TODAY:

politics

CONSULTATIVE BOARDS TO BE ESTABLISHED IN THE MINISTRIES

The Georgian government decided today to create consultative boards in the ministries. Dimitri Shashkin, Minister for Execution, Probation and Legal Aid, was the initiator of this idea.

GEORGIA AND BULGARIA TO DISCUSS BILATERAL COOPERATION ISSUES

Georgian Economic Development Ministry informed that the third sitting of the Georgian-Bulgarian intergovernmental commission on bilateral trade and economic as well as scientific and technical cooperation will be held in Tbilisi on February 19-20. The mentioned commission is headed by Georgian Economic Development Minister Lasha Zhvania and by Bulgarian Transport Minister Petar Mutafchiev.

economics

GEORGIAN EXPORT TO BULGARIA INCREASED BY 82% IN 2008, WHILE BULGARIAN IMPORT REDUCED BY 33%

According to Georgian Statistics Department, Georgian export to Bulgaria made up $108.2 million in 2008, which is more by 82% compared with the previous year. Copper alloys and concentrates accounted for the biggest share of export – $90.1 million, exceeding previous year’s same figures by 77%.

CHINA TO ALLOT ADDITIONAL $2.9M TO GEORGIA

Georgian Finance Minister Kakha Baindurashvili reported that agreement would be signed with China in near future, envisaging allotment of $2.9 million for acquisition of X-ray scanners for Georgia. Georgia will get this commodity grant in 2009.

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE POLICY TO BE AVAILABLE FROM MARCH

Alexander Kvitashvili, Georgian Labor, Health and Social Welfare Minister, announces that population may apply for the new health insurance policies from March. The Ministry is going to sign tomorrow agreements with insurance companies, which take part in the program.

TERM OF NORMATIVE ACTS VALIDITY CONNECTED WITH FINANCIAL SUPERVISION WILL BE PROLONGED UNTIL 2010

Amendments in the law “On National Bank of Georgia” envisage prolonging of term of validity of the normative acts, connected with financial supervision, until January 1, 2010. The mentioned amendments were discussed in the 2nd hearing at today’s meeting of the fiscal committee of the Georgian Parliament.

WORK ON REGULATION ON NUMBERS’ PORTABILITY IS NOT HELD AT THIS STAGE

Work on regulation on portability of numbers does not take place at this stage, Georgian Communications Commission told Sarke. The Commission explains this by legislative amendments, adopted in the end of 2008.

business

TWO SHAREHOLDERS OF VTB BANK GEORGIA SOLD THEIR SHARES

As VTB Bank Georgia told Sarke, Zaza Sioridze (head of the supervisory board) and Anton Ingorokva (member of the supervisory board) announced yesterday at the special meeting of shareholders about selling of their shares. Share of Sioridze makes up 3.56%, of Ingorokva – 3.47%.

BLITZ-SURVEY: SALES OF MOBILE PHONES

The next blitz-survey, held by Sarke, showed that distribution chains prefer to deal with household appliances recently, while mobile phones are mainly sold in specialized shops. Mobile phones cost up to 1,000 lari are in most demand.

LLC ZIMO TO CARRY OUT REHABILITATION ON THE BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER RIONI

Georgian Roads Department announced that LLC Zimo will carry out rehabilitation of the bridge over the Rioni River on 32nd km of Senaki-Poti-Sarpi highway of international importance. The company had won the tender.

NOBODY EXPRESSED INTEREST IN CONSTRUCTION OF 800-ROOM HOTEL IN BATUMI YET

As Ajara Finance and Economy Ministry told Sarke, no applications were made for the auction on the land plots in Batumi, which were offered for construction of the hotel complex. The matter concerns construction of at least 800-room hotel complex and a trade center (30,000 square m).

PROPERTY OF JSC KOLKHURI ABRESHUMI WAS NOT SOLD

Bankruptcy manager of JSC Kolkhuri Abreshumi (Kolkhida Silk) told Sarke that yesterday’s auction on JSC’s property failed because of applications absence. The initial price was envisaged by 1.5 million lari.

society

WOMEN ARE LESS EMPLOYED AND GET LOWER SALARIES

According to the study, conducted by Georgian Statistics Department, average monthly nominal salary of women is less than salary of men in all the branches of economy and all the sectors. By the state of the year 2007, women accounted for 47.9% (816,200 persons) of employed, while men accounted for 52.1% (888,100 persons).

For further information:

Sarke