Daily News March 1, 2019	Days:  27 28 01 04 05

politics

PRIME MINISTER: QUALITY OF RELATIONS AND INTEGRATION WITH THE EU NEVER WAS AT SUCH HIGH LEVEL

“With full responsibility, I can state that quality of relations and integration with the EU never was at such high level”, Georgia’s Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze declared.

Regarding fulfillment of Georgia’s commitments within the association agreement with the EU, the Premier noted that “important reforms are carried out in terms of both legislative and institutional rapprochement”.




“TI GEORGIA” PUBLISHED DETAILED TIMELINE OF EVENTS AROUND “TBC BANK”

TI Georgia, Georgian branch of Transparency International, published detailed timeline of events, developed around Georgia’s largest TBC Bank, starting it with events of May-June 2018, when billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili returned to public politics as chairman of ruling Georgian Dream, while Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili resigned.

At closed meeting of Georgian Dream on June 12, one of considered topics was construction of deep-water port in Anaklia, the organization says, noting that in the period of Kvirikashvili’s premiership (in February 2016), construction of the port was won at the tender by Anaklia Development Consortium.




LAWYER OF “TBC BANK” FOUNDERS: $17M, TAKEN BY KHAZARADZE AND JAPARIDZE, WERE USED FOR NEEDS OF BANK

Zviad Kordzadze, lawyer of Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze (recently resigned chairman of supervisory council of TBC Bank and his deputy), posted on Facebook that $17 million, taken by his clients in 2008 from company Samgori, “were used for needs of the bank, including increase of capital of the bank”.

Kordzadze asserts that “not a single tetri was used for other purposes, what even theoretically excludes signs of legalization of illegal income (“money laundering”)”.

economics

REAL GDP ANNUAL GROWTH IN JANUARY MADE UP 3.5%

Sakstat released estimation, according to which real growth of Georgian GDP in January of this year made up 3.5%, if compared with January of last year.

In this January, growth was noted in spheres of trade, hotels and restaurants, financial activity, operations with real estate and provision of other service to customers, Sakstat reported.




FORECAST OF THE PARLIAMENT’S BUDGETARY OFFICE: REAL GDP GROWTH IN Q1 WILL REACH 4.3%

The Budgetary Office of Georgian Parliament expects that real growth of the country’s GDP will reach 4.3% in the 1^st quarter. To compare: for the same period of 2018, the growth rate made up 5.2%.




GEORGIA’S 12 PROTECTED TERRITORIES TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FROM UNDP AND GEF

Georgian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture declared that 12 protected territories of the country will receive assistance from the UN Development Program (UNDP) and Global Environmental Facility (GEF).

As the Ministry noted, funds will be allocated for strengthening of financial sustainability of the protected territories and preservation of biodiversity there.




DEPUTY ECONOMY MINISTER: ONE-TIME SHORT-TERM CONTRACT WORTH $315,000 IS SIGNED WITH “INTERRAO”

Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Natia Turnava declared that state-owned JSC Electricity System Commercial Operator signed one-time, short-term contract worth $315,000 with InterRAO company.

According to Turnava, the contract envisages supply of 45 million kWh, generated by EngurHES, to occupied Abkhazia in order to cover energy deficit there.

business

“TBC BANK” RECEIVED $34M FROM EIB

TBC Bank Group declared about receiving by its subsidiary TBC Bank of $34 million from European Investment Bank (EIB) on February 28. The 5-year loan facility “will primarily be used to finance small and medium size enterprises in Georgia”, the group said.




“COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL GEORGIA” TO CONDUCT SOCIO-ECONOMIC STUDY FOR THE PROJECT OF TOURIST OBJECTS’ CREATION ON “ENGURHES” DAM

Georgian Energy Development Fund reported that socio-economic study for the project of creation of tourist objects on a dam of EngurHES will be conducted by Colliers International Georgia (Georgian affiliated structure of Colliers International Property Consultants Inc.).

The Funds said that the company won respective tender on February 26, and has to complete the study within 60 calendar days.

society

HEAD OF “SAKDRISI COMMITTEE”: WITHIN ENVIRONMENTAL OBLIGATIONS, “RMG” EXECUTED CERTAIN WORKS, WHILE A PART IS ON EXECUTION STAGE

Nino Burchuladze, head of public Sakdrisi Committee, declared that RMG mining company has conducted certain works within environmental obligations, while a part is in on execution stage.

“Though, it is premature to speak about final results so far.