Prices of industrial products produced for the local market increased by 5% annually

As the minister explained, at the first stage, those families will be verified, in whose case there is a high probability that they will no longer meet the conditions for receiving benefits. One of the main indicators that will serve as the basis for verifying a family is the receipt of an income of more than 2,000 GEL per month over the past three months.Mikheil Sarjveladze emphasized that an income of 2,000 GEL does not mean the automatic cancellation of the status, but rather it is a signal to the ministry to reassess the family's economic situation.The state uses dozens of criteria to verify the social situation. According to the minister, the system is complex and only one item or income does not create the final picture.“Dozens of criteria are involved in this system, including the volume of utility bills and other factors. In some cases, maintaining the status is determined by a health problem or the status of a disabled person. Overall, the picture that is created is the basis for the decision. If the family has positive dynamics and its situation has improved, it should naturally no longer remain in the database,” Sarjveladze said.The head of the department explained that the ministry’s task is not to save the budget. According to him, the main goal of the reform is to distribute state resources as efficiently as possible and to spend every tetri on supporting those people for whom it is critically important.According to the minister, the correct grouping will allow the state to direct more opportunities and resources to those who are actually in a difficult financial and economic situation.We would like to remind you that the Ministry of Health announced the decision to actively verify the database of socially vulnerable families a few days ago.

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The prices for mining and quarrying increased by 7.3 percent compared to December 2025, resulting in a 0.55 percentage point contribution to the overall monthly PPI change. In the same period, the prices for manufactured products increased by 0.8 percent, contributing 0.59 percentage points to the monthly index change. Within the group, a noteworthy price increase was registered for food products (0.9 percent) and basic metals (3.4 percent). Besides, the prices increased for electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning by 0.8 percent, contributing 0.08 percentage points to the monthly index change.The annual PPI rate was mainly affected by price changes for the following products: Mining and quarrying: the prices were 36.4 percent higher, contributing 2.25 percentage points to the overall annual index change. Within the group, the prices were higher for the subgroup of metal ores (51.4 percent); Manufactured products: the prices increased by 4.7 percent, contributing 3.73 percentage points to the overall annual index increase. There was a notable increase in the prices for food products (11.8 percent) and basic metals (8.2 percent); Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning: the annual price increase amounted to 3.0 percent, which contributed 0.32 percentage points to the annual index change; Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation services: the annual price increase amounted to 5.6 percent, which contributed 0.17 percentage points to the annual index growth.

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The Parliament of Georgia has already supported the amendments to the Law "On Vine and Wine" in the first reading. According to the amendments, a norm is added to the law that defines the concept of consent to cultivation of vineyards, which is defined as follows: a document issued by the National Wine Agency, a legal entity under public law, which gives a natural person and/or legal entity the right to cultivate an entrepreneurial vineyard. The goal of the amendments is to promote the production of high-quality, competitive grape-based alcoholic beverages, while also taking into account the requirements of local and international markets necessary for their sale.According to Levan Mekhuzla, the practice of issuing consent for the cultivation of vineyards has been implemented and is in effect in all wine-producing countries of the European Union.The National Wine Agency will issue a permit for vineyard cultivation free of charge.Only individuals who plan to engage in commercial activities will be required to obtain a consent for vineyard cultivation. This requirement does not apply to those who intend to cultivate a vineyard for personal use.

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In the IV quarter of 2025, the labour force participation rate (share of the labour force in the total population aged 15 and older) decreased by 0.6 percentage points compared to the corresponding period of the previous year and became 54.4 percent, while the employment rate remained the same and amounted to 47.1 percent.The labour force participation rate decreased in urban by 1.2 percentage points, while in rural settlements increased by 0.3 percentage points compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. The employment rate decreased by 1.5 percentage points in urban settlements, while in rural settlements increased by 2.0 percentage points and equaled 47.0 and 47.2 percent, respectively.In the IV quarter of 2025, compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, the share of hired employed persons in the total number of employed remained the same and equaled 69.3 percent.In the IV quarter of 2025, compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, the unemployment rate increased in urban settlements by 0.8 percentage points while in rural settlements decreased by 3.3 percentage points.The unemployment rate is traditionally higher for men than for women. In the IV quarter of 2025, compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, this rate decreased by 0.7 percentage points for women, while for men – by 1.1 percentage points and amounted to 10.3 percent and 15.6 percent, respectively.The labour force participation rate is higher for men than for women. In the IV quarter of 2025, the indicator for women was 44.5 percent and for men was 65.5 percent. The labour force participation rate for women decreased by 0.6 percentage points, while for men it decreased by 0.8 percentage points, compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.In the IV quarter of 2025, compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, the employment rate for women decreased by 0.2 percentage points, while for men it did not change. 

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In January 2026 the share of the top ten trading partners by domestic exports in the total domestic exports of Georgia amounted to 74.5 percent. The top partners were China (USD 64.2 million), Türkiye (USD 49.3 million) and Russia (USD 34.8 million).In January 2025 petroleum and petroleum oils claimed the first place in the list of top domestic export items, equaling USD 56.2 million, or 18.0 percent of total domestic exports. The domestic exports precious metal ores and concentrates totaled USD 51.0 million and their share in the total domestic exports amounted to 16.3 percent. The domestic exports of copper ores and concentrates occupied the third place, standing at USD 24.0 million and constituting 7.7 percent of the total domestic exports. 

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In January 2026 the share of the top ten trading partners by exports in the total exports of Georgia amounted to 74.5 percent. The top partners were China (USD 66.1 million), Türkiye (USD 52.1 million) and Kyrgyzstan (USD 49.9 million).In January 2026 the share of the top ten trading partners by imports in the total imports of Georgia amounted to 71.4 percent. The top partners were Türkiye (USD 195.0 million), China (USD 157.3 million) and Russia (USD 156.8 million).In January 2026 the share of the top ten trading partners in the total external trade turnover of Georgia amounted to 67.9 percent. The top trading partners were Türkiye (USD 247.1 million), China (USD 223.3 million) and Russia (USD 195.4 million).In January 2026 motor cars claimed the first place in the list of top export items, equaling USD 100.7 million with 21.0 percent of total exports. The exports of petroleum and petroleum oils totaled USD 58.7 million and their share in the total exports amounted to 12.2 percent. The exports of precious metal ores and concentrates occupied the third place standing at USD 51.0 million and constituting 10.6 percent of the total exports.The top import commodities in January 2026 were motor cars, whose imports equaled USD 150.0 million (13.3 percent of the total imports). The petroleum and petroleum oils followed in the list with USD 96.7 million (8.6 percent of imports). The petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons were third in the top import commodity list with USD 79.1 million (7.0 percent of imports).

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The event concept includes several key components: Festival Organization: Participation of Georgian wine-producing companies across multiple locations, including the installation of festival booths, tents, and stages. Marketing Campaign: An extensive outdoor campaign with banners throughout the city, digital promotions on social media, and advertisements in public transport and at airports. Show Program: Thematic performances and musical entertainment. Scientific Component: Conferences with international speakers, including full logistical and organizational support. The agency cites time constraints as the reason for opting for simplified procurement. According to the documentation, the event concept being developed by Galileo Strategy LLC will be finalized by March 5. With less than two months remaining until May 8, the agency argues that completing standard tender procedures in time is impossible and would risk cancellation of the event.“Time resources are not sufficient to identify the supplier through standard tender procedures. Given the state and public importance of the event, the issue of simplified procurement has been put on the agenda,” the explanatory note states.The final cost of the procurement will be confirmed once the event concept is completed and the number of participating Georgian wine companies is determined.National Wine Day was officially established by a Prime Minister’s decree in February 2026. According to the National Wine Agency, the day is intended to serve as a unified platform bringing together winegrowers, government institutions, the tourism sector, and academic circles.

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Kobakhidze highlighted that over 70% of foreigners in Georgia come from post-Soviet countries, the EU, the U.S., or Israel, with the remaining 30% originating from other nations.Regarding residence permits, 107,307 permits have been issued to citizens from 164 countries. Key countries include: Russia: 32,129 permits (29.9%), with roughly 30% being ethnic Georgians or former Georgian citizens. India: 23,930, mostly students. Azerbaijan: 6.3%, largely ethnic Azerbaijanis who left and later returned. Ukraine: 6,290 with residence permits; an additional 25,000 Ukrainians reside in Georgia under refugee status, totaling around 30,000. Armenia: over 5,000, mainly returnees with Armenian citizenship. Belarus: 3,738. Turkey: 3,645 (3.4%). Iran: 3,331 (3.1%). Sudan: 2%, mostly medical students. China: over 2,000 (1.9%), mainly labor for infrastructure projects. Jordan: over 2,000 (1.9%), mainly medical students. Pakistan: 1,618 (1.5%), mainly medical students. Egypt: 1,341 (1.2%), mostly medical students. USA: over 1,000 (1%). Kobakhidze noted that residence permit data provides a clear picture of the presence and origins of foreigners in Georgia, offering insight into migration patterns and the composition of the foreign population.

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