PM candidate explains slow economic growth, unfolds his priorities

Tbilisi will maintain its pro-European course, continue its efforts to get closer to NATO and have "pragmatic cooperation” with Russia with the precondition that the latter respects Georgia’s sovereignty.

These main aspects were stressed when Georgia’s Prime Minister candidate Giorgi Kvirikashvili answered questions of the parliamentary minority yesterday.

He also revealed what he believed was the reason of slower economic growth in Georgia in the past three years.

Kvirikashvili, former Foreign Minister, was among the nineteen Ministers who were automatically suspended from their powers after the resignation of Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on December 23. Then he was named as the candidate for the Prime Minister’s role.

Before approved by the legislative body, he had to share his views to the Members of Parliament (MPs).

Switching to democracy from authoritarianism affects the economy 

Kvirikashvili said his team had always been trying to show Georgia from the positive side and strengthen its international reputation, but telling the truth was also an important advantage.

"We should be honest. We should tell the truth to our people and our international partners,” Kvirikashvili said, adding the truth was Georgia had "a very deep-rooted authoritarian system” before 2012.

"The mechanism of decision-making could have been effective but it very often was authoritarian,” Kvirikashvili said.

"When a country switches to a democratic system from such a regime, when a country frees business from bureaucratic pressure, it is absolutely natural that growth slows.”

"However, the reasons of slowing down were both domestic and international factors.”

Kvirikashvili also said the "very sad truth” was that increasing of tariffs was unavoidable in the future.

"When there is 45 percent devaluation during two years it is impossible not to increase the tariffs,” he said.

Concerned over Russian propaganda 

Kvirikashvili told the PMs his team would make "very brave steps” in order to tighten ties with Abkhazians and Ossetians.

"Time is working against our goal that Georgians regain the trust of Abkhazians and Ossetians. Time is working against our reconciliation," the PM candidate said.

"That’s why we will do our best to make brave steps and demonstrate our position that we are ready to make all our benefits available for our Abkhazian and Ossetian brothers.”

In this context Kvirikashvili also said that he was "concerned about increasing Russian propaganda in Georgia”.