🦠 Coronavirus statistics in Georgia.
Starting this week, the data are posted by the Ministry of Health in a weekly format. Judging by the indicators, the pandemic is coming to an end.
From May 2 to May 9 in total:
745 new infections
984 recovered
112564 tests were carried out. The detection rate is 0.66%.
The number of vaccinations was not reported.

👨‍⚕️🇬🇪🏥 The health of ex-president of Georgia Saakashvili has deteriorated.
The Ministry of Justice offers the country's third president a transfer to the Vivamed clinic. The corresponding statement was made by the Minister of Justice of Georgia Rati Bregadze:
"In order to avoid possible complications, Mikhail Saakashvili will be asked to take him to a clinic, where he will be examined and, if necessary, treated."
Incumbent President Salome Zurabivvili supported transfer from prison to hospital::
"The president believed and still believes that all measures must be taken to ensure the health of the ex-president," the administration said in a statement.
❗️The arrested politician has already confirmed to representatives of the Prison Service that he is ready to be transferred for examination tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and in the following days.
ℹ️ Let me remind you that after several hunger strikes, the condition of the ex-president of Georgia has deteriorated sharply. He cannot take part in court hearings and meetings with lawyers.

📈🇬🇪 Annual inflation in Georgia was 13% in April.
The National Statistical Service recalculated the consumer price index for the past month.
What went up the most in April:
🧅 vegetables 46.8%
🥖 bread 28.8%
🥤 soft drinks 24.1%
🚌 transport 22.6%
🥘 hotels, restaurants, cafes 12.3%
🪑 furniture, household items 11%
🔌 Utilities 9.3%
🍷 alcoholic beverages and tobacco 6.1%

🇬🇪 Recall that tomorrow, May 12, is an official day off in Georgia.
Second of three this month (May 9, May 12 and May 26)
Day of St. Andrew the First-Called - one of the most revered saints in the country.
State institutions, the House of Justice, most banks and shops will not work.

👮🏻‍♂️🚘🚔 The Georgian authorities are thinking about reducing the speed limit in cities and tightening traffic rules.
In Georgia, for three months of 2022, 875,000 (!) fines were issued for traffic violations - of which 228,000 were for speeding, 194,000 for lack of technical inspection, 26,000 for talking while driving.
According to Irakli Izoria, director of the Foundation for Road Safety, this issue must be resolved as soon as possible. “There are a number of issues that need to be addressed in order to reduce the number of accidents. Speed ​​limit is one of them. It is not allowed to drive at a speed of 60 km / h in a settlement in none of the European cities. Also, 15% of accidents happen due to technical malfunctions, which means poor control over the technical inspection.”
The discussion about slowing down in Tbilisi reopened in April after an accident in the capital, when a driver flew onto the sidewalk and knocked down an 8-year-old child who had to have his leg amputated and needs a complex operation.
ℹ️ According to the official statistics of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Georgia for 2021:
📍449 people died in accidents, 9 of them were children
📍 There were 5863 accidents with serious consequences, followed by criminal penalties
7705 people were injured, including 754 children
📍half of all accidents occur in Tbilisi
📍The most common violation of the rules remains driving into the oncoming lane or breaking the rules of overtaking.

🇬🇪👶🇺🇦 An 8-month-old baby from Ukraine was successfully operated on in Tbilisi: a complex heart operation was performed at the Jo Ann University Hospital in the capital.
The family arrived in Georgia before March and were unable to return home due to the war, and the planned March operation in Kyiv was cancelled. But everything was organized in the Georgian capital, besides, the clinic paid all the expenses.
❤️ We sincerely wish the baby good health!

🏥 Former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, due to deteriorating health, was taken this morning from Rustavi prison to the Vivamed civilian clinic.
All night long, cameras of opposition TV channels were on duty near the detention center building, several times there were reports of Saakashvili's transfer, but this happened only at 11.00.
At the same time, the ex-president demands that family members and a personal doctor be constantly allowed to see him.

🇬🇪❤️ May 12 is the Day of St. Andrew the First-Called and an official holiday in Georgia.
This holy apostle is especially revered in the country: he is considered the first Christian enlightener in its territory.
On this day, festive services are held in churches. State institutions, most banks, clinics and the House of Justice do not work.

🇬🇪❤️🎼 An original monument was unearthed near Tbilisi: a monument to NASA's Voyager and the Georgian song “Chakrulo”.
Not far from the Georgian capital, in Kojori, such a monument was placed. Unexpected choice of location and concept.
ℹ️ Georgian polyphony is recognized by UNESCO as a masterpiece of world polyphony. NASA sent the song "Chakrulo" into space on the Voyager spacecraft in 1977 as a testament to the musical abilities of mankind.

🇷🇺➡️🇬🇪 The Alfa Group consortium plans to sell its controlling stake (55.8%) of mineral water producer IDS Borjomi Georgia to Georgian businessman Gia Ordzhonikidze.
The Georgian opposition, represented by MP and former Deputy Prime Minister Roman Gotseridze, considers Ordzhonikidze a figurehead for Alfa Group co-owner Mikhail Fridman, arguing that this is actually a fictitious deal to remove the asset from sanctions imposed by Western countries.
🇷🇺 The Russian market accounts for about 50% of the total export of Georgian mineral water.
❗️IDS Borjomi Georgia on April 29 announced a temporary suspension of production at two factories in Georgia due to financial problems and sanctioned blocking of accounts.

☦️ On May 17, the Georgian Orthodox Church will hold a religious procession in Tbilisi on the Day of the Holiness of the Family.
The Patriarchate announced in the Georgian capital a religious procession with icons from the Kashveti Church to the Sioni Cathedral in commemoration of the Day of Holiness and Fortress of the Family. In its statement, the Patriarchate stated that the church service in Kashveti and the subsequent procession of many thousands will be dedicated to “peace in Georgia, Ukraine and throughout the world” and expressed “deep sorrow over the military actions taken by Russia in Ukraine.”
🏳️‍🌈 The annual tradition was introduced in 2014 to prevent the observance of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT). So far, no organization has announced plans to commemorate the day or hold any other public marches in support of LGBT rights this year.

🇬🇪🎤 The representative of Georgia, the group "Circus Mircus" did not qualify for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.
Last night, in the second semi-final of the contest, they performed the song Lock Me In.

👮🏻‍♂️🇬🇪 The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia reported that 364 people officially applied for asylum in Georgia in three months.
Among them:
🇺🇦Ukraine - 126 people
🇹🇷Turkey - 52
🇮🇷Iran - 31
🇬🇧Russia - 21
🇦🇫Afghanistan - 17
🇾🇪Egypt -16
Refugee status in the first quarter of 2022 was granted to only 9 foreign citizens - at the same time, among them there are neither citizens of Ukraine nor Russia.
51 people received humanitarian status (Article 4 of the law on refugee status): 13 citizens of Ukraine, 21 citizens of Afghanistan, 7 citizens of Yemen.
❗️In the first quarter, 40 foreigners were expelled from Georgia.

📺❓📱What Georgians watch and read: rating of TV channels and social networks.
Results of the CRRC Georgia Assurance Program Survey. The respondents named television as the main source of information 48%, social networks - 25%, and another 13% - relatives and family members.

📊 "What TV do you watch at least once a week?":
- 62% Imedi (considered pro-government)
- 56% Rustavi2 (can be described as loyal to the authorities)
- 51% "Mtavari Arkhi" (the main opposition)
- 47% TV Pirveli
- 36% "Formula"
🇷🇺 Local TV channels, considered pro-Russian, scored: "Objective" - ​​21%, "Alt-info" - 7%. The first channel of Russia is watched at least once a week by 11%, Rossiya 24 by 5% of the respondents. 🙈

📊 "What social networks do you use at least once a week?"
Use Facebook at least once a week - 67%
YouTube - 57%
Instagram - 25%
Tik-Tok - 16%
Twitter - 4%
Telegram - 4%
Odnoklassniki - 4%
VKontakte - 3%

❗️The survey was conducted among 3024 people, selectively in different regions of Georgia, of different sex and age. The error is no more than 1.5%. The questions were asked before the start of the war in Ukraine, so now the data may be different.

🌾🚫 In Georgia, wheat reserves are actually exhausted, in the coming days, mills and processing enterprises of the country will stop working.
This was announced by the head of the Association of Producers of Grain and Flour of Georgia Levan Silagava. According to him, for several months flour has been aggressively imported into Georgia to replace wheat.
“Today, we have reached the point where the wheat reserves that we had before are practically exhausted – and the mills will stop within a few days.”
Silagawa also noted that the UN recommends that countries have stocks of wheat for at least two months.
ℹ️ Georgia itself can only provide itself with wheat by 15%. Imports mainly come from Russia - more than 90%.

📦🧮🛍 The transport companies Camex and USA2GEORGIA advocated an increase in the customs threshold for purchases abroad from 300 to 700 GEL.
An e-commerce business is asking the Georgian government to review the regulations, which have not changed since 2009. According to the current rules, if the value of the shipment exceeds 300 GEL (about $ 100), then the recipient is obliged to pay a customs tax of 18%.
“The lari has depreciated against the dollar over the years, commodity prices have increased markedly around the world, so the current customs clearance threshold of 300 lari is very low and unprofitable,” the companies say.
ℹ️ Previously, opposition MPs have already asked for such an initiative, but were not supported by the majority.

⚡️ On July 17, a referendum on joining Russia may be held in occupied South Ossetia - the decree was signed by the resigning head of the region Bibilov.
This issue was discussed today at the local Central Election Commission.
The members of the CEC considered a package of documents submitted by the initiative group for the referendum. Signature lists were sent for verification to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
“The documents have been submitted to the court. We are waiting for the decision of the court and very soon our big dream will come true! It's time to unite once and for all. Become stronger in this now official alliance. South Ossetia and Russia will be together. This is the beginning of a new big story,” Bibilov said.
However, the new “president” Gagloev, who recently won th elections, said that he should not be in a hurry and wait for Moscow’s decision: “Russia is conducting a special operation in Ukraine to destroy neo-Nazi formations. We must understand our strategic partner. As soon as there is a signal, as soon as there is an understanding that the time has come, we will definitely hold this referendum.”
❗️South Ossetia (Samachablo) is part of the territory of Georgia occupied by the Russian Federation.

🇬🇪↔️🇹🇷Today, 80 km from Batumi, in Turkey, a large airport "Rize-Artvin" was opened.
I wrote recently that its area is 30 thousand square meters and it will be able to receive up to 3 million passengers a year. Turkish President Erdogan himself comes to the opening.
Tickets for any days to Istanbul and Ankara can be taken there for $40 one way (luggage is included in the price). "Havas Bus" launches transfers directly under flights from Rize-Artvin, the nearest city to Batumi for departure is Hopa. It's about 40 minutes by minibus from the border and $1.5 for the fare. Minibuses go to Hopa from the border, but you can also get to the new airport directly from the border by bus Sarpi - Trabzon.
🧐 An interesting new option, do you agree?

🥖🍞 Wheat in Georgia is actually over, 99% of flour purchases come from Russia.
According to official statistics, in January-March this year, the country purchased 31,782 tons of flour, for which $10.3 million was spent. Due to the lack of wheat, imports increased 10 times: the volume of flour imported into the country over the same period of previous years was about 3,000 tons, the cost was slightly more than 900 thousand dollars.
🇷🇺 Russia is the main flour import market. 31,503 tons of flour (99% of total imports) worth $10.1 million were imported from there.

📊 The attitude towards Joseph Stalin in Georgia is ambiguous - many citizens believe that they can be proud of an outstanding compatriot, others talk about the responsibility of the Soviet dictator for the lives of millions of people.
According to the CRRC Georgia poll, the attitude towards him was distributed as follows:
📍45% believe that we should be proud that Stalin was a Georgian
📍30% - nothing to be proud of
📍15% - neutral