Briefing on Georgia Postponed at Helsinki Commission Due to Bad Weather

According to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Georgia, the delegation will engage with both government officials and opposition leaders.“We are pleased to host a Congressional Staff delegation in Georgia. As part of their regional visit, they will meet with Georgian officials and opposition figures, and visit the IDP settlement in Tserovani to gain insight into the current situation,” the U.S. Embassy stated.

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As of 01.01./2025, up to 30 MFOs remain on the market, with assets of over 2 billion GEL and a loan portfolio of up to 1.9 billion GEL.The largest player in the MFO market is the pawnshop. The main product of the MFO "Rico" credit line is pawnshop, although the management believes that this does not at all detract from the financial institution.The management of MFOs points to the widespread practice in the market, instability, periodic adjustment of loan terms, including interest rates, from which the Rico pawnshop client is protected.According to the management, the advantage of Rico is reliability. He does not cheat the client and the rate is actually the lowest (18-24%).

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Of these, 9% (92,280 people) earned less than GEL 600, while the largest group, 51% (522,924 people), earned more than GEL 2,400 per month. Compared to the previous month, the share of low-wage earners fell, while the number of those earning above GEL 2,400 increased.PMC noted that the month-on-month growth in December is partly due to the 13th salary payments.According to GeoStat, as of the third quarter of 2025, Georgia had 1.396 million employed people, including 975,000 wage employees and 418,000 self-employed.

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Hotel spending was largely driven by non-residents, who accounted for 86% of transactions, averaging GEL724 per transaction (+46% YoY). Residents accounted for 14%, with an average spend of  GEL201 (+14% YoY).Restaurant spending also surged, rising 42% YoY to an average transaction of  GEL36. Residents represented 68% of total restaurant spending, averaging GEL 27 (+26% YoY), while non-residents accounted for 32%, averaging  GEL 140 (+94% YoY), nearly five times the resident average.The data highlights the impact of tourism on Georgia’s hospitality sector, while domestic consumption also showed steady growth, particularly in the restaurant segment.

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Earlier, between December 17–19, 2025, Gilauri sold 135,000 shares for £4.047 million, leaving him with 2,502,423 shares. Following the 2025 share grant, he was expected to hold approximately 2.7 million shares, with a plan to sell 20% of his holdings over time.In August 2025, Gilauri sold part of his directly held shares on August 22, reducing his stake from 5.6% to 4.95%, and sold another 165,785 shares between August 26–28, generating £3.71 million. At that point, his total holdings were 2,637,423 shares, including 1,642,629 directly held and the remainder deferred.No further share transactions occurred before December 2025, leaving Gilauri with a substantial stake in GCAP while following the company’s planned gradual divestment strategy.

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Residents drove the majority of spending, accounting for 87%, while non-residents contributed 13%. Food purchases made up 27% of total expenditures, and restaurant spending 13%. Food-related transactions grew 20% YoY, with an average spend of  GEL19, amid 9% inflation for food and non-alcoholic beverages.Overall, spending was split 67% on goods and 33% on services, with the higher share of goods likely boosted by seasonal and holiday discounts. Food alone represented 40% of total goods spending, highlighting its importance in consumer budgets.The data shows strong domestic consumption during the holiday season, alongside growth in services and retail sectors.

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The ambassadorial post in Tbilisi had been vacant since 2022, following the end of Igor Dolgov’s mission. In the interim, Ukraine was represented by five acting ambassadors, the latest being Roman Yakovenko.Brodovych has been a career diplomat since 1996, previously serving as Consul General in Istanbul and Krakow, and as Ambassador to Slovenia from 2015 to 2022.The appointment is part of a broader reshuffle, with Zelensky replacing Ukrainian ambassadors in 16 countries, including South Africa, Mexico, Canada, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, and the UAE.

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Ghudushauri served as Deputy Minister from 2022 to March 2024, overseeing the Ministry’s financial and economic departments under Minister Zurab Azarashvili.The case concerns a 2022 tender for emergency medical vehicles, initially awarded at  GEL8,525,876. According to investigators, Ghudushauri abused his authority to cancel the original tender and announce a new tender favoring a pre-selected company, resulting in  GEL2,138,196 being paid unjustifiably and undermining the state’s legal interests.The investigation falls under Article 332, Part 2 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, and the Finance Ministry’s Investigative Service continues intensive operations to identify corruption participants, hold them accountable, and prevent further offenses.

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