Daily News September 16, 2020	Days:  14 15 16 17 18

politics

HEAD OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT: ANNOUNCEMENT OF STATE OF EMERGENCY AND TOTAL COUNTRYWIDE QUARANTINE ARE NOT PLANNED

Natia Mezvrishvili, head of administration of Georgian government, declared that “announcement of state of emergency and total countrywide quarantine are not planned” because of recent COVID-19 spread in the country. She stressed that “total quarantine is not planned at this stage in Batumi too”.




TBILISI HOSTS OFF-LINE MEETING OF UNWTO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Today, the 112^th meeting of executive council of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) was opened in Tbilisi.

Part in the event is taken by up to 170 delegates from 24 countries, including Spain, Greece, Portugal, Romania, etc., Georgian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development reported.

economics

IN Q2, AVERAGE NOMINAL MONTHLY SALARY DECREASED BY 2.5% Y-O-Y

Sakstat reported that in the 2^nd quarter, average nominal monthly salary in Georgia amounted to 1,150 lari. If compared with the same period of 2019, the volume has decreased by 2.5% (by 29.6 lari).




THE IMF MISSION: REDUCTION OF GEORGIAN ECONOMY THIS YEAR IS EXPECTED AT 5%

The IMF mission estimates that Georgian economy will reduce in 2020 by 5%. About this head of the mission Mercedes Vera-Martin declared after completion of visit to the country, which held in a virtual format on September 8-14.




NBG MAINTAINED MONETARY POLICY RATE AT 8%

National Bank of Georgia (NBG) reported that its Monetary Policy Committee decided today to leave the monetary policy rate without change. Respectively, the rate still makes up 8%.




“SOCIETY AND BANKS”: DECISION OF MONETARY POLICY COMMITTEE IS MANIFESTATION OF EXCESSIVELY CAREFUL APPROACH

Today, Monetary Policy Committee of National Bank of Georgia (NBG) decided to leave the refinancing rate at the level of 8%.

Non-governmental think tank Society and Banks considers that this decision is “manifestation of excessively careful approach”.




NBG SOLD $40M

National Bank of Georgia (NBG) reported about sale of $20 million at the currency auction today. Average weighted exchange rate made up 3.1546 GEL/USD.




VAZHA-PSHAVELA AND KAZBEGI AVENUES TO BE NEXT TBILISI AREA OF ZONE-AND-HOUR PARKING

“In Saburtalo district, we continue introduction of zone-and-hour system of parking”, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze declared. “Vazha-Pshavela and Kazbegi avenues will be the next”, he said at the capital government meeting today.

business

AS OF JUNE 30, NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBERS OF TRANSIT BROADCASTING INCREASED BY 4.1% Y-O-Y, INCOME OF THE SPHERE – BY 10.1%

Georgian National Communication Commission reported that number of Georgian broadcasting transit subscribers amounted as of June 30 to 629,376. If compared with the same period of 2019, the number has increased by 4.1%.




AS OF JUNE 30, REVENUES OF TV COMPANIES DECREASED BY 0.3% Y-O-Y

Georgian National Communication Commission reported that revenues of Georgian TV companies totaled as of June 30 to 58.7 million lari. If compared with the same period of 2019, the volume has decreased by 0.3%.




LIQUIDATION OF 4 MICROFINANCE ORGANIZATIONS LAUNCHED THIS YEAR

National Bank of Georgia reported that this year, process of liquidation of 4 microfinance institutions was launched.

To compare, process of liquidation in 2019 was launched only in one microfinance institution (MicroInvest).

society

IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR, BIRTH RATE DECREASED BY 3.5% Y-O-Y, MORTALITY RATE – BY 4.4%

Sakstat reported that birth rate in Georgia made up in the first half of this year 22,142 people. If compared with the same period of 2019, the indicator has decreased by 3.5%.