Inclement weather leads to emergency meeting
By Natalie Osipovi
Tuesday, December 17
Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, held an emergency meeting on December 15.
Heavy snow and plunging temperatures throughout Georgia caused problems in different regions including Batumi, Kutaisi and Zugdidi. However, weather forecasters predict no snow in the capital. The bad weather will continue in the rest of the country until December 17.
“We have not faced such heavy snowfall in Adjara for the last 25 years. Lots of transmission lines are damaged. Local restoration work has begun and will be finished in about 10 days,” Gharibashvili said.
Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze, Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure, Davit Narmania; First Deputy, Tengiz Shargelashvili; Minister of Internal Affairs, Aleksandre Chikaidze; Deputy of the Defense Minister, Irakli Gegechkori and head of the Local Self-Governance Relations Department, Akaki Chkhenkeli attended the meeting with the Prime Minister.
“Even before the snow had begun, we tried to be prepared for a crisis,” Kaladze said.
Minister of Agriculture, Shalva Pipia, said “we cannot prevent the disaster, but it is the government’s prerogative to limit its effects.”
“The Crisis Management Center will be based on international practices and will involve the main local ministries,” Minister Narmania said.
Prime Minister Gharibashvili asked the media to objectively report about the problems and the activities undertaken by the government.
