Georgian Government fosters dialogue with business society

The Georgian Government is continuing its dialogue with local business leaders, introducing them to current and future reforms, and offering a supportive hand to the wider business community as it carries out its activities.

At the Business Dialogue with Government meeting Georgia’s Economy Minister Dimitry Kumsishvili met representatives from Georgian Employers Association’s member companies yesterday. The main directions of Georgia’s economy policy, Governmental programs to stimulate business and current and future reforms were the discussed topics.

Kumsishvili said the private sector was the force that "drives the economy and creates jobs”, so it was important to arrange meetings with private sector representatives," he claimed.

The Economy Minister remembered the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) where Georgia had significantly improved its positions in all World Bank indicators measuring fairness of governments worldwide.

Georgia's Economy Minister Dimitry Kumsishvili met the representatives from business society. Photo from Georgia's Ministry of Economy.

The report published in September this year showed Georgia ranked highest in 2014 in all of six dimensions of governance, covering voice and accountability, political stability and absence of violence/terrorism, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, and control of corruption.

Overall, the country showed progressive improvement during the past 18 months, particularly evident since the 2012 Parliamentary Elections,” said Kumsishvili.

The WGI showed, since 2012 Georgia had advanced 16 places in the voice and accountability category, by 22 places in political stability and absence of violence/terrorism and government effectiveness, by 13 places in regulatory quality, by 19 places in rule of law and by 23 places in control of corruption.

Meanwhile, Kumsishvili also talked in detail about the Governmental programs that supported local businesses.

I would like to mention the ‘Produce in Georgia’ state program which has been implemented in Georgia since 2014. As of today this program has 128 beneficiaries. Expected investment projects within this program will exceed 333 million GEL. Within the next three years about 6,500 people will be employed thanks to the ‘Produce in Georgia’ state program,” Kumsishvili said.

The Minister explained now it was time to further develop small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country, support entrepreneurs, improve regional markets and increase local salaries to create a better, stronger Georgia.

The Economy Minister awarded the commercial banks’ representatives with a Certificate of Appreciation. Photo from Georgia's Ministry of Economy.

He announced in October 2015 the Government launched a 26-month program, which was a new component of the ‘Produce in Georgia’ state program.

In the next 26 months about 6,000 people will be trained, about 3,000 business ideas will be financed and 5,000 new jobs will be created. As of today 422 beneficiaries are already financed,” said Kumsishvili.

Additionally, the Economy Minister introduced the business representatives to the up-coming reforms, including the Pension Reform and the Capital Market Reform.

At the meeting the Minister thanked the commercial banks’ representatives for their financial support to the ‘Produce in Georgia’ member companies. Kumsishvili awarded them with a Certificate of Appreciation.