As of project director Eric Bates, the main parameters of the work are as follows: Extraction: A total of almost 6 million cubic meters of soil is planned to be removed, which is a large-scale task for the company. Breakwater construction: Preparations are underway to install a 1,380-meter-long breakwater. The construction should be completed by the end of next year. Operational efficiency: The completed infrastructure will ensure 95% of the port’s annual openness, which will allow the port to receive and service large ships. According to Eric Bates, the Anaklia project will be a significant stimulus for the Georgian economy. The entire maritime infrastructure project should be completed by the end of next year.Belgian Jan De Nul N.V. is a member of the European so-called “Big Four” company, which is carrying out the design and construction of the harbor deepening and breakwater in Anaklia.

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Current status of the project and main technical characteristics: Marine works: The seabed in the port’s water area will be deepened to 17.5 meters. Breakwater: A 1,380-meter-long breakwater will be constructed, ensuring 95% annual port operability. Mobilization: A concrete plant has already been installed on site and the production of special protective structures - “X-blocks” is underway. Infrastructure development is part of a multimodal transport system. In the near future, the following are planned: Construction of a highway connecting the port. Construction of an 18-kilometer railway line, which will be integrated into the 10-year modernization plan of the Georgian Railways. A press release issued by the Ministry of Economy states that the strategic goal of the project is to increase the throughput capacity of the “Middle Corridor” and establish Georgia as a regional logistics hub. A company that is a member of the European so-called “Big Four” is involved in the construction process, which is a guarantee of compliance with international standards.According to the Ministry of Economy, the emphasis within the project is on employment of the local population.Heads of the Ministries of Economy and Defense, as well as directors of the Georgian Railways and Anaklia Sea Port, got acquainted with the progress of the construction on site.

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The company’s General Director, Lasha Abashidze, presented the annual report at an event held at the Paragraph Hotel. According to him, the total savings as a result of strategic changes exceeded 230 million GEL.Financial sustainability and growth in marginsAccording to the report, the operating profit margin of Georgian Railway has improved significantly and reached 36% (in the first half of 2025 this indicator was 25%). The dynamics of revenue growth is also stable: in the first four months of 2026, a 15% increase was recorded compared to the same period in 2025.“We reduced operating and administrative expenses, optimized personnel and reviewed contracts. We had a fairly productive year for the company,” noted Lasha Abashidze.Strategic optimization and digital transformationThe increase in the company’s efficiency was driven by several key factors: Lease optimization: the lease on 400 units of wagons was canceled. Infrastructure savings: The amount saved on tunnel works amounted to approximately 13 million GEL. Direct communication: A direct connection was established with container cargo owners. Special attention was paid to regional cooperation. As a result of negotiations with China, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, the digitalization of services reduced the time of border procedures by 7.5 times - from 15 hours to 2 hours.

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As Kobakhidze told reporters, the government is currently conducting active negotiations with potential investors, although details will be announced later.“We are focused on the investor. The main thing is that Anaklia Port will be built and the state will receive maximum profit from this project… Anaklia Port will be built in all cases and will serve the further development of our country’s transit function,” the prime minister noted.The Anaklia Deepwater Port project is one of the most ambitious geopolitical and economic initiatives in the history of Georgia’s independence. Its idea is based on the country’s strategic location and aims to transform Georgia into a key link in the “Middle Corridor” connecting China and Central Asia with Europe. Unlike traditional ports, Anaklia’s main advantage is its depth, which will allow the country to receive large-capacity, so-called Panamax-type ships for the first time in history.The active phase of the project began in 2016, when the Anaklia Development Consortium (ADC) won the tender. The consortium, headed by Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, included TBC Holding Anaklia, American Conti International, Dutch Van Oord PPP International, British Wondernet Express, Bulgarian G-Star, and investor Bob Meyer.

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According to the amendments to the “Law on Vine and Wine”, from May 1, 2026, the cultivation of an entrepreneurial vineyard will be possible only with the prior consent of the National Wine Agency. The initiators of the reform aim to protect the reputation of Georgian wine in the global market, where competition is growing.Songulashvili noted that the state will not allow any compromises regarding counterfeit products.“We will be very strict, radical and uncompromising in dealing with wine counterfeiting. The entire agency is working in this direction... Not a month goes by without control purchases being carried out in both restaurants and chain markets, and we have had numerous cases of counterfeit products being seized, removed and confiscated,” the minister said.According to him, quality control is crucial because Georgia, as a small-land country, cannot compete in quantity on the international stage: “Our main goal is quality. ‘Georgian’ should be a quality mark for all products.”In order to revitalize the sector, this year the state is further tightening the conditions for receiving grapes based on sugar content. According to the minister, products with low sugar content will no longer be included in the production of quality wine.“We categorically say that grapes up to 17 degrees will be sold for 30 tetri, because this cannot be used in the production of quality wine. Where the state is responsible, quality will be strictly controlled and the winegrower will receive compensation according to his labor and the quality of the product,” Songulashvili noted.Levan Mekhuzla, the chairman of the National Wine Agency, explained that under the new law, winegrowers must submit a laboratory analysis of the soil to obtain a permit to cultivate vineyards. One of the main criteria is the groundwater level - the water level should not be less than 1 meter.According to Mekhuzla, the reform aims to correct past mistakes, when vineyards were built in swamps or at inappropriate heights only to increase the number.“The reform insures both the investor and the consumer, taking into account the objective conditions when wine consumption has decreased and competition has increased in international markets,” Mekhuzla added.The agency will be authorized to refuse to issue a permit to cultivate a vineyard if the submitted documentation or soil conditions do not meet the established high standards.

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According to the commission, the Georgian fuel market is significantly dependent on imports from Russia, Bulgaria, Romania and Azerbaijan. This concentration makes the market vulnerable to geopolitical fluctuations, sanctions and logistical disruptions.During the same period, the combined market share of the five largest companies was 67.3%, indicating an average concentration.In March-April 2026, amid tensions in the Middle East and global energy risks, fuel price increases in Georgia accelerated significantly: The price of gasoline (regular and premium) increased by 10.8%–14.4% The price of diesel increased by 20.1%–23.8% According to the Commission’s analysis, reducing excise duties on fuel will not be an effective mechanism for reducing prices, as it is already low compared to European countries. In order to ensure price stability, the Commission rejects administrative control and focuses on market liberalization.The main recommendations outlined in the conclusion are: Diversification of supply: expanding the range of import sources. Inventory Management: Improving the strategic reserves management system. Logistics: Optimizing the supply chain and gradually introducing self-service models to reduce costs. “Fuel price stability in Georgia is achieved more through enhanced competition, security of supply, and market transparency than through administrative price control,” the parliamentary commission document states.

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With regard to the annual core inflation, the prices increased by 3.5 percent, while the annual core inflation without tobacco amounted to 3.2 percent.The annual inflation rate was mainly influenced by price changes for the following groups:Food and non-alcoholic beverages: the prices in the group increased by 7.5 percent, contributing 2.58 percentage points to the overall annual inflation rate. Within the group the prices increased for the following subgroups: fish (21.3 percent), fruit and grapes (11.8 percent), meat (10.1 percent), vegetables (9.3 percent), bread and cereals (7.7 percent), sugar, jam, honey,chocolate and confectionery (7.3 percent), oils and fats (6.3 percent), milk, cheese and eggs (4.5 percent), coffee, tea and cocoa (3.2 percent), mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit and vegetablejuices (0.8 percent);Transport: the prices for the group increased by 10.3 percent, contributing 1.2 percentage points to the overall index. Within the group the prices increased for operation of personal transport equipment (15.1 percent) and transport services (9.2 percent);Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels: the prices for the group increased by 6.5 percent, contributing 0.62 percentage points to the overall index. The prices were higher for the subgroups of electricity, gas and other fuels (10.2 percent), maintenance and repair of the dwelling (4.3 percent) and actual rentals for housing (3.5 percent);Miscellaneous goods and services: the prices for the group increased by 9.0 percent, contributing 0.45 percentage points to the overall index. Within the group, the prices were higher mainly for the following subgroups: personal effects n.e.c. (49.6 percent), insurance (8.5 percent), personal care (4.6 percent).

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According to the commission's conclusion, the existing practice of setting price caps has already proven its effectiveness, which, while maintaining market stability, has limited excessive margins in the sector.The parliamentary group is proposing to extend price regulation to at least 60% of actively circulating medicines on the market. According to the commission's forecast, this step will directly affect the consumer's pocket."It is advisable to extend the system to at least 60% of actively circulating medicines. As a result, it is expected that the population will receive an average 40% reduction in prices for medicines that are not currently subject to reference prices," the commission's conclusion states.In parallel, the recommendation envisages a gradual expansion of the state program for the management of chronic diseases. Currently, the program covers 400,000 beneficiaries and its budget is 70 million GEL, although the commission indicates the need to include additional medicines.To stimulate competition in the market, the document calls for the optimization of the procedures for registering medicines. In particular, it is planned to remove the requirement for bioequivalence studies for those medicines that have been in circulation for more than 10 years under the jurisdiction of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or other strict regulators.According to the commission, this change is important for local manufacturers, as it will reduce both financial and time costs. In addition, it is planned to strengthen the national GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certification mechanism for foreign manufacturers, which will facilitate the rapid entry of new products into the market.As part of the reform, the commission calls for the introduction of a unified, coordinated monitoring system. The system should ensure: Continuous analysis of the impact of regulations to avoid reducing the range or withdrawing less profitable medicines from the market Prevention of shortages of medicines by reviewing the terms of contracts with suppliers and ensuring uninterrupted supply The Commission's conclusion, which aims to improve the value chain, will have a positive impact on price dynamics and product availability in the medium term.

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DemandIn Mar-26, total number of sold apartments in Tbilisi, according to the Public Registry data, stood at 4,121 units, of which:• Sales on the secondary market increased significantly by 26.9% y/y to 2,068 (up 15.1% y/y in 1Q26).• Sales on the primary market, where data are impacted by delayed registrations, were up 36.0% y/y to 2,053 (up 16.6% y/y in 1Q26).G&T’s real-time survey of developers, which captures current trends on the primary market, shows a slowdown on the primary market demand in Mar-26, although sales were still up 8.6% y/y. Cumulatively, primary market sales were up 16.9% y/y in 1Q26. This largely reflects a low base effect from last year, driven by domestic political instability in Tbilisi.In total, 10,907 transactions were registered in Tbilisi in 1Q26, bringing the residential market value to US$ 958mn (+23.1% y/y).SupplyIn Mar-26, construction permits were issued for 17 residential projects, with total living area reaching 150,241 sq.m (-6.7% y/y). Notably, the living area of issued permits has contracted annually for the 6th consecutive month, signalling a normalization after previously elevated levels. Overall, living area of permits in 1Q26 was down 29.9% y/y.PricesIn Mar-26, primary market price increased moderately, up 0.4% m/m to US$ 1,403 per sq.m. The average price on the secondary market (for new buildings built with permits issued from 2013) was up 0.1% m/m, reaching US$ 1,305 per sq.m.RentsIn Mar-26, price for renting an average (50-60 sq.m) apartment in Tbilisi was at US$ 9.9 per sq.m (-1.2% m/m), keeping rental yield high at 8.5%.

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Georgia submitted its application to host the prestigious event in 2025, demonstrating its commitment and enthusiasm for showcasing its viticultural heritage on the global stage.The session was attended by Levan Mekhuzla, Chairman of the National Wine Agency.“The OIV is the most important organisation in the field of viticulture and winemaking. This decision will once again underline Georgia’s prominent place on the world map of wine culture – a country of great viticultural and winemaking tradition. Ultimately, this will contribute to the popularisation of Georgian wine and its establishment in the global market,” he stated.It is worth noting that Georgia has previously hosted international events organised by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), notably the 33rd International Congress in 1962 and the 8th General Assembly in 2010.The OIV is an intergovernmental organisation comprising 51 member countries, including Georgia. Its activities include developing recommendations for viticulture and winemaking, improving wine production and grape processing techniques, and establishing international standards to foster excellence across the industry.

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