Nikolaishvili visited Sweden

The delegation of Georgia, with guidance of the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Ramaz Nikolaishvili visited Sweden with official visit. During the visit, the Minister met with the Swedish counterpart Catharina Elmsater-Svard. The two ministers discussed the current and the implemented large infrastructure projects, and discussed concrete action plans of co-operation.

Within the official visit, the Minister met with the Head of Eastern Europe Unit of “SIDA”, Klas Rasmusson. Swedish Government through the organization "SIDA", has significantly supported Georgia in terms of arrangement international standard sanitary landfills and waste transportation system, as well as improvement of water supply and sewerage systems, since 2006. With supporting of "SIDA" unique water treatment facilities have already been constructed in Borjomi and Bakuriani.

The purpose of the meeting was to solve the problem related to the solid waste management in Georgia. With supporting of “SIDA” international standards landfill has been already organized in Kvemo-Kartli. The Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia plans to implement a lot similar projects. Therefore, the sides decided to organize the trainings in Sweden in September for the representatives of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia and "The Solid Waste Management Company", for effective solving the problem related to the issues of the solid waste management. During the trainings, they will be introduced the work of the leading Swedish companies, and they will get the theoretical and practical knowledge. In autumn, the experts group of the SIDA will visit Georgia to provide expert and financial support for our country.

In the frames of the official visit to Sweden Nikolaishvili met with business sector representatives as well. At the meeting held in the Swedish Chamber of Commerce it was decided that, in the autumn the Georgian - Swedish business forum will be held in Georgia, the aim of which is to involve the Swedish companies in infrastructure projects implemented in Georgia and attraction of Swedish investments in our country. Several months, almost 20 major Swedish companies will visit our country, and then, perhaps, the Swedish investment will be implemented in terms of construction of landfills in Georgia, and development of water supply of railway infrastructure.

Within the official visit, the Minister visited the waste processing factory and was introduced the Stockholm urban development project, the presentation of which was organized especially for Georgian delegation. The project includes the ecological development of the district - Hamarbi, where the unique, modern technology is used during the recycling process. Garbage trucks have never gone through the one of the central districts of Skokholm, where almost 30 thousand people live. The citizens of the city and tourists move on the special ecological cars, to reduce the environmental pollution. The transportation of the waste is provided by the vacuum system, which goes under the land. Such districts exist in the big cities of the several leading countries of the world, including Barselona. As for the waste processing plant of Stockholm, this is the so-called solid waste collector, where the sorted waste are recycled, creating heat energy and the biogas. The population use this energy for heating and for transport and this energy ensure the maintenance of clean environment. To share the experience of the one of the leading country of the world in the field of the waste management is very important for Georgia for the successful implementation of the reform of waste management.