Daily News

IN THIS ISSUE:

Sakstat reported that annual inflation in Georgia made up 2.4% in December 2020. Rate of inflation in comparison with the previous month (November 2020) made up negative 1% (deflation).

National Bank of Georgia (NBG) reported that lari official exchange rate at the end of December 2020 made up 3.2766 GEL/USD. At the end of December 2019, the exchange rate made up 2.8677 GEL/USD, i.e. year-on-year depreciation made up 14.26%.

First currency auction of the current year was held on January 6, where National Bank of Georgia (NBG) has sold $40 million. Average weighted exchange rate made up 3.2998 GEL/USD.

National Bank of Georgia (NBG) reported that its official reserve assets amounted as of December 31, 2020 to $3.9 billion. The volume has increased by 3.9% quarter-on-quarter and by 11.6% year-on-year.

“I decided to finally leave politics and completely remove myself from the reins of government”, declares Bidzina Ivanishvili, billionaire leader of ruling Georgian Dream, in a letter published today. “I am leaving both the post of the party’s chairman and the party itself and returning to my private life order, which was before 2011”, he says.

Administration of Georgian government reported that current regime of restrictions, introduced in the country because of COVID-19 outbreak, will remain until February 1. Respective decision of the interagency coordination council, created by the government for fight against COVID-19, was adopted at today’s meeting of the government.

Within frames of the “Food for Progress” program, launched by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), a ship, loaded with wheat, has arrived to port of Poti, Georgian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture reported.

According to the Ministry, the ship delivered 13,000 t of high-grade American wheat and 4,000 t of forage (soybean solvent cake).

Georgian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture reported that 2,754 cases of illegal cut and transportation of wood were revealed in the country during 2020. Out of total, 132 facts contain signs of a criminal offense, the Ministry noted.