Salome Zourabichvili initiates to create a Diaspora House in Georgia
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Tuesday, December 17
The President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili put forward several initiatives regarding the Georgian Diaspora at the conference organised by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe regarding the need for a Diaspora Representative in Georgia and the establishment of a Diaspora House.
Zurabishvili suggested that in terms of involvement in the country's development process, the political forms of participation of diaspora representatives should be increased and expanded and the Diaspora should have its representative in the Parliament of Georgia.
“It is necessary for the Diaspora to have a representative in the Georgian Parliament, to protect its interests. Such a practice exists in many countries that have a very large diaspora,” said the President.
The President appealed to the political parties running for elections to include one diaspora representative in the first fifteen party lists.
“This will be great news and a great message to our diaspora. If there is a positive rivalry between the parties in this regard, it will be very beneficial for the country as well as for the diaspora,” said the president.
According to the President, people returning to Georgia often need detailed information on employment opportunities, investment directions, continuing education and all the opportunities offered by the country. By providing comprehensive information, the Diaspora House will perform a very specific and necessary function.
The President expressed her readiness to allocate one cabinet at the Presidential Palace on Atoneli Street to perform the function of the Diaspora House and asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to appoint a representative to take over the diaspora.
The President spoke about the role and importance of the Georgian Diaspora at the international conference. She said that for a long time Georgia had considered itself a non-immigrant country, no one was leaving the country and there was no need to think about it; And suddenly, in a very short time, it has become a country with a very large diaspora abroad.
“Georgian students - interns brought into the President's administration - are one of the most dynamic and interesting parts of my administration, with their ideas, freedom and initiative, which is what we need,” said the President.
Zurabishvili urged the representatives of the Georgian Diaspora to return home, noting that no return is as dignified and effective as returning to their own village, region or city.
