From: Ketevan Goginashvili <[email-masked]>
To: Ketevan Goginashvili <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2020 10:34:59 +0000

Hi George,
 
Below is an overview of what subjects Julia will ask about in today’s interview.
 
Der Spiegel will not give us specific questions in advance, so the Minister should certainly be prepared to answer questions on all of these issues.
 
The interview will be on-the-record.
 
Best,

Keith
 
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Key Areas of Interest for Der Spiegel
 
1.       What did Georgia do right, are there any lessons German policymakers can learn from its experiences? 
2.       As we approach the end of the first wave of the outbreak in both Germany and Georgia and people and businesses are therefore looking to return to some form of normality. What would be required to make an air corridor between the two countries work? What kind of measures has Georgia taken to welcome potential German tourists and business visitors?
3.       What challenges does Georgia face as we move into the next phase of the pandemic? Are you concerned about a “second wave” of infections?
 
Potential Questions / Topics
 
·       Why has Georgia been so successful?
·       Details of Georgia’s COVID response, including testing programmes; travel restrictions; government communications; policies on schools, workplaces, restaurants, internal travel, social distancing, etc
·       Details of the decision-making process: was there discussion & debate about lockdown; were there differing views; did you realise the economic consequences; what was the reaction of media and the public?
·       Details of economic impacts, business support, and financial measures taken by Georgia to mitigate the impact of COVID-19
·       Plans for re-opening the economy and lifting lockdown measures, especially for German tourists. How could they get to Georgia; what is open when they get there (hotels, restaurants, beaches, bars, churches, museums, etc); is there a quarantine or testing regime in place on arrival in Georgia?
·       How might the pandemic affect preparations for the elections in October?
·       Details of the public response to government policy:  have Georgians generally followed the rules; does it help that the public has recent memory of crises and so they accept some necessary government restrictions on freedom; have all political parties agreed on the need for lockdown?

Sent from my iPhone