Majority sponsored Ministry of Mountains stirs fun in opposition
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Friday, June 12
Several lawmakers from the Georgian Dream coalition are pondering on the creation of a new Ministry of Mountainous Regions that will be focused on fulfilling the laws adopted for the mountainous parts of the country.
The initiative has been voiced by the majority MP Gia Zhorzholiani, who stressed that special attention is required for the mountainous regions that are of utmost importance from tourist and many other points of view and which are emptying from local people owing to hard socioeconomic conditions.
The initiative has caused some amusement amongst opposition members.
Representative of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) Sergo Ratiani said the ministries of rivers and seas are also likely to be created by the Georgian government.
However, he advised them that the establishment of the Ministry of Swamps would be more suitable for the current authorities.
Commenting on the issue Minister of Justice Thea Tsulukiani stated that the creation of a new ministry is less likely in the course of 1-2 years at least.
She stressed that the recent economic situation in the country hinders the state budget to allocate additional money.
Member of the Republican Party from the coalition Georgian Dream, Levan Berdzenishvili, stressed that the issue was not funny at all, as it was portrayed by the opposition.
Berdzenishvili stated that through putting the amendments in the election code small election districts of mountainous regions will be united and the number of the majoritarian representation of various mountainous regions will be reduced.
“Thus there will be fewer people who will inform us concerning the affairs and problems of our mountainous regions. The topic has caused discussions and the initiative of the creation of a separate ministry that will be only oriented on the mountainous regions,” Berdzenishvili said.
The legislative body has already received the initiative that envisages economic and cultural development of the mountainous regions. Apart from the initiative Zhorzholiani hopes that the government also shows interest to the new initiative over the formation of the new ministry.
