Economic Press Monitor April 19 - 25, 2020	Days:  11 18 25 02 09

economic & politics

TABULA: “WHAT COMPONENTS THE FULL-FLEDGED ANTI-CRISIS PLAN HAS TO INCLUDE – DAVID BAKRADZE”

April 24, 2020 - David Bakradze, leader of opposition party European Georgia, presented vision of full-fledged anti-crisis plan for Georgia.

According to Bakradze, the plan must envisage compensation for those, who lost job, self-employed and the poor, as well as decrease of taxes for business and zeroing of current tax liabilities.




BANKEBI DA FINANSEBI: “BY THE IMF DATA, GEORGIA BECOMES POOR DAILY BY ABOUT 100M – VASHADZE”

April 24, 2020 - Giorgi Vashadze, chairman of opposition party New Georgia, says that he had conversation with the IMF central office. “There are three issues, which cause their concern”, he declares.




FORBES GEORGIA: “EU-GEORGIA BUSINESS COUNCIL MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT”

April 23, 2020 - EU-Georgia Business Council indicates that because of the crisis, caused by COVID-19 pandemic, 2020-2021 will be the most difficult for business development.

For effective actions of the government, first of all, it is necessary to create a council for business development, statement of EU-Georgia Business Council reads.




TABULA: “SPECIAL FLIGHTS FROM ATHENS, AMSTERDAM AND BERLIN IN DIRECTION OF TBILISI ARE APPOINTED”

April 22, 2020 - Interdepartmental coordination council, created by Georgian government for fight against COVID-19, decided to appoint additional flights for returning Georgian citizens from abroad, Tabula reports.

Flights will be made in the direction of Tbilisi from Athens – on May 5, from Amsterdam – on May 7 and from Berlin – on May 9.




REZONANSI: “WHY SERGEY LAVROV RECALLED GEORGIA DURING EPIDEMIC – ZURAB ABASHIDZE’S COMMENT”

April 22, 2020 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared that Moscow is ready to consider opening of trade missions in Georgia, if such offer will be made by Georgian side, the newspaper reports.

In his turn, Zurab Abashidze, special representative of Georgian Prime Minister in relations with Russia, declares that such question was not considered, the article points.




REZONANSI: “FINANCE MINISTER: BECAUSE OF SAAKASHVILI, EVEN THOSE SUMS COULD BE TAKEN AWAY, WHICH ARE PROMISED TO US”

April 21, 2020 - Georgian ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili expresses readiness to join negotiations with the US, the EU and international organizations and to assist the country in overcoming crisis, the newspaper reports.

However, Georgia’s Finance Minister Mikhail Machavariani estimates that “because of Saakashvili, even those sums could be taken away, which are promised to us”.

macroeconomics & budget

BANKEBI DA FINANSEBI: “THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO REPLACE BANKS IN AGROCREDITS WITH AGENCY ON RURAL AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT”

April 23, 2020 - Georgia’s First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Gela Khanishvili reported that the government plans to replace banks with Agency on Rural and Agricultural Development. He declared this on air of Public Broadcaster.




BANKEBI DA FINANSEBI: “GEORGIA WILL GET CREDIT OF 45M EUR FROM THE WORLD BANK AT MOST IN MAY”

April 23, 2020 - Georgia’s Deputy Finance Minister Giorgi Kakauridze declared that the country will receive credit of 45 million EUR from the World Bank (WB) at most in May.

Respective agreement with International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, member of the WB Group) was signed on March 30.




TABULA: “FOR VIOLATION OF EMERGENCY RULES, INTERIOR MINISTRY IMPOSED PENALTIES OF 15.7M”

April 23, 2020 - Referring to media project Detector of Wastes, Tabula reports that between March 21 (enactment of emergency rule in Georgia) and April 21, the Interior Ministry imposed penalties of 15.71 million lari. The matter concerns penalties for violation of rules of state of emergency and curfew.




BANKEBI DA FINANSEBI: “ARCHIL MESTVIRISHVILI – THOSE 200M, WHICH GO TO NATIONAL BANK, WILL BE USED FOR INTERVENTIONS”

April 21, 2020 - Archil Mestvirishvili, vice-president of National Bank of Georgia (NBG), explains that $1.5 billion, attracted from international financial institutions and donors organizations, will be used for financing of expected imbalance in external financing during 2020. He declared this on air of Public Broadcaster.

companies

FORBES GEORGIA: “INCOME OF TV COMPANIES IN GEORGIA”

April 21, 2020 - Referring to Georgian National Communication Commission, the magazine reports that income of over 80 broadcaster, operating in the country, totaled in 2019 to 152.6 million lari. If compared with 2018, the volume has increased by 10.9%, the article notes.

transport & communications

TABULA: ““AIRPORTS ASSOCIATION”: PROCEDURES OF PASSENGER SERVICE COULD BE AMENDED”

April 24, 2020 - State-owned LLC Georgian Airports Association declared that procedures of passenger service could be amended, Tabula reports. The article specifies that the amendments are drafted, following recommendations of the medical sector.

finances & banking

BANKEBI DA FINANSEBI: “PAPUNA LEZHAVA: POSTPONED CREDITS MAKE UP ALMOST HALF OF BANKING SECTOR’S LOAN PORTFOLIO”

April 24, 2020 - Papuna Lezhava, vice-president of National Bank of Georgia, says that volume of postponed credits in the country makes up nearly a half of the banking sector’s total loan portfolio. He declared this on air of Public Broadcaster.




BANKEBI DA FINANSEBI: ““TBC” OBTAINED BANK LICENSE IN UZBEKISTAN”

April 21, 2020 - Central Bank of Uzbekistan issued license for bank activity to TBC Bank Group PLC, the newspaper reports. As the article notes, Georgian bank’s activity in Uzbekistan will be focused on financing of retail trade, as well as of micro, small and medium business.

agriculture & food

BANKEBI DA FINANSEBI: “GELA KHANISHVILI – WE CAN INCREASE LOCAL WHEAT PRODUCTION UP TO 400,000 T”

April 22, 2020 - Gela Khanishvili, Georgia’s First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, declared that local wheat production could be increased up to 400,000 t. He said this on air of Public Broadcaster.