🇺🇦❤️🇬🇪 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky publicly appealed to the Georgian authorities and the Georgian people with a request to show mercy and transfer Mikheil Saakashvili for treatment to Ukraine, one of the European countries or the United States.

According to the President of Ukraine, the Georgian authorities must make a decision that will allow ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, who is in custody, to be sent abroad for treatment:
“I want to appeal to our friends and intelligent people in Georgia. Everyone saw the state of Mikheil Saakashvili, the state of his health. I appeal to the Georgian nation and government: show mercy, especially in this difficult time.What is happening with Saakashvili is evil. This does not help Georgia. This must stop. Please make a decision that can save his life. Please release Saakashvili to Ukraine, to any country in Europe or to America. Right now is the time to do something good. Glory Ukraine!"

👮🏻‍♂️🚓 From 27.12. Georgia tightens penalties for drivers.

✔️ exceeding the speed limit by 40 km/h or more - a fine of 300 GEL, repeated violation - 400 GEL
✔️ glass tinting 1-10% more than the allowable norm - 100 GEL, more than 10% - 500 GEL, if repeated - 1000 GEL
✔️ drifting is prohibited: driving in a circle using a controlled skid is punishable by a fine of 300 GEL
✔️ for drunk driving, a fine of 3000 GEL + administrative arrest for 10-15 days, who refuse to be tested
✔️ a fine of +2000 GEL along with the deprivation of rights will wait for a drunk driver if his driving caused damage to a person, cargo, road, road infrastructure, building or property

📊 The National Statistical Service of Georgia (Sakstat) summed up the results of 11 months of the country's trade turnover.

Turkey remains the largest partner ($2.5 billion), followed by Russia ($2.2 billion) and China ($1.6 billion). Over the current year, imports from the Russian Federation increased by 73.1% year on year and amounted to 13.4% of total imports.
The group of imported goods was leaded by cars, imports of which amounted to $1.3 billion (11.6% of total imports), oil and oil products in the amount of $1.2 billion (10.3% of imports), copper ores and concentrates in the amount of $725 million (6.1% of imports).
📈 In January-November 2022, the foreign trade turnover with goods in Georgia amounted to $17 billion, which is 32.2% more than in the corresponding period of the previous year.
ℹ️ In exports, the picture is slightly different, but the leaders are the same - Russia and China.
According to the Sakstat, in January-November 2022, the three largest export partner countries of Georgia looked like this: China ($661 million), Russia ($598 million) and Azerbaijan ($595 million).

📊 Telecommunications company Imedi (associated with the government) published the results of polls held by GORBI.

The results of questioning 2024 respondents by face-to-face interviews showed:
✔️ if the elections were held today, 52% of voters would vote for Georgian Dream, 23% for the opposition National Movement, and less than 3% for other parties
✔️ the highest authority is with the army - 89%, police - 69% and local governments - 60%
✔️ trust in the government - 55%, parliament - 53%, election commission and prosecutor's office - 52%, court - 50%
✔️ support the decision of the Government not to join the economic sanctions against Russia - 65%, do not support - 25%, no answer - 10%
✔️ support the policy of the ruling party not to drag the country into the war between Russia and Ukraine - 81%, - do not support 16%, no answer - 3%

💧🚫 From 19:00 21.12 to 09:00 22.12. water supply will be cut off in many districts of Tbilisi.

The water distribution company GWP informs that due to repair work, the shutdown will affect such large areas of the city as: Mtatsminda, Krtsanisi, Saburtalo, Vake, Chugureti and Didube. Until the water supply is fully restored, the company promises to bring water in tanks.
❗️The full list of streets that will be affected by the shutdown is here.
ℹ️ Detailed information can be found on the hotline 2931111, on the Facebook page https://web.facebook.com/georgianwaterandpower/ or website https://www.gwp.ge

👮🏻‍♂️ The operation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia: dozens of drug dealers were detained.

Searches and arrests took place simultaneously in eight cities of the country: Tbilisi, Batumi, Zugdidi, Kutaisi, Ozurgeti, Gori, Marneuli and Rustavi. In the Georgian capital, traditionally, most of the police were in the Ponichala district. As a result of the operation, 64 people were detained. Of these, 46 were charged with drug offenses. Among them are 20 citizens of foreign countries: Turkey, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Egypt, Latvia, Nigeria and Armenia.
❗️Large amounts of drugs ready for sale were seized: heroin, cocaine, alfa-pvp, ecstasy and other narcotic substances. The defendants face up to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment.
ℹ️ Let me remind you that the use of cannabis is allowed in Georgia. That is, a person in Georgia will not be imprisoned or fined for smoking marijuana, but there are many important clarifications.

👮🏻‍♂️ The National Competition Agency launched an investigation into a possible violation of the Consumer Protection Act by USA2GEORGIA.

According to the agency, the problem is related to a change in the method of calculating the cost of shipping from the United States when consumers buy goods remotely. According to information provided by the antimonopoly authority, the complainants note that the company, without notifying customers, changed the method of calculating the weight and used the the volumetric weight instead of actual weight, which dramatically increased the cost.
❗️From November 1 to today, about 70 applications have been submitted to the agency, 23 of them have already been investigated.
“If a violation is confirmed, the agency sets a deadline for the company and requires the restoration of the violated right and / or termination of the prohibited action. In case of non-execution of the decision of the agency within the prescribed period or untimely execution, a fine of up to 2% of the financial turnover for the previous year is imposed on the company,” the agency said in a statement.

🎁 Forwarding companies are specialized organizations that carry out direct delivery of goods to Georgia.

After yesterday's post about USA2GEORGIA and lawsuits against them, one of the subscribers wrote to me and said that he had a useful spreadsheet with companies delivering goods to Georgia. You can see it here.
❗️If you have something to add, write in the comments.

🇬🇪🎄Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili signed a resolution on additional New Year holidays for state bodies and civil servants.

For the New Year holidays, they will have an additional vacation from January 3 to January 6, so the holidays for them will last from 01.01. through 01/08/2023 included. Until January 9, according to preliminary information, the Houses of Justice, archives, points for issuing documents, as well as other state bodies will not work. Private companies (including banks) have the right to set their own working hours for the New Year holidays and will announce them additionally.