📊 According to the National Tourism Administration of Georgia, 165626 foreigners visited the country in February.
This is only 35.4% of the indicators of the pre-pandemic 2019 and 297% more than the covid 2021.
Updated Geostat statistics report which countries the guests came from, in parentheses the relation to last year (then the borders were actually closed):
🇹🇷Turkey - 29600 (+85%)
🇷🇺 Russia — 20800 (+613%) is -70% of the indicators of 2019
🇦🇲 Armenia — 17300 (+200%)
🇮🇱 Israel — 8770 (+19852%)
🇺🇦 Ukraine — 8600 (+700%)
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan - 7562 (+91%)
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan — 4100 (+830%)
🇧🇾Belarus -3440 (—744%) is +77% of the indicators of 2019
🇮🇷 Iran - 3200 (+842%)

🇬🇪🇺🇦🇵🇱 During his address to the Polish Sejm, Vladimir Zelensky recalled the words of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, said in Tbilisi during the 2008 war.
"We know perfectly well: today Georgia, tomorrow Ukraine, the Baltic States, and then Poland," the Polish president said at the time.
Zelensky noted that on February 24, this terrible "tomorrow" came for Ukraine and thanked the Polish people for allowing Ukrainians into their territory, saving them from the disasters of war.

🇬🇪🇺🇦 Ukraine, which has been at war for two weeks, is Georgia's sixth largest trading partner.
The trade turnover between the two countries in 2021 amounted to $ 758 million. Of these, Georgia's exports amounted to $ 307 million (5th place), and imports – $ 451 million, which makes Ukraine Georgia's 8th largest import partner.
📍The main export goods of Georgia to Ukraine were cars, in 2021 13,500 cars were exported for a total of $ 88 million. The second largest commodity of Georgia in Ukraine is alcohol, the export of which is $ 43 million.
📍As for imports from Ukraine, tobacco products are the largest commodity group, steel is in second place, and medicines are in third place.

➡️🇬🇪 The Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation has submitted an application to operstab for the removal of covid restrictions on international travel, including overland.
This was announced during the plenary session of the State Duma by State Secretary - Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Dmitry Zverev.
"This is done to ensure maximum mobility where it is allowed by sanitary and epidemiological indicators."
❗️It is expected that in the near future it will be possible to leave Russia for Georgia and Belarus without special grounds, which are currently regulated by 763 decree of the Government of the Russian Federation.

🇬🇪🇷🇺 12.03. Tbilisi: a big action in support of Ukraine and against the war.
Not indifferent people gathered near the interests section of the Russian Federation at the Swiss Embassy (this is the name of the Russian representation due to the fact that there are no diplomatic relations between the countries), who declared their support for Ukraine. The main slogan of the campaign is "No to Putin! No war!". Participants from different countries talked a lot about de-occupation of Georgia. There was a minute of silence, the anthem of Ukraine and a lot of unflattering slogans against the Russian president. Most of those present participate in various projects as volunteers. There are many colors of Ukraine, white-red-white flags of Belarus and the "white-blue-white" flag that has become a symbol of the new Russia.

🇷🇺 The first joint action organized jointly by Femen and PussyRiot.
The action at the Interests section of the Russian Federation at the Swiss Embassy is a continuation of a series of speeches that took place earlier in Paris, Berlin and Miami.

❤️ About human kindness in Georgia.
In recent days, you could see a lot of messages on social networks about the tense attitude in the country towards Russians and Belarusians. This is not surprising, given that the president of one country has unleashed a war against Ukraine, and the second supports it. All Russians and Belarusians around the world have automatically become associated with what is happening. But empathy and simple humanity rarely make headlines in the media, so I decided to fix it.
I receive dozens of messages about how taxi drivers calm down the worried Russians and say that everything will be fine, local residents help and prompt in banks (in Russian), shops and simply, warmly talk on the streets.
Here are a few statements (out of dozens) that Georgian citizens have sent me during this time:
"I was helped in Moscow in the 90s and I am ready to help"
"We will never offend a guest if he has not done anything wrong"
"Don't be afraid to speak Russian, we understand you and will answer"

I wish you all peace!

🚘 In Georgia with a car.
Despite the well-established opinion that traffic on the country's roads is sharp and sometimes dangerous, and pedestrians are rarely allowed to pass at crossings, in recent years it has become neater and calmer.
What do car owners need to know in Georgia or those who want to become them here:
🚙 you can submit for international driver’s licence, which will be valid for 15 years; hurry up, because from 25.04. a "city" test will be added, which is not there now and you only need to submit a theory and a platform now;
🚙 to purchase a car, a foreigner needs to have only a passport
🚙 when choosing a car, it is better to use the services of people who know where to buy a car, I recommend Dmitry @Dmitrii_autopodbor and his channel @dautoge
🚙 license plates in Georgia can be officially purchased: when buying a car or reissuing it, you can choose any available numbers and abbreviations through the terminal. For example, today I got the number "101".
🚙 winter tires are needed only if you go to the mountains in winter and for several abnormally snowy days a year;
🚙 the car owner can operate the car on foreign plates for 90 days, then it is necessary to "reset" the period or pay a fine: 50 lari per day, but not more than 1000 lari
🚙 foreign numbers can be rearranged to Georgian ones, for up to 3 years, while yours are saved and waiting in the warehouse
🚙 insurance in the country is not mandatory, but if you decide to get it, at your discretion, the five insurance companies: - TBC insurance, Aldagi, Benefits Georgia, GPI insurance, Irao.

❄️ In Tbilisi, the "gizhi marti" continues, which means "crazy March" in translation.
I do not advise you to go out on the roads on summer tires. Be careful.

🦠📉 The covid-19 pandemic in Georgia is ending.
Over the past day, only 488 new cases have been identified. 15 people died. Only 124 vaccinations were made.
😷 It is expected that masks in the open space may be canceled in the near future. Although most people don't wear them on the street already.

🇬🇪 Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili addressed to the Parliament.
The meeting was opened by the anthem of Ukraine, the deputies were shown the consequences of the Russian invasion, the audience honored the memory of the victims with a minute of silence.
The most important thing was said during the meeting:
📍she believes that when discussing issues related to Ukraine, the government should show courage, and the opposition should show great caution
📍she was forced to cancel working visits to Paris, Brussels, Berlin and Warsaw - because of the written refusal of the Georgian government. She cancelled the official format and held bilateral meetings.
📍 she was accused of violating the Constitution due to visits to Europe without permission, but the ruling party will not initiate impeachment
📍 asked Ukrainian President Zelensky to return to Tbilisi the ambassador recalled to Kiev for consultations
📍 the issue of pardoning ex-President Saakashvili is closed and will not be discussed
📍 we are waiting for a difficult economic period and social situation
📍 the creation of an apparatus for integration with the EU has been initiated.
The President concluded her speech with the words: "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes! Long live Georgia!»

🇬🇪❤️🇺🇦 Osman Kuledzhishvili, a Georgian living in Odessa, bakes bread every day and distributes it for free to everyone.
📹 video by Mtavari Archi

🌾 Russia may ban the export of wheat, rye, barley and corn from March 15 to June 30 - what does this mean for Georgia?
In January, the country purchased 250 thousand tons of wheat and 133 thousand tons of corn from the Russian Federation. Georgia has become one of the main buyers of Russian grain: 94% of Georgia's wheat exports come from Russia and it is the leader in the export of corn.
❗️The country will need to look for new markets, while the price will significantly increase.

🇬🇪 Survey of the Caucasus Research Resource Center (CRRC) in Georgia.
📊 About the Government:
61%: support for Ukraine should be strengthened
32%: current support of Ukraine is enough
2%: should not support Ukraine
at all
📊 About sanctions:
39% - Georgia should join all sanctions against Russia
27% - should join only some sanctions
19% - should not join any sanctions

📺 Scandals and public statements aired on Georgian channels.
After yesterday's event on Russian TV, when the editor of Channel One went live with a poster "No war. They are lying to you here," they remembered the examples of Georgia.
📹 The loudest scandal in the history of Georgian television began in 2019 with an obscene tirade by the TV presenter of the Rustavi-2 channel, George Gabunia. He suddenly switched to Russian and, using crude phrases, addressed Russian President Putin. Not only Russian officials were outraged, but also Georgian President Zurabishvili, but the public rather supported the act, although they were dissatisfied with its form. Gabunia was suspended from work, but after a while returned to the airwaves on the new channel "Mtavari Archi"
📹 The independent departure of the hosts of the popular Evening Courier program Jojua and Sesiashvili turned out to be loud in the same year 2019. The duo of presenters stated that: "We say goodbye to you, we will meet in another space and on another channel. The struggle to save the country continues," explaining live that they do not intend to work in conditions of political censorship by the ruling Georgian Dream party, Diana and Mikhail simply left the frame.

💳 Foreign citizens can open accounts in Georgian banks.
After a few days when individuals were denied this, the situation with the opening of cards returned to normal (including for Russians and Belarusians). Although there are cases of refusals to issue, but most often they are opened.
Update on banks:
📍TBC - they open accounts, sometimes ask for additional information (real estate lease agreement, account statements)
📍Bank of Georgia - they open accounts, they can request additional information, they practically stopped asking to sign a paper on recognition of occupation and war
📍Liberty Bank - does not open to non-residents
📍Basisbank – does not open to non-residents
📍Credo Bank — one of the most convenient now for receiving accounts for foreigners. I was told that there were even queues in the branches. They make cards quickly, do not look at nationality, very good conditions for opening accounts for citizens of Ukraine.

🇷🇺 The Georgian government has confirmed that it will not join the sanctions imposed against Russia.
This was stated at a press conference by the chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Irakli Kobakhidze: "The steps taken by the Government serve only the interests of our country and the population, including hundreds of thousands of our citizens living in Russia and in the occupied territories. We confirm that by imposing economic sanctions, the Georgian government will not be able to cause any harm to Russia, but will deal a severe blow to its own country and population. At the same time, we remain in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and will provide it with all possible support."

⛽️ There is a big shortage of liquefied gas in Georgia.
According to the head of the Liquefied Gas Association Niki Khoperia, there is a shortage of products due to snowfall and the closure of the border with Russia.
«Unfortunately, we are completely dependent on Russia for the import of liquefied natural gas, and the problem is now on Lars. The road was closed due to heavy snowfall, there is a 9-kilometer queue of cars at the border. This situation is likely to continue until the end of the month."
❗️Khoperia also said that the war in Ukraine has not yet affected the market and contracts are not being broken, but there are fears that Russia will be isolated and then liquefied gas in Georgia will become an acute shortage.

🇬🇪🇺🇦 Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze promised support to the citizens of Ukraine.
According to him, in addition to free public transport, discounts on utilities, Ukrainian families will also use the services of Tbilisi kindergartens for free.

🙈🇷🇺 A Russian expert suggested launching a missile attack on Lugar's laboratory in Tbilisi.
"Georgia should be warned directly: we demand the admission of our inspectors to these facilities, and if they refuse, then we must say that we will simply destroy these laboratories, strike at them. In the conditions when we are conducting an operation in Ukraine, a couple of cruise missiles at Georgia - it will be such a trifle that no one in the world, in fact, will notice it. The West, of course, as always, will yell. Well, why would he yell? Why create biolabs directed against Russia? There is no need to create them!" - said Mikhail Alexandrov, an expert at the MGIMO Center for Military and Political Studies.
ℹ️ Let me remind you that there are similar laboratories in many post-Soviet countries and cause unhealthy excitement among the Russian government.

🇷🇺➡️🇬🇪 Russia has put the issue of building a road and a border crossing connecting Chechnya and Georgia on the agenda of the Security Council.
At a meeting held in Grozny, Patrushev and Kadyrov discussed the possibility of building a road as "of strategic importance and access to foreign markets."
❗️I am sure that this will cause a mixed reaction in Georgia. If the expansion of the road through Lars was discussed as a possible facilitation of the movement of Russian equipment in the event of an attack, then at the present time the road from Chechnya can be assessed as more strategically dangerous than useful.