NBG President, Finance Minister meet investors within EBRD meeting in London

According to the National Bank of Georgia statistics, transfers in April amounted to 295.5 million. Analysts expect an increase in transfers and foreign exchange inflows during the tourist season.Transfers from Georgia increased by 3% (Y.Y). Up to $32 million was transferred in the reporting month.

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For the reporting period, the bank's borrowers are up to 1.620 million citizens of the country. The customer base is narrowing. The growth rate is slowing down. Since the same period last year (01.05.024), the number of borrowers has not increased by even 30,000. According to the latest regulations, the category of those with incomes of up to 1,500 - 2,000 GEL has less access to loans. By 01.05.2023, it was more, exceeding 1, 620 million.As you know, up to 10 million GEL of loans are processed in the Creditinfo database. Of the loans issued by the bank, as of 01.05.2025, more than 147,400 loans from 83,000 borrowers are overdue for up to 3 years. The total balance is 1.7 billion GEL. As of 01.05.2024, the debt was less - 1.4 billion GEL. The number of problem borrowers is higher, up to 100,000 (up to 160,000 individual loans).In total, in the Creditinfo database, there are up to 2 million (1,994,818) records of active borrowers (MFOs, Loan Issuing Entities, Microbanks...). (L/m – 1,994,077).Banks' investments account for 93.75% (₾63 billion) of the total portfolio (up to 67.2 billion GEL).The ratio has increased (01.05.2024 – 91.5%).

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These companies are: “Jiveli”, “Vila Mosavali”, “Teliani Valley”, “Vazisubanis Mamuli”, “Chelti Winery”, “Kakhetian Traditional Winery”, “Dugladzes Wine Company”, “Tiko Estate” and “Shumi Winery”.In order to increase the export potential of Georgian wine and diversify priority export markets, the Government of Georgia approved the “State Program for Promoting the Popularization of Georgian Wine” in September 2021.The program is implemented by the LEPL National Wine Agency in coordination with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.The agency notes that the National Wine Agency co-finances marketing expenses only for companies that export to priority markets in various countries of the world (except for the CIS and GUAM countries).According to the terms of the program, the aforementioned companies, as a result of targeted marketing activities, increased their export volume to the American, European and Asian markets in 2024 compared to 2023.According to the National Wine Agency, five companies received co-financing under the program last year, with a total amount of 243,281.28 GEL.

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As part of the visit, a series of meetings with international investors (a non-deal roadshow) was held in London, initiated by the Ministry of Finance of Georgia and organized by the investment banks JP Morgan and ICBC.In addition, the Georgian delegation was invited to participate in a Georgia-focused panel organized by Bank of America.During these events, the Minister of Finance provided investors with information on the country’s economic situation, presenting macro-fiscal parameters and medium-term forecasts. The meetings highlighted Georgia’s strong economic growth in the post-pandemic period.“The Government of Georgia places profound emphasis on fiscal discipline, which, in the context of managing the crises of the pandemic and post-pandemic periods and the current geopolitical developments, is a key pillar for ensuring high economic growth. Thanks to this fiscal discipline, today Georgia’s fiscal indicators—such as debt and deficit—have returned to safe levels, which allows us to actively continue financing major infrastructure projects and implementing structural reforms to enhance the country’s attractiveness to investors,” stated the Minister of Finance of Georgia.Representing Georgia at the events were H.E. Lasha Khutsishvili, Minister of Finance of Georgia; Natia Turnava, Governor of the National Bank of Georgia; Ekaterine Guntsadze, Deputy Minister of Finance of Georgia as well as other representatives of MOF and NBG.

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In 2024 labour force participation rate (share of the labour force in the total population aged 15 and older) increased by 1.5 percentage points compared to the previous year and became 54.8 percent, while the employment rate increased by 2.6 percentage points and amounted to 47.1 percent. The Labour force participation rate in urban settlements increased by 1.6 percentage points, while in rural settlements – by 1.4 percentage points compared to the previous year. The employment rate in urban settlements as well as in rural areas increased by 3.1 and 1.9 percentage points and equaled 48.5 and 45.3 percent, respectively.In 2024, the share of hired employees was 68.5 percent among employed persons, which is 0.5 percentage points lower than the previous year.In 2024, the unemployment rate in urban settlements decreased by 3.2 percentage points compared to the previous year and in rural settlements – by 1.4 percentage points.In 2024, compared to the previous year, the most significant decline in the unemployment rate was observed in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo-Svaneti, Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti regions by 5.6, 5.0 and 3.5 percentage points, respectivelyTraditionally, the unemployment rate is higher for men than for women. In 2024, compared to the previous year this indicator decreased for women by 2.8 percentage points and by 2.2 percentage points for men.The labour force participation rate is higher for men than for women. In 2024, the indicator for women was 44.9 percent and for men – 66.2 percent. The labour force participation rate for women increased by 1.8 percentage points, while that for men increased by 1.1 percentage points, compared to the previous year.In 2024, the employment rate for women, as well as for men, increased by 2.8 and 2.3 percentage points, respectively, compared to the previous year.In 2024, the highest rate of unemployment was in the age group of 15-19 years (36.3 percent), while this indicator is traditionally the lowest in the 65+ age group (4.2 percent) due to the low activity of the population in this age group.

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The GSE tariff has become 3.298 tetri/kWh, which is a 17.2% increase from 2.813 tetri the previous year. The new tariff is in effect from January 1, 2025, until the end of the year.GNERC has set the Enguri and Vardnili tariffs in 2 parts: 1) From January 1, 2025 until the launch of the target market model, which is currently planned for July 1, the tariff will be 4.021 tetri/kWh for Enguri and 5.111 tetri/kWh for Vardnili. 2) From the launch of the target market model until the end of 2026, the kWh tariff will return to being - 2.412 tetri for Enguri and 3.067 tetri for Vardnili.The reason for the change in the Enguri and Vardnili tariffs was a change in the regulations, according to which electricity supplied to Abkhazia was no longer included in the tariff calculations. The above-mentioned changes will not affect retail (residential/business) tariffs this year

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According to APM Terminals Poti, 146,468 TEU containers were handled in 1Q25, compared to 126,512 in 1Q24.At the same time, the number of container ships received has also increased. The company has received 81 container ships since the beginning of the year, compared to 74 in the same period in 2024.The number of bulk cargo received has also increased - if the company processed 82,369 tons of cargo this year, this amount was only 37,281 tons at this time last year.Over the past 4 years (2022-2025), the highest number of containers handled in the first quarter was recorded this year, as was the number of container ships received.“The development of the Middle Corridor and the growth of cargo remain a priority, however, one of the main challenges is the lack of infrastructure. Infrastructure needs to be developed and all agencies interested in the Middle Corridor should be involved in this, both private and public.Equal involvement and activity of all agencies is important in order to meet the flow of cargo preparedly, both the port and the railway,” - APM Terminals Poti told GBC.

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The container handling data for the last three years are as follows: 2022 - 357,857 TEU, 2023 - 592,589 TEU, 2024 - 545,297 TEU.In 2024, APM Terminals Poti received a total of 313 container ships and processed 74,173 vehicles.Transportation and processing of used cars by sea lines remains one of the most demanded services.Over the past three years, a total of more than 200,000 vehicles were processed at the Port of Poti, namely: in 2022 - 47,537; In 2023 - 80,454; and in 2024 - 74,173.As the company told GBC, compared to previous years, the acceptance of general cargo in 2024 decreased, although the amount of cargo transported by rail-ferry increased significantly. In particular, in 2024, 157,895 tons of cargo were transported, while in 2023 the amount of cargo was 96,434, and in 2022 - 98,992 tons.

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