PM Kvirikashvili pledges better conditions for alpine village residents

Creating better living conditions in Georgian mountain areas so locals don’t have to leave their home villages is one of the Georgian Government’s new target areas and projects are planned to achieve this.

Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili announced this intention wile visiting Beshumi today, located high in the Adjara mountains, where locals are celebrating the Shuamtoba public holiday.

Shuamtoba 2016. Photo by PM's press office.

The population of Khulo celebrated Shaumtoba – a traditional public holiday – in Beshumi resort each year on the first weekend of August, where several traditional sporting and cultural events were held.

Shuamtoba 2016. Photo by PM's press office.

The PM told Beshumi locals that infrastructural works were underway and by the end of October each family in the resort would have a permanent water supply.

Kvirikashvili believed there was great potential to develop Beshumi village and Cabinet would do its best to make this happen this as soon as possible.

"For us it’s a priority to keep people living in their homes in the mountains,” Kvirikashvili said.

He named two projects that he believed were crucial for regional development. These were:

• Road construction;
• Water supply.

The Shuamtoba weekend was traditionally an occasion when couples got married, and one lucky pair who tied the knot at Beshumi hill received a special wedding gift from the country's Prime Minister.

Shuamtoba 2016. Photo by PM's press office.

This was the first time PM Kvirikashvili celebrated Shuamtoba with locals. He congratulated them on the special day and said his Government would do its best to improve the lives of people living in high mountain areas, including theirs.

Shuamtoba 2016. Photo by PM's press office.

Towards the end of the celebrations a teenage girl was injured in a horse race where a horse dropped its rider and crashed into the 12-year-old.

The girl was given first aid by ambulance doctors, after which the PM took her to hospital via his personal helicopter. Witnesses said the girl’s injuries were minor.

Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili takes a 12-year-old girl to hospital via his personal helicopter. Photo source: Manana Toqmajishvili/Facebook