The Daily Beat: 13 October
President Salome Zurabishvili met with the Israeli Ambassador to Georgia, Hadas Ester Meitzad, expressing unwavering support and solidarity with Israel amid the recent developments and discussing the unfolding situation in Israel. “In this difficult time, the Georgian people stand with Israel and its people,” said the President during the meeting.
Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili is visiting Bulgaria, where he met with his Bulgarian counterpart and Vice Prime Minister, Mariya Gabriel, discussing Georgia’s EU integration, Black Sea-related projects, and the deepening of bilateral trade-economic ties between the countries. Minister Darchiashvili said that during his visit, Bulgaria’s National Assembly adopted a declaration in favor of granting the status of EU candidate to Georgia.
About 100 Georgian applicants have applied for admission to Russian universities for 2024, reported the Russian state news agency TASS, citing the Russian Interests Section at the Swiss Embassy in Georgia. All the applications of shortlisted candidates from Georgia were approved, and their studies will be financed from the Russian state budget, the representative of the Russian Interests Section told TASS. The quota for Georgian students in Russian universities is 200 places, the same as last year.
Another dismissed National Museum employee, Nino Macharashvili, has won a lawsuit in the Tbilisi City Court against the National Museum of Georgia, which is under the authority of the Culture Ministry. According to Dito Khvichia, defending the plaintiff’s interests in court, the court ruled that the dismissal in January 2022 was unlawful, and the National Museum was ordered to provide compensation and back pay to Macharashvili. Tea Tsulukiani, since she was appointed Culture Minister, has been frequently accused of persecuting freedom of expression and politically motivated dismissals.
National Statistics Service (Geostat) reported express data indicating that Georgia’s external merchandise trade (excluding non-declared trade) increased by 16.6% in January-September 2023 compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, reaching USD 15,919.5 million. According to Geostat, Georgia’s external merchandise trade saw exports rise by 12.7%, reaching USD 4 607.2 million, while imports increased by 18.3% and totaled USD 11 312.3 million.
