National Bank of Georgia explains why it purchased $10 mln

National Bank of Georgia explains why it purchased $10 mln

The National Bank of Georgia (NBG) announced several weeks ago that they had purchased $1 million on the Foreign Exchange Auction, noting that the weighted average exchange rate was 2.7220 per dollar. This was the ninth foreign currency intervention in 2018. In total, the National Bank purchased $112.5 million in 2018 alone.

The last purchase raised many questions in society and among economic experts as to why the NBG is buying dollars when there is a pre-election period in the country and the national currency GEL is continuing to devaluate against the US Dollar.

NBG President Koba Gvenetadze explained that this step was necessary to fill the reserves of the bank.

“We have done this many times in the past. I have already mentioned that the NBG's currency reserves are not adequate, so when the market allows us, we will always buy foreign currencies to fill the international banking reserves of the National Bank,” Gvenetadze said, adding that such interventions will take place again in future, Georgia Today reported.

The President of the National Bank also commented on the fluctuation of the GEL in the recent period, adding that the exchange rate regime in Georgia is characterized by short-term fluctuations only.

“What is happening in the medium and long term period is much more important for us. The economic growth in the country is good. As you know, predictions are quite promising and the inflation rate is low. This is a more important economic indicator than the exchange rate,” said Gvenetadze.

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