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Kobakhidze promises complete freedom for business – “regardless of pol...

According to him, freedom of business is one of the most important achievements that the country has had since 2012.“Freedom of business is one of the most important achievements that the country has had since 2012. Do you remember what was happening in our country before 2012? Practically, business was not left without racketeering. The only answer is freedom of business, regardless of political views, freedom of business will be fully ensured in our country," the Prime Minister said.Kobakhidze thanks the National BankKobakhidze once again praised the National Bank and noted that as soon as the political situation stabilized, the GEL exchange rate began to strengthen.According to him, the National Bank manages to ensure the stability of the GEL exchange rate without any significant interventions.As of Irakli Kobakhidze, only minor interventions have been necessary during these days."The National Bank manages to ensure the stability of the GEL exchange rate without any significant interventions, and I would like to thank the National Bank once again for this," the Prime Minister said.Freebusiness.ge1,055 companies on Freebusiness.ge want to join the demands for the release of those detained during new elections and protests before the New Year. The author of the idea of ​​Freebusiness.ge, Giorgi Chugoshvili, spoke about this on BMGTV’s “Business Morning” program and noted that according to yesterday’s data, 464 companies have been verified on the platform.Freebusiness.ge is a platform where, given the current crisis situation, businesses express their position and join two main demands: the appointment of new elections and the release of those arrested during protests before the New Year.“The current crisis has gone beyond the boundaries of party politics and is putting the country at risk of imminent social and economic danger. It is necessary to urgently de-escalate the situation. The most pragmatic way to de-escalate is to schedule new elections and release those arrested during the recent processes before the New Year. "We, representatives of Georgian business, are responsible for the fate of the country and its irreversible development, regardless of our political preferences, and we sign this call and statement," the statement of free businesses reads.

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FMCG sector finds it difficult to increase wages

GEL1,050/GEL 900 - in "Libre". It is 900 GEL, the remuneration for 8 hours of work in "Two Steps", where part time workload is also offered, with a salary of GEL 450, without deducting income tax (20%) and pension tax (2%). Accordingly, after adjustment, the cash salary turns out to be miserable, close to the minimum wage (GEL 250).The chairman of the board of the Retail Association believes that the topic of enriching hypermarkets should not be so easy to talk about. It requires a special attitude. Because FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) is a major contributor, it feeds many sectors. However, it is not as profitable as it is presented.According to Giorgi Khabashvili, the market does not spare any effort to keep employees and consumers satisfied.According to the lobby of the organized food market (he spoke in "Business Partner" at 1 TV.ge), the level of commitment and effort of companies is high. The No. 1 priority of network hypermarkets is ensuring food safety and quality. As well as the continuity of the supply chain. However, as he noted, there will certainly be interruptions. The main thing is determination and the result will come soon. According to his expectations, organized retail will develop in 7-8 years.According to Khabashvili, FMCG is a responsible sector, both in terms of contribution volume and in terms of sectoral aspects. The market alone pays 400 million in rents, which stimulates the real estate market.According to the lobby, the total organized market is 20.4 billion (annual rate) and is within 40-41%. Revenue will exceed 22 billion by 2025.Khabashvili explained to the audience on TV that revenue does not mean profitability. According to the statistics he cited, in 2023, retailers' profit was 5% of turnover and in 2024 he does not expect more than 2.5%. He also said that out of GEL 10 billion, 7.8 billion GEL comes from the cost of production.In addition, the average contributor pays more than GEL 1 billion in wages. He contributes more than 200 million to the budget in the form of income tax. He pays more than 100 million to banks for terminal transaction services in markets.However, he missed the fact that retailers also earn income from renting bank machines and ATMs, 0.1% of the company's profits.After Khabashvili's mention, if we also refer to statistics, the market and one of the largest, "Nikora Trade" (to make the market analysis more understandable on the example of a separate company), a rough calculation shows that, based on "Nikora's" 18.9% market share, annual lease payments come to 76 million.The average monthly turnover is GEL 633,000 and if we take into account the number of stores (617), the average contribution to the real estate market per store is within the range of 3,700 USD.Nikora Trade's EBITDA for H1/2024 is 41.8 million (-9%Y.Y). In 2023 it was 90 million (2022- 85.6 million).The FMCG market revenue exceeds 20 billion.

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An electronic auction was announced for the cultivation of Georgian vi...

The state of Georgia must plant Georgian vines in Leville’s estate by September 23, 2026, as stipulated in the deed of transfer of the estate signed before a French notary on September 23, 2016.According to the terms of the lease, within 12 months from the signing of the contract, Georgian vines should be planted on the leased property; Bioproduction should start in 48 months. 20% of the organic wine produced annually should be given to Leville’s estate free of charge.In order to fulfill the stipulated obligations, the lessee must make an investment of at least 100,000 Euros (including an investment of at least 10,000 Euros for arranging one cave). The term of transfer to use is 10 years. Annual lease payments will be made once a year. The winning company in the auction must present a document confirming at least one year of experience in organic wine production before signing the lease agreement, as well as a corresponding bank guarantee.The electronic auction is valid until September 30, 2024 at 17:00.

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Final Event to Present Achievements of the EU-Funded Skills for Job Pr...

Location: Radisson Blu Hotel (Address: 1 Rose Revolution Square, Tbilisi)Time: 09:00Date: 26 SeptemberThe event will open with remarks from Nicholas Cendrowicz, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Georgia.The EU-funded Skills for Jobs Programme has supported the development and implementation of sector reform policies in employment, skills development, and youth in Georgia, contributing to Georgia's socio-economic development and global competitiveness by strengthening institutional capacities, improving standards of service delivery, enhancing the employability of individuals throughout Georgia and fostering an inclusive, cohesive and prosperous society.The concluding event will serve as a platform to showcase the impressive results yielded by the programme, which was implemented through a comprehensive approach that included budget support, technical assistance, Institutional Twinning and a grant scheme component.One of the programme's main highlights is its significant impact on skills and youth development in Georgia's regions. Thanks to the nine grant projects funded by the Programme, thousands of Georgians have been assisted by non-governmental actors and service providers by providing guidance and support to help them align their skills more closely with labour market needs and find employment.The event will also spotlight the achievements of the Technical Assistance component, which includes the development of key documents, strategies, and capacity building to deliver employment services and active labour market policy measures. To conclude the event, a panel will reflect on the programme's effects on employment, skills development, and youth in Georgia and on the means of ensuring the sustainability of results.The event will be attended by experts, policymakers, civil society actors, private sector representatives, and representatives of educational institutions. About the European UnionFor more than 30 years, the European Union has built a close partnership with Georgia, supporting its development through knowledge and experience sharing, expertise, innovation and financial support. The relationship between the EU and Georgia is based on shared values of peace, freedom, democracy, human rights and inclusive economic growth. More about the EU's support in Georgia https://eu4georgia.eu/the-european-union-in-georgia/About the ProjectSkills for Jobs Programme, launched in 2019 aimed to improve the employability of women, men, young people and vulnerable people in regions of Georgia. The programme was implemented through a range of different measures, including EUR 30 million direct budget support, two Twinning projects, EUR 7 million grant scheme and technical assistance component. For additional information on EU's Skills4Jobs Programme, please visit: U4Georgia website: https://eu4georgia.eu/skills4jobs-programme/ 

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The labor shortage is a major business challenge

In Q3 of 2024, volatility of the national currency exchange rate was cited as a hindering factor by the surveyed companies.As of the document,  in  Q3 of 2024, legal and administrative barriers were cited as a hindering factor by 75% of surveyed companies.According to the document, In Q3 of 2024, the following factors were also emphasized as the most hindering for business activity: a lack of specialists and weak demand.The Business Association of Georgia (BAG) Index is a joint product of the Business Association of Georgia, PMC Research Center and the ifo Institute for Economic Research. The BAG Index summarizes the BAG Business Climate, BAG Employment Barometer and BAG Investment Environment, which are calculated according to the assessments of the top managers of BAG member businesses and companies in their corporate group.

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82.3% more Georgian wine was exported to the USA

It should be noted that in 2022, the imports of Georgian wine to the USA amounted to $5.4 million, and in 2023, this figure decreased slightly by $0.2 million and amounted to $5.2 million.The table below presents the volume of Georgian wine imports to the USA from 1997 to 2023:According to Geostat, in 2023, wine worth $5,612,340 million was exported from Georgia to the USA.In 2Q2024, $2,794,680 million worth of Georgian wine entered the US market. This figure was $1,261,900 million higher than in the same period of 2023, when $1,532,789 million worth of wine entered the US market. The imports of the mentioned products increased by 82.3% during the reporting period. 

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Belgian company Jan De Nul wins tender for Anaklia Port construction

The large Belgian company Jan De Nul, one of the “Big Four” in the dredging industry, was selected, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development reported.After negotiations, Jan De Nul, one of the largest European companies in the world, will undertake the deepening of the harbour’s water area and the construction of a breakwater.“The tender commission, which included international consultants, chose Jan De Nul as the best among the three participating companies, all of which are European and possess an excellent global reputation. These companies control 80% of the world’s dredging fleet.Jan De Nul, founded in 1938, has a turnover of EUR 2.5 billion and employs over 7,000 people. The company has been actively involved in major projects such as the Panama Canal expansion and has carried out or is currently undertaking projects in various regions, including Europe, the Gulf, and Africa.The Anaklia Deep Sea Port is a strategic project for Georgia, intended to connect the transport systems of Europe and Asia and serve the cargo flow in the Middle Corridor, the shortest and safest route between the West and the East.The port aims to significantly boost Georgia’s economy, attract international investments, and create thousands of new jobs. It is expected to enhance the competitiveness of not only Georgia but also other countries along the Middle Corridor.The first ships are expected to arrive at Anaklia Deep Sea Port in 2029, which will boost the cargo flow through Georgia’s transport and logistics infrastructure.The capacity of the port’s first phase will be 600,000 containers per year, with an indicative value of 600 million USD,” the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development stated.

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10.6% more construction permissions were issued in 1H24

As of the document, 74% of the all permits have been issued in four regions of the country, namely: 47.9 percent in Tbilisi, 9.7 percent in Kvemo Kartli region, 8.3 percent in Mtskheta-Mtianeti region and 8.1 percent in Kakheti region.It should be noted that in January-June, 2024, permissions were issued for the construction of multifunctional residential complexes, trade facilities, hotels, industrial enterprises, objects for agricultural purposes and other buildings.1 720 objects (17.4 percent more compared to the previous year) with total area of 1 600.7 thousand square meters (19.7 percent more compared to the previous year) were completed in January – June, 2024.More than half of the completed constructions are distributed among four regions of the country, namely: 37.0 percent is located in Tbilisi, 13.1 percent - in Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, 12.6 percent - in Kakheti region and 9.1 percent - in Imereti region.

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Number of hospital beds 14.5% less y-o-y

The number of outpatient facilities was 2 295. Number of visits in medical institutions equaled to 15.4 million, which is 1.1 percent more compare to the corresponding indicator of 2022.According to the data of 2023, the number of doctors employed in medical institutions amounted to 24.4 thousand, and the number of nursing staff - 21.5 thousand.Compared to the previous year, the number of diseases registered (for the first time with a diagnosis) has increased in the following groups: diseases of endocrine system, digestion disorders, disorders of metabolism and immunity increased by 53.4 percent, complications of pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal period - 51.5 percent, diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue - by 50.0 percent, diseases of the eye and adnexa - by 45.4 percent, diseases of the ear and mastoid process – by 42.3 percent.From main disease groups the most common in the population are diseases of the respiratory system, diseases of the circulatory system, diseases of the genitourinary system, diseases of the eye and adnexa and diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue. In 2023, the number of new cases of AIDS amounted to 612 units, which is 5 units less than the corresponding indicator of 2022, and the total (cumulative) number of people living with HIV/AIDS amounted to 10 391. There were 122 deaths from HIV/AIDS during the 2023 year.In 2023, morbidity with tuberculosis decreased by 12.7 percent and amounted to 1 444. The number of new cases decreased by 13.4 percent.In 2023, emergency care provided to approximately 1.1 million people, of which 98.9 percent of cases were related to sudden illness.

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Exports of peaches increased by 4%

Export income has also increased by 9%, exceeding USD 16.2 million. It should be noted that last year, in the same period, the income received from peaches and grapes made up USD 14.8 million.Also, the price of peaches increased by 5%, which, according to the latest data, amounted to USD 1.14 per kilogram.It should be noted that in the last 10 years, the export of peaches and plums exceeded 170 thousand tons; The income from exports reached USD 154 million.

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