Minister Turnava: Georgian economy starting to reopen
Economy Minister Natia Turnava said special attention is paid to companies, which have been established by foreign investors. Photo: Economy Ministry
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Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava said the economy is starting to reopen as the government is successfully containing the spread of the coronavirus.
Visiting a factory of electric heaters in Georgia’s western city of Kutaisi earlier today, Minister Turnava said particular attention is now being paid to companies, which have been established by foreign investors.
Atlantic Georgia - specialised in production of water heaters - was opened by French company Atlantic Group in the Kutaisi Free Industrial Zone in 2018.
Minister Turnava welcomed the company’s decision to increase its employers from 140 to 200 despite the global pandemic, which proves that Georgia has ‘the best business environment, including for foreign investors’.
French Ambassador to Georgia Diego Colas wrote on Twitter:
Great to be in Kutaïsi again. ???????? govt and private investors like Groupe Atlantique, we are keen to do our share to strengthen the ????????economy. With active and strong support from Minister Turnava, the company could open as early as possible and plans to create jobs and to grow. https://t.co/29T9Rz4hV9
— Diégo Colas (@ColasDiego) May 31, 2020
French Ambassador to Georgia Diego Colas also noted that it is very important for France to be supporting Georgian partners in the restoration of its economy.
Once they reopen, shopping malls in Georgia will have to abide by recommendations of the Health Ministry in the use of heat screening thermometers to check the temperature of clients and personnel before they let them enter.
Estimated real gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 16.6 per cent in April 2020 year-on-year (y/y) and by 3.6 per cent in the first four months of 2020 y/y, show the latest data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).
In her remarks, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili said that for a small country like Georgia with an emerging economy, standing ‘at the door of Europe’, the coronavirus crisis ‘has taught us a number of important lessons’.
Fines imposed for violating the restrictions implemented by Georgia for the prevention of the spread of the coronavirus exceeds the income ratio imposed by Western European, Scandinavian and other developed countries and are disproportionately high relative to the income of the Georgian population, says the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information( IDFI) in its report ‘Measures against Covid-19 - International Practice.’
Georgia has reported 11 new cases of the coronavirus earlier today, bringing the total number of cases to 794.624 of the 574 patients have recovered, while 12 have died. As of today, 158 people remain infected with COVID-19 in Georgia. Eight of the 11 new cases belong to the so-called Saburtalo cluster in Tbilisi, while three others are from the Mareti village of Marneuli municipality. Georgia continues to reopen its economy as the country has maintained a low infection rate so far.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has urged people to wear face masks during public gatherings or in public transport as no single state can defeat the coronavirus.
Georgia has reported two new cases of coronavirus earlier today, bringing the total number of cases to 796. 634 of the 796 patients have recovered, while 12 others have died. As of today 150 people remain infected with COVID-19 in Georgia. Both of the new cases are from the Mareti village of Marneuli municipality. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia urged people yesterday to wear face masks during public gatherings or in public transport as no single state can defeat the coronavirus.
The Georgian parliament has allowed the government earlier today to impose movement, labour, migration, economic and other restrictions without the declaration of a state of emergency, that is, without the approval of the legislative body. A bill passed in May 2020 allowed the government to use the right only temporarily up until July 15, 2020. 76 MPs voted for the change and two went against it, with the United National Movement and the European Georgia opposition parties refusing to vote at all.