Georgian PM Bakhtadze resigns, names key achievements and future goals
Mamuka Bakhtadze, who previously served as the minister of finance, replaced Giorgi Kvirikashvili as prime minister in June 2018. Photo: Prime Minister’s press office.
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Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has confirmed his resignation in a long Facebook post earlier today, in which he cited the key challenges Georgia faces, in addition to the achievements the country has seen during his tenure.
Bakhtadze took up the post in June 2018.
Today I have posted an open message for general public outlining strategic framework for country’s development. After setting???????? towards its realization, I have decided to step down from my position and bid farewell. I would like to express sincere gratitude to the friends of ????????!
— Mamuka Bakhtadze (@BakhtadzeMamuka) September 2, 2019
The Georgian Dream party will name Bakhtadze’s replacement tomorrow, the party press office reports.
Bakhtadze, who is the fourth PM of the Georgian Dream government, said that “I will stay on the Georgian Dream team and will be a devoted soldier of my country.”
Media reports that either Infrastructure Minister Maia Tskitishvili or Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia will replace Bakhtadze.
‘Georgia lacked a long-term development strategy’
In his post Bakhtadze said that Georgia lacked a long-term development strategy which hampered state development.
Most of the parties offered short-term, populist plans and the country used to live from elections to elections,” Bakhtadze said.
He stated that the Georgian Dream government under his leadership last year initiated a long-term strategic development plan based on five key points which included:
- Georgia’s speedy integration into NATO and the EU,
- Carrying out genuine and innovative economic reforms and the creation of a new economic model,
- Offering a more flexible government model,
- Declaring education, youth and innovations as a priority, and;
- Taking steps to ensure high level protection of human rights.
All reforms should serve achieving two goals: ending the Russian occupation and poverty,” Bakhtadze said.
Bakhtadze replaced Kvirikashvili ( L) in 2018.
Relations with the EU, NATO and the US at an ‘all time high’
Bakhtadze said that the Georgian Dream leadership has upgraded relations with the EU, NATO and the US to an all-time high.
He said that Georgia has already signed the Association Agreement, the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade deal and the visa free deal with the EU and come up with a special format of relations with the EU.
Now we need a concrete plan for factual integration with the EU until Georgia officially becomes the EU member. The sectoral integration is the best way for the factual integration with the EU,” Bakhtadze said.
He said that “more investments from the US and an agreement on a free trade deal with the country,” is of the utmost importance.
Bakhtatadze said that it is the merit of the Georgian foreign policy strategy that both the EU and NATO take Black Sea security as a key priority currently.
Bakhtadze says that it is very complicated to combat Russian occupation of Georgian lands. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Bakhtadze: we’ve done our best to end Russian occupation, it’s a complicated task
Bakhtadze said that Georgia is taking all steps to combat the occupation of Georgian lands by Russia with the help of the international community.
The occupation issue is high on the agenda of the international community. It is very complicated to resolve the issue. We must be principled and follow up on our actions to end the humanitarian catastrophe in the Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions of Georgia,” Bakhtadze said, adding that the Georgian Dream government has offered peace initiatives to help the people in the occupied regions and the peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Bahktadze on poverty in Georgia
Bakhtadze said that dependence on imports and foreign loans make Georgia a poor country.
He said that through the new economic model, which focuses on investments and infrastructural development, the country will seek to decrease this dependence.
The second reason of poverty was high dollarization. We have taken measures to promote the national currency,” Bakhtadze said.
He said that in the 21st century the only indicator of economic advancement is an investment rating.
He stated that by 2022 Georgia may receive the rating.
In his post Bakhtadze mentioned planned infrastructure projects, new aid programmes for children, increased state funds for medicines and for the internally displaced population.