**US Imposes Tariffs on Georgia**
On April 2, US President Donald Trump announced that the US will impose tariffs on Georgian goods. This move is expected to increase prices for key Georgian exports like ferroalloys and manganese.
The White House stated that a 10% tariff would be applied to Georgia. In response, Georgia also imposed a 10% tariff on US goods.
**Changes in Visa Policy**
The Georgian government has made changes to its visa policy for Ukrainian citizens. The previous policy allowed Ukrainians to stay in Georgia without a visa for three years. However, this rule has been changed and now allows for a one-year visa-free stay.
This change reverses an earlier decision that was made last April, when the government extended the visa-free stay from two to three years as a show of support for Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion.
**New Ambassador Appointments**
On April 3, Georgia announced new ambassadorial appointments. Three new ambassadors will represent Georgia in Spain, Slovenia, and the Holy See.
Aleksandre Chkuaseli has been appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Spain, while Konstantine Surguladze will become Georgia’s Ambassador to Slovenia. Davit Mekvabishvili will head the Georgian diplomatic mission to the Holy See.
**New Head of Investigative Service**
Irakli Beraia has been appointed as the new head of the Investigative Service of the Ministry of Finance. He previously served as Deputy Minister of Justice, a position he held since February 2025.
**Concerns Over Repressive Laws**
Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed deep concerns over Georgia’s recent adoption of repressive laws, including the so-called Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). These laws could lead to the banning of opposition parties and undermine freedom of expression.
**Estonia Calls for Changes in Visa Policy**
The Estonian Foreign Minister said that Estonia is calling on the EU to revisit the visa-free regime with Georgia. This move could potentially change the current policy, but would require 15 member states to agree.
**Inflation Rate in March**
Georgia’s annual inflation rate in March was reported to be 3.5%. Consumer prices rose by 1.1% monthly. The main factors contributing to this increase were price changes in health, food and non-alcoholic beverages, restaurants and hotels, and miscellaneous goods and services.