Economics

Kobakhidze, Bektenov Discussed Trade, Investment, and Regional Connect...

Bektenov said that Kazakhstan considers Georgia an important strategic partner and reliable friend in the South Caucasus, while Tbilisi has a special role to play in strengthening the transport and logistics connection between Central Asia and Europe.According to the Kazakh Prime Minister, during the first four months of 2026, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $53 million, and over the past 20 years, investments from Kazakhstan to Georgia exceeded $570 million. According to him, more than 600 companies with Georgian capital operate in Kazakhstan.Olzhas Bektenov also stated that the Kazakh side is interested in launching new joint projects and expanding industrial cooperation, including in the fields of food processing, petrochemicals, logistics, construction materials and manufacturing.According to Irakli Kobakhidze, the meeting also discussed issues of increasing trade and investment, strengthening regional connectivity and further deepening people-to-people relations.A Georgian government delegation arrived in the Kazakh capital, Astana, on an official visit on June 29. As part of the visit, Irakli Kobakhidze has already met with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, with whom the sides discussed bilateral cooperation and prospects for cooperation in the fields of transport and logistics during both face-to-face and expanded meetings.Following the meeting between Tokayev and Kobakhidze, Georgia and Kazakhstan signed a declaration on strategic partnership, and several interdepartmental agreements were also signed in the fields of culture, tourism, and technology.The Georgian delegation includes Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maka Bochorishvili, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili, Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture Davit Songulashvili, and Head of Government Administration Levan Zhorzholiani.

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GDP growth for January-May 2026 equaled 7.8%

In May 2026, compared to the same period of the previous year, the estimated real growth in following activities contributed significantly: Financial and insurance activities, Information and communication, Manufacturing, Transportation and storage.Decline was registered in Construction.

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Georgian wine imports to US face 7% tariff

An analysis of the figures for other countries shows that the main wine exporting countries of the European Union faced higher tariff rates, which was due to various additional tariffs imposed on them throughout 2025.In particular, the effective tariff on wines imported from France was 7.4%, Italy - 8.8%, Spain - 9.3%, and Germany - 9.3%. The highest effective tariff rates were recorded for Slovenia (10%), Austria (9.5%) and Portugal (9.4%).As noted in the report, tariffs for EU member states changed gradually throughout the year. Until April 4, they were taxed at the standard most-favoured-nation (MFN) rate, which was approximately 6.3 cents per liter. From April 5 to August 7, a 10% IEEPA base was added to the tariff, and from August 8, the restrictions were further tightened, and the rate amounted to MFN plus 15%.As for Georgia’s immediate neighbors and other countries in the region, the effective tariff on Armenian wine imports was 6.7%, while Moldova enjoyed a significantly lower rate of 3.7%.Mexico (0.0%) and Canada (0.3%) enjoyed the most favorable tariff conditions in the tariff ranking, which is the result of existing trade agreements between them and the United States. In contrast, products imported from New Zealand were taxed at 9.4%, while Australia and Chile had similar rates of 5.5%.

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Only 52.3% of the population is connected to the sewage system

As of December 31, 2025, 2.87 million people (72.8% of the total population) were connected to the water supply system, which is 2.9% more than the similar figure of the previous year (2.79 million people).In 2025, the number of people connected to the sewage system amounted to 2.06 million (52.3% of the total population), which is 3% higher than the previous year's figure (2 million).In 2025, the number of people connected to wastewater treatment plants amounted to 1.64 million (41.6% of the total population), which is 3.1% higher than the previous year's figure (1.59 million).

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Death rate increases by 0.8% - main causes are circulatory system and...

The percentage distribution of the number of deaths by the main classes of causes of death differs for different age groups.Among the deaths of children under 5 years of age, disorders that arose in the perinatal period dominate.Injuries, poisonings, and various consequences of external causes predominate among people aged 5-39, as the probability of accidents is relatively high for this age group, while among the causes of death among the population aged 40 and older, diseases of the circulatory system and tumors will dominate in 2025.

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New Poti Port Project Brings Together Government, Business, and US Fin...

According to the Prime Minister, in recent years, the Middle Corridor has emerged as one of the most reliable routes between Europe and Asia, and Georgia has become a powerful economic and logistical hub that creates additional value for international trade.“In the first five months of this year, cargo turnover in Georgian ports increased by 21%. As for the new Poti seaport, cargo turnover here has increased by 78% over the past three years. These figures clearly indicate that the demand for our transport corridor is growing very rapidly. Our task is to respond to this demand with modern infrastructure. That is why we continue to fully modernize the country's transport network: we are expanding ports, building the Anaklia deep-water port, and upgrading railway and road highways,” said Irakli Kobakhidze.He expressed special gratitude to the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and noted that the project unites the state, Georgian business and American financial institutions around a common goal. The Prime Minister also highlighted the success of the Georgian company developing the project, PACE Group, which shows that local business has the appropriate competence and resources.$25 Million US Investment in Poti PortAccording to the US Embassy in Georgia, the US Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has officially signed a second loan agreement with the Georgian company PACE Group in the amount of $25 million.The financial resources will be used to complete the construction of the second berth of the new Poti seaport.The economic impact of the project includes several key points: Increase in throughput: The port's throughput will increase by more than 1 million tons per year. Cargo diversification: The ability to process bulk cargo will significantly increase. Regional competitiveness: Critical infrastructure will be strengthened, which will make trade along the Trans-Caspian Corridor even safer and more efficient.

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DFC Signs Additional $25 Million Loan Agreement with PACE Group for Po...

The embassy said that the completion of this infrastructure project will significantly increase the port’s capacity to handle bulk cargo. In particular, the port’s throughput capacity will increase by an additional one million tons per year, which will help strengthen critical infrastructure and make trade along the Trans-Caspian Corridor safer and more efficient.The ongoing project is a continuation of the successful partnership between DFC and PACE Group.As part of this cooperation, the corporation allocated a $50 million loan for the development and construction of the new Poti Seaport Terminal in 2020.For your information, DFC is the international investment agency of the US government. Its activities are aimed at ensuring solid economic results for American taxpayers, while at the same time contributing to the sustainable economic development of US allies and partner countries.

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Batumi apartment market size grows by 22.2% to $87 million

In Batumi, in May 2026, the number of transactions in newly built apartments increased by 3.3% compared to May 2025, while transactions in old apartments decreased by 7.3%.The number of transactions increased by 13.4% in the secondary market, while the primary market recorded a decrease of 8.5%.The share of foreign buyers in transactions of old and new projects increased compared to May of last year and amounted to 49%. Foreign buyers accounted for 59% of the increase in the number of transactions in new and old projects.In addition, in May 2026, the number of residential apartment transactions in Batumi increased by 2.5% compared to May of last year and amounted to 1,324 units, while the market size increased by 22.2% to $87 million.

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Tbilisi apartment transactions up by 13.1%, market size reaches $334 m...

In May 2026, the weighted average selling price of old apartments in Tbilisi increased by 23.5% in the city center, by 3% in the wider center, and by 11.6% in the suburbs compared to May 2025. Prices in old projects across the city increased by 16%.It is worth noting that the significant increase in prices in the city center is influenced by the small number of registered transactions.In May 2026, the weighted average selling price of newly built apartments in Tbilisi increased by 7.2% in the suburbs compared to May 2025, by 10.6% in the wider center, and by 29.6% in the city center.According to recov.ge data, prices in the city center increased mainly at the expense of the primary market, as transactions in several expensive projects were registered simultaneously. Meanwhile, an 11.5% increase was recorded in the secondary market in the city center.The increase in the weighted average price of primary transactions across the city amounted to 14.9%. In the secondary market, the weighted average price across the city increased by 5.5%.In May 2026, the number of transactions in new projects in Tbilisi increased by 15.3% compared to May last year. Growth was observed in both the primary (11.4%) and secondary (20.7%) markets for newly built apartments.In addition, 40% of the growth in the secondary market came from the Samgori district. The number of transactions also increased by 5.1% in old projects. In Tbilisi, the majority of transactions in both old and new projects are carried out by Georgian citizens, while the share of foreign citizens was only 11.4% in May 2026.

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Global exports of Alsatian white wines decline, but demand in Georgia...

The report, prepared based on data from the French Customs (DGDDI), published by the American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE), shows that the value of Alsatian white wine imports to Georgia increased from €0.02 million in 2024 to €0.04 million in 2025.Overall, Alsatian wines are losing their traditional leading export positions, which is the main reason for the global decline.Significant losses were recorded in the largest markets, namely: exports to Canada decreased by 11.2%, to the USA - by 4%, and to China - by 12.6%.These losses in traditional markets were only partially offset by increases in countries such as Japan (+8.5%) and South Korea (+20.5%).According to the AAWE report, new and emerging markets, despite high percentage growth, are still too small to fully compensate for the losses caused by the decline in leading countries.

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Kobakhidze, Bektenov Discussed Trade, Investment, and Regional Connect...

1782816910 • Economics

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Politics

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Strasbourg Court Begins Substantive Review of Case on Seizure of Bank...

The authors of the joint lawsuit sent to Strasbourg are: “Social Justice Center”, “Civil Society Foundation”, “Fair Elections”, “Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information” (IDFI) and “Safari”. The organizations applied to the European Court for legal response on October 15, 2025.According to “Fair Elections”, the European Court granted the aforementioned lawsuit the status of a case with significant impact (Impact Case). This decision means that the Strasbourg Court is assessing the scope of the case in advance and believes that it can have a significant impact on the practice of the Court itself, national legislation and broader human rights and public issues.“The commencement of the substantive examination of the case in this mode is an important message to the Georgian authorities that any action aimed at restricting civil society activities, criminalizing human rights activities and persecuting independent organizations will be subject to international legal assessment and cannot remain without an appropriate response,” the organization said in a statement released on Monday.

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Former senior officials of the Regulatory Agency exposed in the GEL 53...

As a result of more than 1,000 investigative actions conducted in the case, 17 members of the organized group have been detained at this stage, and 3 individuals who are in hiding will be declared wanted. In addition, charges have been brought against 11 individuals who are cooperating with the investigation, and criminal prosecution has been initiated against 24 legal entities.According to the agency, former high-ranking officials of the Medical and Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency are among the accused. They have been abusing their personal interests and official position to facilitate the functioning of the criminal scheme for years.The investigation revealed that a large-scale network of so-called “pharmacy drug trafficking” operated in the country in 2018–2025, and the process was organized by the heads of companies importing psychotropic drugs. To cover up the crime, the drugs were documented in the names of fictitious pharmaceutical companies, but in reality, without any prescriptions or permits, they were sold at high prices throughout the country in facilities that did not even have the status of pharmacies.It has been established that the income from illegal trade amounted to 53,833,723 GEL. In order to legalize the funds, a significant part of the criminal income was recorded in the form of salaries and dividends, after which the defendants acquired a large amount of real estate and movable property. The mentioned assets have been fully seized, from which the damage caused to the state will be compensated in the future.According to the statement of the Deputy Head of the Investigation Service, Guga Tavberidze, the investigation is underway under Articles 192 and 194 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which provides for imprisonment for a term of 9 to 11 years. The agency warns all individuals and legal entities operating in the field that the state will be particularly strict towards such crimes, which damage the budget and endanger the lives of citizens.The mentioned large-scale event was carried out by the Investigation Service under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, as well as with the support of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Security Service and the Revenue Service.

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State Audit Office to Inspect Communications Commission and State Audi...

The need for legislative amendments arose after the decision taken in December 2025 transferred the functions of the Personal Data Protection Service and the Anti-Corruption Bureau to the State Audit Office from March 2026.According to the rapporteur of the draft law, First Deputy Chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee, Irakli Kheladze, the main novelty is the subordination of the regulatory commissions - the Communications Commission and the State Commission for Electronic Communications, which were not subject to inspection until now - to the Audit Service. Their audit will be carried out on a similar principle to the National Bank, which means that the agency will only inspect administrative and capital expenditures and will not interfere in the substantive decisions of the regulators.Within the framework of the reform, auditors are also granted exceptional powers, which will allow them to request information related to state procurement directly from private individuals participating in tenders. In addition, in order to speed up operational work, the Audit Service will receive direct access to the electronic databases of other administrative bodies based on memoranda.At the same time, sanctions are being tightened, and the amount of the fine for failure to provide documentation or submitting false information to the agency is increasing from the current 1,000 GEL to 5,000 GEL. The draft law also specifies that financial compliance and efficiency audits include control of both ongoing and already implemented activities.From a structural point of view, the law adds a new position - the Secretary of Public Relations. He ensures coordination and communication with other agencies under the instructions of the Auditor General, although the addition of this position does not require additional financial expenses from the budget.

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Kobakhidze: Our main task is to completely neutralize the collective “...

Speaking to journalists, the Prime Minister reviewed the current situation in the opposition and noted that the weakening of opposition parties and the destruction of political power will have a positive impact on the country’s democratic environment and political system.According to Kobakhidze, the disagreements between opposition entities exclude the possibility of gaining public support.The Head of Government emphasized that this trend and voter sentiment were clearly reflected in the 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025 election cycles, where the opposition failed to achieve the desired results.The Prime Minister assessed the opposition spectrum as an anti-state group and a foreign agent, adding that their structural dismantling is a prerequisite for the country's long-term stability.

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Vučić: Serbia Studies Georgia’s “Unprecedented” Economic Growth in Eur...

Speaking at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Vučić noted that Georgia’s 9.3% first-quarter economic growth stands out compared to European countries. He said such performance would be “extraordinary even in Western Europe” and highlighted Georgia’s progress since 2012.The Serbian president also pointed to sectoral developments, including strong growth in tourism and a reported 12% increase in construction activity. He said Serbia is analyzing Georgia’s economic data to identify areas for potential policy lessons.Vučić emphasized the “brotherly” ties between the two countries, rooted in shared Orthodox traditions, and met with the acting head of the Georgian Orthodox Church during his visit, marking his first official trip to Georgia.