The Meeting of the Government of Georgia was held on 15 August 2006, at which the President of Georgia was also present.
President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili informed the audience that he had spent a few days in the Reservists' Camp and had returned from their with great impressions. He said: I believe that Georgia has a large group of patriots, truly best representatives of our society, who go to the Reservists' Camps or no consideration or pledge whatsoever and irrespective of plenty of problems. Some join the three-month training course together with their children, brothers, cousins, and, above all, express readiness to serve their country where necessary. The President also said that he had met a number of very good instructors and officers who worked well with the reservists as well as on themselves. Therefore, it was an entirely different Georgian army, entirely different officer's staff and entirely different Georgian society.
The President of Georgia said one of the main objectives was to increase the number of reservists. He also said: in addition to the armed forces and the subunits of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, we have 50 thousand more or less well-trained reservists, while the countries of our size such as Switzerland and Israel have 400 and 400 thousand reservists, respectively. Therefore, considering the expected danger and risk and with the purpose to avoid possible complications and to discourage the initiators of these complications to create any problem to our country, we need to double the number of our reservists within the next few months. We must have at least 100 thousand well-trained reservists, for which we need to have a better legislative base and, in general, a better logistical base.
As the President said, staying in the camp has been very useful for him to make conclusions. For instance, the temperature in the President's camp is +45o C where one can hold out for one or two days but it is impossible to sleep there for eight nights. It is also necessary to improve sanitation conditions, power supply, particularly when people have to stay there for several weeks. The Government of Georgia must take all of this into account to make sure that cool fixed quarters are set up where those staying in there do not have any artificial problems. In principle, we have created better field conditions than those that the Soviet Union had ever had. However, we need to set up truly modern camps, such as we have in Senaki, for example.
I'd like to assign Prime Minister of Georgia Zurab Noghaideli, Minister of Defence Irakli Okruashvili and Minister of Finance Aleksi Aleksishvili to start work towards creation of the reservists' camps of an entirely new type, with the best conditions of the current world standards.
We need reservists. It is the duty of every person, from the President to an ordinary member of the society, to acquire the elementary qualities, with which to serve the country. It is a very manly thing and I believe that we can bring it to the end, we can achieve it, just like so many other goals we had before.
The President of Georgia put special emphasis on the progress of the infrastructure development works in Kodori Gorge, Upper Abkhasia. He said: we do not have much time to develop infrastructure there. Although much has been done, the pace of commencement of the construction process is unacceptable. It must be speeded up and in one or maximum one and a half month we must have the new infrastructure in Kodori Gorge and in the entire Upper Abkhazia. We need to build a new, mini-town there, new houses, expanded airport, heliports, social infrastructure, and much better organized transport vehicles. All of this much be done by October.
This is the objective of the Prime Minister's level, and the responsibility in the Government of Georgia for its accomplishment rests with Mr. Zurab Noghaideli. Besides, I'd like to assign Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia Ivane Merabishvili to take over Kodori, jointly with Head of the Legitimate Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia M. Akishbaia and undertake to set up there, by the end of September, such infrastructure that no one can dare to pull any provocation either now or in the future. We must develop there such infrastructure that would be done by the Americans, the British, the Germans and other advanced nations, and the people there must feel that they are pat of a civilized world. If necessary, yes, you must build an airport in three weeks. There is a precedent of it in history, and we must make it, too. We cannot build a large town in one month but within this time we must perform a miracle and build a newly populated area where the Government can be accommodated. In this one month and a half, Kodori must witness the construction process large enough for the rest of Abkhazia to see what they have not been able to do for so long since the war and what the Government of Georgia has done in just one month at this strategically important place within the territory of Abkhazia. This will be a lesson for all, including the separatists and their patrons.
The President of Georgia underscored the initiative of the Government of Ajara. They had sent dozens of cottages to Kodori Gorge. The President said: although Ajara is in a holiday season now, with its specific problems, the Government of Ajara and its Head Mr. Levan Varshalomidze have been able to give the residents of Kodori Gorge the best gift. In appreciation, the residents of Kodori named the place where these cottages will be put up Ajara Square. You all are encouraged to create your squares and streets there and show the examples of your successful performance in the Gorge.
The third question, on which the President of Georgia focused attention, was the progress in the holiday season in Georgia. He said that the special meeting held in June on the matter had produced results. It was the first year, in which almost all the mountain reports of Georgia - Shovi, Nunisi, Sairme, Bakhmaro, Bakuriani and others were full of people. It was a very serious progress.
The President also said: however, many things could not be done within the time limits. The disbursements have not been fully drawn down. In some places there are backlogs in lighting and in others - in landscaping works. All must be done in the remaining time. Our holiday resort infrastructure has become busy again. It is very important that roads are being built in Abastumani, Manglisi and Bakhmaro. However, we must pay attention to Nunisi, Bazaleti Lake, which is a favourite holiday resort for Tbilisi residents, Sairme and Shovi. It is also important to build Ambrolauri-Oni Motorway, and bring Shovi Road to a certain level. Wherever we cannot complete them all by the end of this year, will be done next year without fail.
It is so important that holiday resorts have become busy once again. For example, Nunisi, a nice holiday resort in Kharagauli Region, with properties good for health. We have to build just a seven-km road from the station. That would cut the travel time by one hour and a half. It does not cost much, we just simply have to roll up our sleeves and do it. We need to develop in many other areas as well.
Press Center of the Chancellery of the Government of Georgia