people and mak-
ing them forget about the aggression and
occupation that has claimed the lives of
thousands of Georgians and left hundreds
of thousands homeless in their own
country.
The official position of the previous as
well as the current Georgian Government articulate that diplomatic ties
between the two countries will remain
cut until Russia takes back its recognition of the two Georgian territories as
independent states and fulfills the
Sarkozy-Medvedev 6-point Agreement
of August 2008.
At the same time, the Russian Government remains unwavering regarding the
recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, having signed military agreements
with the de-facto governments of both
regions.
Could diplomacy between Russia and
Georgia have any palpable aftermath?
Otto von Bismarck once said: “Russia
will sign any agreement, but the value
of the treaty will be lower than that of
the paper on which it is drafted.” Could
Georgians employ this principle in dealing with Russia? What is the purpose of
the Russian visa-liberalization, since the
same government was responsible for
the deportation of thousands of Georgians from the country in 2006?
POLITICS
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
9
Astrologers warn us that lies, scandal
and conflict are the active
characteristics of this zodiac sign
2016: The Year of the Red Monkey
OP-ED BY ZAZA JGARKAVA
A
ccording to the Chinese
calendar, 2016 will be the
year of the red monkey.
Astrologers warn us that
lies, scandal and conflict
are the active characteristics of this
zodiac, therefore this year we should
be more careful than we were in the
past years of the snake and the dragon.
In short, and at a glance, it seems as
though there is nothing good ahead of
us, however, astrologer’s warnings alone
can’t do much, unless we lie to ourselves
in autumn. This year there are parliamentary elections, remember? And
elections without lies, scandals and
conflicts, as they say, do not exist, just
like a Georgian Supra without a toast.
This year is indeed decisive for polit-
yet decided which political union they
will vote for. This means that they do
not trust the Government anymore.
Indeed, the ruling coalition Georgian
Dream isn’t so well off, though that it
still leads the rating by 16%, a decrease
compared to previous polls, is still obvious. This does not in any way imply
that GD will need to think of new lies
for autumn in order to improve the
situation, however, if the government
continues losing its electorate at this
rate, it can be surely said that not a single lie will be able to help them out,
regardless of who is thinking them up.
As founder of GD, billionaire Bidzina
Ivanishvili, says, he is going to get
involved in the pre-election campaign
with ‘all his resources.’ “I will, of course,
take part in everything and will interfere very actively. I declare once again
that I will help my team with all my
resources, so that it can convince soci-
ety that it is still irreplaceable today
and that it should be the leader. Those
ways, outlined after we came; those
values that we have established, still
need to be deepened and strengthened.
Therefore, I am interested in being
mobilized, together with society, to the
maximum and to take relevant decisions,” Ivanishvili declared. Which
resources the billionaire plans to use,
intellectual or financial, has not yet been
specified. It is likely that he will use
both as a support to the coalition, as
both are needed during elections. Therefore it cannot be ruled out that in autumn
we will witness a new series of “free
money and free loans.”
By the way, if we look at the history
of lies of the government, President
Shevardnadze’s pre-election promise,
in 1995 about 1 million jobs, keeps the
leading position. Georgian Dream’s
promise about free money cannot even
NEW YEAR SALES!
get close to that one, not to say anything
about the promises from the National
Movement’s time: “There’s a lot more
to be done” or “Deeds instead of words.”
As for the National Movement, according to the same NDI poll, its rating has
statistically risen from 7%-10%. Like a
poet once wrote, the National Movement caws like a black raven behind
Georgian Dream’s Merani, which, on
their side is followed by the Free Democrats of ex-defense minister Irakli
Alasania. But the main thing is to be
able to tell truth from lies in this year’s
elections, so that in the next four years
we will not blame the worsening of our
country, or our own lives, on the government again. Otherwise, we will have
to live with the idea that we are so used
to lies that we can’t even imagine living
without them. And the year of the red
monkey will have nothing to do with
it.
577 22 02 20
577 23 02 30
FROM 800$
www.redco.ge
[email protected]
ical parties. Parliamentary elections
will be held in autumn. Some will try
to retain authority, others to regain it;
the goals of some will probably be more
modest and these be satisfied by a couple of parliamentary mandates. It
depends on the resources and fantasies
they have. During previous elections
Georgian Dream (GD) truly made wonders, otherwise who would imagine that
ballads about free money, cheap loans
and halved tariffs would work to such
extent that even the National Movement, being noticed for spreading “lies,”
would be surprised? After the elections,
the UNM government started to cry
“Ivanishvili and the Dream lies to people”, but of course by then it was too
late.
Voters brought the GD coalition to
power but where these voters went after
4 years is proven by the December polls
of NDI in which 35% of voters have not
FULLY RENOVATED FLATS IN BAKURIANI!
OPEN YOUR DOORS!
10
POLITICS
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
Georgia to Receive
Gas from Iran
BY ZVIAD ADZINBAIA
T
he Islamic Republic News Agency
IRNA says Iran is planning to export
its gas to Georgia through Armenia.
According to IRNA, the managing
director of the National Iranian Gas
Company (NIGC) said that the plan will be implemented according to talks between Iranian and
Georgian officials.
The official emphasized the gas export plan to
Georgia should be pursued when it is economically
lucrative.
Head of National Iranian Gas Exports Company,
Ali Reza Kameli, told the news agency that exports
of Iran’s gas to Europe through Georgia via the
pipeline is less profitable, underlining it is prioritizing Liquefied Natural Gas’s (LNG).
“At present, Turkey is a major buyer of Iranian
gas, importing daily 30 million cubic meters of gas
from Iran,” Kameli said. According to Kameli, in
the Caucasus region, Azerbaijan and Armenia are
also interested in buying gas from Iran.
The Iranian official added that Georgia is the last
country in the Caucasus region that has asked Iran
for gas, and that implementation of the above-said
project will make the entire Caucasus a consumer
of Iranian gas.
Invitation to Participate in the Sales Procedures
Announced by the Embassy of the Republic of
France in Georgia on the Sale of 3933 sq/m
Land Plot Located in the Center of Tbilisi
The Embassy of the Republic of France in Georgia has
announced a Sales Procedures on the sale of land plot
located adjacent to the Rustaveli Avenue at 4 Khazina St.,
Tbilisi, Georgia. The land plot has the following characteristics: cadastral code – 01.15.04.007.010; total area of the
land plot - 3933 sq/m. The land plot qualifies as type 2
recreational zone with the following coefficients:
K1= [0,2], K2=[undefined] and K3=[Undefined].
First Head of Georgian
Government ‘Returns’ to
Georgia
BY TAMAR SVANIDZE
H
ead of the first government of Democratic Republic of Georgia, Noe
Ramishvili, who was in exile after
the Soviet Union forces occupied
the country, symbolically visited
Georgia 95 years later.
Michel Ramishvili, a grandchild of the late Georgian politician, paid a visit to Georgia and brought
along his grandfather’s passport.
According to the Minister of Internal Affairs,
Giorgi Mgebrishvili, a Georgian stamp was put
symbolically on Ramishvili’s passport at Tbilisi
International Airport.
Noe Ramishvili was one of the leaders of the
Menshevik wing of the Russian Social Democratic
Labour Party.
On May 26th 1918, Georgia gained independence.
Ramishvili was elected as a chairman of the Government and was replaced by his close associate
Noe Zhordania on July 24th 1918.
In the new government, Ramishvili accepted the
post of Interior Minister. From March 1919, he
simultaneously held the posts of Education Minister and Defense Minister.
In February 1921, after Soviet Russian forces
occupied the country, Ramishvili was exiled to
France but did not cease his efforts to undermine
the Bolshevik dictatorship. In 1930 he was assassinated in Paris by a Soviet foreign intelligence
agent.
“This is a symbolic return of my grandfather to
his homeland,” Michel Ramishvili stated, holding
aloft his grandfather’s passport.
Descendants of Noe Ramishvili will stay in Georgia for the next few days to visit the Ministry of
Internal Affairs and meet Minister Mgebrishvili.
Russian Occupants Detain
Georgian in Gori District
Please, take into account that the Sales Procedures n will
be conducted in accordance with the Rules for Submission
of Offers available on the web-page of the Embassy:
ambafrance-ge.org, or by e-mail request at
[email protected]. The interested
Parties shall submit their Expression of Interest in a form
and to the addressee(s) envisaged in the Rules for
Submission of Offers.
In case of additional questions, please, contact [the
consul or hes representative] at the following e-mail
[[email protected]] or call at
[(00 995 32) 272 14 90] from Monday to Friday
from 9:30 AM till 12:30 PM.
The Expression of Interest shall be submitted to the
Contact Person indicated above no later than
15th of October 2015.
BY ZVIAD ADZINBAIA
R
ussian Occupants, or so-called border
guards, have arrested two Georgians
near the village of Bershueti in the
Gori District.
According to reports, Saba Sekhniashvili and Lasha Glurjidze were going to a local
church when they were taken into custody.
Sekhniashvili, who escaped the so-called border
guards, claimed that about eight gunman appeared
when they were about to enter the Trinity Church.
According to Sekhniashvili, his friend Glurjidze
was taken to Tskhinvali. Glurjidze’s mother stated
that her son’s phone was switched off a few minutes after he was detained.
A representative of the Governor of Gori said
that the territory around the Trinity Church is
controlled by the central government. Similarly,
the young men had not passed the occupation
line.
The representative continued that both law
enforcement agencies and the EUMM have already
been notified. At time of going to press, Glurjidze’s
family has not yet been contacted by anyone from
Tskhinvali.
POLITICS
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
Awaiting
the White
Knight:
Ogden
on Equal
Opportunity
Game of Thrones. Perhaps a mysterious
stranger will join the ranks of the
political hopefuls, a Georgian Luke
Skywalker who can fix it all?
OP-ED BY TIM OGDEN
T
he swaggering arrogance of American politicians or the British MP’s
snobbish disdain for the people he
rules are more than enough to make
the sensible Westerner stop caring
about his politics and turn to drink. Russians,
Georgians and Ukrainians complain about corruption in their own parliaments, apparently
under the impression that things are rather better in the West. Not so, says I.
America, that pinnacle of liberty which seeks
to spread its democracy through occupations
by the United States Marine Corps or McDonald’s and KFC, has had a President who was the
son of a former President, whose brother helped
him win his election while governing Florida,
as well as a Secretary of State who is the wife
of another former President (and is considering
a run for the White House herself). So much
for the republic of equal opportunities.
Not that Britain is any better. Instead of the
drawling George Bush we have the weak rasp
of Hilary Benn, the spawn of Tony Benn, an MP
Cabinet Minister for the Labour Party. Oddly
enough, Labour was once a working man’s party,
but now its MPs are sons and daughters of other
MPs, having entered politics after attending the
same schools and universities as their ‘posh’
Conservative counterparts. Personally, I think
we should abandon our current political titles
and settle for the styles of Middle Earth and
Westeros, with things like ‘Hilary, son of Tony,
of Tribe Benn’ becoming the norm.
This boring predictability is common to the
West, but not in Georgia. Not, of course, that it
means Georgian politicians are more likeable
or any better at their jobs, but given the choice
between listening to the faceless mass of Western government or watching a fistfight between
MPs on live television, then I’ll be shouting ‘Go
on, Gio! Give to him! Left hook, that’s the way!’
along with everyone else.
However, Georgian politicians can have too
much personality for their own good. Nobody
can fail to notice that usually people speak of
‘Saakashvili’ and ‘Bidzina’, and rarely ‘the UNM’
or ‘Georgian Dream’. The political importance
of public popularity is how Kakha Kaladze, formerly a confused-looking footballer, became
Georgia’s first confused-looking Minister of
Energy; people follow the man, not the party,
and that carries a very obvious problem.
I recall that in 2013, people were stunned when
Bidzina Ivanishvili abruptly quit his post as
Prime Minister, announcing that he was finished
with politics. I’m not entirely sure why people
were surprised; it was, after all, what he had
said he would do. Yet even those who remembered his pledge to quit still had no idea as to
who was to replace him.
Enter Irakli Garibashvili, a man who had not
even been able to vote for half of his life when
he became Prime Minister, and who became
famous for being the world’s second-youngest
national leader, just edging behind North Korea’s
Kim Jong-un. It should be remembered that if
you’re ever in second place behind North Korea
in anything, it might not be the sort of race you
want to run in, seeing as the things that Pyongyang excels at (human rights violations, threatening to start wars and famine) are looked down
upon in polite society.
Garibashvili’s own recent resignation has
fuelled speculation that the Georgian Dream
coalition is still controlled by Ivanishvili, which
is likely given Ivanishvili’s recent comment of
‘We need to have consultations over who will
be the next Prime Minister’. It seems unlikely
that the party would consult with him if he still
had nothing to do with them. After all, Manchester United don’t consult me for anything.
Garibashvili’s replacement has further confused the public. Recent polls have revealed that
few Georgians have any idea who to vote for.
Georgian Dream’s former faithful are disappointed and disillusioned, their hopes of being
made rich by Ivanishvili’s billions having been
dashed. Garibashvili subsequently beating the
drum of EU agreements and Chinese friendship
while the Lari’s value continued to fall just prior
to his resignation had the air of a beggar with
a spoon and a pan being moved on by the police.
Not that the UNM’s supporters have fared any
better. Some pine for Saakashvili, in exile in
Ukraine, continuing to fight his war (which
makes him sound far more like Aragon than he
really is). Others hope that the remnant of
Saakashvili’s government not in exile or prison
can point to Georgian Dream’s failures and win
over the undecided public before the elections
this year.
But who knows? Perhaps a mysterious stranger
will join the ranks of the political hopefuls, a
Georgian Luke Skywalker who can fix it all?
I jest, of course. Luka Skywalkeradze is yet to
emerge.
11
12
SOCIETY
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
Because the Beauty is Already in You…
S
hiseido, the Japanese cosmetic house, launched
the new fragrance Ever Bloom in October 2015.
SENSITIVITY IN BLOOM, it all starts with a
black-and-white photo of a flower, the expression
of timelessness and eternity. A photo of a flower.
A simple flower, the eternal feminine symbol.
Ever Bloom fragrance is built from the heritage of the house
on the contrast between East and West, and represents universal femininity. The composition is signed by perfumer Aurelien Guichard who wanted to create a natural, airy, floral fragrance as a balance
between delicacy and power.
“When creating Shiseido Ever Bloom, I wanted to bring a
new fresh sensuality, a new petal blooming sensation that
will leave an unforgettable impression. I imagined a
transparent floral heart, clean and natural. An abstract
flower that you can’t quite identify, a flower with
a “blurred” outline… I think this fragrance is about
serenity, happiness, sensuality.”
Created in a unique Shiseido olfactory structure,
Ever Bloom is a musky white floral fragrance that
diffuses a radiant but enveloping scent.
One single drop of this delicate fragrance has the
power to fill in an entire room.
The composition of white flowers and musk was
built as a linear structure rather than a pyramid.
The upper accords includes a blend of lotus, transparent jasmine and Bulgarian rose oil. The center
includes Tunisian orange blossom, gardenia and
Sylkolide molecule. Together they create a sensual,
musky white floral fragrance.
The bottle has the density of a fine object. Its
free, undulating and caressing lines make you want
to hold it in your hand. Light, the symbol of inner
beauty, enters the bottle and sets it aglow.
Ever Bloom by Shiseido is now available at Ici
Paris stores as 30, 50 and 90 ml Eau de Parfum.
Since 1917, Shiseido has been a pioneer of fine
perfume, creating fragrances that are based not
only on ingredients, but on modern women and
artistic sensibility.
You are unique, radiant and graceful.
When you enter a room, you don’t need to be noticed.
You will be remembered.
SOCIETY
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
13
Dechert OnPoint: Georgia
Launches First Technological Center
D
echert Georgia, through
the contribution of partners Archil Giorgadze
and Nicola Mariani,
joined by senior associates Ruslan Akhalaia and Irakli
Sokolovski, as well as Ana Kostava and
Ana Kochiashvili, is partnering with
Georgia Today on a regular section of
the paper which will provide updated
information regarding significant legal
changes and developments in Georgia.
In particular, we will highlight significant issues which may impact businesses operating in Georgia.
Dechert’s Tbilisi office combines local
service and full corporate, tax and finance
support with the global knowledge that
comes with being part of a worldwide
legal practice.
Dechert Georgia is the Tbilisi branch
of Dechert LLP, a global specialist law
firm that focuses on core transactional
and litigation practices, providing worldclass services to major corporations,
financial institutions and private funds
worldwide. With more than 900 Lawyers
in our global practice groups working
in 27 offices across Europe, the CIS, Asia,
the Middle East and the United States,
Dechert has the resources to deliver
seamless, high quality legal services to
clients worldwide. For more informa-
An aspect
differentiating the
Tbilisi FIZ from
existing free
industrial zones,
which concentrate
on manufacturing
and processing
industries, is a
focus on the
research and
development of
various
technologies and
innovations
tion, please visit www.dechert.com or
contact Nicola Mariani at [email protected].
On 30 November 2015 Georgia’s thirdlargest free industrial zone opened for
operation at a 17 hectare non-agricultural
land plot located in the Gldani district
of Tbilisi, Georgia. The zone, named
Tbilisi Technological Park Free Industrial Zone (the “Tbilisi FIZ”), will be
functional for 49 years under the management and administration of Georgia
Technology Park LLC (the “Administrator”), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Dutch company BitFury Holding B.V.
An aspect differentiating the Tbilisi
FIZ from existing free industrial zones,
which concentrate on manufacturing
and processing industries, is a focus on
the research and development of various
technologies and innovations. In this
regard, the first project implemented in
the Tbilisi FIZ is the construction and
exploitation of a data center. The center
is equipped with an innovative 40 MW
energy efficient cooling system and aims
to attract international IT companies to
the Georgian market. The Administrator
is already in talks with several foreign
pharmaceutical and light industry companies which have expressed interest in
entering the Tbilisi FIZ.
The Tbilisi FIZ is conveniently located
near Tbilisi International Airport and
major land transit routes. The free zone
offers 26 land plots to potential investors, with the Administrator offering
potential investors a comprehensive
package of services covering all stages
of operation, including the possibility to
join and merge land plots according to
the investor’s needs.
The Administrator intends to invest
USD 30,000,000 in the Tbilisi FIZ. It is
expected that the aggregate volume of
investment in the Tbilisi FIZ will amount
to USD 100,000,000. Except for the benefits offered by the Administrator, the
Tbilisi FIZ enjoys further benefits applicable to free industrial zones under
Georgian legislation.
In particular, benefits provided for free
industrial zones under Georgian legislation include the exemption of free industrial zone enterprises from the obligation
to obtain licenses/permits for the following activities:
• production and packaging of infants’
food products;
• production and packaging of children’s food products;
• production of electricity;
• transmission of electricity;
• distribution of electricity;
• distribution of natural gas;
• transportation of natural gas;
• transit of products subject to veterinary control;
• exploitation of hazardous industry
objects;
• local urban regular transportation of
passengers;
• international transportation of cargo
(above the quota defined in an international agreement) from the territory of
Georgia by a foreign carrier;
• clinical research of pharmacological
substances;
• production of pharmaceutical substances (medical treatment substances,
except for drug substances);
• setting up of a group I pharmacy;
• setting up of a group II pharmacy;
• setting up of a pharmacy point;
• import of non-iodized salt.
A simplified procedure also applies to
permits issued for construction in free
industrial zones. Namely, the construction permit is used by the Administrator
with a single-stage proceeding upon
submission of project documentation
elaborated in compliance with the parameters of the plan for developing the free
10 Galaktion Street
industrial zone territory.
Further advantages of free industrial
zones include the absence of limitations
on the currency used in payments. More
importantly, the following tax exemptions apply to free industrial zones and
FIZ enterprises:
• Profit from business permitted in and
gained by a free industrial zone enterprise within the free industrial zone shall
be exempted from profit tax, except in
the cases provided in the Tax Code of
Georgia;
• Import of foreign goods in a free
industrial zone shall be exempt from
value-added tax;
• Transactions within a free industrial
zone shall be exempt from value-added tax;
• Property within a free industrial zone
shall be exempt from property tax;
• Import of foreign goods in a free
industrial zone shall be exempt from
import tax;
• Supply of good and delivery of services between free industrial zone enter-
prises shall be exempt from VAT; and
• Import of goods produced within a
free industrial zone to the territory of
Georgia (outside the free industrial zone)
shall be exempt from import tax. For the
purposes of exemption from import tax,
the Ministry of Finance sets detailed
criteria by a separate order.
The activities restricted in free industrial zones include: (a) construction and
residential use of buildings and capital
and temporary facilities of dwelling and
hospitality designation; (b) production
of or trade with weapons and ammunition; (c) production of and trade with
nuclear and radioactive substances; (d)
import, storage, production and/or realization of drug and psychotropic substances; and (e) import, storage, production and/or realization of tobacco
products or tobacco raw materials, unless
designated for local use. Other restrictions and limitations of the Georgian
legislation also apply to operations on
free industrial zones.
Tel: (995 32) 2 45 08 08
E-mail: [email protected]
14
SOCIETY
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 14, 2016
Your
Last
Escape:
Svaneti
BY TONY HANMER
I
t’s been an interesting Christmas/New Year
season thus far in our winter mountain fastness, with two of the mentioned events
already having happened and their Orthodox
counterparts still to come.
We still let out the cows every day from midday
onwards for a brief sojourn in the fresh air, no matter how cold, and a drink form a nearby trough
meant for them. This being midwinter, we don’t
expect them to wander far: there’s not much vegetation to find and eat, and they “know” they’ll get
good portions of hay and salt in the barn anyway,
something to return to.
But the bullock... he still, occasionally, does a
teenager thing, and stays away. Like he did a few
days after Western Christmas.
His “niece” had been born on that holiday, a white
heifer to a white mother (her first), and the latest
in our unbroken string of unassisted births for
which we are so grateful; see the photo. She was
doing well since I had found her that morning,
drinking from her mother and gaining weight. Why
he decided not to return was a mystery and a major
stress. We were readying to kill him in the coming
spring anyway, after he turned two years old. That
evening turned up nothing, so he would be out for
the night: not the coldest on the calendar at minus
6 degrees C, but worrying enough.
Next day, after school my wife, a neighbor and I
all continued separate searches around the village
and its considerable outskirts. It wasn’t until about
5 pm, light getting ready to start fading, that I spotted a hopefully colored bovine across a nearby
stream, fenced in. It wasn’t until I approached right
to it that I could see that it was indeed Mr Meat,
his face obscured by the fence from easier identification. Indeed, he was stuck in that field, having
entered it by what means I knew not, and I had to
open a gate to let him out and start towards home.
So the Svans hadn’t poached him after all!
This was the clincher for me, though: Mr Meat,
you’ve run your last away, and it’s time for you to
go under the knife. We don’t plan to need a pair of
massive but docile castrated oxen years down the
road for plowing, which is a twice-yearly minor
event anyway, and also there’s no partner for you
in that. Sorry, but there it is.
I enlisted my neighbor’s help, because although
I’ve passed the “carnivore test” of seeing an animal
go from alive to meat on the table, I’m still nowhere
near knowledgeable enough to slaughter and butcher
one. He obliged, and on December 30, we did the
deed, snow coming down, in our yard. Be warned,
from now on the details get a bit more grisly.
This neighbor is actually refreshingly concerned
about doing things like this as humanely as possible. To this end he used his sledgehammer to
bang our bullock hard on the head, effectively putting him out before cutting his throat. So this part
was over quickly and with little if any suffering.
Then he really was just meat, and we began the
long job of butchering, which here signifies a job
properly done as opposed to one badly botched!
Skinning... removal of lower legs... organs... head.
Although he hadn’t eaten for 24 hours prior to the
event, his stomachs were still, for me, shockingly
full of stinking matter. Intestines too. Now that
I’ve seen what’s left in a stomach before it becomes
the “delicacy” called tripe, I’m doubly determined
never to eat a single mouthful of the stuff again,
including the Georgian version with trotters and
garlic and milk called khashi. Thinking twice about
the intestines which case sausages too, thinking
hard. For my wife, however, these things are important and wonderful delights. She’s welcome to
them.
I assisted where I could, as did my wife and a
Korean lady who was our guest, who has studied
farming but not had enough hands-on experience.
She was right in there, despite the cold. And because
this was my animal, I also had the freedom to cut
some steaks off him, of which Georgians are sadly
ignorant in general but by which I intend to educate a few of them at least. If she can have her head
cheese and tripe, I’ll have my bit my way too!
Now that the house is more or less freed of what
I consider to be the disgusting cooking smells of
the above mentioned items, we can move on as we
wait for January 7th and 14th, when the festivities
will start all over again. Twice-blessed!
Tony Hanmer runs the “Svaneti Renaissance” Facebook
group, now with over 1250 members, at
www.facebook.com/groups/SvanetiRenaissance/
He and his wife also run their own guest house in Etseri:
www.facebook.com/hanmer.house.svaneti
SOCIETY
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 14, 2016
Victory
Partnership
Alliance Brings
Christmas to
Families of
Wounded
Georgian Soldiers
BY MERI TALIASHVILI
O
n January 5th, the Victory
Partnership Alliance
(VPA), Volunteers from
VPA, the Georgian Rugby
Union, and C4iD visited
ten families of Georgian soldiers wounded
during the mission in Afghanistan and
Iraq to give Christmas gift baskets for
families in Gori and rugby balls and toys
to the children. The gifts were given
personally by Sean Mulcahey, the Founder
and CEO of VPA, Alexander Japaridze,
Country Director, and Army Rugby Club
captain David Daushvili.
“This was a really great experience,”
Sean Mulcahey said during the visit. “It
demonstrates how the partnership
approach can deliver a positive impact
at low cost. We are very grateful for the
contributions of all the volunteers,
especially the wounded soldiers themselves.”
Sean Mulcahey, the Founder and CEO of VPA
give a gift to a son of a wounded soldier
The project was funded through contributions made to VPA. In the project,
all participants were volunteers, which
allowed 100% of the donated funds to
go directly to the families. Additionally,
the Rugby Union provided balls and
shirts to the families. The festive spirit
shared during the event made it especially rewarding.
“We have met with more than 50 organizations from all sectors of society over
the past several months and nearly all
of them have expressed a desire to work
together in partnership to improve the
lives of wounded soldiers,” Mulcahey
said. “This is just the beginning of creating a better future in Georgia.”
Victory Partnership Alliance is an independent non-profit organization registered in Georgia, designed to advocate
for and conduct activities to support and
enrich the lives of wounded Georgian
soldiers and their families and assist
them with the challenging task of reintegrating back into society as productive,
proud citizens of Georgia.
Guardian Lists
Georgia in Holiday
Guide 2016
15
Alexander Japaridze, VPA Country Director
BY TAMAR SVANIDZE
T
he Guardian, a British Media
outlet, has recommended
its readers the top holiday
destinations for 2016.
According to the Guardian, since the collapse of the USSR 25
years ago, Georgia has emerged as a
promising destination for the off-thebeaten track adventure in a landscape
of mountains and lakes.
“Georgia is less crowded than much of
Europe but offers much more bang for
your buck. Flights are cheap and Pegasus’
route to Batumi makes access to the
Caucasus Mountains much easier,”
Imaginative Traveller’s Helen Youngman
stated.
The Guardian highlights that the capital, Tbilisi, is on a roll, with several new
five, four and three-star hotels, revamped
restaurants and a burgeoning hip wine
bar revolution with the likes of Bottle
Shock and Vino Underground room
showcasing Georgia’s famous viticulture.
Damaged Book
Store in Batumi
gets Support
from People
BY ANA AKHALAIA
F
Walking in Georgia: From the Winelands to the Caucasus.
Photo: www.wildfrontierstravel.com
ollowing heavy snow in Batumi,
Georgia, the tenth floor of a
building collapsed on January
4th, damaging a book store.
More than half the books were
damaged or destroyed. The store was
planning to launch an educational project in the schools of mountainous villages.
Many people expressed their support
on the Books in Batumi Facebook page.
Some even suggested just buying the
wet books.
“I bought one book, a little dampened.
Dried it and it can be read normally,”
one Facebook user commented.
There is currently a fundraising campaign on generosity.com to help Books
in Batumi. Already $1814 has been raised
by just 104 people. The campaign will
continue as the damage amounts to
around $5000.
16
CULTURE
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
March 25 is the official release date
of the much-anticipated Batman vs.
Superman: Dawn of Justice
The Most Anticipated
Movies of 2016
BY BEQA KIRTAVA
L
FOR RENT
Apartment in Vake (behind the Vake Swimming Pool) in an
ecologically clean environment with beautiful views.
The 120 sq. m. duplex apartment on the 10th floor, newly renovated, with a new kitchen, fireplace, balconies.
Price: 900 USD
Tel: 577521020 Tekla (English)
597000109 Dato (Georgian)
ast year was a great year for
the movie industry; the top
ten highest grossing films
alone managed to earn a combined total of more than $10
billion and 5 of them managed to cross
the $1 billion mark. Although we have
yet to find out who’ll end up taking home
trophies at the 88th Academy Awards,
let’s leave the past behind and take a
look at what the next 366 days have to
offer.
2016 is set to be a super year; as nearly
all of the most awaited films are either
produced by DC or Marvel. The latter
will kick off the superhero film cascade
with Deadpool. Starring Ryan Reynolds,
Deadpool is set to be the company’s most
daring, R rated feature and will hit theatres February 12.
Up next is the big battle on the DC
frontier. March 25 is the official release
date of Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of
Justice. With an all-star cast and over
$200 million budget, the movie is expected
to break numerous records at the box
office and might even take the throne as
the highest grossing film of 2016.
Captain America: Civil War will arrive
on May 6. Since the Avengers series
have shattered many records worldwide,
the aforementioned release should have
no problem racking up hundreds of millions.
The X-Men series is set to return on
May 27. Featuring all of your favorite
megastars, X-Men: Apocalypse will be
released both in 2D and 3D and will
undoubtedly land a #1 spot in both the
US and international box office.
Last but not least, Suicide Squad will
launch on August 5. Jared Leto’s debut
as the Joker is a big enough reason to
see this movie, but then Warner Bros.
decided to add Emmy winner Viola Davis
and two-time Academy Award nominee
Will Smith to the list, too.
However, if you’re not into superhero
Jared Leto, Emmy winner Viola
Davis and two-time Academy
Award nominee Will Smith
star in this summer wowzer
Potterheads be ready! Starring Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne, the Harry
Potter prequel will make its big screen debut on November 18
movies, 2016 still promises not to disappoint. The Coen Brothers return in February with a star studded comedy – Hail,
Caesar! Moreover, we’ll finally get a
chance to see Joseph Gordon-Levitt in
the Snowden biopic, which will probably
be the most controversial film of the
year, and one of the most beloved animated pictures of all time will launch a
much awaited sequel – Finding Dory.
Finally, if you’re a Harry Potter fan then
mark your calendars for November 18,
as the prequel to the series – Fantastic
Beasts and Where to Find Them, starring Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne, will make its big screen debut
on that very date.
So, which film are you most excited to
see in 2016? Make sure to let us know on
our Facebook page.
CULTURE
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
Art-Time Displays
Watches Made by
Georgian Designer
BY NINA IOSELIANI
A
number of impressive watches by
famous Georgian designer Zviad
Tsikolia are being displayed at ArtTime.
According to the designer, who began
watch-making five years ago, his watches are sold
all over the world including in Georgia and Switzerland and take on various themes: military, avia-
tion, cars and a neutral design for mass-consumers.
Tsikolia’s watches are made in limited numbers,
at a rule there are often only 300-500 in each collection.
The designer also plans to make accessories and
equipment for kitchens, with the products produced
in Georgia and exported, though he emphasized the
reality of such a project depends much on business
interest and the involvement of the government.
Prices for a Tsikolia watch vary throughout the
world, while in Georgia they begin at around 800900 GEL.
Telegraph Names Georgian Prima
Ballerina Among Greatest Dancers
Georgian prima ballerina Nina
Ananiashvili has been named among
the top ballet dancers in the world by
the a UK newspaper
BY TAMAR SVANIDZE
P
rominent Georgian prima ballerina Nina
Ananiashvili has been named among
the top ballet dancers in the world by
the Telegraph, a UK newspaper.
The British media outlet published the
list of 12 of the greatest ballerinas of all time and
the Georgian prima is among them.
“Alluring grace, enticing mystique, personal magic,
instinctive expressiveness and the technical wizardry to draw the public with her into unvoiceable
passions and dreams - these qualities separate the
handful of true ballerinas from the legions of mere
female ballet-dancers,” the Telegraph stated.
TheGeorgian-bornBolshoi-trainedNinaAnaniashvili
is Artistic Director of the State Ballet of Georgia, as well
as continuing to wow audiences with her dancing.
17
18
CULTURE
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
WHAT’S ON IN TBILISI
THEATRE
GABRIADZE THEATRE
Address: 13 Shavtelis St.
Telephone: 2 98 65 93
January 8
RAMONA
Rezo Gabriadze
Directed by Rezo Gabriadze
English Subtitles
Start time: 20:00
Ticket price: 10, 15, 20 Lari
GRIBOEDOVI THEATRE
Address: 2 Rustaveli Ave.
January 9, 10
THE HUMPBACKED HORSE
Directed by Pyotr Ershov
Musical
Language: Russian
Start time: January 9 - 12:00, 15:00,
January 10 - 12:00, 15:00, 19:00
Ticket price: 5 Lari
TBILISI CIRCUS
January 9
MARSHAL DE FANTIE’S DIAMOND
Rezo Gabriadze
English Subtitles
Start time: 20:00
January 10
AUTUMN OF MY SPRING
Rezo Gabriadze
English Subtitles
Start time: 20:00
TBILISI NODAR DUMBADZE
STATE CENTRAL CHILDREN’S
THEATRE
Address: 99/1 Agmashenebeli Ave.
January 9
NEW YEAR’S EVE
AND COSMIC ALIENS
Tale
Directed by Dimitri Gvtisiashvili
Language: Russian
Start time: 12:00, 14:00
Ticket price: From 6 Lari
January 8, 9, 10
NEW YEAR SHOW
Directed by Vakhtang Nikolava
Start time: January 8 - 15:00, 17:00,
January 9, 10 - 13:00, 15:00,
Ticket price: From 10 Lari
Address: 1 Heroes Sq.
Telephone: 298 30 35
January 8
NEW YEAR’S TREE
Start time: 16:30
Ticket price: 15 Lari
CINEMA
AMIRANI CINEMA
Address: 36 Kostava St.
www.kinoafisha.ge
January 8-14
THE REVENANT
Directed by Alejandro González
Iñárritu
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio,
Tom Hardy, Will Poulter
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Language: English
Start time: 19:30
Language: Russian
Start time: 20:15, 22:45
Ticket price: 13-14 Lari
THE HATEFUL EIGHT
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt
Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery
Language: English
Start time: 15:30
Language: Russian
Start time: 19:00, 22:40
STEVE JOBS
Directed by Danny Boyle
Cast: Michael Fassbender,
Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen
Genre: Biography, Drama
Language: Russian
Start time: 22:35
BRIDGE OF SPIES
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Cast: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance,
Alan Alda
Genre: Biography, Drama, Thriller
Language: Russian
Start time: 14:30
KRAMPUS
Directed by Michael Dougherty
Cast: Adam Scott, Toni Collette,
David Koechner
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
Language: Russian
Start time: 17:15
THE HATEFUL EIGHT
(Info Above)
Language: Russian
Start time: 15:30, 18:50, 22:30
POINT BREAK
(Info Above)
Language: Russian
Start time: 17:00, 22:15
BRIDGE OF SPIES
(Info Above)
Language: Russian
Start time: 22:00
Ticket price: 9.50 – 12.50 Lari
December 15-January 17
PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS
A multimedia project by Tato
Akhalkatsishvili
PARLIAMENTARY NATIONAL
LIBRARY OF GEORGIA
Address: Gudiashvili Str. 7
January 8
AN EXHIBITION EVENING
DEDICATED TO SERGEI
PARAJANOV, FAMOUS
FILMMAKER, MARKING THE
ARTIST’S 92ND ANNIVERSARY.
MUSIC
MUSEUM
GEORGIAN NATIONAL
MUSEUM
SIMON JANASHIA MUSEUM
Telephone: 2 99 80 22, 2 93 48 21
www.museum.ge
ARCHAEOLOGICAL TREASURE
Permanent Exhibition
POINT BREAK
Directed by Ericson Core
Cast: Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey,
Ray Winstone
Genre: Action, Crime, Sport
Language: Russian
Start time: 12:00
Ticket price: 8, 9 Lari
November 17 - May 1
EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO
THE GREATEST MILITARY
AIRCRAFT DESIGNER
ALEXANDER KARTVELI
(KARTVELISHVILI /1896-1974/).
RUSTAVELI CINEMA
www.kinoafisha.ge
THE NATIONAL GALLERY
www.museum.ge
January 8-14
THE REVENANT
(Info Above)
Language: Russian
Start time: 12:30, 15:40, 22:40
EUROPE HOUSE GEORGIA
Address: 1 Freedom Sq.
GALLERY
December 25 – February 10
THE EXHIBITION
DEDICATED TO THE 120
YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF
DISTINGUISHED GEORGIAN
MODERNIST ARTIST SHALVA
KIKODZE.
TBILISI CONCERT HALL
Address: 1 Melikishvili St.
January 9
NINO SURGULADZE’S
INTERNATIONAL CHARITY
FOUNDATION “WISH TREE”
PRESENTS A GRAND CHARITY
CONCERT
The participants: Tenor, Alessandro
Safina; Miss Hollywood 2005,
Opera and Pop diva Angel Blue;
cellist Ana Rucner; prodigious
pianist Oliver Poole; son of Sophia
Loren, Junior; and conductor, Carlo
Ponti Jr. and Nino Surguladze.
Tbilisi State Opera Symphonic
Orchestra, Abkhazian Capella and
Instrumental Band will contribute
to the concert.
Start time: 21:00
Ticket price: 40, 50, 80, 100 Lari
January 10
TEMUR KVITELASHVILI
ANNIVERSARY EVENING
Start time: 19:00
Ticket price: 10, 15 Lari
January 14
BANK OF GEORGIA PRESENTS:
CHRIS BOTTI
Start time: 20:00
Ticket price: 40, 50, 80, 100 Lari
CULTURE
GEORGIA TODAY
JANUARY 8 - 11, 2016
19
Play Your
Part- Share
Your
Shakespeare
BY PAUL SMITH, DIRECTOR,
BRITISH COUNCIL USA
S
hakespeare is studied in school
by over 50% of the world’s
population. No other creative
figure from history is studied
by more than 1% or 2%. As
the world marks the 400th anniversary
of Shakespeare’s death, we ask: what is
his extraordinary power?
His power lies in his mastery of the
dramatic, not the literary - of human
experience rather than scholarship. We
misrepresent him when we call him our
greatest poet or writer. Theatre can
only be created of the here-and-now
and so is necessarily contemporary.
However ancient the text, it can only
be presented by real people in specific
places in actual time - and it can only
be given life by a receptive audience.
This is what makes any Shakespeare
play contemporary, and what accounts
for millions of people finding relevance
and personal truth in what they see.
And what contemporariness! In 2016
we can list most of the global issues
of our times and find deep Shakespear-
ean resonance:
- Refugees (from Comedy of Errors
to The Winter’s Tale)
- The clash of civilisations (from Troilus and Cressida to Antony and
Cleopatra)
- Gang warfare and urban fracture
(from Romeo and Juliet to Coriolanus)
- Tyranny (from Richard III to Macbeth)
- Just war and the just assassination
(from Henry V to Julius Caesar)
- Racism and prejudice (from Merchant of Venice to Othello)
- Inequality and poverty (from King
Lear to Timon of Athens)
- Imprisonment and punishment (from
Measure for Measure to Two Noble
Kinsmen)
- Servitude and slavery (from Taming
of the Shrew to The Tempest)
- Debt crises (from Timon of Athens
to Merchant of Venice)
And we could add: explorations of
government, leadership, law, justice,
corruption, diplomacy, social mobility
and - certainly in every comedy - how
to make communities work.
Even the narrative of contemporary
British identity is marked out: from
Lear’s division of the kingdom to the
Paul Smith, Director of the British Council to the United States
restoration of Scotland in Macbeth,
from the panorama of Welsh, Scottish,
Irish and English viewpoints in the history plays to what characterizes “this
England” in Richard II.
“The world must be peopled” and
Shakespeare was the most intense analyser of the vital importance of tolerating people’s differences. A contemporary
take on diversity emanates from all his
plays – gender (women solve most of
his comedies), class, age, ethnicity,
sexuality, disability and religion.
Above all we celebrate Shakespeare’s
awesome human insight, recognised by
Shakespeare’s power lies in his mastery of the dramatic, not the literary - of human
experience rather than scholarship
every commentator since Ben Jonson
championed him as “not of an age but
for all time”. Shakespeare is the world’s
voice for greed, lust, anger, jealousy,
hypocrisy and betrayal - but also for
mercy, loyalty, justice, friendship, honour, respect - and for love, which is the
most fundamental dynamic of the worlds
that he created.
PUBLISHER & GM
George Sharashidze
COMMERCIAL
DEPARTMENT
Commercial Director:
Iva Merabishvili
Marketing Manager:
Mako Burduli
GEORGIA TODAY
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT:
Editor-In-Chief:
Katie Ruth Davies
Journalists:
Tony Hanmer, Tamar
Svanidze, Zviad Adzinbaia,
Beqa Kirtava, Meri
Taliashvili, Eka Karsaulidze,
Zaza Jgharkava, Ana
Lomtadze, Maka Bibilashvili,
Nina Ioseliani, Tatia
Megeneishvili, Karen
Tovmasyan, Dimitri
Dolaberidze, Nino
Japarashvili, Maka
Lomadze
Photographer:
Zviad Nikolaishvili
Layout:
Misha Mchedlishvili
Webmaster:
Sergey Gevenov
Circulation Managers:
David Kerdikashvili,
David Djandjgava
And in this commemoration year, we
remember that Shakespeare was also
our greatest explorer of the “undiscovered country” of mortality. Actors, audiences, “this great globe” itself will “fall
and cease,” leaving “not a wrack behind”.
But Shakespeare himself will survive
– the man who, somehow, left us everything.
ADDRESS
1 Melikishvili Str.
Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia
Tel.: +995 32 229 59 19
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Reproducing material,
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Reg. # 06/4-309

GNTA: Number of Tourists in Georgia Up

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