Georgia’s PM sums up results of 2016, sets tasks for 2017

"2017 will be a very good year and we all will manage to achieve this together," said Georgia's Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili at the last Government Meeting of 2016, while summarising the achievements his Government made this year.

In his speech this morning, Kvirikashvili said healthcare, education and social issues were the Government’s main priorities since the ruling Georgian Dream coalition came into power in 2012, and this direction will be continued in 2017 as well.

Meanwhile, head of Georgian Government was proud of this year’s achievements which saw free and democratic Parliamentary Elections, infrastructural and educational developments, and more.

The whole world recognised the elections in Georgia were held in a peaceful, transparent, democratic and competitive environment. We presented future development plants to the society during the pre-election campaign where our slogan was ‘Freedom, Rapid Development, Welfare’. This slogan shows the direction we chose and will follow next year as well,” said PM Kvirikashvili.

Georgia’s big plans for economic growth, infrastructural development

The four-point reform agenda, which includes new tax benefits, infrastructure plans, governance reforms and an overhaul of the education system, was the Georgian Prime Minister’s plan to increase economic development. He said the major part of the four-point reform plan will be implemented in 2017.

Meanwhile, Georgia will soon enjoy the benefits of a more simplified and liberal Tax Code, which will enter into force in January 2017. The amended Tax Code Law which has modified Georgia’s income tax rules will come into force in January 2017. Georgia’s economic team created the amendments to align the country’s tax system with the Corporate Income Tax (CIT) – the Estonian Taxation Model. Under the Estonian Taxation Model all businesses, except profit-sharing businesses, should be exempt from income tax.

Government aims to build an innovation-based economy in Georgia. Photo by the GITA.

PM Kvirikashvili said the Government of Georgia was aiming to build an innovation-based economy in Georgia. For this purpose this year the Government launched a new program - Start-up Georgia - to finance start-ups in the country. The Government-initiated competition aimed to find the best new business ideas, finance them and bring them to life with the ultimate goal of fostering entrepreneurial spirit in Georgia. Furthermore, the Government launched the 'High Speed Internet for Everyone' project to provide the entire country with high-speed internet and encourage creation of innovative new businesses.

This year Georgia’s Government also announced an ambitious Spatial Arrangement Plan that will modernise infrastructural development in Georgia and transform the country from a struggling nation into a modern, 21st Century prosperous place.

New runway at Ambrolauri airfield is already ready to receive the airplanes, while the airfield itself is due to become operational next year. Photo by the PM's press office.

Within the Spatial Arrangement Plan this year Georgia started improving its aviation infrastructure by bringing new life to several old airports in different regions of the country. The four airfields earmarked for upgrades were Ingiri, Omalo, Chikhareshi and Ambrolauri airfields, of which Ambrolauri airfield will be opened "in the coming days”, announced the PM today.

Georgia also developed its winter resorts, where skiing and enjoying the snow will be better this year thanks to a range of new infrastructure and facilities provided for guests. New winter resorts were also introduced this year such as Tetnuldi, Goderdzi and Mitarbi.

Georgia, a growing hub for education, communication technology

The PM believed education system should be based on progress, development and aspirations of free and happy individuals. With this in mind the Government presented the reform plan of the education system. Education based on advanced technologies, increasing access to superior quality education in rural areas of the country, professional development of teachers and healthy life style were the priorities of the educational reform.

These are the project that were introduced in 2016 and aimed to develop education system in Georgia:

• Kutaisi University Research Campus
• Silicon Valley Tbilisi
• Technological Innovation Centre
• Technology Park
• Technological Institute

Higher quality healthcare services for Georgian citizens

PM Kvirikashvili accented the importance of the Universal Healthcare Program launched by the Government of Georgia in 2014. The PM said more than 200,000 people benefited from the Program in 2016.

Meanwhile, this year more than 13,000 patients people suffering from Hepatitis C received free treatment within the country’s Hepatitis C Elimination Program that was launched in 2015.

PM Kvirikashvili said the Government had started the second stage of the healthcare reform to ensure healthcare services in Georgia are of a higher quality, are more affordable, more accessible and offer greater support to those who really need it.

Achievements in Georgia's energy sector

Georgian PM believed the year 2016 was successful in the country’s energy sector. He said within the state program ‘Electricity to Every Village’ 30 villages were now supplied with electricity.

This year the 20MW Kartli Wind Power Plant, a first for Georgia, officially opened in Gori municipality in central Georgia’s Shida Kartli region.

Get a close-up view of the amazing process of how the new Kartli Wind Power Plant was built. Video by Georgian Energy Development Fund. 

Meanwhile, PM said four new Hydro Power Plants became operational in 2016 that would contribute to Georgia’s energy independence.

Georgia’s success in foreign affairs

In 2016 Georgia signed some important agreements that highlighted the progress made within country’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration process.

The most remarkable achievements of 2016 were:

• Georgia-EU Association Agreement fully comes into play
• EU Council gives green light to Georgia’s visa waiver
• The NATO-Georgia Substantial Package "was strengthened”
• Georgia was invited to participate at the strategic dialogue of the Black Sea Security Issues
• Georgia and the United States signed a Memorandum on Deepening the Defense and Security Partnership between the US and Georgia

PM Kvirikashvili said all state programs such as ‘Produce in Georgia’, 'Check-in Georgia', 'Host in Georgia', 'Film in Georgia' and others will also continue in 2017.