Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili Highlights GeoStat's Crucial Role at 105th Anniversary Event
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, July 29, 2024
At the 105th anniversary event of the National Statistics Office (GeoStat), H.E. Lasha Khutsishvili, Minister of Finance of Georgia, emphasized the critical importance of high-quality, reliable, and comprehensive statistical information for effective fiscal policy planning. In his address, Minister Khutsishvili praised GeoStat's role in Georgia's development, noting its adherence to international best practices in data production.
"The national statistics office is an exceptional institution that consistently enhances its work quality and provides valuable information to policymakers and other stakeholders," stated Khutsishvili. He highlighted several milestones, including the successful transition to the SNA2008 methodology in 2019, the review of GDP and national accounts indicators this year under the Harmonized European Revision Policy, and GeoStat's early adoption of the new ILO methodology for labor statistics in 2020. According to World Bank data, Georgia's statistics system ranks 15th globally and 14th among European countries.
Khutsishvili also discussed the collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Finance and GeoStat, emphasizing the importance of task force work and efficient data exchange.
"Our cooperation includes addressing various challenges and advancing reforms in statistics as we pursue EU candidate status," he noted.
Minister Khutsishvili congratulated the staff of GeoStat on their anniversary and extended best wishes for their upcoming significant project - the nationwide population census.
