I wish to inform the general public about our decisions taken with an aim of maintaining economic growth and for a further enabling of economic growth in the country. We followed up on the initiative voiced some weeks ago about the overall acceleration of economic growth, upgrade of public infrastructure, wide-scale construction program and what we are launching today – wide-scale installment payments by potential customers within the construction program. It was announced by Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia at the Executive Government Meeting today.

The Head of Government of Georgia elaborated on the projects that will be commencing this year and completing within 3-4 years.

“I wish to list all those large and wide-scale projects by line ministries that we will be financing. We wish to launch them this year and complete the implementation in 3 years, so that all the initiatives I will list get done in due time. Total volume of funding is about 3 BLN GEL. We will be starting with 2 BLN GEL at this stage. We will be carrying out work in the value of 2 BLN GEL. Projects will be offered for engagement to companies and I wish to list several of them. As a result of their implementation, 20 000 new jobs will be created. We will thus advise our developers and construction sector executives to attract additional financial resources with contracts under our guarantee – most certain workflow – and to get engaged in the program. I believe that this will be a universal decision. On the one hand, we will be implementing the pre-defined projects much earlier than scheduled and on the other hand – all that will support the economy. Also, it will be a very important business enabling factor and new employment opportunities will be created. The Government of Georgia will implement its projects much earlier than scheduled” noted the Prime Minister of Georgia.

According to Irakli Garibashvili, it is planned to refurbish 800 school buildings, including the construction of 80 new schools and 90 kindergartens throughout the country. Rehabilitation works will be carried out at 412 basic education institutions.

“We built 175 schools within the last 8-9 years and almost 240 schools were rehabilitated, however it is not sufficient. We currently have 800 school buildings to refurbish, out of which 80 new schools will be built and 220 will be fully or partially rehabilitated. In total 800 schools will be covered under the referred project. Budget of works will be almost 1 BLN GEL and – as I mentioned – all 800 of them will be refurbished, built or partially and fully rehabilitated within the coming 3 years. It should be our new aim and goal. We will also appraise the kindergartens that are in critical condition. A lot of kindergartens are in the most devastating shape, especially in regions. That is why we have decided to build 90 kindergartens and rehabilitate 412 nationwide. It is most important. Our main goal is to make our future generation – children – grow and acquire knowledge in a very healthy environment. It is essential for them. Schools and kindergartens need to be in ideal condition. It is our main goal and priority” stated the Prime Minister of Georgia.

As for the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, with a joint decision of the Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs, a Police City with 1000 apartments will be built for policemen.

“It is a great desire and joint decision of myself and the Minister of Internal Affairs that a Police City with 1000 apartments will be built for our hero policemen. This project will be launched this year. All the preparation works have commenced already. Location has also been selected. It was Vakhtang’s idea to build the residential blocks for policemen on Jikia Street in Tbilisi at the premises of a Special Task Force Base. The latter will be relocated to a different place and residential blocks with 1000 apartments will be built instead. Police City will be created for our hero policemen similar to what we did during my tenure as a Minister of Defense of Georgia. You may remember that an Army City with 1000 apartments was built and handed over to our defense and military servicemen in September this year. Similar city will be built for our policemen. Conditions will be the same as in the case of the army, i.e. the equivalent of almost 100 USD for 1 m2 will be paid by our policemen. Difference in the price will be paid by the State. I believe that it should not be a one-off project, but a continuation and serve as an additional incentive for our policemen. It is our duty to reward them in a due manner as they sacrifice themselves for our people and homeland” added the Prime Minister of Georgia.

Irakli Garibashvili noted that rehabilitation of every police station and base is planned as well. They will comply with a common, European standard. Tentative cost of the referred works is about 300-350 MLN GEL.

“It is planned to repair, renovate and rehabilitate every police station. Also, rehabilitation of base stations of the Special Taskforce Department and their compliance with a common standard is planned. Works will be launched at a Border Police. We will be building new sectors. We will be repairing the existing ones everywhere, thereby making every base station and building compliant with modern standards. Increase in population has created a need to build new police stations. We have planned new projects and new police stations will be built not only in Tbilisi, but in regions – of course. Tentative cost of works is 300-350 MLN GEL. Construction will need to start this year and it is our desire to complete all these within three years” noted the Prime Minister of Georgia.

Irakli Garibashvili noted that very important infrastructure projects are implemented in various directions within the Ministry of Defense. The Prime Minister of Georgia highlighted the construction of a new, modern base station of the Special Task Force. Reference is made at the so-called Mukhrovani Base Station, which will be subject to wide-scale works this year.

“It is our desire to make it one of the most exemplary base stations in the region. I am referring to the so-called Mukhrovani Base Station. Works have been launched there, but we are dealing with a rather wide-scale initiative, which will be launched this year and get completed in 2-3 years. We will have one of the most exemplary and modern military bases for special task force operations. Also, we wish to build a Cadets Lyceum in East Georgia as well. You may well be aware that one such facility exists in Kutaisi, which is highly popular in the society and we wish to build a similar one in Tbilisi, namely in Krtsanisi District. It will be a significant education center for raising military and patriotic spirit among the youth. Such lyceum is performing most successfully in Kutaisi and another one will exist in Tbilisi” added the Prime Minister of Georgia.

According to the Head of the Government of Georgia, a concept will be developed for a Military Museum, which was put on hold due to COVID-19 and this project will be finalized shortly.

The Government of Georgia is launching a wide-scale project for IDP housing. As the Prime Minister of Georgia noted, thousands of internally displaced persons (IDP) have been given apartments and they now have title ownership on them within the scope of a program branded as Rural Housing, whereby the State bought houses for them, but the challenge is still high and thousands of IDPs still have no apartments to live.

“That is why we are launching a wide-scale project to provide houses to almost 13 000 IDPs in the coming 3-4 years. Some of them will get title ownership on them. Almost 6 000 IDPs will be granted houses within the scope of a project branded as Rural Housing and 7 000 IDP households will get new, modern residential blocks built for them. They will be granted apartments with modern standards and full refurbishment, as it is our obligation. Construction of 700 apartments is being completed in Kutaisi this year, which will be handed over to IDPs this autumn, while the construction of new residential blocks will commence in Tbilisi, Rustavi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi and Borjomi in spring, as I have just noted. It is a wide-scale project, which will need to be completed in 3-4 years utmost” added the Prime Minister of Georgia.

Apart from the abovementioned, it is planned to complete the water supply project in every municipality in the coming 3 years and tap water will thus be made available 24/7 in every municipality and city of the country.

According to the Prime Minister of Georgia, this project will be financed with about 350 MLN GEL and by 2025 all the cities will get uninterrupted water supply 24/7 in every city.

“Problem of the water supply system in regions is still not addressed fully. It is still pending. With our decision, as we went through this issue with Irakli Karseladze, a water supply project will be completed in every municipality in the coming 3 years and uninterrupted tap water will be made available 24/7 in every municipality, every city. This project will be funded with about 350 MLN GEL and uninterrupted tap water will be made available 24/7 in every city in 2025 utmost. Also, I wish to note the issue of irrigation. A couple days ago I was visiting Akhmeta and spoke with local residents. They noted that a lot of land plots are left without cultivation as they have no water to irrigate the land. So, this problem is still pending. According to our plan, the irrigation system will be brought to another 200 000 hectares of land in the coming 3 years. It is most important for our farmers, our citizens. They will be able to cultivate the land and benefit from this wealth – soil. This is all related to the project, which we announced 2 days ago together with Rati Bregadze, when we presented a Systemic Land Registration, which is essential. Currently 1 200 000 hectares of land are not registered. This issue is under total chaos and we do not know who owns what within the public and private sectors, etc. It is also a very important issue that will be integrated in our projects” noted the Prime Minister of Georgia.

According to Irakli Garibashvili, one of the main priorities of the country will be sports and culture. Essential project initiatives have been reviewed with Thea Tsulukiani, Minister of Sports and Culture. Rehabilitation of every theatre will be launched throughout the country. Also, sports compounds will be built in every municipality.

The Prime Minister of Georgia particularly highlighted the Museum of Fine Arts Named After Shalva Amiranashvili, which is very important for the country. He also noted that rehabilitation of the museum will commence this year, as it is the desire of the Government of Georgia.

“Update of the sports infrastructure is planned nationwide. Central football stadiums will be rehabilitated in every municipality, along with all the small or so-called mini stadiums that will be fully upgraded or rehabilitated within the coming 3 years. It is also my desire and we spoke about it. We should gradually start the construction of sports compounds in every municipality. It may be a transitional project and it will need to be done within 3 years. Nevertheless, sports compounds should be built in every municipality from 3 to 5 years to facilitate a healthy lifestyle among the youth” noted the Prime Minister of Georgia.

In addition, as noted by the Prime Minister of Georgia, a new building will be constructed for the Ministry of Economy of Georgia, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia will be rehabilitated.

“Ministry of Economy – for instance – has had no building of its own all these 7 years. It is a great shame of course. That is why, I spoke about it with Levan Davitashvili and we decided to use the unique site in Ortachala to construct a building for the Ministry of Economy, which will house all its subordinated institutions. It will be a building complying modern standards.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia faces a greater challenge as the current building is not solid and requires essential rehabilitation. We wish to launch this project this year. It will be done by Ilia Darchiashvili. We should start very active work and need to operate 24/7. Thousands of people will be employed and this wealth will apply to hundreds of thousand citizens. I am most delighted with our Education Project, as 800 schools will need to be constructed and rehabilitated with European standards. Ladies and Gentlemen, I once again wish to call upon active work and performance. We now need to get most mobilized to complete all these projects and ambitious plans in the most efficient manner” concluded Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia.