The FINANCIAL — The Russian-Georgian conflict has affected the wine business as well as other branches of the Georgian economy but without any important losses.
Despite the circumstances going on in Georgia, the company of GWS with the help of its partners has managed not only to continue the cycle of the wine production process, but also to export its product.
According to Giorgi Teimurazishvili, Commercial Officer of GWS, partners of GWS in Europe have already reported that the demand from customers in their markets actually doubled during and since the crisis, as an expression of support to the Georgian people.
“A few days after the war was over GWS wines were shipped to Kazakhstan. Some of the partners already made several proposals about alternative transit ways, mainly considering Turkey. Those possibilities are being actively discussed by both sides,” Giorgi Teimurazishvili, Commercial Officer of GWS told The FINANCIAL.
According to Teimurazishvili, at the moment the biggest problem for export to European countries is the situation around Poti sea-port, as it is still occupied by Russian soldiers.
“We are hoping that the port will be in action as soon as possible and so wine producing companies will be able to dispatch their goods,” Teimurazishvili said.
“The Russian occupation of Georgia has hit the Georgian economy. Besides humanitarian aid, another way to help is to buy Georgian products,” said Michal Strozyk from the Polish group Solidarity with Georgia, at a stand in Warsaw’s touristy Old Town.
He then tipped back a glass of deep-red Kindzmarauli, one of the country’s leading wine varieties, and poured more for passersby.
According to Polskie Radio, Poland’s labour ministry plans to open the country’s labour market to citizens of more non-EU countries, including the citizens of Georgia and Moldova. According to the ministry’s estimations, the first workers from these countries could arrive to Poland as early as next spring.
Campaigners in Poland, a staunch ally of Georgia urged their compatriots to glug down Georgian wine and mineral water to show their support for Tbilisi in its conflict with Russia, Agency France Press reports.
To encourage consumers, Strozyk’s organisation has adopted a slogan which rhymes in the original Polish: “Don't let Putin scare you! Drink Georgian wine!” in a swipe at Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Wines from ex-Soviet Georgia have long been a favourite in many parts of the former communist bloc, albeit less so in Poland, where Bulgarian and Hungarian producers have traditionally dominated the market.
The Georgian wine industry had suffered a major blow from Moscow well before the outbreak of fighting earlier this month between Tbilisi and its Soviet-era master.
In 2006, amid soaring tensions between the two countries, Moscow slapped sanctions on Georgian imports, shutting Georgian winemakers out of their main export market.
Ex-communist Poland is a staunch ally of pro-Western Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili and has been pressing the international community for a tough line against Russia in the wake of its offensive in Georgia.
Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who travelled to Tbilisi earlier this month to show support for Saakashvili, had already announced that he would serve Georgian wine at official ministry functions.
For those who prefer a non-alcoholic tipple, Strozyk’s campaign group also wants Poles to drink more mineral water from Georgian springs such as Nabeghlavi and the better-known Borjomi.
NO More Russian Vodka
“We're going to start a little boycott of Russian vodka,” Georgetown’s Potomac Wines and Spirits owner Steven Feldman told Washington Post this week. He plans to pour a bottle of Russian vodka into the toilet and lock up the rest of his stock until “the Russians leave legitimate Georgian territory, and the Georgian government is satisfied with the final outcome of this thing.”
Written by Lika Kharebashvili.
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