The Daily Beat: 15 January

On 14 January, Georgia celebrated the National Flag Day. A flag-raising ceremony was held at the Presidential Palace, where a giant national flag was unfurled in the presence of the President and students. President Salome Zurabishvili briefly addressed the students, congratulating them on National Flag Day and reminding them of their special responsibility to proudly carry and defend it in the future.

In a new development related to the discovery of a controversial icon in Tbilisi’s main cathedral, the supporters of the pro-Russian Conservative Movement/Alt-info rallied near the parliament building, protesting against the “defacement” of the icon of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, demanding the government to urgently tighten criminal liability for insulting religious objects and calling for the imprisonment of Nata Peradze, a civic activist who threw blue paint over Stalin’s icon. Later, the rally participants moved to the Trinity Cathedral, where they prayed to the icon depicting St. Matrona and Stalin.

The ruling Georgian Dream party delegation, led by its leader, Irakli Kobakhidze, is visiting the People’s Republic of China. According to Kobakhidze, the GD delegation held meetings with Liu Jianchao, head of the Chinese Communist Party’s International Department, his deputy, and the leadership of the State Council’s Research Center. Bilateral discussions covered issues pertinent to trade relations, the Middle Corridor, Black Sea Security, the Middle East, and other global developments, the chair of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee, Nikoloz Samkharadze, told the press.

The Defense Ministry plans to boost the country’s air defense capabilities as it signed a contract with the Polish company MESKO S.A. on the purchase of an anti-aircraft missile system. According to the Defense Ministry, the deputy defense minister and the representative of the Polish company also discussed the importance of introducing modern, NATO-standard weapons in Georgia and the prospects of future cooperation.  

Lazare Grigoriadis, 22, who was arrested in connection with March protests for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at police and setting fire to a police car, remains in custody as the Tbilisi City Court adjourned the trial, scheduling the next session for February 26, when the final verdict is expected to be announced. Grigoriadis’ lawyers and family members claim that the court deliberately delayed the trial.

The State Security Service reported the illegal detention of a Georgian citizen by Russian occupation forces near the Tskhinvali occupation line. According to the Security Service, the EUMM hotline has been activated, and international partners were immediately informed of the incident. Security agency blames Russia for all destructive actions across the occupation line and says it will do its utmost to ensure the prompt release of a Georgian citizen.  

The OECD’s SME Policy Index report on “Eastern Partner Countries 2024” reveals that affordability of fixed and mobile broadband subscriptions remains a challenge in Georgia. The report suggests prices have declined in recent years but remain slightly above the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) 2% target, at 2.35% of per capita gross national income (GNI) in 2022. According to the report, despite some challenges, Georgia has improved its internet connectivity in recent years, becoming one of the most connected countries among Europe’s eastern partners.

The Data of the Day

The National Statistics Office’s express data indicate an increase in Georgia’s foreign trade turnover by 12.5% year-over-year in 2023, equaling USD 21.53 billion.  Data suggests that exports from Georgia increased by 9.1% annually to USD 6.09 billion, while imports rose by 14.0% to USD 15.44 billion. Meanwhile, the trade deficit was USD 9.35 billion, or 43.4% of the total turnover. 

According to the National Bank of Georgia, in December 2023, the volume of money transfers from abroad amounted to $308.3 million, which is 42.4% less than in the corresponding month of the previous year. The NBG suggests that Russia accounts for the largest portion of remittances, followed by Italy, the US, Germany, and Greece.