Challenging, but successful year- PM Gakharia summarizes 2019

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has summarised 2019 by saying that it was a year full of challenges, but very successful, with Georgia coming closer to the EU and NATO and upgraded its relations with the US ‘at an all-time high.”

The PM has cited the occupation and jobs as key challenges for the country, adding that the Georgian economy is advancing.

Georgia’s integration into the Euro-Atlantic space, with our traditions and cultural identity is a top priority for the Georgian Dream government,” Gakharia has stated at a governmental meeting earlier today.

He said that the Georgian response to the major challenge for the country – the occupation of 20 per cent of its territories by Russia – is that “more than 70 per cent of Georgians firmly support the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration.”  

He stated that Georgia has taken over the chairmanship of the Council of Europe this year and “we should use the opportunity to completely familiarise our European partners and allies with the progress Georgia has shown, as well as with the everyday challenges we face.”

 NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller came to Georgia in October 2019. Photo: government of Georgia press office. 

Black Sea Security – a new segment in NATO-Georgia relations

Gakharia has stated that 2019 ‘was particularly rich’ by joint exercises with NATO and a new segment has appeared in the “very successful relations’ of the alliance and Georgia.

In 2019 a new segment emerged in the NATO-Georgia relations which is Black Sea security - a new opportunity for Georgia to carry out an important partnership for NATO in the new field. It is our mission to be the guarantors of security in the Black Sea together with our foreign partners,” Gakharia said.

 He stated that Georgia has ‘particularly strengthened’ its security cooperation with the US.

‘Further efforts for human rights’

Gakharia said that the Intergovernmental Human Rights Council and the secretariat will provide further efforts in 2020 for the ‘high-level protection of human rights.’

Protection of human rights remains a key priority for the government,” Gakharia said.

He stated that the reform of the law enforcement field will continue in the next year to “boost the quality of investigations.”

Georgian PM says that the major challenge for the country is occupation. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge. 

'Positive economic expectations'

Gakharia said that the data of the first 10 months of 2019 has shown more than five per cent of economic growth.

We are very optimistic for the final data of the year,” Gakharia said.

He stated that in the third quarter of 2019 the foreign direct investments have been increased by 14 per cent, with more than nine million tourists visiting the country.

Gakharia said that Georgian mountainous resorts are ready to receive tourists and said that through the privatization of state-owned assets Georgia has already received more than 45 million GEL incomes.