On May 3, 2011 was held the meeting of the Georgian Government. The agenda included 42 items.
Before the meeting started, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Nika Gilauri, pointed out that the tradition of the offsite meetings have renovated and the government meetings will be held in different regions of Georgia:
"Good day. During the past years, we had a tradition to hold offsite government meetings. Now, we would like to renovate this tradition. We visited Telavi to hold the first offsite meeting in Kakheti Region. We will visit all regions to get acquainted with their problems and projects and to hold government meetings. Today, we are in Telavi, Kakheti, and the main issues on the agenda will concern this region. We will discuss the projects we carry out this year, as well as the ones we implemented in the past years, and we will plan projects to be carried out at the end of the current and during the next years.
Much was done in Kakheti last year and much is still being done. Projects of GEL 57 million are planned to be carried out in Kakheti Region this year. These projects are funded only by the state budget. They will be added by the projects funded by world financial organizations such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. We conduct negotiations with them with respect to implementation of additional projects.
As for the budget funds allocated for infrastructure of Kakheti Region, it mainly concerns drinking water and roads. GEL 16 million from GEL 57 million will be spent on drinking water rehabilitation, while more than GEL 31 million from the same amount will be used for road rehabilitation. This includes local roads, as well as the highway connecting Lagodekhi with Gurjaani. Consequently, we will observe the implementation process of these projects. Many local roads are being repaired in Telavi.
Ramaz, I would like you to say a few words about haw the rehabilitation process of these roads is going on."
Ramaz Nikolaishvili: "Mr. Premier, we have visited the sites together with the Governor. This is a commitment of our Ministry. This program had a conditional name The New Life of Old Telavi. I am glad that we are constructing 35,000m2 of road in this district. The upper side of Telavi was flooded as there was no water avoidance system. This was the most difficult problem, which we have completely brought to order. Construction of water avoidance system has been brought to an end. Twelve central roads are being covered with asphalt, while four roads will be surfaced in an old style. The program is to be completed at the end of May and this will solve the problem of central roads of Telavi once and for all.
Last year, we started construction of the highway connecting Lagodekhi with Gurjaani and it is still going on this year. We suppose that we will have completely finished the construction by the middle of September. The highway will cross the Kakheti Region and it will be interesting with its function. Gurjaanians were always concerned about the highway."
Nika Gilauri: Let us plan a meeting in Lagodekhi on September 15 to inspect the new rehabilitated condition of the highway. Giorgi, I would like you to tell us a few words about the natural disaster; during the past days, there was a flood in Akhmeta and Kvareli. What is the present condition like and what is to be anticipated?"
Giorgi Gviniashvili: "I would like to say that it was raining uninterruptedly for several days in the region. Significant problems arose due to flooding of several rivers. There were some infrastructural damages which we immediately started to work on and they have actually been brought to order. There was a problem of two villages in Akhmeta Region, which were torn away from the world for several hours. But today, this problem is eradicated. Water penetrated into several houses, but we eliminated it on the same day. Certain amount of agricultural lands was flooded.
What is most important, life and health of the population are not in danger any more. We are equipped with technique and have respective personnel, which we are ready to use when necessary. Today, no place is torn away and traffic is restored."
Nika Gilauri: "Bakur, we will have certain impediments in agriculture due to the bad weather. We shall have mobilized everything in order to manage to finish agricultural works within the terms without delay. Tell us about Kakheti projects, what results the bad weather has caused and what our specific plans are."
Bakur Kvezereli: "First of all, I would like to mention that there is a delay, especially with respect to the Maize Program, as we could not start active sowings due to excessive precipitation. In total, maize is to be sown on 17 thousand hectares, from which 13 hectares are planned to be sown by hybrid maize. It is essential that sowing aggregates are mobilized, so that we could completely cover the area amounting to 13 thousand hectares in total, within the agricultural terms. This year, we have certain novelties in Kakheti Region. This year, for the first time, olive and pomegranate plantations have been made in Kvareli, Signagi and Sagarejo Regions. This is very important for Kakheti and for diversification of agricultural production of the region. I am sure, our manufacturers will export these products; demand for olive as well as for pomegranate is very high. I am sure that this process will be continued by private investments and private investors will definitely try to cultivate highly profitable cultures. This will give us very good results during the next two years."
Nika Gilauri: "Kakheti has a huge potential to become agricultural, as well as tourism center in the region. It has two potentials and both of them are to be used. Now, we are working with the World Bank with respect to different projects. These projects, which are funded by the World Bank, will start in September and October of this year. We are working on allocation of additional sums in direction of agriculture and tourism with the World Bank. Both of them have potential to give a huge profit not only to the private sector, but also to the population, as well as to employ many people in this direction in the region. It is necessary to continue the diversification program we have developed with respect to agriculture. These are the two fields in which very many people can be employed. With this, we can eradicate the unemployment problem in the region once and for all.
I would like to emphasize this and to work in this direction both in agriculture and tourism. Our negotiations with the World Bank will concern mainly these issues. We can attract additional sums and resources from the World Bank for development of the region and I would like this direction to be our priority."
Prime Minister's Press Service