On February 29, 2012 was held the meeting of the Georgian Government. The agenda included 62 items.
Before the meeting started, the Prime Minister of Georgia, talked about the President's speech at the Parliament. We present the Prime Minister's speech:
"Good day. Before we discuss issues of the government meeting, I would like to express my opinion with respect to yesterday's Parliament debates and President's speech.
I would like to emphasize the progress which we have in almost all directions. First of all, this is agriculture. Last year, we promised that we would double agricultural production before 2015; this year's result is 35% growth.
As for healthcare, we have promised to construct 100 hospitals. We have 90 new healthcare facilities, which have already been opened and 40 more hospitals will be added to this during the current year. Till the end of 2012, we will have opened 130 hospitals.
We have promised to operate 10 new hydro power plants in energy before 2015; construction of 15 new hydro power plants has been started and construction of 10 additional hydro power plants will be initiated this year.
We have made promise that before 2015, 70% of population would be provided by gas supply. According to the present results, 55% is provided by gas supply while additional 80 thousand subscribers will be supplied this year. At the end of 2012, these figures will be increased from 55 to 65%.
In absolutely all directions we have significant progress with respect to our promises. Although, this is not the bases for our self-satisfaction.
There is still much to be done. In healthcare, rule of game is to be adjusted and defined between insurance companies and hospitals.
Much is to be adjusted in agriculture with a view to mechanization, bringing new tractors, registration of lands, and identification. Respectively, we work to all this directions.
I would like to emphasize the news announced by the President, which he suggested to the public and the Parliament in his yesterday's speech.
First of all, I would like to tell you about employment part. This is one of the most important initiatives; I mean professional retraining centers, professional colleges. From March 20 (of the current year) we will start to deliver vouchers - all socially unprotected persons will be able to go to information centers of the Ministry of Education from March 20: in Tbilisi, in Kobuleti and in Kutaisi - at the first stage, while in the future, this will be added by Telavi, Akhaltsikhe, Zugdidi and getting voucher of GEL 1,000. This will be impossible to exchange the voucher for cash. But the holders of the vouchers will be able to take the voucher at any professional retraining college and get service of GEL 1,000, i.e. they can get specialized in any profession they like.
After April 5, the same opportunity will be given to any of our citizens. Not only to socially unprotected persons, but also to any citizen; but in this case, they will have to pass habits and skills test. In case of passing the exam, a person will be given a GEL 1,000 voucher while in other case if a person is not willing to pass the exam, he/she will be funded by 30%.
This new initiative is very important to increase employment. Frequently, companies, as well as state structures search for employees, but cannot find them, because there is no respective qualification in public, at a specific moment and a specific place. Thus, this is the most important initiative with a view to employment.
Apart from this, we have a very important initiative with respect to demography. From January 1, 2013, a family will receive a lumpsum amount of GEL 1,000 for the third child born, while it will receive a lumpsul amount of GEL 2,000 for the 4th or 5th child born. Apart from this, from January 1 of the next year, we will insure every child of all families with many children. In this case, I mean the families with four or more children.
This is also a very important initiative with respect to healthcare and demography.
I would like to emphasize once more that a very important political and geopolitical initiative of the yesterday's speech of the President is removal of unilateral request of visa for Russian citizens. This is very important to increase visits of Russian tourists and Russian businessmen in Georgia. Let them see, how a Post Soviet country can develop and what a great progress can be achieved in only 7-8 years. This will be very important for our economy and geopolitical stability."
Prime Minister's Press Service