Economic Press Monitor April 16 - 22, 2023	Days:  08 15 22 29 06

economic & politics

TABULA: “DEGNAN ON SANCTIONS AGAINST JUDGES: THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVESTIGATE WELL-KNOWN CORRUPTION CASES”

April 20, 2023 - The US ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan declared that the US has every confidence in the correctness of visa restrictions for 4 individuals (judges), engaged in corrupt activities in Georgia.

We have conducted a thorough screening and collected information, most of which is publicly available, the ambassador said.




BANKEBI DA FINANSEBI: “MIKHEIL DUNDUA – IN CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX 2022, GEORGIA LEADS AMONG THE COUNTRIES OF EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA REGION AND, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE INDEX HISTORY, IS IN THE EUROPEAN TOP TWENTY”

April 18, 2023 - In the Corruption Perceptions Index 2022 (CPI), Georgia has advanced by 4 steps and ranks 41^st among 180 countries, maintaining its position among the top 25% during the last 7 years, said Georgia’s Deputy Finance Minister Mikheil Dundua.

According to CPI, Georgia for the first time is on the 20^th position among European countries, having the same score (56 points), as Italy, Slovenia and the Czech Republic, Dundua pointed.

macroeconomics & budget

BATUMELEBI: “A 7M LARI TENDER ANNOUNCED FOR CONSTRUCTION OF SOCIAL HOUSE IN KEDA”

April 21, 2023 - Municipality of Keda (Ajara) announced a tender of 7.08 million lari for construction of a social house. The construction will be financed by a capital transfer from the Ajara budget.




REZONANSI: ““ACTUALLY, BUSINESS DOES NOT OFFER APPROPRIATE CONDITIONS AND VACANCIES TO LABOR MARKET, THEREFORE THERE IS CONSTANT SHORTAGE””

April 20, 2023 - There is a high unemployment rate and a problem of employment in the country, but simultaneously, there is a constant shortage of staff too, the newspaper says.

Recently, information has been spreading that business has increased salaries, but there is still an acute shortage of staff, the article notes.




REZONANSI: “STRENGTHENING OF LARI WILL CONTINUE, BUT THEY WILL TRY TO KEEP IT WITHIN 2.50”

April 18, 2023 - Doctor of economics Nika Shengelia considers that “there will be no depreciation” of lari in the near future. Currency inflows continue, which are increased 4-5 times and are one of the factors of lari strengthening, he explains.

conflict and court

NETGAZETI.GE: ““WE WORK 9 HOURS, FOR 33 LARI A DAY” – DRIVERS WORKING ON RIKOTI CONSTRUCTION WENT ON STRIKE”

April 21, 2023 - Truck drivers, employed on construction of the highway through the Rikoti Pass, went on strike.

“We demand an 8-hour operating schedule and a salary of 50 lari per day”, said one of the strikers.

companies

FORBES GEORGIA: ““CENTRAL PARK TOWERS” IS AN INNOVATIVE INVESTMENT PROJECT IN TBILISI”

April 19, 2023 - Georgian construction companies Orbi Group and Block are implementing a $300 million project on Kazbegi Avenue in Tbilisi. The multifunctional complex Central Park Towers has an area totaling to 140,000 square m.




TABULA: “GUMBARIDZE: KEZERASHVILI WILL CONTINUE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE CHANNEL”

April 19, 2023 - David Kezerashvili abdicates a controlling stake in its TV company Formula, and will hand over 25% to the TV company’s employees. These persons have not been named yet.

transport & communications

REZONANSI: “REMOVAL OF CATALYSTS FROM CARS, THEIR SELLING AND THEN EXPORT WILL BE PROHIBITED?”

April 21, 2023 - The practice of removing catalysts from cars and then selling them is quite common in Georgia, the newspaper notes. In this connection, Georgian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture plans to introduce regulations.

ecology & health

NETGAZETI.GE: “35% OF GEORGIAN PUPILS NEVER EAT AT SCHOOL – STUDY”

April 21, 2023 - A study, conducted by Sakstat with the support of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), showed that 34.9% of children in Georgia never eat during school hours. During these hours, only 27% eat daily.




REZONANSI: “IN MARCH, AN UNPRECEDENTED HIGH IMPORT OF MEDICINES FROM TURKEY WAS RECORDED, AND IT CONTINUES SUCCESSFULLY IN APRIL, AND WE HAD COMMUNICATION WITH SUPPLIERS, THERE ARE NO REASONS FOR STIR – ZURAB AZARASHVILI”

April 20, 2023 - Zurab Azarashvili, Georgia’s Minister of IDPs from Occupied Territories, Labor, Healthcare and Social Protection, declared that over the past 2 years, the highest rate of import of medicines from Turkey was recorded in this March, which continues in April too.

We also had communication with suppliers via the Turkish embassy, and there is no reason for a shortage, the Minister said.




REZONANSI: “PART OF CHEAP TURKISH MEDICINES GRADUALLY DISAPPEARED FROM THE COUNTERS”

April 18, 2023 - Georgian Association of Pharmaceutical Companies reported that Turkish suppliers have restricted supply of certain medicines. The Association’s statement does not explain the reasons of this, the article notes.

agriculture & food

REZONANSI: “IMPORTANT CHANGE IN AGROINSURANCE – WINEGROWER FARMERS WILL BENEFIT FROM INCREASED CO-FINANCING”

April 19, 2023 - Within the state agricultural insurance program, winegrower farmers will use state co-financing of 70% instead of the previous 50%.

As a result, area of insured crops will grow, expects Natalia Kharatishvili, deputy director of the State Agency for Rural Development.