💵📉 The dollar exchange rate in Georgia fell below 2.5 GEL/$1 for the first time in five years.

The National Bank of Georgia set the exchange rate for April 28 at 2.4991 GEL/$1.
The last time the dollar was below this level was in August 2018. Only in 2023 the national currency exchange rate strengthened by 7.4%. I remember that in May 2021 the rate was 3.41 gel for $1.
❓ Very often I get questions about what can happen next with the lari? Most local and European experts say that the Georgian currency will not have strong fluctuations. If there are no strong external influences, then this year the exchange rate will remain at the level of 2.3-2.6 lari per $1.
💶 The cost of the euro is 2.7605 gel.

🚘❌ The Georgian government plans to restrict the import of cars manufactured before 2013 into the country.

This was one of the issues discussed at the meeting of the Economic Council. According to the government administration, we are talking about the mandatory introduction of the Euro-5 standard for cars, according to which, from 2024, the import of cars below the Euro-5 standard will be limited. The regulation will apply to cars manufactured before 2013.
ℹ️ Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Nino Tandilashvili clarified that “the imposition of restrictions will not apply to cars that enter the country for the purpose of re-export. The ban applies only to the import of cars that will be used in Georgia.” According to her, the regulation will come into force in 2024.

👶🖌📕 Georgian seventh grader nominated for the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Literary Prize.

Nikoloz Loladze from Tbilisi was nominated for the ALMA (Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award), which is awarded for the best work in the field of children's literature.
It is noteworthy that the young man himself draws illustrations for his works. He also writes noscripts and plays in the TV series. It is the first time a child has been nominated for the main award for a children's book. Loladze was nominated for the story "Abkula and Fire Necklaces". According to the author, the main thing in this adventure story about overcoming fear is his own thoughts addressed to adults who avoid talking to children in difficult times.
Together with Nikoloz Loladze from Georgia, the writer Givi Chigvinadze was nominated for the award. Also among the nominees are 180 authors from 70 countries.

🇦🇿🚧🇬🇪 The land border between Azerbaijan and Georgia is not opening and will remain closed at least until July 1.

The special quarantine regime introduced in connection with the coronavirus pandemic has been extended by the Azerbaijani side. There are no trains and buses between the countries; you can get from Baku to Tbilisi only by plane.

☢️ A man was detained in Poti who tried to smuggle radioactive uranium across the border.

The value of the seized contraband is $2 million.
👮🏻‍♂️ A criminal case has been opened. The offender faces 5 to 10 years in prison.

🇬🇪🤾🏻 The Georgian national handball team will perform at the European Championship for the first time in history.

The team won a sensational victory in the final match of the qualifying tournament, beating the team of Hungary. The result of the meeting was decided at the last minute: after an accurate seven-meter throw by Georgy Glevanadze, the score was 31:30, in favor of the Georgian team. Giorgi Tskhovrebadze became the hero of the match, scoring 8 goals in the game.
ℹ️ The European Handball Championship will be held in Germany in January 2024.

🇲🇩🛫❌ The Air Moldova airline, which operated flights on the Chisinau-Tbilisi and Chisinau-Batumi routes, announced that it was suspending all flights from May 2 due to financial difficulties.
The organization is undergoing restructuring aimed at avoiding bankruptcy. Until the decision of the court ticket sales stopped.

🇬🇪❌🏳️‍🌈 Georgia is initiating a law to ban LGBT propaganda.

The initiative was taken by several deputies of the country's Parliament, in particular, those elected from the pro-Russian Alliance of Patriots party. Experts note that, unlike the law on “foreign agents”, the adoption of which was canceled after thousands of protests, the law on the ban on LGBT propaganda will be received positively by most of the Georgian society. It will definitely be supported by the church and the patriarch, whose opinion is listened to by 91% of the population. And in the event of protests, the pro-government media can easily show the marginality of the opposition.
ℹ️ The ruling Georgian Dream party has already made it clear that they will not oppose this bill: “We should seriously think about it,” Mamuka Mdinaradze said and recalled that they have always opposed holding a pride week in the country.
❗️It also became known earlier that the Prime Minister of Georgia intends to make a speech on May 4 at the "anti-LGBT conference" in Hungary - a conference of conservative political actions.

🇬🇪❤️ In Georgia, Giorgoba is celebrated - one of two holidays dedicated to the patron saint of the country.

It is celebrated twice: on May 6 - in memory of the beheading of the saint and on November 23 - in memory of his wheeling. Today is a working day, but in November it is declared a day off.
ℹ️ Giorgi is the most popular name in Georgia (about 200 thousand people), and the most common female name is Nino (135 thousand).

🇬🇪🇷🇺 Kakha Kaladze, secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, answered journalists' questions about sanctions against Russia.

The former footballer and energy minister, and now the current mayor of Tbilisi, noted that sanctions against the Russian Federation would be harmful to the country.
“Is it possible that if Georgian wine and Georgian agricultural products do not reach the Russian market, then we will destroy the Russian economy? This is complete absurdity!”
ℹ️ After the start of a full-scale war in Ukraine, trade between the Russian Federation and Georgia increased by 40%. Among the goods that enter the country from Russia: fuel (58%), wheat (95%), flour (90%), liquefied gas (85%).