2018-07-12
Good morning!
As promised yesterday, Today I will introduced the new members of our Cabinet.
Allow me to remind you that, in line with the small government concept, our new structures include 10 Ministers and one Office of the State Minister.
Mikheil Batiashvili will assume the Office of Minister for Education, Science, Culture, and Sport.
He is a very prominent figure in our processional community. His professional background is related to the establishment of the University of Business and Technology. For years, he has served as a member of the Strategic and Competitiveness Institute at the Harvard Business School, having many years of experience in successful cooperation with scientific centers abroad.
Our key goal in in the area of education, and the reforms we plan, lies within the implementation if a 5-level reform which involves the integration of preschool education, school education, vocational education, and higher education, and science, also the introduction of innovative systems of education and, most importantly, ensuring close ties between education and economy.
I am convinced that Mikheil Batiashvili, with our support, will be able to implement these extremely important educational reforms.
Ivane Machavariani will become Finance Minister.
For many years, Vano Machavariani worked for Geocell, a company incorporated into Telia Somera, as Financial and Commercial Director at said subsidiary company.
Our reforms, for the most part, are related to digital economy. About half of the reform package endorsed by me involves the introduction of modern technology. Vano Machavariani's experience in this area is truly exemplary-he is one of the most experienced person in this direction.
Consequently, we expect him to help us maximally in the digital transformation of economy. Allow me to remind you that, in line with our expectations, the ushering in of modern technology should ensure between 1 and 1.5% growth. Therefore, it is a vitally important direction.
The Office of Economy and Sustainable Development will be assumed by Mr. Giorgi Kobulia.
Goga (Giorgi) is one of the most prominent representatives of our immigration. In fact, he spent two decades working for McKinsey, a global international consulting firm, as its Senior Partner.
I would like to remind everyone that McKinsey is associated with some of the revolutionary technological breakthroughs in the 20th and 21st centuries, including a lion's share in perfecting the system of governance. Kobulia has vast experience in a number of sectors, such as energy, the integration of numerous economic sectors into global economy, upgrading competitiveness, the labor market, and many others. I am convinced that he will contributed tremendously to the effective implementation of the reforms announced by us and included in the government program. I avail myself of this opportunity to state that Mr. Davit Zalkaliani remain Foreign Minister. Unfortunately, he is unable to attend our briefing today-a Summit of historic importance is underway in Brussels where out diplomats are actively working, and I would like to wish Dato (Davit) success in his professional work.
In conclusion, I would like to introduce to you Kakha Kakhishvili, the new Head of the Administration of the Government.
Kakha Kakhishvili has been, without exaggeration, the Cabinet's most successful Minister. He has implemented very important and fundamental reforms in one of the most difficult directions. Success and successful reforms, however, are not enough in one sector only. We want successful and fundamental reforms across all areas. The coordination of the Government Administration's reforms is a vital role, which is why Kakha Kakhishvili will take over the Office of Head of the Administration of the Government and, in this capacity, he will be able to join me in coordinating the timely implementation of all reforms announced by us.
I would like to remind you that, according to the program announced by us, all reforms will be carried out in 2018-2019. Of course, educational reform is a special, long-term plan initiated by us, and the new reforms we will announce this coming fall will be implemented in 2018-2019. Coordinating and implementing this reform will require a systemic management and effective governmental links staffed with effective human resources. Therefore, its is only natural that the Administration of the Government has a special function, and Kakha Kakhishvili will duly handle this function.
I am convinced that this team will honorably gain the Parliament's trust, serving the interests of the country and the people and introducing high modern standards of government in the country, which will be less bureaucratic, being instead effective, flexible, and modern, tailored to suit the small government.
I also avail myself of this opportunity to thank the former members of the Cabinet for their service. Each of them has completed tremendous work. They are our team's inseparable parts, members of our team, and I am convinced that they will make maximal use of their capacities in their new roles.
Thank you so much for your attention!