2020-05-29
The opposition - which is completely devoid of competence and meaning, which is desperate and degraded - is trying to use the hardships faced by children, the poverty of each of our citizens, stated Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia during his parliamentary address in the interpellation format.
According to the head of the government, the opposition forgot its questions and switched to political statements.
"First of all, I would like to address our citizens: it is difficult to draw some sort of a conclusion. I understand the people who are watching all this, who knew that today was the interpellation of the two opposition political teams. These people expected us to talk about the epidemic, the economy, and many other issues. Everyone forgot about the questions, everyone switched to political statements. I understand, and we all understand, that this is the Parliament. I understand that the political process has begun. All of this is clear; but in any case, at a time when the country is in a state of emergency and is fighting on two fronts at the same time (we had eight cases of infection today), and given that we will have to face numerous challenges in the global competition tomorrow and the day after, trying to blame one another during this period is complicated.
Although I was intending to say something completely different, I would like to formulate my address in a different manner now. This is very hard to watch, and I am certain that this is the case not just for me [but also for] the people, the citizens who are watching all this.
Completely devoid of competence, devoid of meaning, to say nothing at all of morality- a desperate and degraded opposition that is trying to use the hardships faced by children, the poverty of each of our citizens. This proves that instead of talking about how we can help our citizens, this is what happens," Giorgi Gakharia stated.
The head of the government once again spoke about the importance of the pension fund and stressed that the pension fund is a social guarantee for citizens in their old age.
"I would like to say a few words about what was attempted to be presented as the position of a structured, established, responsible political force here today. In a shock crisis, people are offering to utilize and expend long-term instruments and state resources today. I do not want to talk about the pension reform and the background anymore but we must all understand that the pension fund is a social guarantee for citizens in their old age which, apparently, we have to expend today. Furthermore, people - a responsible political force - are making promises worth 6.2 billion GEL in a 16 billion GEL budget, which would put the country's budget at a 14 percent deficit. This means that no international donor organization will provide any financial support and, to put it simply, this means that from May onward, no pensions will be issued, no salaries will be paid to police officers, teachers, and doctors, ongoing operations will be halted, and the Universal Healthcare System will face the possibility of collapse. All of this is happening as if the intention was to care for the country, the taxes, the entrepreneurs, the children, the socially vulnerable, and so forth," the prime minister stated.
According to the prime minister, all social programs announced by the government are a step toward providing the country's economy, every citizen, each family with the opportunity to emerge from this crisis as quickly as possible, and with minimal losses.
He also stated that the crisis is unequivocally an opportunity and everything must be done - and is being done - to ensure that the country overcomes the challenges on the one hand, while holding excellent, ideal, and the best elections possible on the other.
"The crisis is unequivocally an opportunity for us. We must do everything in our power to ensure that there are no unfinished constructions in the country after this crisis; we must do everything - and we are doing everything - to ensure that that tens of thousands of people are not left impoverished after this crisis, as they were after 2008, when they paid specific funds to improve their living conditions and were then left without property. We must not allow this to happen. We must do everything to make sure that our healthcare system is even stronger after this crisis. Of course, we must understand that the COVID-19 infection will, unfortunately, remain with us and we must learn to adapt, to manage risks, so that we never have to impose such strict restrictions as in the last two months ever again, and I assure you that we will achieve this goal. This will not be simple, this will require daily hard work, we must do everything to take care of each other and the country in the next six months, which will be extremely difficult in terms of both epidemiological and economic challenges, and we must hold excellent, ideal, the best elections in this country," Giorgi Gakharia noted.
According to the head of the government, with the support of the public and by their decision, the next Parliament will be of a higher quality, much more meaningful and competent.
"What took place here today is that instead of providing objective, meaningful opposition, people acted as if they were controlled by their instincts, emotions, and anger. Waving their hands, shouting, and so on - and they are calling all of this European, meaningful opposition. Unfortunately, these are the conditions under which we will have to work for the next six months. I have hope, and I am confident of the wisdom of our citizens, I am confident of their support, and I am sure that with their support and by their decision, the next Parliament will be of a higher quality, much more meaningful and competent," Giorgi Gakharia stated.
Press Service of the Government Administration