Economic Press Monitor July 8 - 14, 2018	Days:  30 07 14 21 28

economic & politics

REZONANSI: “NOBODY ELSE IS GOING TO REGULATE GAMBLING?”

July 13, 2018 - Referring to Sakstat, the newspaper reports that turnover of gambling business amounted in 2017 to 5.65 billion lari, exceeding almost by 1.6 billion lari the showing of unspecialized retail shops. For the last 8 years, annual turnover of gambling increased 10 times, the newspaper notes.




REZONANSI: “PROBABLY, THE WORST SUMMIT IN NATO-GEORGIA RELATIONS’ HISTORY…”

July 13, 2018 - NATO summit in Brussels has already completed and it was the first summit for the last 10 years, which finished without important offers for Georgia, the newspaper points.

The newspaper reminds that at Bucharest summit of 2008, it was declared that Georgia will become member of NATO.




TABULA: “ZHORZHOLIANI: ONLY THE SUM ABOVE 2,500 LARI SHOULD BE TAXED WITH 30%”

July 12, 2018 - Gia Zhorzholiani, member of the Parliament’s majority, puts forward an initiative on taxation with 30% of salaries above 2,500 lari (monthly), Tabula reports. “This way, the budget will be able to mobilize additional 500 million lari”, he points.




NETGAZETI.GE: “DECLARATION OF BRUSSELS SUMMIT: GEORGIA WILL BECOME NATO MEMBER THROUGH MAP”

July 12, 2018 - Declaration of Brussels summit of NATO, published on July 11, says in respect of Georgia that the country will become the Alliance member through MAP (membership action plan), Netgazeti.Ge reports.

NATO recognizes “the significant progress on reforms, which Georgia has made and must continue”.




REZONANSI: “BUSINESSMEN MINISTERS CANNOT HELP THE COUNTRY?”

July 11, 2018 - As ministers of finance and economy, businessmen have been appointed, who have no experience of working in public sector, the newspaper indicates.

Thus, current candidacies for Finance Minister’s office are Archil Gachechiladze and Ivane Machavariani.




TABULA: “ON POST OF HEAD OF AJARA GOVERNMENT, TORNIKE RIZHVADZE IS NOMINATED”

July 9, 2018 - On post of head of Ajara government, Supreme Council (parliament) of Ajara nominated Tornike Rizhvadze, Tabula reports. This candidacy is supported also by majority of Georgian Parliament.




REZONANSI: ““WITCH-HUNT” ON KVIRIKASHVILI’S TEAM MEMBERS”

July 9, 2018 - The newspaper notes that after Giorgi Kvirikashvili’s resignation from the Prime Minister’s office, members of his team are leaving their offices one after another.

Politics expert Vakhtang Dzabiradze says that he expects resignation of all people, “who ever had any relations with Kvirikashvili, if they will not some communication with new authority”.

energy, oil & gas

REZONANSI: “DANGER OF GAS INCREASE IN PRICE – WHAT THE COMPANIES DEMAND”

July 10, 2018 - Companies, operating in Georgian gas distribution, addressed with tariff application to Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulating Commission several days ago, the newspaper reports. Documentation in the Commission was submitted by KazTransGas-Tbilisi, SOCAR Georgia and Sakorggaz.

conflict and court

BANKEBI DA FINANSEBI: ““NEW ROAD”’S INVESTMENT OF 10M IN OZURGETI – “THIS WILL FACILITATE ECONOMICAL ADVANCE IN THE MUNICIPALITY””

July 12, 2018 - Residents of village Dvabzu of Ozurgeti municipality (Guria region) declare that construction of asphalt plant in the village “will cause ecological problems and will inflict essential damage to environment and population”.

In their turn, members of sakrebulo (local council) insist that creation of new jobs and employment of local residents should be welcomed, which will facilitate economical advance in the municipality.

transport & communications

TABULA: “TAXI DRIVERS WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR LICENSE 50 OR 100 LARI ANNUALLY”

July 11, 2018 - After October 1, taxi drivers in Tbilisi will be liable to licensing, Tabula reports.

License fee in case of car with ordinary petrol engine will amount to 100 lari, while will of half size (i.e. 50 lari) in case of hybrid engine.




FORBES GEORGIA: “RAILWAY’S REVENUES DECLINED AGAIN”

July 10, 2018 - In 2017, Georgian Railway received revenues of 434.5 million lari, i.e. by 1.2% less than in 2016, the magazine reports.

At that, the article indicates year-on-year growth by 12% in the 4^th quarter, when Georgian Railway got revenues of 131.2 million lari.

international cooperation

NETGAZETI.GE: “SOUTH KOREA SIMPLIFIES VISA REGIME FOR GEORGIAN CITIZENS – THE EMBASSY”

July 9, 2018 - South Korea government decided to simplify visa regime for Georgian citizens, holders of ordinary passport. That information was spread by Georgian embassy in Korea.

finances & banking

BANKEBI DA FINANSEBI: “PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL HAS TO BE EQUALLY PROTECTED EVERYWHERE, WHERE WILL TAKE A CREDIT”

July 13, 2018 - Vice-president of National Bank of Georgia (NBG) Archil Mestvirishvili considers that excessive indebtedness does not represent a problem for financial stability at this stage. However, high rate of crediting growth would pose risk of transformation of existing situation into a problem, he specifies.

agriculture & food

BANKEBI DA FINANSEBI: “IN GEORGIA, 13 COOPERATIVE DAIRY PRODUCING ENTERPRISES WILL BE BUILT”

July 9, 2018 - Within state program of support to dairy producing agricultural cooperatives, 13 cooperative enterprises will be built in 8 regions of Georgia, the newspaper says.

Namely, 4 enterprises will be built in Samtskhe-Javakheti, 3 ones – in Racha-Lechkhumi and per one – in Guria, Imereti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Shida Kartli, Kvemo Kartli and Ajara.

construction

REZONANSI: “THERE IS A LOT OF HOTELS IN AJARA, WHERE STAY IS DANGEROUS”

July 11, 2018 - There are many problematic hotels in Ajara tourism zone, Emergency Management Agency declares. Names of hotels, violating safety standards, and their number will be known in 2 weeks, the newspaper says.




REZONANSI: “70% OF NEW BUILDINGS ARE NON-ECOLOGICAL”

July 10, 2018 - Academician Simon Baramidze asserts that in Georgia, “housing buildings are being built by blocs of vague origin”. “Ecological features of the building depend on construction materials, while in our country, it is risky”, he states.