2018-09-17
"Of course, issues like hemp cultivation are not resolved through administrative proceedings. That is not how our team works; it must be a result of broad public consensus," Georgia Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze stated in his reply to journalists' question in Washington, DC.
According to the Head of Government, the authorities exercise extreme responsibility in dealing with this issue.
"The Constitutional Court's decision has brought about a new reality. The first thing we were supposed to do was adopting regulations for consumption to protect the health of our youth and of our population in general, which we did. I assure you with full responsibility that the bill prepared by the Interior Ministry is one of the strictest among those enforced in practice in developed countries. It was a very responsible step on the part of the Government. As for cultivation, we have already provided our arguments. Naturally, we are eager to reach a broad consensus on this issue," the Prime Minister emphasized.
The Head of Government believes that broader communication on this part of the bill is in order with the population, so that the cons and pros of this bill may be defined and understood in detail, and that positions ay be agreed.
"Of course, we were supposed to make that decision. Otherwise, it would be very irresponsible not to adopt new regulations. It was the right decision. As for the second part of the bill, we are open to consultations. It must be a result of a broad public consensus, in which we will agree what challenges may be triggered by this decision, how to deal and neutralize them. We will not make this decision through administrative proceedings. That is not our signature style. This issue requires broad public engagement and consensus," Mamuka Bakhtadze said.
Prime Minister's Press Office