PM pledges $10bln in investments for Russian-occupied Abkhazia, Tskhinvali regions in first three years of reintegration

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday said his Government would invest $10 billion for the development of the country’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions in the first three years after peaceful reintegration of the territories. 

In his annual report of the Government's work, Garibashvili commented on the prospects of the north-western Abkhazia region by highlighting the potential of the locality to become “a second Monaco”, and the regional capital Sokumi to resemble Monte Carlo, in reference to the European principality. 

The PM said the investment for the regions could be facilitated “very easily” and added the Government had already discussed the question at meetings of its Economic Council. 

• New strategy to promote dialogue, confidence-building with people in occupied regions - Minister

Reiterating his team’s “completely peaceful” policy of reintegration of the occupied territories - which he said would “not be revised” - the head of the Government said authorities were making efforts to “heal wounds” created by conflicts in the regions and ensure engagement of the conflict-affected population in a number of programmes and initiatives in a bid to restore people-to-people ties. 

Our goal is to improve the socio-economic conditions of the conflict-affected population and reconcile artificially divided societies by promoting cooperation and trust-building based on common interests”, the PM said while praising efforts of Thea Akhvlediani, the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality, and her office in implementing the policies.  

Garibashvilii also claimed the Government was “refraining from making PR out of its reconciliation activities”, and added “a lot of people” were using the services offered as part of the policy. 

He named 230 conflict-affected students who had joined universities on the Government-controlled territory without exams last year, and over 1,300 individuals who had benefited from health services offered to them in the same period, pledging the support packages would be maintained.

Naming reintegration as the country’s “most important” goal, the PM also criticised the domestic opposition for “talking about everything except this [challenge]”.