საქართველოს მთავრობა|Government of Georgia

On January 31, 2012 was held the meeting of the Georgian Government. The agenda included 85 items.

Before the meeting started, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Nika Gilauri, talked about several issues. We present the Prime Minister's speech.

"Good day. Before the government meeting starts, I would like to point out several important events.
Firs of them is the yesterday's meeting of President Saakashvili and President Obama. I think that yesterday is the most important day for Georgia-America relations. I would like to emphasize several directions of the dialogue of the two presidents. The first is a prospect of beginning negotiations on free trade agreement between Georgia and America. This will be very important for economic activities, economic success of Georgia.

I would like to remind you that we have already started negotiations with the European Union. One of beginning rounds of negotiations on free trade agreement between Georgia and the European Union is to be held today. In perspective, Georgia can freely be forwarded as a trade center, which will become a center between Asia and Europe, Asia and the US. Many companies will be able to make investments due to the fact that trade with the European Union as well as with the US will be free from additional barriers. This will be an important advancement for the economy of our country.

The second factor I would like to emphasize is relation in the field of defense. In this case, we are talking about not only on antiterrorist trainings or only relations in Afghanistan. This is about growth of ability of defense of Georgia, which is very important for safety of our country and Region. This was emphasized at the meeting of the two presidents.

One more important factor is the US support to Georgia with respect to Georgia's becoming a member of NATO. In several months, in May, a NATO summit will be held in Chicago, US, and support of the US itself is of great importance.

I would like to point out the present day as well. Today, presentation of a new book written by the World Bank concerning Georgia will be held in Washington. The book describes the reforms carried out in Georgia during the last years. The book concerns reforms carried out in police, public and civil registries, energetics, the Ministry of Finance, and customs system. Unfortunately, this book does not include reforms in healthcare and several reforms carried out in the field of education. Although, I have talked to the World Bank and I hope, that specific result in the fields of healthcare and education will be included in the second part of the book.

The aim of the World Bank is Georgian reforms to be a very specific example for other countries, and that situation to be improved in other countries by means of these reforms. Especially, this is about fighting against corruption. The World Bank is planning a tour around Europe; presentation of this book will be held in European countries, where the reforms carried out in Georgia during the last years will be emphasized. How these reforms have changed our country and how they can change any other countries, not only the ones in the Post Soviet space, but also African, European, Eastern European, Asian countries.

In the end, I would like to point out my visit to Davos once more. Politicians as well as businessmen almost all over the world were in Davos. One of main issues was Georgian reforms in Davos as well. One of the main and most important issues was direction of fighting against corruption. This was not only about Post Soviet countries. This was about very big countries, such as India, Pakistan, Egypt and their sharing the
reforms carried out in Georgia during the last years.

We can say that Georgian reforms and anticorruption activities carried out in Georgia enjoy a very important support and they may become a so called trade mark.

We can freely increase "importing" our reforms in the nearest future."