Georgia asks NATO for medical assistance
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Thursday, April 9
The Georgian government has appealed to NATO for help. The document sent to the Euro-Atlantic Coordination Center (EADRCC) for Disaster Response requires material equipment for 100 checkpoints of the Defense Forces.
The list of requirements in the letter is divided into 3 categories and is accompanied by the purpose and quantity of use- equipment and hygiene, equipment for blocking roads and fast-consuming items such as disposable bio combiners, respirators N95, protective masks, disinfection tents and waterproof materials for disinfection tents, etc.
To recap, the Czech Republic was the first country to receive 100 tons of medical equipment from China with the help of NATO. The transport plane AN-124 24-25, owned by the Ukrainian company Antonov Airlines, performed this flight on March 24-25. Since then, medical assistance has already been provided to Slovakia, China and Romania through various programs.
22 Georgian opposition political parties and one independent MP have called on the govt’s of the United States, the UK, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, as well as the EU, the World Bank, the European Monetary Fund, the EBRD, the European Investment Bank, the Development Bank, JICA and the Asian Development Bank to assist georgian in handling the challenges of Coronavirus. They expressed full support to the Georgian government’s efforts to gain international financial support to avoid grave economic crisis in the country amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement released on April 3rd, the opposition parties noted that the steps aimed to counter the COVID-19 outbreak, have ‘hit a serious blow to the economy’ and it’s clear that the damage will be great.
“The economic crisis will also threaten the fragile democracy of the country, which has to pass an important test in this year's parliamentary elections,” reads the statement, adding that despite the crisis the opposition expects to fulfill its commitments, implement constitutional and electoral reform and release political prisoners.
The opposition announced that among political forces there is a full consensus that the Georgian economy needs a significant direct financial injection to keep the country's economic balance during the pandemic and save the economy after the end of the pandemic.
As stated in the letter, the Georgian government faces the urgent need to gain international financial support, and no matter ‘how critical we may be of them, we fully support this effort.’
Signatory parties and civil movements say that it is in the common and vital interest to receive international assistance, which will enable the country's government, both today and after the elections, to form a government based on the political will of the Georgian people, to overcome the severe economic and social crisis.
Among others, it has been signed by the United National Movement, European Georgia, New Georgia, Republican Party, Civil Movement, Free Georgia, Girchi, European Democrats, For Victorious Georgia, Democratic Movement – United Georgia, Lelo for Georgia, as well as independent lawmaker Nato Chkheidze.
It is noteworthy that the EU already allocated 140 mln EUROs for EaP states and redirected the use of 700 mln EUROs to ease the coronavirus impact on the economy.
The EBRD is pledging financing to help firms in Georgia deal with the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. The EBRD has made available an emergency Solidarity Package of ˆ1 billion for its existing clients across 38 economies, including clients in Georgia.
As for local allocations, the ruling Georgian Dream party members in the Georgian government as well as in the Parliament (105 people in total) will transfer third of their monthly salaries to the StopCov fund for 3 months.
A total of 23 793 096 GEL has already been accumulated in the StopCov fund as of April 8. The funds raised in the StopCoV fund, that was created on March 23, will be used to meet ‘identified needs.’
The Georgian government allocated 2 bln GEL to assist the economy in emergencies. Besides, GEL 351 million has been allocated as the crisis budget.
