Page 54 - GEORptMay21

“We look forward to seeing the first block train shipment under Maersk’s intercontinental rail (ICR) product help Georgia and this corridor in becoming a connecting bridge between Europe and Asia,” added Danelia.
9.1.3 Aviation sector news
Georgia prepares to resume international flights but maintains many restrictions
International flights will resume in Georgia starting February 1, Georgian economy minister Natia Turnava has announced, stating that all airlines that have already operated on, or plan to enter the country's aviation market in the future, will be able to operate regular flights.
Separately, Deputy Prime Minister Maia Tskitishvili announced on January 22 that certain COVID-19 restrictions would be extended in some of the largest cities through March 1, while rules would be eased as planned in some others. The nationwide coronavirus curfew – which runs from 21:00 to 05:00 – will be prolonged to March 1. Public transport will remain closed in the capital Tbilisi, as well as in the large cities of Rustavi and Kutaisi until that date as well.
From February 1, a wide array of shops and shopping malls will reopen in the cities, while both open and closed marketplaces will return to operation starting February 15.
Also starting from February 1, outdoor areas of restaurants and other food facilities will reopen exclusively in the coastal Adjara region, albeit they will only be allowed to receive customers on weekdays.
Turnava explained that an increasing number of people were getting vaccinated against coronavirus around the world, including in countries important to Georgia’s tourism industry such as Israel, Persian Gulf nations and European Union members states.
“Next week we will finalise how to ease the entry rules for visitors from different countries," Turnava said.
She added that she expected that in the near future, during the spring season, Georgia would be able to safely host a larger number of tourists.
Turnava said that a meeting with tour operators and travel companies would take place next week for joint discussions on how to resume the international flights.
9.1.4 Automobile sector news
Promised production of electric cars with Chinese partner in Georgia delayed another year
The planned production of the first electric cars in Georgia has been postponed to 2022, Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava has said. A plant for the manufacture of electric vehicles, to be located in Kutaisi, western Georgia, is to be run by the Georgian aigroup in partnership with Chinese state-owned automobile maker Chang’an Automobile. Land was awarded for the factory and it was supposed to start operations as soon as 2020, with plans to sell the electric cars coming off its production lines domestically and in European Union member states.
However, in a perhaps worrying sign, the website of Aigroup has been suspended.
“Industrial holding aigroup brings together aicar, aienergy, aipower and aiproduction. aigroup focuses on environmentally friendly projects and gives them the priority,” the company’s Linkedin account reads.
There is scarce information on Big Service Ltd, the project company set up by aigroup Chang’an Automobile.
Under a contract signed with authorities, when the land was passed over for the factory in return for a symbolic fee of one Georgian lari in July 2019, the investors promised to start production by April 27, 2021 at the latest. The fine
54 GEORGIA Country Report May 2021 www.intellinews.com