Georgian Finance Minister: National Statistics Office playing “crucial role” in country’s development

Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili on Friday told an event dedicated to the 105th anniversary of the National Statistics Office the body’s work played a “crucial role” in the country’s development.

Khutsishvili emphasised the significant role of the “independent and highly qualified” Office in the country’s development via regular production of statistical data based on international best practices.

The National Statistics Office is truly an exceptional institution that continuously improves its work quality and provides high-quality information to policymakers and other interested parties. Notably, in 2019, the successful transition to the System of National Accounts 2008 methodology was achieved, and this year, there was a review of gross domestic product and other national accounts indicators in accordance with the Harmonised European Revision Policy”, he said.

In 2020, the Office was among the first to implement the new International Labour Organisation’s methodology for labour statistics. According to World Bank data, Georgia’s statistics system ranks 15th globally and 14th among Europe’s top countries", he added.

The Minister also noted the cooperation between the Ministry and the Office involving work in a “task force” format and “swift and seamless” exchange of data, adding the cooperation would find “many interesting challenges ahead”, including work on further reforming statistics as the country pursued European Union integration.