What is the Georgian government doing for business, agriculture amid the coronavirus crisis?

The government of Georgia has presented an anti-crisis plan for Georgian businesses in order to ease the burden caused by the coronavirus crisis. The government responded to the demand of the hotels, restaurants, tourist agencies and tour operators in Georgia and decided to postpone payment of property and income tax by four months.

A number of opposition parties have slammed the Georgian government’s recently announced anti-crisis plan aimed to counter the coronavirus pandemic. On Friday, Georgian government introduced a plan to gradually open the economy step-by-step over the next three months. The plan includes supporting business owners, commercial banks, agriculture and economic of the country during the crisis.

The Georgian government has presented a plan to gradually open the economy step-by-step over the next three months. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said that restrictions on economic activity will begin being lifted starting April 27 and if the coronavirus situation does not worsen in the country in three months Georgian the economy will be fully reopened.

Georgia will spend 3.5 billion (about $1.10b/€1.02b) on its coronavirus anti-crisis plan, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced earlier today. "For now, the country will spend GEL 3.5 billion on managing the crisis, of which 1.035 billion GEL will be directed at social support of citizens, 2.11 billion GEL will be directed at the economy and entrepreneurs, while 350 million GEL will be spent on the health care of each citizen", Gakharia said.

The government of Georgia will unveil an anti-crisis economic recovery plan on April 24, 2020, which will include measures for targeted social and business support.

The European Union, Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, German Development Fund, French Development Agency will support the Georgian economy with $1.5 billion by the end of 2020, announced Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia today.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is helping the government of Georgia develop a post-coronavirus recovery plan that focuses on increased employment opportunities, announces the United States Embassy in Georgia.

Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava held a presentation today on how the government is planning to help local businesses and especially small and medium-sized businesses reopen and overcome economic difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic. 

Head of the government administration Natia Mezvrishvili said some coronavirus-related restrictions imposed in Georgia may be eased earlier than planned, if the virus is contained. Moreover, the government will be discussing the issue of reopening Tbilisi, Rustavi, Kutaisi and Batumi next week, which have been on lockdown since April 15.

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia considers that Georgia can use the very conditions created by the coronavirus crisis to help in the process of economic recovery.

Farmers which have land plots between 0.25 to 10 hectares will receive 200 GEL for each hectare, said Minister of Agriculture Levan Davitashvili earlier today.

Georgia will compensate people who lost their jobs while on leave due to pregnancy, childbirth, childcare or adoption of a child amid the coronavirus crisis.

Georgian commercial banks will postpone payment of loans without capitalisation of interest for another three months for all citizens who have lost their jobs during the coronavirus crisis in Georgia, announces the Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.

In total 57,443 self-employed people have registered in the last 10 days to receive one-time assistance of 300 GEL from the government of Georgia in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The registration of self-employed people on the website of the Ministry of Health of Georgia to receive one-time assistance from the state began on May 15. 

Georgian doctors have used plasma treatment to help an 83-year-old COVID-19 patient in nearly terminal condition. "Now she feels much better,” head of Tbilisi Hospital of Infectious Diseases Tenngiz Tsertsvadze has stated. He said that it is the second case in which plasma treatment has worked with critical patients. "One individual has been cured with the help of plasma treatment. We are waiting for positive results in terms of the 83-year-old patient as well,” Tsertsvadze stated. 

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has delivered a report in parliament today on how the government acted during the state of emergency, saying that Georgia has already received much praise for its fight against the coronavirus and through its timely reopening of the state economy, new opportunities are likely to open up for the country. "Tomorrow, there will be absolutely new competitions and rules in the new world, where Georgia will have the opportunity to become more successful,” Gakharia said. 

The poverty rate in Georgia has dropped 10.5 per cent since 2012, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said in parliament earlier today. He also noted that child poverty has been reduced from 34.7 per cent to 25.5 per cent according to the World Bank.

The government of Georgia is announcing amendments to the state programme of 'Produce in Georgia' and a credit guarantee programme to further help local companies start new businesses or develop already existing ones.

The Georgian government is working with experts from the University of Cambridge and the University of London as well as Deloitte analysts and local experts to create a post-crisis economic plan and decide what steps they should take in order to improve the Georgian economy after the coronavirus lockdown.

Georgian experts expect the Georgian lari to continue appreciating at least until the end of this year if some unexpected event does not occur.

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia met with farmers of the Shida Kartli region of Georgia today, talked about the challenges the agriculture sector faces and introduced the government's plans to help the sector.

International experts have praised Georgia’s fiscal policy during the pandemic, calling it ‘correct and prompt’, reports the government’s press office. Global experts working on Georgia’s post-crisis economic plan have arrived in Georgia today. 

International experts have praised Georgia’s fiscal policy during the pandemic, calling it ‘correct and prompt’, reports the government’s press office. Global experts working on Georgia’s post-crisis economic plan have arrived in Georgia today. 

The government of Georgia is subsidising the cost of apples as a way to support fruit growers and processing companies, announces Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.

The government of Georgia has approved the Law on Entrepreneurs, that soon will be sent to the Parliament of Georgia and if approved will come into force on January 1, 2021, announces the Ministry of Justice of Georgia.

Farmers in Georgia whose seedlings are damaged or destroyed due to natural disasters will receive new, higher quality young plants as part of a new programme of 'Plant the Future', Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced at today's government meeting.

Member businesses of the Business Association of Georgia (BAG) have assessed the present business situation negatively in the third quarter of 2020, while their expectations for the next six months are positive, says the BAG Index, which is a joint product of the BAG, PMC Research Center and the ifo Institute for Economic Research.

About 41 per cent of Georgian companies have a low level of trust in the Georgian judicial system, while nine per cent have none at all, shows the Business Association of Georgian (BAG) Index, which is a joint product of BAG, PMCG Research Center and the ifo Institute for Economic Research.

About 500 artists in the electronic and club music industry will receive financial assistance from Tbilisi City Hall, which has allocated 2 million GEL in order to help industry players overcome the Covid-19 crisis.

The government of Georgia will help companies that bought or leased state property through auctions and later suffered during the pandemic, announces Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava.