PM Candidate Mamuka Bakhtadze's Address

Acting Finance Minister, Mamuka Bakhtadze delivered speech after the Georgian Dream (GD) majority decided to nominate him as the candidate for the Prime Minister's post on Thursday evening.

Bakhtadze thanked the Georgian Dream’s political leadership for its declared trust.

“It is a great honor and, at the same time, great responsibility for me," he stated.

The Prime Minister-designate will nominate other cabinet members for the Parliament’s confidence vote, which requires support of a simple majority of at least 76 MPs.

"Within the next few days, I will report to the Parliament of Georgia with my vision based on the following principles.

First, it involves seeing the Georgian people’s historical choice through with Georgia’s full Euro-Atlantic integration.  In this regard, the Georgian Dream party has achieved much success, and we must build on this success.

Second, we will implement innovative and fundamental reforms in every necessary direction. As a result of these reforms, we will develop a new economic model with fair play rules, which will apply to every family and every citizen. We will succeed in filling the gap between the high standard of democracy and the economic situation. Naturally, we will continue further development and empowerment of democratic institutions.

The third principle involves the role of Government. Georgia needs lean government institutions. At the same time, I believe it is prudent to empower institutional and public anti-corruption control over these institutions.

The fourth principle—and I can be straightforward here—is the main priority of my life. It involves education, innovation, and youth. Motivated, educated youth inspired by an entrepreneurial spirit and, most importantly, confident in their abilities will establish Georgia firmly among developed economies. This is Georgia’s offering—one that has no alternative—to our Abkhazian and Ossetian brothers, so that we may return to our common family.  Accordingly, introducing far-reaching innovations in education and overhauling this sector will be the absolute priority of the Georgian Government," stated the Prime Minister-designate," Bakhtadze stated after the GD meeting.