Brutally policed, heading for dictatorship… but at least Georgia has cheap wine, says Independent

Policing is often exceptionally brutal, Georgian Dream is further tightening its grip and last week it sought to further weaken remaining opposition by passing laws restricting foreign funding for media, removing NGOs from public decision-making and prohibiting civil servants from receiving overseas grants. Little wonder the Ukrainian Euromaiden website last week ran the headline ‘Georgia’s ruling party is building a Russian-style dictatorship — and it’s working’.

So what a perfect time for the Independent to run a travel article on the country as a holiday destination to seek out cheap booze!

As Georgia’s government was passing further laws crushing what remains of its democracy, the Indy’s Marianna Hunt was busy penning ‘Inside Europe’s undiscovered gastronomic haven of £2 wine and low-cost food’, cheering the joys of the country’s culinary delights.

“Here, the quality and the cost are skyscraper high and bassline [sic] low, respectively – expect to spend the grand sum of £2 for a glass of wine in most local restaurants,” she cheered.

“Even better, all this delicious culture is about to become easier to access, as airlines have been rushing to start direct flights from the UK to Georgia. In 2025, both British Airways (30 March) and easyJet (1 April) will launch new direct routes from London to Tbilisi.

“The blissful atmosphere made it hard to believe the resort is located just on the other side of the Caucasus Mountains from Russia. But locals like Nino Mamisashvili, a tour guide organised by Regent, are sanguine. ‘We don’t feel unsafe,’ he said. ‘Georgia has always known conflict – it’s normal for us.’”

So that’s alright then. Tbilisi, here we come!