The Meeting of the Government of Georgia was held on 19 November 2008. The agenda consisted of 50 items.
Before the commencement of the Meeting, the Prime Minister talked about the visit to Koda. "We've been to Koda today to mark the completion of the accommodation of 450 aggrieved families. We can say that the first stage of the 18-month plan that provided for building homes for the aggrieved families is fulfilled successfully. The construction of over 5000 homes will be completed in the nearest future. Now our core objective is to facilitate the process of adjustment to the new environment and create new jobs for the residents of these new communities. One of the questions that I was asked every now and then was how smoothly we can run the process of education for the children of the aggrieved families, and how smoothly the schools will operate. I'd like to assign you to arrange for a meeting with the representatives of the local government in the nearest future to achieve better coordination in the process," Grigol Mgaloblishvili said.
The Prime Minister asked Minister of Education and Science Gia Nodia, Minister of Refugees and Accommodation Koba Subeliani and State Minister for Regional Affairs Davit Tkeshelashvili to provide the information to the public.
Gia Nodia:
There are 32 schools in Georgia in the proximity of the new communities. These schools must handle approximately 3500 pupils. There are certain technical problems. Some of the schools lack desks. We have already placed an order for the desks and will start delivering the desks to these schools in a week. The process will be completed in just 2 weeks. The school will get transfers to finance minor renovations. The problem is that the communities must be maximum 1-2 km far from the schools. We have reached agreement with the local self-government that it will arrange for transportation of the children to and from the schools. In the future, it may become necessary to build a few schools. At this point, though, 3500 children will be fully provided with conditions for education. Today, we had a meeting with 32 school principals. Each of them is ready for the process and if any minor problem crops up, the Resource Center of the Ministry is prepared to address it.
Davit Tkeshelashvili:
Naturally, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation and the local government, we are entering a very important phase. The accommodation process has completed in Koda and started in Gardabani today. 121 families will move there within the next 2 days. The similar process has started in Kaspi Region, 35 families will be accommodated there. The relevant schedule has been developed and we expect that the process will be completed by December 10-15. All the agencies have been involved to make sure that the process is maximally organized. At this point, a special responsibility rests with the local self-government to coordinate matters with the Resource Centers of the Ministry of Education, better organize the transportation of children to schools. It is equally important that in parallel 200-Lari allowances will be paid out within just a few days after the resettlement. The objective for each of us is to make our best efforts to help the adaptation process go as smoothly as possible.
Koba Subeliani:
As already mentioned, the efforts are made to take inventory of properties, and hand out 200-Lari and other allowances. It is crucial that the Ministry of Education has financed graduate and postgraduate students out of the aggrieved population. I'd like also to thank through you those who have responded to us in these hard times and have taken part in the accommodation process. I mean the businessmen, public figures, various organizations that extended a helping hand to the aggrieved persons in Tbilisi and other densely accommodated centers. They are continuing to do the same in accommodated places. The initiative is only welcomed. Help does not end with accommodation. All of this will have a continuing character on their and our parts.
Press Center of the Chancellery of the Government of Georgia