Page 50 - GEORptNov20

EBRD lends €5mn to Georgian ski resort Bakuriani to improve public transport and other services
Bakuriani, a village and popular skiing resort in the Borjomi district of central Georgia, has borrowed €5mn from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to improve its public transport and public services.
The financing will help in the acquisition of street cleaning vehicles, snow removal and waste collection, as as in the purchase of multi-purpose trucks and 10 buses.
Bakuriani is one of the most visited mountain and ski resorts in Georgia. It is famous for its climate and natural environment.
“This project will help to improve the quality of municipal services and safety measures in an important resort town. Improving Georgia’s municipal infrastructure, especially in the regions, is of paramount importance for the EBRD. The project will also help promote gender equality across the workforce,” said Catarina Bjorlin Hansen, EBRD regional director for the Caucasus.
9.1.6 ​Property sector news
Abandoned rural homes now instant sellers in Georgia as city dwellers unsettled by coronavirus turn to remote working
Abandoned rural homes have reportedly become an instant seller in Georgia as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has lifted demand for out-of-town retreats.
Lekso Charkviani is said to be a man on a mission to revive forsaken villages. Moved by the plight of his own village, whose population has shrunk to a few families, Charkviani, according to a Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.report, roams mountain roads in the former Soviet republic searching for deserted houses with character and a bit of land—and finds new owners for them.
“This is what I love to do when I have time,” the 45-year-old engineer, who has sold more than 70 properties in the Racha-Lechkhumi region in the last two years via his Facebook page “The Lost Eden”, was quoted as saying. Charkviani, who says he does not make any money from the sales, added: “I can’t stop—like a man who loves fishing and hunting.”
The reality of the coronavirus has boosted interest in rural and suburban living around the globe. People pursue larger homes suitable for remote working in cheaper, less crowded locations. There, they feel less at risk of infection. Charkviani finds a suitable property, tracks down the owners and, if they are willing to sell, posts their contact details online along with a video of the property, the news agency report added, citing him as also saying: “After the pandemic, many people from the city realised they need a village house as shelter, a place where you are always welcome to escape to in case of necessity.
“Before I used to get 150 to 200 messages a day; now I get about 500.” Charkviani said the houses he has discovered have sold for 2,000 Georgian lari ($654) to $17,000.
9.1.7 ​Healthcare sector news
Georgia Capital makes all-share offer to Georgia Healthcare minority shareholders
Investment holding Georgia Capital has announced an all-share offer made to minority shareholders of Georgia Healthcare Group, in which it holds 70.6%. ​The move follows talks for a full takeover of the healthcare services, pharmacy and medical insurance provider that were declared last month.
Georgia Healthcare's shareholders would receive one Georgia Capital share for each five Georgia Healthcare shares they hold. Based on the average price
50​ GEORGIA Country Report ​November 2020 ​ ​www.intellinews.com