The News in Brief
Thursday, July 21
20 parties registered in Georgia to participate in parliamentary elections
According to the Central Election Commission, twenty political parties have registered to participate in parliamentary elections, the CEC press service reported.
The parliamentary elections in Georgia will be held on October 8; pre-election campaigning started on June 8. According to the latest data of the CEC, 3,513,260 people will be able to vote in the parliamentary elections. Any party registered on the territory of Georgia having presented a certain number of signatures in its support can take part.
Until August 15, the parties must submit lists of 25,000 voters to the CEC. If the party has its representative in local government bodies following the results of elections of 2014 or in the parliament of Georgia, a list of 1,000 voters will be enough. (news.am)
The Nominees Registration Of The 'Welcome To Georgia National Tourism Award' Opens
The National Tourism Awards is an Annual National Award Ceremony in the field of tourism in Georgia, the main mission of which being to encourage tourism and expand the hospitality industry in Georgia and to promote awareness of the country worldwide.
The Awards Ceremony is an opportunity to bring together national and local authorities, hotels, restaurants, tour operators, travel agencies, wine companies and more. As well as being a prestigious awards ceremony, it is a celebration of Georgian heritage, culture, traditions and modern achievements.
The First Awards Ceremony was held at the Funicular Restaurant Complex on November 20 2015. Organizers have already started preparation for the Second Awards Ceremony, which will take place at the end of the November. From June 15 to September 1, the National Tourism Awards invites all companies from across the country working in the tourism industry to register and become a Nominee for the National Tourism Awards 2016 (For Registration visit
www.awards-tourism.com) in 18 separate categories:
Best Business Event Venue Award
Best Company Award
Best Tourism Restaurants Services Award
Best Tourism Winery Award
Best Boutique Accommodation Award
Best Standard Accommodation Award
Best Deluxe Accommodation Award
Best Wellness & Spa Resort Award
Best Ski Accommodation Award
Best Sea Accommodation Award
Best Low Budget Accommodation Award
Best Tourism Innovation Of The Year Award
Best Entertainment Venue Tourism Award
Best Festival Or Event Award
Best Incoming Tour Operator Award
Best Outbound Tour Operator Award
Best Adventure Tourism Award
Best Travel Photographer
After registration, each nominate will receive access to their online cabinet, where they should will questions and upload important documents, on from which an assessment will be made by a professional jury. Each member of the jury will evaluate the nominees individually after September 19. In addition, from September 1, online voting will start on the Awards official webpage. The chance of winning an award is equal for each candidate.
The Independent Auditor of the Award BDO Georgia will calculate the number of points awarded to each nominee (points awarded by the Jury Expert Board plus the number of votes from the online voting) and will determine the finalists and the winner in each nomination. (cbw.ge)
Georgia’s Foreign Trade in H1’16
Georgia’s foreign trade turnover in the first half of 2016 declined by 11% year-on-year to USD 4.22 billion, excluding a one-off import of USD 1.48 billion of donated C hepatitis medicines, according to the figures released by the state statistics office, Geostat, on Tuesday.
Exports fell by 12.3% y/y in January-June, 2016 to USD 948 million and imports were down by 10.6% y/y to USD 3.27 billion, excluding one-offs, with trade deficit declining by about 10% y/y to USD 2.32 billion.
Georgia’s trade turnover with the EU-member states declined by 9.3% y/y to USD 1.16 billion in the first half of this year.
Georgian exports to the EU stood at USD 226 million, a 22% decline compared to the same period of last year, and imports from the EU were down by more than 4% y/y in the first half of 2016 to slightly over USD 1 billion (excluding one-off import of medicines).
There was a 15% y/y decline in trade turnover with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in the first half of 2016 to USD 1.15 billion.
Exports to CIS member states was down by 29% y/y to USD 294 million and imports declined by 8% y/y to USD 859 million in the first six months of this year.
One-off import of C hepatitis medicines worth USD 1.26 billion pushed Canada on top of Georgia’s trading partners, but after excluding these one-off imports, Turkey remains Georgia’s largest trading partner with USD 777.9 million in the first half of 2016, a 3% increase over the same period of last year.
Georgia’s exports to Turkey declined by 3.7% y/y to USD 105.5 million and imports increased 5% y/y to USD 672.4 million.
Russia was Georgia’s the second-largest trading partner in the first half of 2016 with the turnover of USD 390.3 million, 16% y/y increase.
Georgia’s exports to Russia increased 16.4% y/y to USD 82.2 million and imports from Russia were up by 16.5% y/y to USD 308 million in the first six months of this year.
Russia is followed by China with total trade turnover of USD 348.4 million; exports to China increased 61.1% y/y to USD 89.4 million and imports were down by 17.6% y/y to USD 259 million in the first half of 2016.
Azerbaijan was Georgia’s fourth-largest trading partner with turnover of USD 264.3 million in the first half of 2016, a 35.3% decline over the same period of last year. Georgia’s exports to Azerbaijan decreased more than three-fold to USD 40.7 million and imports were down by 19.2% y/y to USD 223.5 million in January-June, 2016.
Copper ores and concentrates were on top of the list of exports in the first six months of 2016 with USD 147.8 million, a 14% y/y increase; followed by re-export of vehicles with USD 75 million (24.5% y/y decline); ferroalloys – USD 74.48 million (32.5% y/y decline); Georgia exported hazelnut worth of USD 69.6 million (5.5% y/y decline); medicines – USD 48.79 million (24.3% y/y decline); wine – USD 46.2 million (16% increase); nitrogen fertilizers – USD 42 million (16.5% y/y decline); mineral waters – USD 40.7 million (10.6% y/y decline); raw or semi-processed gold – USD 40 million (39.1% y/y increase); non-denatured ethyl alcohol and spirits – USD 39.4 million (50.6% y/y increase).
Oil products were on top of the list of imports in the first half of 2016 with USD 243.1 million, followed by vehicles – USD 219.1 million; hydrocarbons – USD 157.5 million; medicines – USD 127.58 million (the figure does not include donated C hepatitis medicines); copper ores and concentrates – USD 111.9 million; mobile and other wireless phones – USD 64.58 million; cigarettes – USD 47.9 million; structures and parts of structures of iron – USD 47.5 million; insulated wire and cable – USD 33.1 million; bars and rods of iron – USD 32 million. (civil.ge)
According to the Central Election Commission, twenty political parties have registered to participate in parliamentary elections, the CEC press service reported.
The parliamentary elections in Georgia will be held on October 8; pre-election campaigning started on June 8. According to the latest data of the CEC, 3,513,260 people will be able to vote in the parliamentary elections. Any party registered on the territory of Georgia having presented a certain number of signatures in its support can take part.
Until August 15, the parties must submit lists of 25,000 voters to the CEC. If the party has its representative in local government bodies following the results of elections of 2014 or in the parliament of Georgia, a list of 1,000 voters will be enough. (news.am)
The Nominees Registration Of The 'Welcome To Georgia National Tourism Award' Opens
The National Tourism Awards is an Annual National Award Ceremony in the field of tourism in Georgia, the main mission of which being to encourage tourism and expand the hospitality industry in Georgia and to promote awareness of the country worldwide.
The Awards Ceremony is an opportunity to bring together national and local authorities, hotels, restaurants, tour operators, travel agencies, wine companies and more. As well as being a prestigious awards ceremony, it is a celebration of Georgian heritage, culture, traditions and modern achievements.
The First Awards Ceremony was held at the Funicular Restaurant Complex on November 20 2015. Organizers have already started preparation for the Second Awards Ceremony, which will take place at the end of the November. From June 15 to September 1, the National Tourism Awards invites all companies from across the country working in the tourism industry to register and become a Nominee for the National Tourism Awards 2016 (For Registration visit
www.awards-tourism.com) in 18 separate categories:
Best Business Event Venue Award
Best Company Award
Best Tourism Restaurants Services Award
Best Tourism Winery Award
Best Boutique Accommodation Award
Best Standard Accommodation Award
Best Deluxe Accommodation Award
Best Wellness & Spa Resort Award
Best Ski Accommodation Award
Best Sea Accommodation Award
Best Low Budget Accommodation Award
Best Tourism Innovation Of The Year Award
Best Entertainment Venue Tourism Award
Best Festival Or Event Award
Best Incoming Tour Operator Award
Best Outbound Tour Operator Award
Best Adventure Tourism Award
Best Travel Photographer
After registration, each nominate will receive access to their online cabinet, where they should will questions and upload important documents, on from which an assessment will be made by a professional jury. Each member of the jury will evaluate the nominees individually after September 19. In addition, from September 1, online voting will start on the Awards official webpage. The chance of winning an award is equal for each candidate.
The Independent Auditor of the Award BDO Georgia will calculate the number of points awarded to each nominee (points awarded by the Jury Expert Board plus the number of votes from the online voting) and will determine the finalists and the winner in each nomination. (cbw.ge)
Georgia’s Foreign Trade in H1’16
Georgia’s foreign trade turnover in the first half of 2016 declined by 11% year-on-year to USD 4.22 billion, excluding a one-off import of USD 1.48 billion of donated C hepatitis medicines, according to the figures released by the state statistics office, Geostat, on Tuesday.
Exports fell by 12.3% y/y in January-June, 2016 to USD 948 million and imports were down by 10.6% y/y to USD 3.27 billion, excluding one-offs, with trade deficit declining by about 10% y/y to USD 2.32 billion.
Georgia’s trade turnover with the EU-member states declined by 9.3% y/y to USD 1.16 billion in the first half of this year.
Georgian exports to the EU stood at USD 226 million, a 22% decline compared to the same period of last year, and imports from the EU were down by more than 4% y/y in the first half of 2016 to slightly over USD 1 billion (excluding one-off import of medicines).
There was a 15% y/y decline in trade turnover with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in the first half of 2016 to USD 1.15 billion.
Exports to CIS member states was down by 29% y/y to USD 294 million and imports declined by 8% y/y to USD 859 million in the first six months of this year.
One-off import of C hepatitis medicines worth USD 1.26 billion pushed Canada on top of Georgia’s trading partners, but after excluding these one-off imports, Turkey remains Georgia’s largest trading partner with USD 777.9 million in the first half of 2016, a 3% increase over the same period of last year.
Georgia’s exports to Turkey declined by 3.7% y/y to USD 105.5 million and imports increased 5% y/y to USD 672.4 million.
Russia was Georgia’s the second-largest trading partner in the first half of 2016 with the turnover of USD 390.3 million, 16% y/y increase.
Georgia’s exports to Russia increased 16.4% y/y to USD 82.2 million and imports from Russia were up by 16.5% y/y to USD 308 million in the first six months of this year.
Russia is followed by China with total trade turnover of USD 348.4 million; exports to China increased 61.1% y/y to USD 89.4 million and imports were down by 17.6% y/y to USD 259 million in the first half of 2016.
Azerbaijan was Georgia’s fourth-largest trading partner with turnover of USD 264.3 million in the first half of 2016, a 35.3% decline over the same period of last year. Georgia’s exports to Azerbaijan decreased more than three-fold to USD 40.7 million and imports were down by 19.2% y/y to USD 223.5 million in January-June, 2016.
Copper ores and concentrates were on top of the list of exports in the first six months of 2016 with USD 147.8 million, a 14% y/y increase; followed by re-export of vehicles with USD 75 million (24.5% y/y decline); ferroalloys – USD 74.48 million (32.5% y/y decline); Georgia exported hazelnut worth of USD 69.6 million (5.5% y/y decline); medicines – USD 48.79 million (24.3% y/y decline); wine – USD 46.2 million (16% increase); nitrogen fertilizers – USD 42 million (16.5% y/y decline); mineral waters – USD 40.7 million (10.6% y/y decline); raw or semi-processed gold – USD 40 million (39.1% y/y increase); non-denatured ethyl alcohol and spirits – USD 39.4 million (50.6% y/y increase).
Oil products were on top of the list of imports in the first half of 2016 with USD 243.1 million, followed by vehicles – USD 219.1 million; hydrocarbons – USD 157.5 million; medicines – USD 127.58 million (the figure does not include donated C hepatitis medicines); copper ores and concentrates – USD 111.9 million; mobile and other wireless phones – USD 64.58 million; cigarettes – USD 47.9 million; structures and parts of structures of iron – USD 47.5 million; insulated wire and cable – USD 33.1 million; bars and rods of iron – USD 32 million. (civil.ge)