Reforms and poverty in Georgia

The ruling administration boasts that as the country that has introduced the highest number of reforms, it has become the world’s number one reforming country. However there is still a serious amount of poverty in the country and unemployment is still a very acute problem for the population. Some even suggest that the economic policy followed by the government has so far not resulted in any significant improvements in the living standards of the population. Analysts believe that 2009 was critical for Georgia, in that it was significantly influenced by the world economic crisis and even though there was some growth in economic development in 2010, it proved difficult for the Georgian economy to recover its loses during 2009. The country needs another two or three years of similar or even higher economic growth, which will be difficult to achieve particularly when the country’s economic development is not properly designed. Economic analyst Demur Giorkhelidze thinks that the administration is mistaken in its overall approach towards economic issues. He is doubtful about the policy of the ruling administration to create liberal and comfortable conditions for foreign businessmen while there are many problems for medium and small businesses in the country. He also thinks that while there is such a high level of unemployment among the Georgian population it is wrong to simply wait for foreign investment to appear in the country to create jobs. However the analyst is also critical of the opposition believing that they should work out economic programmes and promote them among the public so that they can see the clear advantages of their proposals.