“In January, the population of Georgia became even poorer because, instead of the promised reduction, food prices increased! Every citizen of Georgia should understand that, in addition to the already expensive state services that we pay for routinely, Ivanishvili’s government has added another ‘tax’ - inflation, an invisible levy that has been impoverishing us for years,” stated Nika Cherkezishvili, member of Lelo-Strong Georgia and a municipal council deputy.

According to him, official data show that in January 2026, inflation in Georgia reached 4.8%, with the main burden still falling on daily, essential expenses.

“After 14 years of corrupt activity and the deliberate impoverishment of the people, Ivanishvili’s puppet government continues to deceive citizens. Instead of actually working to lower prices, it focuses on creating symbolic commissions and empty propaganda.

This is directly confirmed by the statistics service’s data on inflation. In January, the population became poorer because food prices increased instead of decreasing as promised!

Official data show that in January 2026, inflation in Georgia was 4.8%. The main burden is again on everyday, essential expenses. Of the 4.8% annual inflation, 3.5% is due to food. Food prices increased on average by 10.6% over the year. The most significant price increases were in fish, fruit, bread, sugar, meat, oil, milk, and eggs - essential products for the population.

Fish - 20.5%

Fruit - 16.9%

Bread and bakery products - 14.3%

Sugar - 10.2%

Meat and meat products - 9.7%

Coffee, tea, and cocoa - 9.4%

Vegetables - 8.8%

Oil and fats - 8.7%

Milk, cheese, and eggs - 8.6%

The ruling party, Georgian Dream, calls this “statistical inflation,” but in plain language, it is the increase in the cost of living, which hits low- and middle-income households the hardest. Simply put, we are not thinking about what else we can buy - we are thinking about what we must cut, what we can no longer afford. Yesterday, a pensioner could buy bread, milk, and some fruit; today, the same amount of money only covers bread and milk.

Healthcare costs have also increased - 8.3% annually. Doctor visits, tests, and medications have become a luxury, in a country where a large part of the population lives with chronic illnesses. Cherkezishvili asked:

“Has your income increased at the same rate that the cost of living has risen?

We all know the answer - tens of thousands of lari have gone to Ivanishvili, Kobakhidze, Qavelashvili, Papuashvili, and Mdinaradze, while pensioners over 70 and others under 70 received only about 20 lari.”

“All citizens of Georgia should understand that, in addition to already expensive state services we pay routinely, Ivanishvili’s government has added another tax - inflation, an invisible levy that has been impoverishing us for years", he concluded.