Georgian PM highlights restoration of territorial integrity, elimination of poverty as Gov’t’s “two national tasks”

Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party's election staff and the Prime Minister of Georgia, on Monday highlighted restoration of the country’s territorial integrity and elimination of poverty as his Government’s “two national tasks”.

In his address at the presentation of the ruling party’s election programme ahead of the October 26 parliamentary elections, Kobakhidze noted it was of “key importance” to go to the polls and “support the decent future” of the country, “maintaining of peace” and “improvement of the quality of prosperity”.

We have two national tasks, that is to restore territorial integrity and eliminate poverty in our country, our entire [election] programme is aimed at fulfilling these two national tasks”, the PM said.

He further vowed the Government team would “do everything” to fulfil the national tasks.

The restoration of territorial integrity depends on various circumstances and various factors, however, we are optimistic that this task will also be accomplished in the wake of the change in the regional political situation”, Kobakhidze continued.

The head of the ruling party’s electoral office said four states had recognised the so-called independence of the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia (Tskhinvali) regions by 2012, and credited “great efforts of the entire Government”, the Foreign Ministry in particular, with keeping the number limited to four.

“Pragmatic policy and peaceful settlement of the conflict with Russia is one of the main priorities”, Kobakhidze said.

The PM further reviewed his Government’s South Caucasus neighbourhood policy by highlighting “neighbourly relations and strategic partnership” with Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey, and vowed that “everything will be done to deepen these relations”.