OREANDA-NEWS. The foreign trade turnover between Georgia and Russia in the first half of this year amounted to about $ 678 million, which is 3.5% more compared to similar data for 2018. This is evidenced by the data of the National Statistics Service of Georgia published on Friday. According to Sakstat, Georgia’s foreign trade turnover with Russia amounts to 14.1% of the total trade of the republic. From January to June, Georgia’s exports to Russia amounted to about $ 262 million, and imports - more than $ 416 million.

In the first half of the year, Georgia supplied ferroalloys (more than $ 77 million), natural wines (about $ 59 million), mineral and fresh waters (more than $ 30 million), centrifuges, air filters (more than $ 19 million) and other products to Russia. From January to June Russia supplied Georgia with oil and oil products (about $ 90 million), wheat (more than $ 31 million), coal coke (more than $ 16 million), coal (more than $ 15 million) and other goods.

In the first place among the main trading partners of Georgia is Turkey. In the first half of the year, the trade turnover between Turkey and Georgia amounted to more than $ 842 million, which is 1.9% less compared to last year's figures. The third place was taken by Azerbaijan, the trade turnover with which exceeded $ 508 million, which, however, was 7.6% less compared to similar data for 2018.

The constructive development of bilateral relations was hindered by the anti-Russian manifestations in the politics of Tbilisi, which are closely interconnected with the course towards the forceful resolution of conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. During the reign of Mikhail Saakashvili (President of Georgia in 2004-2013), Russian-Georgian relations reached the lowest level in the entire history of Georgia.