EBRD Raises Georgia’s Economic Growth Forecast for 2026 to 6%

According to the explanation of the First Vice-President of the National Bank of Georgia, Ekaterine Mikabadze, the sharp increase in energy resources, especially oil prices, in the global market led to an increase in fuel prices in Georgia. This factor was reflected in the inflation rate as a result of direct and indirect effects, due to which the price increase in April reached 5.9%."Inflation decreased in May and the annual rate decreased to 5.7%, which is fully consistent with the central scenario and expectations of the National Bank of Georgia," said Ekaterine Mikabadze.According to the First Vice President of SEB, the National Bank has moderately tightened monetary policy in order to maintain inflation expectations at a stable level. According to her, the future dynamics of inflation significantly depends on the duration and severity of the Middle East conflict.According to the current central scenario of the National Bank, in the event of a gradual settlement of the conflict, inflation will gradually decrease and stabilize around the target rate (3%) in 2027.

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According to the World Bank, the project will finance upgrades to rail freight capacity, modernisation of key road segments in the country, and targeted reforms of rail and road institutions, alleviating infrastructure bottlenecks along the corridor.By enhancing transport connectivity, simplifying market access, and reducing logistics expenses for businesses, farmers, and communities, the TC-GATE Project is expected to directly benefit over 900,000 people and help generate jobs across logistics, transport, agribusiness, and related services, both directly and through wider multiplier effects along the corridor.“These investments will help Georgia realise its full potential as a critical regional transit hub bridging Europe and Asia, while responding to growing demand along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, reflecting evolving global trade flows and need for diversified supply chains,” said Rolande Pryce, World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus.He also added that by supporting modernisation of the key rail and road links and reforms aimed to strengthen institutions that manage them, the World Bank Group, jointly with development partners, is helping Georgia and other countries along the corridor create tangible benefits for citizens through better connectivity, safer and more resilient transport, more jobs, and stronger economic opportunities.According to the World Bank, the total cost of the large-scale TC-GATE Project is over USD 750 million, of which this new World Bank Group operation finances USD 372 million, and the remainder is co-financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). This demonstrates strong multilateral support for Georgia’s connectivity ambition and the development of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor broadly.“Through the new project, Georgia is strengthening its role as a reliable and competitive gateway between Europe and Asia, and together with our international partners we are committed to building a modern transport network that will serve the region for decades to come. These investments are not only important for our country’s economic development and for the creation of new opportunities for our citizens, but also for supporting growing international trade flows and more diversified, secure supply chains, as the upgrades to Georgia’s railway and road links will improve Middle Corridor efficiency and strengthen regional connectivity resilience,” said Lasha Khutsishvili, Minister of Finance of Georgia.According to the World Bank, in particular, the TC-GATE Project will help modernise Georgia’s rail freight services by financing new, energy-efficient electric locomotives to replace an ageing fleet, and strengthening JSC Georgian Railway’s operational efficiency, financial sustainability, and governance. The upgrades are expected to enhance locomotive availability to 95%, improve service reliability for shippers, and support a 20% increase in revenues. Additionally, they will lead to a reduction of over 2.3 million tons in net emissions.“To improve road connectivity, the project will finance the construction of two four-lane road segments in Georgia’s strategic corridor and agricultural production region – Kakheti, specifically the Badiauri–Chalaubani–Bakurtsikhe sections, as well as a road connecting Gurjaani to Telavi. This will reduce travel times between Telavi (Eastern Georgia) and Poti Sea Port (Western Georgia) by about 43 minutes and elevate road safety standards. Designed to meet climate-resilient standards, the road works will include measures to minimise disruptions caused by floods and landslides. This will enhance the reliability of year-round market access for people and goods. To strengthen Georgia’s road sector institutions, the project will support the digitisation of road asset management, the deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems through the establishment of a National Highway Control Centre (NHCC), the implementation of climate-resilient systems, and initiatives to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability.The TC-GATE Project will also support economic empowerment for women entrepreneurs in the Kakheti region and fund analytics to explore greater private sector participation opportunities in road management,” reads the World Bank’s press release.

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With regard to the annual core inflation, the prices increased by 3.8%, while the annual core inflation without tobacco amounted to 3.5%.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 5.2 percent, contributing 1.84 percentage points to the overall annual inflation rate. Within the group the prices increased for the following subgroups: fish (20.9 percent), meat (10.1 percent), bread and cereals (7.0 percent), fruit and grapes (6.5 percent), oils and fats (6.1 percent), sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery (6.0 percent), coffee, tea and cocoa (5.4 percent), milk, cheese and eggs (4.1 percent), mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit and vegetable juices (1.5 percent). At the same time, prices decreased for vegetables (-7.0 percent);Transport: the prices for the group increased by 15.1 percent, contributing 1.72 percentage points to the overall index. Within the group the prices increased for operation of personal transport equipment (22.7 percent) and transport services (9.3 percent);Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels: the prices for the group increased by 7.0 percent, contributing 0.66 percentage points to the overall index. The prices were higher for the subgroups of electricity, gas and other fuels (10.3 percent), maintenance and repair of the dwelling (5.9 percent) and actual rentals for housing (4.6 percent);Alcoholic beverages and tobacco: the prices increased by 7.2 percent, with the relevant contribution of 0.46 percentage points to the overall annual inflation rate. The prices increased for both tobacco (8.1 percent) and alcoholic beverages (6.4 percent);Health: the prices increased by 5.1 percent, contributing 0.43 percentage points to the overall index. The prices were higher for the following subgroups: medical products, appliances and equipment (7.7 percent), out-patient services (3.0 percent), hospital services (1.4 percent).

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According to G&T, Lion Finance Group's securities were traded at £107.7-112.9 last week.As of 01.06.2026, the group's capitalization is £4.76 billion.Stock trend by week and month

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According to statistics, in 2025, Moldova exported 9.55 million liters of wine to Georgia, thus lagging behind only Belarus and Romania in terms of volume. However, Georgia stands out in the top twenty of the ranking with the lowest price per liter – $0.57 per 1 liter, which is almost three times less than Moldova’s world average export price ($1.51).The total value of 9.55 million liters of wine exported to Georgia amounted to $5.49 million. In terms of value, Georgia is in 6th place in the ranking, although with a mark of $0.57 per liter it is the cheapest market in the ranking.For comparison, Romania is the most profitable partner for Moldova – it paid $43.4 million for 15.64 million liters of Moldovan wine and the average price per liter is $2.78. Belarus, which is in first place in terms of volume, accounts for almost a third of Moldova’s total export volume – 31.97 million liters, although the price per liter there is lower and amounts to $0.78 (total value $25.05 million).Other leading countries in terms of volume and value are Poland (3.99 million liters, $1.91/1 liter) and the Czech Republic (4.49 million liters, $1.67/1 liter). According to the study, the highest prices per liter for Moldovan wine are paid by Japan ($3.17), China ($2.98), Nigeria ($2.8) and Romania ($2.78).Overall, Moldova exported 98.38 million liters of wine worth $148.73 million to the world market in 2025, which is equivalent to an average of $1.51 per liter globally. The data shows that Georgia is an important volume market for Moldova, although it belongs to the low-price segment.

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He said the process is taking place within the framework of the contractual obligations between the parties.“We are successfully moving towards fulfilling the contractual obligations set for July 1 and we continue to work in this direction,” Christofoli said.A BP representative emphasized that this decision does not mean that the company is abandoning the project.“This is just a contractual obligation. SOCAR has sufficient experience and capabilities to successfully operate the pipeline. We are very optimistic about the transition process,” he said.The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline was commissioned in 2006 and is the main route for transporting oil from Azerbaijani fields in the Caspian Sea to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. The pipeline is approximately 1,768 kilometers long and passes through the territories of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.BP has been the operator of the project since its commissioning. BTC is considered one of the most important projects in international energy infrastructure, as it allows the export of Caspian oil to world markets, bypassing the territories of Russia and Iran. SOCAR is one of the largest shareholders in the project and has been trying to strengthen its role in the country's energy infrastructure in recent years.

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The Tbilisi Financial Summit is jointly organized by the National Bank of Georgia, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, and the Singapore-based Global Finance and Technology Network (GFTN). The summit will bring together central bank governors from around the world, as well as representatives of the fintech industry, financial sector, international companies and innovative technologies.The two-day summit will feature thematic sessions, panel discussions, workshops and professional meetings, where participants will discuss trends in the development of modern financial technologies and opportunities for regional cooperation. The summit participants will discuss such topics as the development of economic and financial corridors between countries, as well as financial technologies, open banking and artificial intelligence, Georgia as a regional platform for financial innovations, and others.A hackathon is planned to be held at the Tbilisi Financial Summit, which will help identify and implement new ideas and opportunities.“An international event of such a scale creates an opportunity for Georgia to more actively engage in global financial and innovation processes, attract international investments, strengthen partnerships with leading companies in the world, and promote the country’s economic development,” noted Natia Turnava, President of the National Bank of Georgia.GFTN (Global Finance & Technology Network) is an international platform based in Singapore that brings together representatives of the public and private sectors involved in the development of financial technologies, innovations, digital transformation, and modern financial ecosystems. This network includes the world's leading financial centers, such as Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, etc. Since 2025, Georgia has also become part of this network.

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The agreement is based on the main principles of the National Bank’s National Strategy for Financial Education and provides the implementation of financial education projects and activities.“Improving financial education is one of the important priorities of the National Bank of Georgia. Cooperation with the private sector allows us to bring financial education programs to a wider audience and contribute to strengthening the culture of responsible financial behavior in society,” said Ekaterine Mikabadze, First Vice President of the National Bank of Georgia.“With the rapid development of digital finance, the importance of financial education for future generations is growing. We are proud to partner with the National Bank of Georgia. With joint efforts, we can prepare young people to make informed financial decisions. Pave Bank will continue to actively support financial education in Georgia,” said Salim Dhanani, CEO and co-founder of Pave Bank.

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