President Zourabichvili Stresses the Separation of Politics and Business for Joint Country Development
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, December 1, 2023
The President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, met with representatives of small and medium-sized businesses at Orbeliani Palace.
In her address, President Zourabichvili conveyed the idea that there should be a significant distance between politics and business. She expressed the belief that both sectors should work collaboratively to contribute to the country's development but should maintain independence as much as possible. Zourabichvili highlighted that this perspective aligns with European rules.
"Politics should stay as far away from business as possible. Both should jointly develop the country but remain as independent as possible. This aligns with one of the European rules. While it's a global reality that big business and politics are often intertwined, the more independence and freedom there is, the more business will spread its wings. This is my wish for you," said the president.
Zourabichvili acknowledged that while there is a theoretical opportunity for Georgia to export its products to the EU, this potential is not fully realized due to practical challenges. She highlighted the need for increased funding and support to meet the standards set by the EU. Additionally, she stressed the importance of making these standards more accessible for Georgian products to be accepted in the EU market.
The Georgian President underscored the importance of widely disseminating information and ensuring that businesses are thoroughly informed about the opportunities and requirements associated with EU markets.
"I know that those of you here do not need an explanation of how much this country needs to get closer to Europe and, ultimately, join the European Union. As representatives of the Georgian business, your future and development depend, on the one hand, on close relations with various EU countries and, on the other hand, on more active entry into the EU market. While theoretically, we have the opportunity to export our products, in practice, we all know it is not utilized to its full potential. More funding and support are required to meet EU standards, and these standards should be made more accessible for our products to be accepted in the EU market. All of this information needs to be disseminated more widely, and businesses should be informed," Zourabichvili stated.
