Economic Press Monitor February 4 - 10, 2018	Days:  27 03 10 17 24

economic & politics

LIBERALI: “TENDERS WITHIN REFORM OF “GLASS WALLS””

February 8, 2018 - The article, prepared within the multimedia project “Neighbors”, reviews systems of state procurements in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.

It is noted that in the rating of state procurements’ transparency, best result among Eastern Partnership countries was shown in 2016 by Ukraine – 55.22 points from maximum 64.




TABULA: “GIORGI KVIRIKASHVILI RECEIVED $50,000 AS A GIFT FROM HIS FATHER”

February 7, 2018 - According to property declaration for 2017, filled by Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, he received $50,000 as a gift from his father. At that, annual salary of the prime minister made up 51,000 lari.




FORBES GEORGIA: “IN THE RATING OF ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION, GEORGIA IS ON THE 18^TH PLACE”

February 7, 2018 - KOF Index of Globalization, calculated by Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, places Georgia on the 45^th place among 178 countries in terms of overall globalization level, the magazine reports.

At that, in terms of economic globalization, Georgia is on the 18^th place against the 16^th – in 2017, the magazine specifies.




REZONANSI: “ESCAPE FROM GEORGIA”

February 6, 2018 - In 2017, shelter in the EU and Schengen countries was requested by 10,455 citizens of Georgia, the newspaper reports. As the article notes, the number of asylum applicants has increased in comparison with 2016 by 35%.




NETGAZETI.GE: “NEW APARTMENTS, CARS AND OTHER CHANGES IN KAKHA KALADZE’S PROPERTY DECLARATION FOR 2017”

February 6, 2018 - According to property declaration, filled by Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, he acquired 2 apartments and 2 garages in Tbilisi, on Chavchavadze Avenue, in 2017 and paid $160,000 for this real estate, Netgazeti.Ge reports.

Besides, Kaladze and his spouse, Ana Areshidze, bought in last year 3 cars and paid $110,000 and 40,000 EUR, while sold their Mercedes G63 for 380,000 lari.




TABULA: “IN RULE OF LAW INDEX, GEORGIA DOWNGRADED BY 4 POSITIONS”

February 5, 2018 - Georgia’s rating in the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index (WJP Rule of Law Index 2017-2018) has worsened by 4 positions, Tabula reports. Among 113 countries, Georgia occupies now the 38^th place.




FORBES GEORGIA: “GEORGIA WENT DOWN IN THE RATING OF ECONOMIC FREEDOM”

February 5, 2018 - In annual Index of Economic Freedom of Heritage Foundation for 2018, Georgia occupies the 16^th position among 186 countries.

If compared with previous year, Georgia’s ranking has worsened by 3 positions, despite improvement of rating score by 0.2, up to 76.2 points, the magazine reports.

macroeconomics & budget

FORBES GEORGIA: “UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE IS NOT UNIVERSAL”

February 6, 2018 - Since 2017, universal healthcare program, launched in 2013, does not apply to high-income citizens any more, at that, insurance policies, differentiated according to beneficiaries’ income, are introduced, the magazine points.

The mentioned changes were reasoned by desire of cost optimization and social justice, however, like in previous years, budget of the program in 2017 appeared insufficient again, the article says.




NETGAZETI.GE: “INTERIOR MINISTRY BUYS 111 T OF CHOCOLATE AND CARAMEL CANDIES FOR MILLION LARI”

February 5, 2018 - Interior Ministry announced electronic tender on supply of chocolate and caramel candies of 1.94 million lari.

However, LLC Kveba 2015 (Catering 2015, the only participant of the tender) has decreased this sum at the auction to 993,816 lari, Netgazeti.Ge reports.

energy, oil & gas

EUGEORGIA.INFO: “WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT’S DIRECT INTERVENTION WILL DECREASE ON ELECTRICITY MARKET?”

February 9, 2018 - According to the government’s resolution, rule of bidding for feasibility study, construction, possession and operation of power plants was amended, Eugeorgia.Info reports.

According to the amendments, state-owned JSC Electricity System Commercial Operator will not be anymore that subject, which gives guarantee on electricity purchase to potential investors.




TABULA: “EIB, PERHAPS, WILL FINANCE CONSTRUCTION OF GAS STORAGE IN GEORGIA WITH $100M”

February 5, 2018 - European Investment Bank (EIB), perhaps, will finance construction of a gas storage in Georgia with $100 million, Tabula reports.

The article reports that Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation, owned by Georgian Partnership Fund, addressed to EIB with request of the project’s financing.

companies

FORBES GEORGIA: ““BADAGONI”: WORKING PROCESS IS STOPPED”

February 9, 2018 - Giorgi Salakaia, director general of wine company Badagoni, declares that after start of the company’s checking by the Finance Ministry’s Financial Police, working process in the company is completely stopped.

“Badagoni is an undisputed leader company and for this reason they have rushed in yesterday”, Salakaia asserts.




FORBES GEORGIA: “GEORGIA’S LARGEST COMPANIES – TOP 20”

February 8, 2018 - Among top 20 of Georgian companies, there are 6 oil companies (SOCAR Georgia Gas, SOCAR Georgia Petroleum, RomPetrol Georgia, Wissol Petroleum Georgia, LUKOil Georgia, Sun Petroleum Georgia), the magazine reports.

Among largest companies, 3 ones are included also in list of Georgia’s largest employers – EnergoPro Georgia (production and distribution of electricity in regions), Georgian Manganese (production of cast iron, steel and ferroalloys) and Georgian Railway, the article specifies.




BANKEBI DA FINANSEBI: ““KULA” BEGINS PRODUCTION OF BIO-FOOD AND BUILDS NEW PLANT IN AKHALTSIKHE”

February 6, 2018 - Gori cannery Kula, established in 2009, produces currently about 250 names of production and conducts export to 25 countries, the newspaper says.

In the interview, director of Kula Ivane Goglidze says that in 2017, the company started production of canned meat and fish.

transport & communications

TABULA: “KALADZE: IN 2018, WE WILL BRING 100 MORE NEW BUSES TO TBILISI”

February 8, 2018 - Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze declared that 100 more new buses will be brought to Tbilisi in 2018.

“In the budget, we found possibility to bring at least 100 new, environmentally friendly buses already in this year”, the Mayor declared at the meeting of the capital government.

international cooperation

EUGEORGIA.INFO: “WE WILL START NEGOTIATIONS WITH THOSE COMPANIES, WHICH COULD BE INTERESTED IN MOVING MANUFACTURING TO GEORGIA”

February 8, 2018 - Giorgi Kacharava, project director at the EU-Georgia Business Council (created by Georgian and European companies in 2006 in Brussels), points that “we have yet no those results, which we expected” in export from Georgia to the EU.

“It is important to accelerate efforts in order to have notable results in terms of rapid growth of export to EU countries”, Kacharava states in an interview with Eugeorgia.Info.

finances & banking

BANKEBI DA FINANSEBI: “FROM PENALTIES, IMPOSED ON LOANS, MOST OF ALL, 21M LARI, WAS RECEIVED BY “LIBERTY BANK””

February 7, 2018 - In 2017, penalties imposed by commercial banks on issued loans totaled to 77.14 million lari, the newspaper reports.

At that, most of all, 21.45 million lari, was received by Liberty Bank.

agriculture & food

TABULA: “HOW PRICES OF ESSENTIAL FOOD STUFF HAVE CHANGED SINCE 1999 UNTIL TODAY”

February 6, 2018 - Georgian population spends for acquisition of food nearly a half (43%) of own income, the share, which several times exceeds same indicator of developed countries, Tabula reports.

For last 18 years, meat went in price most of all, the article says, adding that sharp price growth is observed also on cheese, sugar, haricot, etc.

construction

REZONANSI: “NEW REGULATIONS TO RAISE REAL ESTATE IN PRICE BY 3-5%”

February 9, 2018 - City Hall of Tbilisi decided to include in process of construction permits’ issuing its services of transport and of ecology and gardening (since February 22 – of environmental protection) too, the newspaper reports.

As Mayor Kakha Kaladze stated, “Calculation in respect of transport will be made from the very beginning, whether it is possible to build residential area on that concrete place so that people, living there, have not face problems and generally, do not cause collapse in the city”.




NETGAZETI.GE: “BAKHMARO DEVELOPMENT PLAN – WHETHER RIGHTS OF OWNERS WILL BE PROTECTED”

February 7, 2018 - In Bakhmaro settlement, located in Guria region above 2,050 m, ski resort will be created, Netgazeti.Ge reports.

In July 2017, the government applied to Bakhmaro the status of recreational zone and already approved the master plan of land use, the article specifies.




NETGAZETI.GE: “IN POTI THEATRE, OPENED THREE YEARS AGO, CEILING FRAGMENT COLLAPSED”

February 7, 2018 - In Poti Theater (Zugdidi region), which was opened in 2014, fragment of the ceiling has collapsed, Netgazeti.Ge reports.

The article notes that administration of the theater fears that the ceiling can collapse in other places too.