PM: Gov’t will lead Georgia to peace, continue to fulfil “direct duty, responsibility” - protection, safety of citizens

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Saturday said the Government would lead the country to peace and continue to fulfil its “direct duty and responsibility” to prioritise the “salvation” of the country, protection and safety of the citizens.

In his speech at the forum dedicated to the Day of the Georgian Diaspora, Garibashvili stressed the main goal and “national idea” around which all Georgians should unite  - the unification of the country as a strong developed, European-type state.

Over the past decade, the Government under the ruling Georgian Dream party has ensured to maintain “continuous” peace and stability, which the country “unfortunately” could not have since it regained independence due to the civil wars, as “we have temporarily lost territorial control over very old historical territories”, and were not able to “avoid” provocations from the “number one nuclear power in the world” - Russia and had a direct war with the country in 2008, the PM noted.

I would like to remind once again, including our opponents, that if we look over the last 30 years, during all administrations in the country there were destabilisation, conflicts, wars and loss of territories, [...] under our governance, since Bidzina Ivanishvili [former Prime Minister] and Georgian Dream came to power, Georgia has not lost a single piece of land, Georgia has had no war, no conflict, no tension of any kind”, Garibashvili added.

He also pointed out "if it were not for our [Georgian Dream] founder  Ivanishvili we would simply not have a country today", and noted despite "internal and external enemies", the Government managed to create, maintain and strengthen stability, which was “the solid foundation” for diaspora representatives to return to Georgia, emphasising the role of peace amid the “most difficult geopolitical situation in the world [...] facing the threat of nuclear war”.

As written in the Bible - we must know a time to gather stones and scatter stones, we must choose the time correctly. Therefore, strategic patience is necessary, we should manage to peacefully de-occupy and unify our country”, the PM said, noting, over the last decade, the political relationship with Russia has not progressed.

Highlighting the importance of economic progress in maintaining stability and strengthening the state, the Head of the Government reviewed the country’s double-digit economic growth for the last two years and noted unemployment and poverty in Georgia “have reached historical minimum”.

Garibashvili said by the end of the year the country’s economy would be about $25 billion, which would be $8,000 per capita. He also pointed out that the country’s reserves were “at a historical maximum”.

Today, the trade of our country is developing, the trade turnover in Europe is increasing, exceeding one billion, this is certainly the merit of our government. I want our business to become more active, to take over the European market. I know it is difficult, there are too many barriers, there are too many criteria, requirements, but we are moving in this direction, it takes time, a lot of work”, he noted.

The country's development strategy, Vision 2030, was also highlighted by the Head of the Government, adding that by 2030 the country would be “even more successful, strong and rich”.