Gakharia introduces PM spokesperson’s position at gov’t meeting
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Friday, November 22
Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Gakharia introduced the new position of PM’s spokesperson at yesterday’s government session, appointing Irakli Chikovani, PM’s advisor on International Affairs on the post. According to the head of government, the introduction of the new position will facilitate faster, effective communication between the administration, citizens and the media.
The post of Prime Minister's Spokesperson for International Affairs, Irakli Chikovani, was held by the Prime Minister's Advisor on International Affairs. Giorgi Gakharia said on November 21, before the start of the government session, that the launch of the new service will improve the quality of government's media and public relations:
"This is a new position and it will help establish a quick, effective communication between the government administration and our citizens and of course the media," said Gakharia.
Chikovani, estimates that the decision to shift to a proportional electoral system for the 2020 elections will not affect Georgia's international relations as the country continues to move through democratic reforms; PM spokesperson assures that the communication with partners regarding this issue is constant:
“In some cases, there are solutions that are more promising internationally, but we know that by 2024 Georgia is already shifting to a proportional system, and this is a decision that this government has taken and no other government has taken before,” said Chikovani.
Chikovani, 39, who has been serving as PM’s advisor since December 2018, will hold both positions. Earlier in 2012-2016, Chikovani was a member of the Parliament from the Georgian Dream Party. He left the active politics after the 2016 parliamentary elections, served as an independent expert and was involved in the UNDP and USAID projects before his appointment at the government’s administration in 2018.
Earlier, from 2010 to 2014, he was Secretary-General of Free Democrats’ Party. From January 2007 to July 2009 Chikovani served as Deputy Permanent Representative of Georgia to the UN.
PM stated at the government session that irresponsible politicians do not take into account stability as the crucial factor for the development of citizens and the country. “We, as a responsible force and the government of Georgia, must take certain steps to respond to such challenges,” Gakharia said.
Gakharia gave a special task to Finance Minister Ivane Machavariani to accelerate economic growth and called on the National Bank to ensure price stability.
To accelerate economic growth, he instructed the Minister of Finance to discuss and present at the next session whether it is possible to reduce the foreign currency lending threshold from GEL 200,000 to GEL 100,000. Up until now, loans worth less than 200,000 GEL had to be given in the GEL.
Gakharia called on the National Bank to actively use all the instruments at its disposal to ensure price stability. According to Gakharia, the government should work in coordination with the National Bank to ensure economic growth, the inflation target set at the beginning of the year, and price stability.
Georgian PM instructed the Minister of Finance to pay particular attention to the Revenue Service: “A fair, transparent and efficient tax system is a priority and it will be an important factor for the economic development of the country and the functioning of the state in general. Particular attention will be paid to the Revenue Service and fiscal policy. "
Gakharia also stated that government agencies are working in a 24-hour regime to achieve the release of illegally detained famous Georgia doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili by occupation forces.
Civic activists and representatives of opposition parties, including supporters from European Georgia, the United National Movement, and New Georgia, have been holding a protest in front of the gov’t administration building in parallel with the meeting. Police were mobilized at the scene did not allow the protesters to hang a padlock on the main entrance.
Protesters outside the government administration ended up putting a padlock on the administrative fence symbolically.
Gigi Ugulava, a member of the European Georgia party, stated that they will express protest and arrange a ‘padlock day’ in front of the government administration each Thursday.
Another mass protest rally is planned for November 25 in Tbilisi. The protesters have announced they would block the Parliament building on November 26.
The protests in Tbilisi were sparked after the rejection of the election bill last week, proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, offering the transition to a fully proportional electoral system from 2020 instead of 2024. Proportional elections were one of the demands of participants in the June anti-occupation rallies that was promised to be fulfilled.
