Author: Tatyana Gracheva
„Maximum number of foreign citizens living in Georgia is 257 thousand, including illegal migrants“- PM
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze states that based on the data from the general population census, the maximum number of foreign citizens living in Georgia is 257 thousand. According to his information, this figure includes illegal migrants among them. As Kobakhidze stated at the plenary session of Parliament, “Sakstat” will publish refined statistics on June 25. […]
Read morePrime Minister reports foreign capital inflows exceeding $58 Billion
As Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said at briefing with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the latest economic figures at an expanded government meeting in Astana on Feb. 10, foreign capital inflows to Kazakhstan surpassed $58 billion in 2025.
Bektenov said that foreign direct investment increased by $1.5 billion, or 10.9%, over nine months and reached $14.9 billion. The rise of fixed capital investment was 13% (22.7 trillion tenge (US$46.1 billion).
Minister added that public investment increased by 800 billion tenge [US$1.6 billion], while the growth of private investment was 2.4 trillion tenge [US$4.9 billion].
This was the result of 212 projects with a combined value of $115 billion in 2025.
The prosecutor general executed the functions of the investment ombudsperson. They strengthened legal protection for investors through enhanced prosecutorial oversight.
Economically speaking, GDP grew steadily by 6.5%. The expansion of transport was 17.8%, of construction – 14.6%, of mining – 17.4%, of manufacturing -12.2%, of trade -26% and of agriculture – 5.9%.
According to Bektenov, current manufacturing growth rates are insufficient to achieve full economic diversification. So, the government is implementing projects involving higher value-added production in metallurgy, mechanical engineering and the agro-industrial sector to accelerate momentum.
The Minister acknowledged a number of issues that required prompt action despite economic growth, such as modernizing the country’s infrastructure and implementing large government-led industrial projects. At the same time, it is also necessary to support small and medium-sized businesses.
For example, concessional loans for small and medium-sized enterprises within 10 days to purchase modern machinery without additional collaterals is one of the key initiatives. Baiterek Holding will operate this special scheme. The increase of the number of active SMEs in Kazakhstan as of the end of 2025 was 5% (more than 2.2 million). The sector employed 4.5 million people, or nearly 46% of total employment and nearly half of the economically active population (3.9% growth).
Total output of SMEs was about 73 trillion tenge (US$148.3 billion) (40.5% of GDP).
Also, the transport sector grew steadily. As Bektenov said, the modernization of 11,000 kilometers of roads and expand airport throughput capacity to handle up to 40 passengers was in the government’s plans.
He said that this year the construction of two railway lines totaling 475 kilometers will be completed and 2,900 kilometers of track will be modernized. Transit freight volumes will increase by 60%, and the average speed of transit container trains will reach 50 kilometers per hour. This will reduce cargo delivery time from the Chinese border to the Caspian Sea from 84 hours to 55 hours by the end of this year.
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Read moreA new business insurance program the protects against war risks has started in Ukraine.
In Ukraine, the first five companies have applied for property insurance against war risks under a new government scheme, said Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. She stated that among the initial applicants is Suziria Group, a group of companies from Kharkiv, close to the frontline. “Despite the war, they have maintained jobs in a front-line city: […]
Read moreTashkent set to host key Uzbekistan-Serbia Business Forum
The Uzbekistan-Serbia Business Forum will be held in Tashkent on February 20, Trend reports via the Investment Promotion Agency of Uzbekistan. The event is expected to serve as a platform for strengthening bilateral business ties, establishing new partnerships, and expanding cooperation between companies from both countries. The forum will highlight the economic potential of Uzbekistan […]
Read moreForeign Capital Inflows Exceed $58 Billion, Says Prime Minister
Foreign capital inflows to Kazakhstan surpassed $58 billion in 2025, said Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov while briefing President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the latest economic figures at an expanded government meeting in Astana on Feb. 10. “Foreign direct investment increased by $1.5 billion, or 10.9%, over nine months to reach $14.9 billion. Including portfolio investment and […]
Read moreWhat Georgia’s New Migration Enforcement Strategy Means
Georgia has long marketed itself as an open, easy-to-enter hub-especially for regional visitors, remote workers, and small traders. But in late 2025 and early 2026, that reputation began to collide with a more forceful state approach to immigration control. A series of street- and workplace-level raids, a faster deportation pipeline, and higher penalties for overstaying […]
Read moreResults of the most profitable SMEs’ ranking
There are three legal criteria classifying entities and entrepreneurs according to Serbia’s Accounting Act: the average number of employees, operating revenue, and the total value of assets.
So, enterprises with more than 250 employees, revenue exceeding 40 million euros, and assets worth more than 20 million euros are large. An enterprise with fewer than 10 employees is micro. An enterprise between 10 and 50 employees and a revenue between 0.7 and 8 million euros and assets worth between 0.4 and 4 million euros is small. An enterprise between 50 and 250 employees and a revenue from 8 to 40 million euros and assets from 4 to 20 million euros is medium-sized.
As of 2024, 85 % of 113,000 enterprises in Serbia were micro enterprises, and their turnover was only 2.8 trillion dinars. Large enterprises produced more than 40 % of total turnover (7.8 trillion dinars).
Wholesale and retail enterprises and those engaged in trade and the repair of motor vehicles made 28 % of the total number of companies. Then followed manufacturing (14 %). Information and communication were the most dynamic sectors of the domestic economy (more than 8,500 enterprises in 2024 and 7.5 % of the total number of active enterprises).
Last year large enterprises employed almost 600,000 workers, or 44 per cent of the total number (1.34 million).
However, net result of 2024 was positive for the domestic economy (866.3 billion dinars, around 10 % lower than the previous year). Large enterprises contributed to the overall economic result, by generating a profit of 439.3 billion dinars, or about half of the total final result. Net profits of small and medium-sized enterprises were 209.2 billion and 206.9 billion dinars, respectively. The contribution of micro enterprises to the overall final result was 10.8 billion dinars.
Also, net profit of 108.8 billion dinars was generated by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises on the Top 150 list, ranked by profit.
According to domestic regulations, a company may operate without employees, but it must have a legal representative (director), who usually has an employment contract and sometimes a separate management contract.
In 2024 almost one-fifth of small and medium-sized enterprises in Serbia among the top 150 by net profit achieved function without any employees. They have mostly directly or indirectly connections with the real estate market. These companies may be newly established or in the initial phase of development, or holding companies and passive companies established to hold assets or investments. They can rent out own or lease property, development of construction projects, property management, construction of residential and non-residential buildings, and so on.
On the contrary, in wholesale and retail trade, professional, scientific, innovation and technical activities, as well as manufacturing and construction companies without employees are rare.
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Read moreThe Ukrainian government aims to bring at least two million people into the labor market by 2030 as a reform measure.
Deputy Minister of Economy Daria Marchak mentioned that the first phase of the reform will focus on removing at least 300,000 workers from the unregistered (‘gray’) sector and attracting an additional 300,000 workers to the labor force. This initiative is expected to generate an economic benefit of roughly ₴43B ($1B) annually. Overall, the goal is […]
Read moreWhat does the ranking of the most profitable SMEs show?
Almost one-fifth of small and medium-sized enterprises in Serbia that are among the top 150 by net profit achieved in 2024 operated without any employees. These businesses are mostly directly or indirectly linked to the real estate market. This points to the continued inflow of capital into this sector, which has been growing significantly faster […]
Read moreKazakhstan Faces Labor Surplus Amid Shifting Job Demands
Healthcare, education, and transport drive hiring as regional imbalances and shifting salary expectations shape Kazakhstan’s complex labor market in 2025. Report 1.328 million job vacancies and 1.454 million job seeker profiles were recorded nationwide in Kazakhstan during 2025, creating a surplus of approximately 125,800 applicants. Highlight education, healthcare, and service sectors as the top three […]
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