Authorities Say Current Political Crisis is a Blow for Economy

Authorities blame the recent political crisis and the protest rallies in Georgia for falling exchange rate of the Georgian Lari.

The exchange rate of the Lari has fallen from 2.10 to the USD on October 31 to 2.17 to USD on November 13. 

State Minister and one of the leaders of the pro-presidential For New Georgia bloc Avtandil Jorbenadze said imports have fallen since the beginning of November, resulting in a fall in state budget revenues.

However as the head of the Parliament?s Budgetary Office Roman Gotsiridze said the budget suffered with shortage long before the elections and the budgetary deficit increases further as the authorities fail to collect taxes.