The Japanese government and the corporation Mitsubishi have gifted 96 hybrid and electric cars to Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Initially the cars were intended for the Cabinet of Ministers of Georgia. However, through the initiative of Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and the unanimous consent from all ministers, all the cars will now be used by the patrol police of the country’s Interior Ministry.
In his speech delivered today at a special ceremony in Tbilisi, Kvirikashvili thanked the Japanese government, the Embassy of Japan to Georgia and the Mitsubishi corporation for the "very significant” gift.
Georgian officials and the representatives from the Embassy of Japan to Georgia attended the event. Photo from the Interior Ministry press office.
The PM highlighted that state security was of the "highest importance” for the government of Georgia which is supporting the innovative steps of the Interior Ministry.
The PM also said that ecology was among the key priorities for the government of Georgia and the new cars, which are environment friendly, will play a positive role in this direction.
We [the government] abolished tax for the import of electric cars and decreased the import tax by 60 percent for hybrid cars. That is why 35-40 percent of imported cars in Georgia are either hybrid or electric,” Kvirikashvili said.
The PM stated that Japan had prominently featured in Georgian media over the past two weeks because of the country’s support and the victory of Georgian wrestler Levan Gorgadze at the Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament.
Minister Giorgi Gakharia spoke about planned reforms in the Interior Ministry. Photo from the Interior Ministry press office.
It was our joint victory and I am very glad that the Japanese Ambassador to Georgia Tadaharu Uehara was the first one who congratulated me on the victory,” Kvirikashvili said.
Georgia’s Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia also thanked Japan for the "huge support” and stated the cars will play their role in the implementation of an "ambitious reform plan” that the ministry has elaborated, which will reform the patrol and criminal police of the country and provide integrated management for border control.
The minister said that the implementation of the reforms has already been launched.