In November 2004, farmers from the Kakheti region held a multi-day protest outside the State Chancellery in Tbilisi. They accused Georgia’s Minister of Agriculture, Davit Shervashidze, of failing to fulfill his promise to pay them for grapes delivered a month and a half earlier.

“The minister promised we would receive the money within 20 days, but it seems he deceived us. We’re now asking for help from the Georgian government and the president,” said the protesting farmers. In response, Minister Shervashidze stated: “The payment for the grapes must be issued by the respective bank. The ministry is not directly involved—we only served as an intermediary.”