PM Garibashvili delivers a report in Georgian Parliament
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Monday, June 28
The Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili delivered the government performance report at the Plenary Session of the Parliament of Georgia. Garibashvili talked about the challenges that the country faced over the past year, including the Covid-19 pandemic.
The PM talked about Georgia's relations with its international partners, saying that the country has managed to raise $2.1 billion from international financial institutions for providing funding for the coronavirus response measures and for maintaining macroeconomic stability.
He also stated that the following year will be dedicated to decline the impact of the pandemic and economic recovery. Talking about the relations with international partners, the prime minister of the country noted that Georgia is closer to the Euro-Atlantic integration than ever before. Garibashvili said that he believes that Georgia is fully ready to become a NATO member.
He introduced the Parliament with the 10-year development plan of Georgia, stating that the finalized version of the plan will be available this autumn.
According to the PM, among the most important things included in the development plan are the economy, local production, promotion of small and medium-sized businesses, the attraction of foreign investors, and gradually integrating into the EU single market to make sure the economic development in Georgia benefits every citizen of the country.
After presenting the report, the Prime Minister also answered the questions of Parliament members. The Chairperson of the Republican Party of Georgia Khatuna Samnidze asked the Prime Minister about the upcoming Pride Week planned in Georgia in July. According to the PM, Georgia law guarantees the safety and security of every Georgian citizen.
“I would like to remind you that while we were working on the Visa Liberalization Action Plan, one of the requirements was the adoption of an anti-discrimination law, which was adopted during my term as a prime minister,” added Garibashvili.
Pride Week begins in Tbilisi on July 1 and lasts until July 5. The LGBTQI+ activists and their supporters plan to gather and march in the center of Tbilisi, on Rustaveli Avenue.
On the other hand, ultra-right groups are also planning to gather on Rustaveli avenue to prevent LGBTQI+ activists from holding the march. While LGBTQI+ activists expect security guarantees from the government, while the ultra-conservative groups are calling on the government to ‘stop propaganda.’
The Prime Minister of Georgia talked about many other things while presenting his report to the parliament. This included the relations of Georgia with its international partners, the socio-economic situation in the country, as well as future prospects.
