The News in Brief
Friday, July 13
PM appoints new Head of Government’s Administration
Former Minister of Penitentiary and Probation of Georgia Kakha Kakhishvili has been appointed as the Head of Government’s Administration.
The statement on appointment was made by the Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze during the briefing on July 12.
PM noted that the government’s administration has a special and very important role and that he is confident that Kakhishvili will perform in a dignified manner.
He also stressed that Kakhishvili was one of the most successful ministers of Georgia.
"He has carried out very important and fundamental reforms in one of the most difficult directions, but successful reforms are not enough in one sector. We want to implement fundamental and successful reforms in all directions. Therefore, the administration of the government is given a very important role in coordinating these reforms. He, together with me, will be able to coordinate implementation of all the reforms announced by us,” PM said.
Kakhishvili also made a statement and noted that the population needs an immediate effect along with the reforms.
“Together with the Government’s Administration, the prime minister and members of the government, we will enhance the coordination for the planned and ongoing reforms to have effect in a short period of time," said Kakhishvili.
EU Opinion Survey 2018: Georgia
Results of the 2018 opinion polls, carried out in the six Eastern Partner countries by the EU NEIGHBOURS east project, showed that 49% of Georgians have a positive image of the EU, the highest of the countries of the Eastern Partnership. Only 5% of Georgians have a negative view of the EU, which is well below the regional average of 13%.
70% of people in Georgia trust the EU, while trust in the Eurasian Economic Union remains low (24%).
The purpose of annual surveys is to investigate and better understand the opinion and the level of awareness that the citizens of the EU's Eastern Partner countries have about the European Union and the EU cooperation with their country.
Relations between the EU and Georgia have intensified in recent years and are based on the Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (AA/DCFTA), which provide the foundations for far-reaching political and economic integration with the EU.
The EU is Georgia’s main trading partner, representing over 30% of all trade.
As for the overall situation in all EaP states, almost half of all citizens (46%) in the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood have a positive image of the European Union – a rise of 2 percentage points on the 2017 figure – while just 13% have a negative perception. 63% believe that the EU’s relationship with their country is good, with citizens of Georgia (83%), Armenia (80%) and the Republic of Moldova (74%) particularly happy.
Conducted from March to April 2018 in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, the surveys assess general perceptions about the EU, the values with which it is associated, relations between the EU and partner countries, and awareness of the EU’s financial support and its effectiveness. They also look at citizens’ preferred sources of information, how they feel about the situation in their country and their expectations for the future.
The survey results show that, across the region, trust in the EU has attained its highest level to date (61%). The EU enjoys its greatest levels of trust in Georgia (73%) and Armenia (70%), where it has also recorded an increase of 7 and 5 percentage points respectively on the 2017 results. 87% of Moldovans are aware of the EU’s financial support to the country, a rise of 8 percentage points on the 2017 figure, and well ahead of the regional average of 57%. In Azerbaijan, 78% of citizens believe that EU support is effective, the highest in the region. 70% of Ukrainians consider that integration with the EU significantly increases a country’s stability and security.
(By Mariam Chanishvili)
Former Minister of Penitentiary and Probation of Georgia Kakha Kakhishvili has been appointed as the Head of Government’s Administration.
The statement on appointment was made by the Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze during the briefing on July 12.
PM noted that the government’s administration has a special and very important role and that he is confident that Kakhishvili will perform in a dignified manner.
He also stressed that Kakhishvili was one of the most successful ministers of Georgia.
"He has carried out very important and fundamental reforms in one of the most difficult directions, but successful reforms are not enough in one sector. We want to implement fundamental and successful reforms in all directions. Therefore, the administration of the government is given a very important role in coordinating these reforms. He, together with me, will be able to coordinate implementation of all the reforms announced by us,” PM said.
Kakhishvili also made a statement and noted that the population needs an immediate effect along with the reforms.
“Together with the Government’s Administration, the prime minister and members of the government, we will enhance the coordination for the planned and ongoing reforms to have effect in a short period of time," said Kakhishvili.
EU Opinion Survey 2018: Georgia
Results of the 2018 opinion polls, carried out in the six Eastern Partner countries by the EU NEIGHBOURS east project, showed that 49% of Georgians have a positive image of the EU, the highest of the countries of the Eastern Partnership. Only 5% of Georgians have a negative view of the EU, which is well below the regional average of 13%.
70% of people in Georgia trust the EU, while trust in the Eurasian Economic Union remains low (24%).
The purpose of annual surveys is to investigate and better understand the opinion and the level of awareness that the citizens of the EU's Eastern Partner countries have about the European Union and the EU cooperation with their country.
Relations between the EU and Georgia have intensified in recent years and are based on the Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (AA/DCFTA), which provide the foundations for far-reaching political and economic integration with the EU.
The EU is Georgia’s main trading partner, representing over 30% of all trade.
As for the overall situation in all EaP states, almost half of all citizens (46%) in the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood have a positive image of the European Union – a rise of 2 percentage points on the 2017 figure – while just 13% have a negative perception. 63% believe that the EU’s relationship with their country is good, with citizens of Georgia (83%), Armenia (80%) and the Republic of Moldova (74%) particularly happy.
Conducted from March to April 2018 in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, the surveys assess general perceptions about the EU, the values with which it is associated, relations between the EU and partner countries, and awareness of the EU’s financial support and its effectiveness. They also look at citizens’ preferred sources of information, how they feel about the situation in their country and their expectations for the future.
The survey results show that, across the region, trust in the EU has attained its highest level to date (61%). The EU enjoys its greatest levels of trust in Georgia (73%) and Armenia (70%), where it has also recorded an increase of 7 and 5 percentage points respectively on the 2017 results. 87% of Moldovans are aware of the EU’s financial support to the country, a rise of 8 percentage points on the 2017 figure, and well ahead of the regional average of 57%. In Azerbaijan, 78% of citizens believe that EU support is effective, the highest in the region. 70% of Ukrainians consider that integration with the EU significantly increases a country’s stability and security.
(By Mariam Chanishvili)