Saakashvili tells Ambassadors to bring in investment

On September 8 President Saakashvili held a meeting with Georgia’s Ambassadors. He mainly spoke to them about future international political plans and new investments that foreign businessmen could make in Georgia. Another important topic in his speech was the Russian aggression. Saakashvili underlined the fact that Russia has serious financial influence on different political groups in Europe. He said that what Russia is doing now is part of an ideological war. “There exist certain political forces which are irritated by the fact that Georgia stood strong against imperialistic threats,” Saakashvili said. He added that in such a situation the support of Europe is very important, quoting examples from Georgian history to support this statement. He said that the first Georgian Republic (1918-1921) had collapsed because the West had done nothing to stop this.

“To defeat evil the country needs your help”, Saakashvili told the Ambassadors. “This difficult job is up to you. Your resources, I mean financial ones, are small but your motivation is sufficiently high. Everyone agrees that the truth is on the side of your country”, he said. The President also asked the Ambassadors to gain foreign investment for the country and work on this issue seriously. He also said that the more tourists come to Georgia the better it will be for the Georgian economy. He said that neither war nor the world economic crisis had been able to damage the national economy and Georgia was still developing. Saakashvili also spoke about present problems, in particular the damage caused by the earthquake which struck Georgia early on September 8. The President directed the Georgian Government members to go to the epicentre of the earthquake in Racha and study the damage there. The President said that after the natural disaster the people of Racha need to feel they have the support of the Government. He added that fulfilling the potential of Racha is only possible with the help of the Ambassadors, who are able to present the region to foreign businessmen as a good place for investment.

“Of course the earthquake has seriously damaged the country’s economy. Thousands of houses in Racha and Imereti have collapsed. Racha, which isn’t a rich region, has seen many people affected and we should stand with them after this natural disaster,” the President said. He explained that for this reason the next Government meeting would be held in Racha on September 10.

“In recent years we have built a motorway in Racha, developed local resorts, provided the region with gas and started to develop Shaori Lake. Although the war and the crisis have made us slow down the development of the region we are going to return to all these projects soon,” the President said.

At the end of his speech to the Ambassadors Saakashvili once more paid attention to the necessity of investment and the economic development of the country and particularly the development of Racha, saying that the people of this region should know that the Government is working hard to make this poor region one of the richest in the near future.