Prime Minister plans major reforms in law enforcement agencies

We are planning major changes in some very important fields of our country, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on the annual press-conference today.

On the meeting with journalists in Expo Georgia, Garibashvili summarised past year and talked about the reforms the Government was planning to implement and the ongoing political situation in the country.

Prime Minister noted that a solid foundation and stable political situation was needed before the changes took place and certain amount of time was spent on this.

"Currently the political situation has stabilised and we are already planning to start whole new series of reforms. We are going to implement reforms in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Prosecution and Penitentiary system.  These reforms will bring systematic changes, which are necessary for strengthening our state,” he said.

The Prime Minister noted that the Ministry of Internal Affairs would be transformed into a civil service institution. State Security Service would be separated from the Ministry and a new, independent security service agency would be established, with brand new content, structure and form.

Garibashvili also talked about the reformation of the Prosecutor’s Office and noted that an institutionally balanced model should be worked out, under which the neutrality of prosecutors and the principle of accountability would be protected.

"When we came to power, we found the most difficult situation in the penitentiary system, so the changes that we already implemented are better seen in this field. We have improved the conditions of serving the sentence in prisons,” Garibashvili noted.

He noted that previously people were killed, raped and human rights were massively violated in prisons, which did not happen anymore.

The Prime Minister also outlined the improved healthcare conditions in the prisons and stressed the importance of Hepatitis C program, which was free for the prisoners.

"To date, 6400 prisoners were examined, out of which 173 people were cured. Important treatment was also provided for the prisoners with tuberculosis and their number has been significantly reduced. In addition, a very important suicide prevention program is being carried out,” he said.

PM also talked about the healthcare field and outlined several successful reforms in this field.

"I want to specially emphasize the beginning of the new Hepatitis C program. Only two years ago, treatment of this sickness was considered as an unsolved problem in Georgia. Today Healthcare Ministry has an action plan, with which Georgia will become a country where Hepatitis C, as an illness, will be completely overcome,” he said.

"According to this plan, a medicine which provides 90-percent chance of curing Hepatitis C will become accessible to the patients. This is an incredible achievement,” Garibashvili noted.

The Head of Georgian Government also positively evaluated the activities of the Solidarity Fund and noted that thousands of people united around this idea.

"With our joint efforts, complete funding of the treatment of 48 seriously ill children became possible. I want to thank each person who participated in this noble endeavor,” he said.

The Prime Minister then talked about the current economic environment in the country and noted that despite the difficult situation in the region and in the whole world, Georgia managed to show an economic growth up to 5% this year. However, the Government had to work harder in order to develop the economy and create new jobs.

"Today Government has created a desired environment for the correct and long-term development of private sector. Throughout two years, more than 46,000 new business subjects have been registered. We are confident that in next two years new jobs will be created intensively. In this regard, I want to highlight the program ‘Produce in Georgia,’ as 25,000 new enterprises have already been financed within this program.” He said.

In addition, the PM talked about the agricultural sector and noted that with the support of the Government many new enterprises have opened this year.

"We are helping small-land farmers and already spent 300 million GEL on this. A preferential agricultural credit with a total cost of 700 million GEL has also started. With the support of these two projects and the program Produce in Georgia, already 105 enterprises have been financed,” he said.

The Prime Minister also highlighted achievements in the energy sector and noted that two years ago Georgia had 28 villages without light.

"Within our project "Light to Every Village” not a single town will be left without electricity. We have already illuminated several villages, which had not seen light for more than 20 years,” Garibashvili said.