Guram Bagdoshvili, founder of the restaurant Chveni, says he has appealed to the government to reconsider tax policy for the restaurant sector, particularly the value-added tax (VAT). He raised the issue during a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Economy and the Head of the Tourism Administration, Bagdoshvili told BM.GE.
According to him, the current tax model places an unfair burden on restaurants that use locally produced agricultural products. While agricultural production itself is not taxed, restaurants are required to pay VAT when purchasing these products, which, in his view, undermines support for domestic producers.
“My request was to start reviewing state taxes on the restaurant business. We cannot fully support agricultural products because, although agriculture is not taxed, when we purchase products we still pay VAT. I believe this approach is wrong,” Bagdoshvili said.
He noted that the issue should be reviewed jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Economy, and the Tourism Administration, with the aim of reducing VAT for domestically produced goods used in restaurants.
“VAT should be increased on imported wine and imported beverages, while it should be balanced for domestic drinks. As for local products, especially perishable goods, their tax burden should definitely be reduced or even abolished for a certain period, so that we can see tangible results,” Bagdoshvili emphasized.
Representatives of the Ministry of Economy recently met with business operators in the tourism sector at the Georgian Business Association. The meeting was held behind closed doors, and information about it became public only through official statements. According to the government, the Tourism Administration presented a summary of the results of 2025 during the meeting.
