The Daily Beat: 3 April
U.S. President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on April 2, calling it “Liberation Day,” with a baseline tariff of 10 percent applied to Georgia. According to the White House, Georgia also had 10 percent tariffs imposed on U.S. goods. The tariffs are expected to impact the prices of key Georgian exports to the U.S., including ferroalloys and manganese.
The Georgian Dream government has amended its visa policy for Ukrainian citizens, reducing the visa-free stay duration from three years to one, according to a decree signed by GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. The move reverses an earlier decision in April 2024, when the government extended the visa-free stay from two to three years in a show of solidarity with Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion.
The Georgian Public Broadcaster’s board of trustees reelected Vasil Maghlaperidze as its board chairman for a six-year term on April 3, despite protests from critics who accuse him of promoting Russian propaganda and the demonstrators who have demanded his resignation, rallying for the last several months near the GPB building.
On April 3, the Foreign Ministry announced three new ambassadorial appointments. New ambassadors are appointed to the Kingdom of Spain, the Republic of Slovenia, and the Holy See. Aleksandre Chkuaseli has been appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Kingdom of Spain, while Konstantine Surguladze will become Georgia’s Ambassador to Slovenia. Davit Mekvabishvili will head the Georgian diplomatic mission to the Holy See.
Irakli Beraia has been appointed as the head of the Investigative Service of the Ministry of Finance, according to a decree issued by Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on April 2. Beraia, 48, served as Deputy Minister of Justice, a position he has held since February 5, 2025.
Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has voiced deep concerns over Georgia’s recent adoption of repressive laws, including the so-called Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and initiatives that could lead to the banning of opposition parties. “This curtails Georgian democracy by undermining freedom of expression, dismantling civic space and political pluralism,” the statement reads.
While making a doorstep comment before the NATO Ministerial, the Estonian Foreign Minister said Estonia is calling on the EU to revisit the visa-free regime with Georgia. “It can be on the table. It needs 15 member states to start this process, to screen and also ask the regime that they need to change the behavior,” Minister Tsahkna told reporters.
The Data of the Day
The National Statistics Service (Geostat) reported that Georgia’s annual inflation rate in March was 3.5%. Meanwhile, consumer prices rose by 1.1% monthly. According to Geostat, the annual inflation rate was primarily influenced by price changes in health (8.8% increase), food and non-alcoholic beverages (6.6% increase), restaurants and hotels (6.6% increase), miscellaneous goods and services (6.3% increase), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (4.2% increase) and communication (12.4% decrease).