Georgian Economy Minister says Gov’t has made development of technological, innovation ecosystem “key economic priority”
Mariam Kvrivishvili, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, on Friday said the Government had made the development of the country’s technological and innovation ecosystem “one of the main priorities” of its national economic policy.
Speaking at the presentation of the investment project of Tether, described as the world’s largest blockchain technology-based platform, Kvrivishvili noted that the state had created a competitive environment for innovation through flexible tax policies, support for the IT sector and a favourable business environment.
According to the Minister, the Government’s policies had already resulted in hundreds of funded startups, Georgian companies participating in international acceleration programmes, a growing technology community and a new generation that sees its future in innovation and technology.
The presentation was opened jointly with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.
“The modernisation of the financial sector, support for fintech innovations and a technology-oriented vision create a solid foundation for Georgia to gradually establish itself as a regional technological and financial hub”, Kvrivishvili said.
“In this regard, the activities of companies such as Tether in Georgia are of particular importance. The company is actively investing capital into Georgia’s technological and innovation ecosystem, particularly local startups and educational platforms. Tether uses Tbilisi as its main regional operational base and directs investment resources toward financing startups”, she continued.
The Minister added that the company’s interest in Georgia sent “a very strong message” to the international technology sector.
“This means Georgia is already perceived as a country with a stable economic environment, a growing technological ecosystem, innovation-oriented state policy and the ambition to become a technological hub”, Kvrivishvili said.
She further stressed that the presence of such global companies in Georgia meant sharing expertise, creating new opportunities, connecting local talent to international networks and integrating Georgia into the global innovation economy.
Among the speakers at the event were Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, Natia Turnava, the governor of the National Bank of Georgia, Georgian MP Vako Turnava, and Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether. The company’s founder, Giancarlo Devasini, also visited Georgia as part of the investment project presentation.
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Georgia’s GDP growth to slightly slow but stay steady at 5-5.5% l EC report
25.05.2026.18:30
The European Commission has published its revised spring 2026 economic forecast, which includes an assessment of Georgia’s economic outlook.
The report indicates that Georgia’s GDP growth rate is expected to decelerate slightly compared to previous years. However, it is projected to remain stable within the range of 5 to 5.5%. Additionally, the Commission forecasts that inflation in Georgia will continue to run high throughout 2026.
“Following another year of economic expansion in 2025, Georgia’s GDP growth is projected to decelerate but to remain robust at 5-5.5% in 2026 and 2027. The impact of the conflict in the Middle East on growth is likely to be relatively limited and is channelled mainly through higher energy prices.
Services, such as ICT, education and tourism, are expected to be the main drivers of growth. Inflation picked up last year due to rising food prices and demand pressures, and is set to stay elevated in 2026 due to high energy prices. The current account deficit is projected to widen, driven by the increasing bill on imported oil and gas,” reads the report.
Additionally, the European Commission reports that Georgia achieved a strong economic growth of 7.5% in 2025, although this fell short of the record 9.7% growth recorded in 2024.
“Economic growth remained very strong in 2025 at 7.5%, despite decelerating from 9.7% recorded in 2024. On the supply side, growth was driven by services, in particular ICT and education, and by manufacturing, while the contribution of agriculture and mining was negative. On the demand side, private and government consumption remained the main contributors to growth, supported by rising wages, spending of Russian migrants and an increase in remittances. In contrast to previous years, investment decreased in real terms in 2025, due to delays in public investment projects and low foreign direct investment inflow. The contribution of net exports was slightly positive,” reads the report.
The report also addresses the inflation forecast. According to the European Commission, inflation in Georgia is expected to remain relatively high in 2026, driven by rising fuel and energy prices. However, it is projected to decline gradually in 2027, approaching the 3% target.
Regarding public debt, it stood at 36.1% of GDP in 2025 and is expected to decrease gradually to around 35% by 2027. The report highlights that in January 2026, Georgia successfully refinanced USD 500 million in Eurobonds at a low interest rate of 5.1%.
Furthermore, the European Commission notes that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has negatively impacted the EU economy. The challenging geopolitical climate and ongoing uncertainties surrounding U.S. tariffs continue to put pressure on economic growth. The report also discusses economic indicators in Eastern Europe. According to the forecast, Georgia’s growth will remain within the 5-5.5% range, while Ukraine is expected to grow by 1.5%, and Moldova by 2%.