National Interest: A Unified Black Sea-Caspian Region and a New Strategy for Europe-Asia Relations

He said that the transaction is a significant event for the Georgian banking sector, both in terms of its scale and content."It is worth noting the importance of this transaction in the context of international investments, in particular in the direction of Chinese capital. It is noteworthy that the financial sector has been leading in terms of attracting foreign direct investments in Georgia for years. This transaction is another proof that the Georgian banking sector is in an active development phase and is attractive to foreign investors," said Beka Dochviri.As he noted, the implementation of such a large transaction for the financial sector is a very responsible event and required close cooperation with the National Bank."The implementation of such a large transaction for the financial sector is a very responsible event and requires close cooperation with the regulator both in terms of protecting the interests of consumers and maintaining financial stability in the sector. Accordingly, in order to effectively conduct this process, the National Bank has been actively cooperating with both banks over the past year," said Beka Dochviri.Another important aspect of the transaction is the strengthening of market competition."The merger of Basisbank and Liberty Bank creates a real opportunity for the emergence of a third relatively large systemic bank in the banking system, which, as a result of resource optimization and economies of scale, will contribute to the improvement of the competitive environment, which in turn will have a positive impact on the well-being of consumers. Ultimately, the acquisition of Liberty Bank by Basisbank is not just a merger of companies - it is a step towards a more competitive, diverse, development-oriented banking system," said Beka Dochviri.

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The discussions centred on Georgia’s current economic landscape and the robust indicators within its financial sector. The participants underscored the National Bank of Georgia’s consistent monetary policy and the resilience of the financial system.The conversation also addressed broader global challenges and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with reflections on how its duration may influence current macroeconomic forecasts.The IMF Managing Director praised Georgia’s achievement in maintaining healthy macroeconomic indicators and strong financial buffers.Attending the meeting were NBG Vice Presidents Ekaterine Mikabadze, Ekaterine Galdava, and Nino Jeladze, as well as Deputy Ministers of Finance Ekaterine Guntsadze and Giorgi Kakauridze.

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Under the current “Local Self-Government Code”, self-governing cities other than Tbilisi do not have the right to establish LEPLs and carry out activities such as expedited issuance of construction permits, regulation of outdoor advertising or other paid municipal services. According to the new draft, the city council will establish LEPLs upon the recommendation of the mayor, and the mayor will appoint and dismiss their head.According to the submitted document, municipal LEPLs may be established for the purpose of developing urban development concepts, preparing general plans, privatizing property, organizing public transport and regulating parking rules. In addition, the self-governing city council will be authorized, based on the mayor's proposal, to determine the fees required for the provision of these services.The initiators of the draft law are members of the parliamentary majority, including Irakli Kadagishvili, Nino Tsilosani and Dimitri Samkharadze. The enactment of the changes will allow self-governing cities to manage local resources more flexibly and accelerate the implementation of infrastructure or service projects.

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According to the SSSG, the delegation held meetings with senior officials from the Czech Republic’s intelligence services to discuss security matters.

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According to him, some essential solutions must be found in this situation.“We are eager to become a full-fledged member of the European Union. We share the same goal as North Macedonia, but we also recognise that the European Union itself is facing some very significant and fundamental challenges. For many years, there were some specific strengths for the European Union: a strong identity, a strong level of prosperity, and the strengths in terms of democracy and rule of law. But now, if you look at the current state of the European Union, it is facing challenges in all three of these areas. We are very much concerned about that, and we remain hopeful that the situation will improve in the future,” Irakli Kobakhidze has said.When we talk about the South Caucasus, Georgia’s Prime Minister said, all these uncertainties and global challenges are naturally affecting our region as well. At the same time, the South Caucasus is also gaining particular importance in light of these wider developments.“We are doing our best to take advantage of the relevant opportunities. For many years, Georgia has proved to be a reliable bridge between Europe and Asia, and we are working hard to strengthen our connectivity function as much as possible. In the current circumstances, when trade routes face special pressures, we can offer valuable services to our partners in different parts of the world. Georgia serves as a transit hub for the efficient movement of goods, services, energy, and digital data, and we will continue to do our utmost to strengthen that function.Our approach, which is grounded in peace, progress, and development, is proving successful. If you look at the economic data, Georgia’s economic policy and overall governance record speak for themselves. Over the last five years, Georgia has had the highest average economic growth rate in Europe, at 9.3% since 2021, and we have started this year strongly as well, with 8.4% growth in January and February,”Irakli Kobakhidze has stated.According to Georgia’s Prime Minister, the country is working to maintain peace and stability within its borders, ensure economic progress, and promote connectivity.“With this approach, we not only preserve peace at home, but also contribute to broader peace across the South Caucasus region. We are very proud to be a strong partner with Turkey in this regard,” Irakli Kobakhidze has stated.

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Gogita Todradze, who has been the head of the National Statistical Service since 2018, will assume his new four-year term starting May 3, 2026. The official, who holds an academic doctorate in economics, has almost 25 years of experience working in the agency, where he began her career in 2002 as an economist.During his career, Todradze held the positions of Head of the Business Statistics Department and Deputy Executive Director. At the same time, he is actively involved in international statistical activities, including holding the position of a member of the Bureau and Vice-President of the UNECE Conference of European Statisticians since 2025, and in 2020-2022 he was the Chairman of the Bureau of the UNESCAP Committee on Statistics.In addition to public service, Gogita Todradze has many years of academic experience - he is an associate of GIPA and a full professor at the Caucasus International University. In accordance with the legislation, the head of Geostat is appointed by the Prime Minister, which ensures continuity of management of the data production agency.

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It is noteworthy that in January-March of this year, goods worth 5.757 million USD were exported from Azerbaijan to Armenia, which is 0.11% of Azerbaijan’s total exports

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“According to the amendments to the law, after May 1, it will be possible to cultivate a vineyard for commercial purposes only with the prior consent of the National Wine Agency. Otherwise, a person who cultivates a vineyard arbitrarily will not be able to commercially sell the grapes or wine produced.The aforementioned regulation applies only to those who plan to cultivate a vineyard for entrepreneurial activity and does not apply to those who cultivate a vineyard for personal consumption.Consent to cultivate a vineyard is issued free of charge by the National Wine Agency.The amendments are part of a reform aimed at improving the quality of wine and are aimed at regulating the process of cultivating vineyards. All parameters of the vineyard must meet the established standards, which will contribute to obtaining a quality harvest and producing high-quality wine.It is noteworthy that by May 1 of this year, a relevant normative act will be developed that determines the requirements for obtaining consent to cultivate a vineyard "Documentation and procedures," the National Wine Agency said in a statement.

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