According to official data of the government of Georgia for the last four years 40% of all real estate registered foreigners are citizens of the Russian Federation. The Russians are willing to buy apartments in Tbilisi and in the resort areas of the country, as well as land plots for construction of houses. Experts explain the interest of Russian citizens best ratio of price and quality and ease of property registration.Data on the number of real estate transactions carried out by foreigners for the last four years, issued an Executive Agency for migration with reference to the state register service under the Ministry of justice. Since 2016 the Russians acquired in Georgia 15,133 thousand objects of real estate is 40% of all registrations of ownership over the same period, non-residents of the country.In this statistics takes into account the registration of the rights to non-agricultural land (transactions with agricultural land in Georgia is prohibited by the Constitution), as well as apartments and houses. While the Russians were far ahead of buyers from other countries. So, in four years citizens of the Russian Federation acquired in Georgia 2,364 thousand units of non-agricultural land for housing and 7,842 thousand residential properties as the primary market and the secondary.For comparison, over the same period the citizens of Ukraine bought in Georgia 222 plot, 1,117 thousand residential properties, citizens of Armenia — 253 pad 421 and the object, respectively.For this reason, despite the closure of borders in connection with the coronavirus and the full termination of flights in Batumi and other black sea resorts of Adjara autonomy now a lot of Russians — not tourists, but permanent residents of Georgia. The Russians are buying land to build houses not only in Adjara but also in other regions of Georgia, including Abastumani, Borjomi, Kakheti.Economist Paata N told Kommersant that Russian citizens are attracted to the relative cheapness of real estate in ratio price—quality, ease of registration (just a few hours during accelerated option) the lack of bureaucratic procedures and the need to submit information on the origin of income. “In addition to ethnic Georgian citizens of Russia, among the customers there are Russians who want to emigrate from Russia,” said Paata N. According to him, many of those who expects to obtain citizenship, do business and take advantage of the agreement between Georgia and the EU on “Deep and comprehensive free trade area” (2014), allowing duty free export to European markets.Georgy Dvali, Tbilisi
