New Rights Party to support “the Georgian village”

Leader of New Rights Party Davit Gamkrelidze suggested the provision of people living in villages with state insurance. As Gamkrelidze said at a press conference in Zugdidi, introduction of new clinics and hospitals in the regions is not enough to ensure accessibility of healthcare in the country. The Government’s attempt to improve the failings in the healthcare sector is “adequate and understandable” for Gamkrelidze but “the majority of citizens can’t afford elementary healthcare services nowadays”. Comparing those hospitals and clinics with museums, the opposition representative worried that more than a million people permanently living in the regions will not be able to get qualified medical support there.

Supposing that the state budget should have relevant resources for insuring such people with insurance packages, Gamkrelidze hoped that this would suspend the internal migration process underway in the country which would also save “the Georgian village”. “We, the New Rights, claim that our priorities include creation of deserving living conditions for people living in the villages together with encouraging development of small business,” Gamkrelidze said, adding that the New Rights also intend to employ farmers and offer them standards of living that people in the cities have.

It was in October 2011 when New Rights presented their four-year strategic action plan oriented on the employment of people, overcoming poverty, creation of public welfare, giving citizens real freedom at elections and other such measures. A process of village support has been among the main priorities of the party as they consider villages “one of the most important parts of Georgian life.” As the New Rights explained to The Messenger earlier, the village is an “unchangeable and unique place for Georgians” thus the model of managing the villages suggested by the party would become the basis for creating modern villages where communities would have standards similar to those in the country’s towns.