Economic Press Monitor November 17 - 23, 2013	Days:  09 16 23 30 07

economic & politics

REZONANSI: “GOVERNMENT SAYS GOOD-BYE TO ECONOMIC ZONES”

November 22, 2013 - David Onoprishvili, chairman of the Parliament’s Fiscal Committee, declares that industrial zones have not succeeded in Georgia. One or two zones might remain, but Economy Ministry should analyze well, how to improve these zones and attract investments, he notes.




REZONANSI: “CONTROL OF PETROL, DIESEL AND LUBRICANTS’ QUALITY WILL BE TIGHTENED”

November 21, 2013 - The newspaper reports that control of petrol, diesel and lubricants’ quality is planned to make regulated by the state from the next year.

This year, quality control was applied to imported bitumen.




VERSIA: “GOVERNMENT’S DECREE, WHICH FORGAVE UNFULFILLED OBLIGATIONS OF 2,800,000 LARI TO MORE THAN 40 INVESTORS!”

November 20, 2013 - Since March, the state has forgiven forfeits of 2.8 million lari to the investors. There were 50 applications submitted, requesting release from sanctions, but only 40 ones were satisfied.




KVIRIS PALITRA: “PRISON ECONOMY”

November 18, 2013 - Giorgi Giorgadze, Deputy Minister of Corrections, Probation and Legal Assistance, says that negotiations are underway with the specific company, which would launch an enterprise in Rustavi prison.

This enterprise will sow shoes for the employees of the Ministry.

macroeconomics & budget

REZONANSI: “ISSUE OF DOMESTIC DEBT OF 1.7 BILLION WILL BE CLARIFIED WITHIN A YEAR”

November 20, 2013 - The government has set term of powers of the state commission for domestic debt’s problem study until January 1, 2015.

As the newspaper notes, exact figure of the internal debt has not been existed until now.

conflict and court

REZONANSI: “GOLDEN STRIKE – WORKERS DO NOT TRUST THE ENTERPRISE’S LEADERSHIP”

November 20, 2013 - About 700 employees of companies RMG Gold and RMG Copper went on strike yesterday. They demand 100% increase of salary, insurance package and improvement of working conditions.




REZONANSI: “CHOCHELI’S ALIBI – IDPS AND WEIGHT-LOST BUDGET”

November 19, 2013 - Businessman and former governor of Mtskheta-Mtianeti region Tsezar Chocheli, who is accused of fraudulent acquisition of large state property and legalization of illegal income, plans expansion of activity.

Chocheli has been detained in September.




REZONANSI: “I’LL KILL YOU, ARREST YOU AND SEIZURE YOUR FIRM!”

November 19, 2013 - Next sitting of Tbilisi city court, which considers complaint of Mamia Sanadiradze, founder of internet-provider Caucasus Online, against offshore company Nelgado, should be held in December.

Sanadiradze filed a suit in July, demanding annulment of agreement, signed on alienation of his share of 80% in 2010-2011.

companies

VERSIA: “LIST OF COMPANIES, WHICH BORE CONSUMERS WITH SMS ADVERTISING”

November 22, 2013 - Bill “On Personal Data Protection” should enter in force in Georgia from 2016. Tamar Kaldani, Personal Data Protection Inspector, regards however, that it is reasonable to enact this bill earlier.




TABULA: “HOSPITALS ARE DEPRIVED FROM COMPANY “ADITTI” AND RETURNED TO THE STATE”

November 21, 2013 - The magazine reports that Ministry of Labor, Healthcare and Social Protection confirms that hospitals are deprived from hospital chain Aditti. This Israeli company held and managed 9 hospitals from 2010.

finances & banking

TABULA: “POLICY OF CHEAP CREDITS’ ARTIFICIAL PROMOTION AND RISKS RELATED TO IT”

November 21, 2013 - The article reviews reasons of recent sharp growth of the banking profit. As the author of the article notes, banking revenues are grown unequally comparing to their expenditure.




REZONANSI: “TALKS STARTED ABOUT LOAN PRICE INCREASE IN GEORGIA”

November 19, 2013 - Currently, banks’ interest rate on loans is within 13.5%, which is rather low for Georgian banking sector, the newspaper reports.

Zurab Gvasalia, chairman of Georgian Banks Association, and expert Lia Eliava make comments regarding change of interest rate.




REZONANSI: “THE GOVERNMENT PREFERRED TO OFFENSE IMPECUNIOUS PEOPLE THAN BANKS”

November 19, 2013 - The article notes that Georgian Parliament has finally rejected intention to announce moratorium on property sale due to overdue mortgage loans.

The matter concerns the draft of the majority member Gedevan Popkhadze, which envisaged suspension of execution on mortgaged property until February 1, 2014 and which even passed the first reading.

agriculture & food

VERSIA: “GM PRODUCT – SAVIOR FROM HUNGER OR SOURCE OF DISEASE”

November 22, 2013 - Zurab Kuchukashvili, assistant professor of Biology Department of Exact and Natural Sciences Faculty at Tbilisi State University, says that certain risks and questions exist in regard of genetically modified (GM) products. However, there is no concrete evidence, if these products create problems to human health, he points.




VERSIA: “GEORGIAN SHEEP EXPORT HAS FAILED”

November 18, 2013 - Beka Gonashvili, chairman of Georgian Sheep Association, says that sheep export is implemented this year to Azerbaijan only. According to August data, 60,000 heads are exported to this country.