PM: Georgian economy “tripled” during Georgian Dream rule

The outgoing Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday said the national economy had tripled during the rule of the Georgian Dream party. 

Garibashvili was speaking to the Congress of the ruling party that is set to select his successor, and contrasted the gross domestic product figures of 2012, when GD came to power, with current numbers.

In 2012, the gross domestic product of our country was about ₾27 billion ($10bln). This year the gross domestic product will be ₾86 billion ($32bln). This means the national economy grew three times during the rule of Georgian Dream. Unemployment and poverty levels are at historic lows. In fact, poverty was halved”, he said.

He also made contrasts between human rights and social circumstances under the previous Government and the past 12 years of GD rule.

[GD inherited a system of] trampled human rights, racketeering of business, torture of prisoners, high level of unemployment, social misery, occupied territories, complete anarchy and chaos”, the outgoing official said, adding thanks to subsequent “large-scale” reforms and projects Georgia was currently an “advanced leader” in the wider region.

Economy, agriculture, healthcare, education system, social equality, judicial and media freedom - reforms were carried out essentially in all directions. Large-scale projects of national, regional and international importance were implemented”, he said.

The PM also highlighted efforts made by Georgian Dream on the European Union integration path. 

When [GD founder and former PM Bidzina] Ivanishvili came to power, Georgia did not have any tangible results on the path of European integration. It was during the Government of Georgian Dream that the Association Agreement, free trade [and] visa-free travel deals were signed, and the country received the [EU membership] candidate status in December last year”, he told party officials.

Garibashvili also credited Ivanishvili for having established the Georgian Dream “political organisation” and created a “public process which made possible what was impossible before”.

He defeated the most anti-state, anti-national, oppressive regime democratically, through elections, and started a completely new stage of our country's development”, Garibashvili said.

The outgoing Government head added Georgia had “not only maintained peace and stability, but also experienced a substantial transformation” in democracy and human rights, economic development, social equality and European integration in “conditions of greatest challenges”, naming political, economic and humanitarian crises among them.

GD Chair Irakli Kobakhidze is expected to be selected as Garibashvili’s successor, with the outgoing PM taking up the party Chair position.