TODAY:

ITERA GEORGIA IS PERMITTED TO OPERATE ON THE OCCUPIED TERRITORY OF TSKHINVALI REGION

Georgian Energy Ministry reports that at the basis of the request, made by EU and OSCE, the Georgian government gave Itera Georgia a right of holding activity on the occupied territory of Tskhinvali region.

Georgian side also restored Tskhinvali branch of the gas pipeline, which will give Itera Georgia a possibility to provide gas in Tskhinvali.

TOTAL FOREIGN DEBT OF THE STATE AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR EXCEEDS $7B

National Bank of Georgia (NBG) reports that foreign debt of the state and the private sector totaled to $7.09 billion by the state of 9 months of 2008. The figure exceeds previous year’s same showing ($4.8 billion) by 46.8%.

FOUR COUNTRIES ACCOUNT FOR 68.6% OF REMITTANCES, TRANSFERRED FROM GEORGIA IN 2008

National Bank of Georgia (NBG) reports that 4 countries account for $57.7 million, i.e. 68.6% of total sum, transferred through various remittances systems from Georgia in 2008.

Among these countries are Russia (42.9%), Ukraine (16.1%), Turkey (5.9%) and the US (3.7%).

COST OF OTC INCREASED 3 TIMES IN 2008

As Georgian Stock Exchange told Sarke, cost of OTC totaled to 245.9 million lari in 2008, which exceeds previous year’s same figures (58.6 million lari) 3.1 times.

OTC was made on 70.6 million shares, which is less by 6.7% compared with the turnover of year 2007 (75.7 million shares).

GWS PLANS TO FINISH RE-EQUIPMENT IN FEBRUARY

Re-equipment process in LLC Georgian Wines&Spirits (GWS) will be finished in February, told Sarke company’s operational director Ana Beriashvili. Re-equipment started a month ago and investments made up $100,000, she noted.

DUGLADZE WINE COMPANY PLANS REORGANIZATION IN 2009

Manana Akhvlediani, marketing manager of Dugladze Wine Company, told Sarke that the company plans to hold reorganizations in 2009. In terms of this process, the company plans to buy (or to build) its own factory.

LAB FOR STANDARD OF MASS TO BE ESTABLISHED IN GEORGIA

Director general of the Accreditation Center Paata Gogolidze announced that laboratory for standard of mass will be established in Georgia until the end of 2009. This means that Georgia will have analog of standard, which is kept in the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (France), he noted.

ISO 17020 TO BE INTRODUCED FROM THE END OF 2009 Director general of the Accreditation Center Paata Gogolidze says that it is planned to introduce international standard ISO 17020 on the Georgian market from the end of 2009.

Gogolidze announced about it at the seminar, held today in Georgian Economic Development Ministry in terms of project on quality infrastructure development.

CLIENTS OF LAI-LAI MAY USE ROAMING SERVICE Geocell, local mobile communications operator, announced that clients of prepay cards Lai-Lai (indexes of 893/855/857/858) can already enjoy roaming. The service covers 20 countries.

INSTALLATION OF NEW PAYMENT SYSTEM IN TBILISI’S MUNICIPAL TRANSPORT COST 7M LARI Tbilisi City Hall informs that installation of new payment systems, brought from Czech Republic, in the municipal buses cost 7 million lari.

The sum was allotted by Sakartvelos Banki (Bank of Georgia), which won the tender announced by LLC Tbilisi Bus for collection and encashment of travel cost.

SANITARY CLEANING DUE REDUCED IN BATUMI Batumi City Hall reports that sanitary cleaning due is reduced for organizations from 2009.

Namely, due for hotels reduced from 8 lari to 2.5 lari per 1 square m, for offices – from 46 tetri to 25 tetri, filling stations – from 69 to 30 tetri, auto repair service-centers – from 69 to 20 tetri, educational institutions (museums, libraries, archives) – from 45 to 5 tetri.

PROPERTY OF LLC AVANGARD IS AUCTIONED AT 2.3M LARI Bankruptcy manager of LLC Avangard announced auction on LLC’s property. Initial price makes up 2.3 million lari.

COMMON PROPERTY OF JSC SAKTRACTOR AND JSC TRACTOR IS AUCTIONED

Bankruptcy manager of JSC Saktractor (Georgian Tractor) put up to auction the common property of JSC Saktractor and JSC Tractor. The property is priced at 464,286 lari.

TWO SHIPS ARE AUCTIONED AGAIN Financial Agency of Georgian Finance Ministry announced the fourth auction on two ships – the seiner and dry cargo ship. The auction will be held in 2 lots on February 4.

For further information:

Sarke