"Greetings,
Today, I'd like to inform you about the Government's legislative initiative aimed at further liberalizing the business environment in Georgia and simplify the relations of private companies with government authorities.
Some of them may know that the Parliament has received the Government-formulated Draft Law on Technical Risk Control that is aimed to merge two public controlling authorities and increase the effectiveness of control over the facilities involving increased technical risks.
As you know, so far control over government-contracted construction projects has been provided by ArchMshenInspection that is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economic Development and over the facilities involving increased technical risks - by Technical Supervision Authority. After the Draft Law has been passed, the two authorities will merge into one under the name of Technical and Construction Supervision."
The main changes introduced by the Draft Law will apply to the sphere of control over the facilities involving increased technical risks, with virtually no changes in the supervision over the construction of residential apartments.
So far the law has had no clear definition of what the facilities involving increased technical risks were. The procedures were complex and unclear. The Draft Law clearly defines and identifies such facilities, with a focus on facilities presenting real risks. Besides, the Draft Law specifies the procedures, rights and duties that will make the process of supervision more effective, on the one hand, and simplify the relations of entrepreneurs with the Supervision.
According to the Draft Law, private accredited inspection agencies may provide control over the facilities involving increased technical risk. Such agencies shall have liability insurance but such insurance is not required for the agencies already operating in the member-states of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
If so far the officers of Technical Supervision Authority have been responsible for almost 50 000 facilities and structures, with a few corrupt practices being recently identified, after the Draft Law has been passed, private agencies accredited by the state will be providing control over such facilities and structures. The number of facilities will change dramatically and supervision over them shall be provided by such accredited agencies under government control.
I'd like to re-emphasize that these legislative changes and the merger of the two government entities is a big stride forward towards liberalizing the economic environment and more effective control over the facilities involving increased technical risk.
I'd like to take the opportunity to answer your colleague Ana Tutberidze's question regarding Russia's opening Upper Larsi Border Checkpoint on 1 March.
As you know, some time in the past the border checkpoint was closed on the initiative of Russia, not on Georgia's initiative. It was Russia that some time in the past declared the economic blockade to Georgia, although Russian-made goods are still freely sold on the Georgian market. It was Russia that stopped issuing VISAs to Georgian citizens irrespective of the fact that Russian citizens had never had any problem in crossing the Georgian border.
Prime Minister Nika Gilauri can't see any danger in the opening of the border checkpoint and believes that the opening of the checkpoint will have a positive effect on the economic conditions of the population in the region. However, the Government of Georgia does not expect any significant economic benefit from the opening of the checkpoint. Russia seems to have changed her decision and we only welcome if she changes her other decisions as well.
In addition to the above, Bloomberg Agency correspondents and reporters from other agencies have asked me to provide information about the Prime Minister's visit to Dubai and Kuwait starting today.
The visit starts today. As part of the visit, Nika Gilauri will meet the Manager of Dubai International Financial Center and other members of the government. Besides, the Prime Minister will meet the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and the members of the Steering Board.
On 16 February, the Prime Minister will travel to Kuwait to meet with Kuwaiti Emir, the Parliament Speaker, the Head of the Chamber of Commerce. The Prime Minister's itinerary includes meetings in Kuwait Development Fund and Kuwait Financial House.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister will visit the City of Akhmad and meet with the Ruler of the City. I'd like to tell you that this is an oil-rich region in Kuwait. The Prime Minister will also meet with Al-Shaia, a Kuwaiti businessman", Nikoloz Mchedlishvili said.
Press Service of the Prime Minister