2017 successful year for Georgia
By Tea Mariamidze
Friday, December 30
Georgia’s Prime Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, believes that 2017 will be a good year for Georgia. The PM made the statement at the last governmental session of the year, while summarizing the year of 2016.
“2017 will be a very successful year and all of us will achieve this together. Our citizens are not well-off at present. We understand the situation and we are sure that all the planned reforms are necessary to change the situation for the better. This is the right way that gives us grounds for optimism,” said Kvirikashvili.
While summing up events of 2016, the PM pointed out some significant achievements of the government:
• Revolutionary project of construction of Kutaisi University City and construction of a Technological Center in Tbilisi.
• Universal internet providing project, which will enable residents of all regions to have access to internet.
• Creation of Joint Operational Management Center, which enables Ministry of Internal Affairs to provide high standards of security throughout the country.
• Spatial reform of the country
• Construction of new airports
• Renovation of Georgia’s resorts –arranging new cableways and ski tacks at winter resorts.
• Infrastructural reforms and road construction throughout the country.
• Economic reforms -Modifying Georgia’s income tax rules through the Estonian Taxation Model. Under the Estonian Taxation Model all businesses, except profit-sharing businesses, should be exempted from income tax.
• Implementation of programs –Produce is Georgia and Startup Georgia, when state funds innovative business ideas.
• New 154 enterprises were opened and 700 were expanded.
• Completion of project Electricity in All Villages, which brought light to 30 villages this year.
• Construction of the first wind and 4 new hydro power plants.
• State subsidies program of grape harvests, which promotes viticulture and winemaking in Georgia.
• Development of a governance reform - with the involvement of international experts - project was set up.
• Successful foreign reforms in terms of Georgia’s visa-liberalization and Euro-Atlantic integration.
• The Association Agreement with the European Union went into force and Defense Cooperation Memorandum was signed with the United States.
• 13 700 refugee families and more than 300 eco migrants families were given houses and flats.
• Success in sport; overall, Georgian sportsmen obtained 844 medals, 7 out of them are Olympic medals.
• UNESCO granted three sites in the country's ancient capital Mtskheta the status of 'enhanced protection' and added the Georgian alphabet to the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
• Large-scale cultural project Ńheck in Georgia - a result of which Georgia is marked on the calendar of cultural events in the world.
• 90% of patients were cured from Hepatitis C due to the state program.
Kvirikashvili assessed 2016 positively and stated that the following year would be much better, with new projects, reforms and better living conditions for citizens of Georgia.
