Economy Minister emphasises urgent need to lower consumer prices and reduce reliance on imports

On January 26, customs officers of the Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, together with more than 180 member administrations of the World Customs Organization (WCO), celebrated International Customs Day.In 2026, the slogan of International Customs Day is “Customs – Protecting Society”.Customs officers were congratulated on their professional day by the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, the Minister of Finance, Lasha Khutsishvili, as well as the Head of the Revenue Service, Irakli (Dachi) Beraia, and the Head of the Customs Department, Mikheil Chokoshvili.As part of the event dedicated to International Customs Day, guests heard a video greeting from the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization, Ian Saunders.For the worthy performance of official duties and close cooperation, certificates of honor established by the World Customs Organization were awarded to 20 customs officers of the Customs Department.It is noteworthy that within the framework of the event, based on the close partnership between the Customs Administration and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Certificate of Honor established by the WCO was awarded to the Central Criminal Police Department.The Revenue Service congratulates each customs officer and the world customs community on their professional day.

“Each country bears its own responsibility in implementing international sanctions, and Georgia is diligently fulfilling its obligations,” stated Minister of Finance Lasha Khutsishvili in response to questions about Georgia’s role in enforcing international sanctions.He emphasised that every case brought to public attention by the media or various organisations is addressed appropriately.“There is no matter that can be left unexamined. The Ministry of Finance of Georgia, together with the Revenue Service and Customs Authority, has issued hundreds of statements on this matter. The specific case mentioned by some media outlets today has been thoroughly verified, and this transaction bears no connection to Georgia. Suspicious transactions occur across various countries worldwide, but not everything can be attributed to Georgia. We are responsible for all transactions conducted within Georgia or through Georgia. The transactions in question, as discussed, are not linked to Georgia and were not exported from Georgia to any sanctioned country. Therefore, we cannot accept any accusations, as all operations potentially related to sanctions are subject to very strict oversight,” Khutsishvili explained.He added that exported goods are delivered to the destination countries, and subsequent movement falls under the responsibility of those recipient nations.“The vehicles you mentioned are exported to the countries from which they originate. Where do these vehicles go from those countries? Georgia cannot be responsible for the entire logistics chain on a global scale, from one end of the world to the other. Each country has its own responsibilities, and Georgia is diligently fulfilling its part,” concluded Khutsishvili.

“I would like to extend my congratulations to each employee of the Georgian Customs Service on their Professional Day, and express my gratitude for the high level of professionalism and sense of national responsibility with which you serve our country,” said the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, in his speech at the event dedicated to International Customs Day.According to the Head of Government, the government aims to develop Georgia into a versatile regional hub that will bring prosperity to all, citizens and partners alike. This strategy is rooted in large-scale infrastructure projects.“Your work often goes unnoticed by the wider public, yet it forms the very bedrock of our country’s economic security. It is you who facilitate legitimate trade, mobilise budget revenues, and safeguard citizens from smuggled or hazardous goods. Your service has evolved into a modern, transparent, and efficient system, one of the key pillars for economic growth, investor confidence, and fair competition.Georgia’s strategic location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia makes our country a natural gateway. Georgia serves as a reliable hub for seven landlocked neighbouring states, providing them with access to global trade routes.We aim to transform Georgia into a versatile regional centre that will promote prosperity for all, our citizens and international partners alike. The flagship infrastructure projects support this strategy. The East-West highway, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, dry ports, and the Anaklia Deep Sea Port are all vital in enhancing Georgia’s position within the Middle Corridor,” emphasised Irakli Kobakhidze.

“The meeting with local producers was particularly significant and insightful. Several key issues were highlighted, foremost among them the potential to reduce prices for local products and to enhance the integration of Georgian agrifood items into organised distribution networks, a crucial factor,” stated Davit Songhulashvili, Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.“Today’s discussion once again underscores the opportunities available to local producers: on the one hand, to increase domestic production of agrifood products, and on the other, to lower prices. Overall, these developments will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the citizens of our country,” added Songhulashvili.Today, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze met with Georgian producers within the framework of the Cross-Government Coordination Commission on Food Prices. As the Prime Minister noted during the meeting, preliminary information suggests that current market regulations, to some extent, hinder Georgian producers from ensuring the proper sale of their products within local supply chains. Twenty-five representatives from local production sectors attended the commission.

“Despite significant security challenges, through reforms implemented over the past years, Georgia has emerged as a regional leader in several areas: we managed to strengthen the rule of law and establish higher standards of human rights protection. All these are reflected in relevant international rankings,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Khatuna Totladze said in Geneva.Totladze spoke at the discussion of Georgia’s National Report on the State of Human Rights Protection (2021–2025) within the UN Universal Periodic Review.“For instance, by overall score, Georgia ranks 52nd out of 143 countries globally, according to 2025 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index. Let me start by noting the development of the country’s economy and the reforms implemented in this direction. Our average economic growth rate over the past five years has been approximately 9.3 percent-the highest in Europe. This economic success is the result of the economic reforms being implemented in the country. It is also the result of Georgia having the lowest level of corruption in the region.  One of our key objectives is also to reduce the poverty rate alongside economic growth. In 2024, the poverty rate was 9.4%. By 2028, we aim to reduce poverty to under 4%. Moreover, Georgia ranks first in international indices in terms of budget transparency – this is another important factor that contributes to maintaining sound fiscal performance.During the reporting period, the Government of Georgia has continued its fruitful cooperation with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and his office, as well as with the UN treaty bodies and the UN HRC, including through active participation in Council sessions and through supporting and co-sponsorship of human rights and humanitarian resolutions.Georgia also regularly submits national reports to the UN treaty bodies and places special emphasis on implementing recommendations received through the UPR and other UN human rights mechanisms. These recommendations are incorporated into the Government’s human rights action plans to ensure their effective implementation. Furthermore, based on the so-called “open invitation” issued to all UN Special Procedures, during the reporting period, Georgia has continued to host visits of the mandate holders.At the same time, as the continuation of our dedication to the protection and promotion of human rights, Georgia has already served twice as the member of this Council. We continue to be actively engaged in its work even after completing our term,” Deputy Minister stated.Khatuna Totladze spoke about the steps taken by Georgia to protect and promote human rights.“And now, let me use this opportunity and share few remarks on Georgia’s efforts and steps taken towards the protection and promotion of all human rights during the reporting period.While the activities to be implemented in respect of human rights protection are reflected in national-level policy documents, the adoption of National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights for 2022-2030 and its respective Human Rights Action Plan for 2024-2026 are worth emphasizing. The Strategy creates a unified framework for strengthening human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country.Moreover, protection of the most vulnerable groups is a key priority for the Government of Georgia. In this regard, several measures have been undertaken towards elimination of violence against women and domestic violence. Namely, the right to free legal aid to insolvent victims of domestic violence, support services, in particular, shelter and crisis center services for victims and their psychological and social assistance services are in place in Georgia. Another dimension is protection of the rights of the child. Important steps have also been taken to protect children from sexual violence and ensure psychosocial rehabilitation and integration of homeless children, including children living and working on the streets. Also, the process of deinstitutionalization of large children’s institutions has been completed.Another aspect of our priorities is protection of rights and independence of persons with disabilities. With this in mind, the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that entered into force in 2021 is in place in Georgia. It should be stressed that the Law was developed with the active involvement of organizations working on disability issues, activists, and persons with disabilities themselves. Moreover, in 2021, the Parliament of Georgia ratified the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.Furthermore, the Government of Georgia continues targeted activities towards economic and social empowerment of women. The State Concept for the Economic Empowerment of Women was adopted in 2023. It aims to establish a framework for the economic empowerment of women. The document is the first in the region to represent a unified vision of the state, specifically for the economic empowerment of women and the creation of better working conditions. The Government of Georgia also continues to prioritize healthcare and social protection as one of the most important dimension of its efforts towards human rights protection.The budget of the State Program for Social Rehabilitation and Child Care is increasing every year. This increase is a clear message that the government continues its efforts to strengthen social justice and ensure equal opportunities.To enhance the efficiency of the Universal Healthcare Program, in November 2022 a new service reimbursement mechanism—the Diagnosis-Related,” she declared.