📊 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

🇨🇭💰🚫 Swiss bank Credit Suisse has frozen 2.7 billion Swiss francs ($2.65 billion) belonging to Georgian oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili.
The financial institution has a suspicion that the origin of the money may be Russian. This was reported by the Formula TV company, citing its sources.
Relations between the bank and the Georgian oligarch escalated a few years ago. The oligarch sued the Swiss bank. The process took place in Bermuda and ended with Ivanishvili's victory. On March 29, Credit Suisse published a press release stating that the decision of the Bermuda court is not final and the Swiss company intends to appeal it. The next day, the statement was published by the closed surrounding of the Georgian businessman. It said that Ivanishvili's trust fund managers, appointed by Credit Suisse, delayed the transfer of funds twice, causing financial damage to the oligarch. This time, Ivanishvili intends to sue the Swiss in Singapore and demand even more money as compensation.
ℹ️ Bidzina Ivanishvili is the former prime minister of Georgia and the former head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, currently the most powerful and wealthy person in the country.

👮🏻‍♂️🇬🇪 The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has published crime statistics for the first quarter of 2022.
The total number of crimes in the country decreased by 5% compared to January-March last year.
For the first quarter of 2022:
📍Recorded 13500 crimes (detection rate - 49%)
📍Theft 31% - 4300 facts (42% detection rate)
📍Drug crimes 8% - 1100 (85% detection rate)
📍Family violence 7% - 983 (72% disclosed)
📍Registered 16 murders (6 - with extreme cruelty)
📍31 cases of rape
📍3 cases of human trafficking
📍Detained - 5743 people
📍Brought to criminal responsibility - 1802

🇬🇪🇰🇿 The Ministry of Economy of Georgia named Kazakhstan as one of the priority tourism markets for 2022.
“We are doing everything to increase the flow of tourists from Kazakhstan,” said Mariam Kvrivishvili, adviser to the minister and former head of the tourism administration, “today, 20 regular flights are carried out weekly from three international airports in Georgia to five cities in Kazakhstan. In summer, the number of flights will increase to 31 per week.”
ℹ️ According to the National Tourism Administration of Georgia, in the first four months of 2022, more than 20,000 citizens of Kazakhstan have already visited the country. This indicator has grown even compared to the record values ​​of the pre-pandemic 2019, showing an increase of 22.5%. In April 2022 alone, 6,032 citizens of Kazakhstan visited the country.

🇬🇪🇺🇦 In Tbilisi, on Rustaveli Avenue, two actions in support of Ukraine took place at the same time.
They were called "Save Azovstal" and "Stop Putin", which now means almost the same thing. Citizens of Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and other countries came to the center of the Georgian capital to express their support for the Ukrainian people and say "No to war!".

🇬🇪🚫🇦🇿 Georgia and Azerbaijan were expelled from the Eurovision jury for fraud.
This was announced by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the contest. The reason for the suspension is manipulation and violation of the rules of the competition.
After the final of the competition, Georgia and Azerbaijan announced mistakes with points. As it turned out, they gave Ukraine 12 points each, and on the air they indicated 6 points each, giving the victory to Great Britain. The Georgian Public Broadcaster has already issued a statement about the mistake in announcing the result.
ℹ️ The Ukrainian band won the competition by a wide margin and made a public statement in support of their country.

🇬🇪 The Tbilisi City Court found Nika Gvaramia, head of Georgia's opposition TV channel TV Mtavari Arkhi, ex-Prosecutor General and acting lawyer of ex-president Saakashvili, guilty and sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison.
He was accused of causing major damage to the TV company Rustavi2 through abuse of leadership, commercial bribery, the manufacture and use of a forged official document, and money laundering while he was still its director.
❗️ Gvaramia was arrested in the courtroom.

❗️The imprisonment of the head of the main opposition channel Mtavari Arkhi Niki Gvaramiya.
First comments:
📍Transparency International Georgia : «Based on the study of the case materials and observation of the process, it can be concluded that the case is politically motivated."
Sofia Tchkonia (founder of Mercedes Fachion Week Tbilisi and member of the Coca Cola Board): "Another political prisoner! Freedom can't be taken away from this country anyway! Georgia will still be free!»
Egor Kuroptev (Free Russia Foundation In Georgia): "Niki's arrest cannot be called anything else than "political persecution" against the head of the country's main critical media. The fact that the authorities are taking such a radical step right now is a very dangerous road along which Georgia can quickly go in an irrevocable direction."
ℹ️ Mtavari Arkhi TV channel is among the leaders of the Georgian television market. According to the latest CRRC Georgia study, 51% of the Georgian population watch it regularly.

🇬🇪💵 The National Bank of Georgia publishes statistics on money transfers to the country as of April 2022.
According to them, a record $308 million were transferred during the month. In March, this figure was $191 million.
Remittances by country and relation to April 2021:
🇷🇺Russia - 133 million (299%)
🇮🇹Italy - 33 million (5%)
🇺🇸USA - 25 million (1%)
🇰🇿Kazakhstan — 20 million (705%)
🇬🇷Greece - 19 million (-14%)
🇮🇱Israel - 16 million (5%)
🇩🇪Germany - 12 million (37%)
🇹🇷Turkey — 8 million (-16%)
🇦🇿Azerbaijan - 5 million (-45%)
🇪🇸Spain - 5 million (8%)

⚡️ An emergency meeting of opposition parties and civil movements has begun in Tbilisi.
A joint meeting is being held to discuss a plan of action in connection with today's arrest of one of the opposition leaders, the head of Mtavari Archi TV company Nika Gvaramia. Against the backdrop of the ongoing trials of ex-president Saakashvili and pending indictments, parties and movements are discussing mass protests in Georgia.

❗️ On May 18, a rally of journalists, media representatives and civil society is scheduled in Tbilisi in support of Nika Gvaramia, CEO of Mtavari Archi.
The rally will take place near the building of the Georgian Parliament on Rustaveli Avenue. Journalists urge to fight for freedom of speech and the rule of law in the country.

🇬🇪🏳️‍🌈 Georgia needs to take decisive action to protect the rights of LGBTQ people, according to a joint statement by the UN, the EU Delegation to Georgia, the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) and 28 embassies.
International Day Against Homophobia is celebrated on May 17th. In Georgia, this day is accompanied by clashes between LGBT rights defenders and radical groups. The same day marks the Day of Family Cohesion and Holiness, which was established in 2013. The authors of the statement regret that, as in previous years, security concerns did not allow citizens of Georgia to openly express solidarity with the LGBTQ community and speak out loudly that they are against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. The statement noted that several participants in the events of July 5, 2021, who prevented the march of dignity, committed violence against LGBTQ people and media representatives, were sentenced to prison.
ℹ️ The tragic events of July 5, 2021 began after representatives of the LGBT community announced that they were holding a rally. The action did not take place, and the opponents of the LGBT community took out all their anger on the media - they severely cracked down on everyone they saw with a microphone or camera in their hands.
July 6 was not without incident. On this day, supporters of the LGBT community were still able to gather on Rustaveli Avenue. The police built a cordon so that the participants in the contraction did not reach them. Nevertheless, skirmishes still occurred. Since that day, a large Orthodox cross has stood by the Parliament of Georgia.
👮🏻‍♂️ By this time, the court found 21 people guilty, 20 of whom received prison sentences, and one was fined.

🇬🇪 Procession dedicated to the Day of the Family on Rustaveli Avenue in the center of Tbilisi.
Thousands of people walk with banners, icons from the Kashueti church in the center of the capital to the Sioni Cathedral. Patriarch Ilia II himself greeted the participants on the embankment, although his appearances in public have recently been extremely rare (he is 88 years old).
❗️The 2022 march of thousands is dedicated to "peace in Georgia, Ukraine and around the world" and the expression of "deep sorrow over the military actions taken by Russia in Ukraine."
📹 video by Mariam Nikuradze

🦠 Coronavirus statistics in Georgia from May 9 to 16.
Since last week, the data has been posted by the Ministry of Health in a weekly format.
602 new infections
697 recovered
The number of vaccinations on average per day - 25
Fatalities - 1
❗️Let me remind you that two covid restrictions remain in Georgia:
✔️Compulsory wearing of a mask in transport and medical institutions
✔️requiring foreigners to have a vaccine or a negative PCR test

🇬🇪🚧 Rules for entry into Georgia for foreign citizens.
Who can come and how:
📍With any two-phase vaccine (single-phase - only Johnson is allowed), you only need a certificate about it (the form of the certificate is not established). Officially, there is no time limit in the rules since the last vaccination, but practice shows that it is highly desirable for it to be done no more than a year ago.
📍When entering Georgia without a vaccine, one negative PCR test is enough, made no later than 72 hours before crossing the border.
👶 Children under 10 years of age do not need a PCR test.

📈 Geostat published official employment statistics for 2021: according to the document, due to the pandemic crisis, unemployment increased from 18.5% to 20.6%.
The unemployment rate in urban areas rose from 20.3% to 22.2%, while in rural areas it will increase from 15.8% to 18.2%.
In terms of age indicators, the biggest problems with formal employment are among young people. Number of unemployed:
📍20-24 years old 41%
📍25-29 years old 27%
📍40-44 years old 17%

✊🇬🇪 Center of Tbilisi today: rally in support of the convicted head of the main opposition channel "Mtavari Archi" Gvaramia.
Journalists and opposition supporters marched from the First Republic Square to the Parliament, where flares were lit and a small rally was held. The roadway of Rustaveli Avenue is blocked.
🙈 A remarkable fact. Simultaneously with the rally, a small action of anti-vaxxers is taking place... under the cross, which was erected near the Parliament building by opponents of LGBT movements on July 5, 2021.
❤️ Truly, Georgia is an amazing country!

🇷🇺🛫🇬🇪 Russia will work on resuming direct flights with Georgia.
This was stated by the head of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Grigory Karasin in a conversation with TASS.
“Hopefully, we will work in this direction,” he said on the sidelines of the 13th International Economic Summit Russia-Islamic World: KazanSummit 2022.
ℹ️ Direct flights were closed in July 2019 at the initiative of Russia due to anti-Putin rallies in Georgia. In January, the Russian Foreign Ministry recalled that among the conditions for lifting the ban on air traffic with Georgia are “an end to the Russophobic campaign”, a “more balanced policy” towards Russia and the “disappearance of threats to the security” of Russians.
❗️The Georgian opposition demands a preventive adoption of a resolution to close the skies for Russian aircraft.