PM Summarizes Govt's Actions in Fight against Pandemic

The Georgian Government Press Service has issued a declaration about the newly announced emergency situation in the country. 

The Administrative office states that they set up the Inter-Agency Coordination Council at the outset, which has made concrete decisions to achieve concrete results.

The office issued a list of the decisions made by the Inter-Agency Coordination Council:

1. We suspended the education process;
2. Military conscription;
3. We shifted a large part of public servants to remote work and the provision of e-services;
4. The same recommendation was issued to the private sector;
5. We gradually restricted air as well as land traffic; we also banned foreign citizens from entering Georgia;
6. We established quarantine procedures and tightened control over self-isolation;
7. We closed down ski resorts;
8. The operation of fixed-route minibuses was prohibited;
9. Various large-scale cultural and sporting events were canceled;
10. We issued recommendations for the closure of all retail facilities apart from those designated within the framework of strategic infrastructure, as well as grocery stores, pharmacies, and providers of banking services.

All of this was intended to halt the first phase of the spread of the virus, which was mainly imported - spread from foreign countries.

“At present, we can state that the number of infected persons that we are dealing with, and I would like to emphasize in particular that the increase in their number in the quarantine zones makes it clear that we are moving to the next phase of the spread of the virus - the phase of the domestic spread of the virus, which requires additional and special measures from the government, as well as businesses and the general public," the PM noted.

According to the PM, the main objective at this stage is to hinder the mass spread of the virus.

"Our main objective at this stage is (and should be) to hinder and prevent the mass spread of the virus. It is also critically important to slow the speed of the spread of the virus. This enables our healthcare system to be better prepared and to treat our citizens more effectively. Precisely in order to achieve this objective, even though many measures that I have listed have already been adopted, and this will continue - today, the Government of Georgia and I address the president of Georgia to declare a state of emergency in the entire country, for the duration of one month, until 21 April 2020," Giorgi Gakharia stated.

The prime minister presented the media with a list of actions determined by the state of emergency.

The state of emergency enables the government to do the following: a person found to be in ‘violation of the rules of isolation or quarantine will be forcibly transferred to the relevant facility’; appropriate sanctions will be applied to the person found to be in violation of isolation or quarantine rules;

Restrictions are being applied to international air, land, and sea traffic, with the exception of freight traffic.

Different rules for the delivery of public services, as well as different rules and deadlines for administrative proceedings, are being developed, states the Press Office.

The Government of Georgia is being permitted the right to limit property rights through established procedures, if necessary, for quarantine, isolation, or medical reasons, and to utilize the property and material resources of private persons or legal entities.

“The gathering of more than 10 persons is being prohibited;

"The government will have the right to restrict the operation of private organizations or business entities, as well as to task them with the implementation of specific activities. If necessary, the government will regulate the prices of medicines, medical services, and basic products;

"The government will set out rules and conditions that differ from the rules established by the Law of Georgia on Education; If necessary, the government will be able to carry out the general mobilization of persons with corresponding medical education and qualifications;

"Court sessions may be held remotely," states the declaration.

"All private persons and legal entities are obligated to abide by the state of emergency. Failure to comply with the state of emergency will result in an administrative fine of 3,000 GEL for private persons and 15,000 GEL for legal entities; repeat offenses will result in criminal liability, namely, imprisonment for a term of up to three years. Law enforcement agencies should use forcible measures envisaged by the Georgian legislation in order to protect the regime in force during the state of emergency," Giorgi Gakharia stated.

"This is the list with which we will address the President of Georgia. Some of these actions are already in use but it should be considered that these requirements from the government were recommendatory in nature. Once the President agrees with our decision and it has been approved by Parliament, these actions will become mandatory," Giorgi Gakharia stated.

The main objective of the government is to primarily take care of the health of the citizens and the economy of the country in order to minimize the damage suffered by the Georgian economy due to this global challenge.

"Therefore, in addition to the plans that the government has already prepared, a plan will be presented in the coming days aimed at aiding specific sectors of the economy in terms of providing our citizens with concrete, targeted assistance, which will have a specific, absolutely tangible objective, so that the state can provide as much support as possible to the people who have lost their jobs," the PM stated.

The Inter-Agency Council outlined the four main directions on the systemic management of which depends on the effectiveness of the actions of the Government of Georgia, even under a state of emergency. The PM discussed the aforementioned directions and designated the persons responsible for them.

"First among them is the direction of healthcare, for which Healthcare Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze is responsible. Second is civil order and security, for which Mr. Vakhtang Gomelauri is responsible. Third - foodstuffs, the provision, logistics, and transportation of foodstuffs, for which Mr. Levan Davitashvili is responsible. And fourth - macroeconomic indicators and the minimization of damage to the economy, as well as the subsequent rapid recovery of the economy, for which Ms. Maia Tskitishvili is responsible," Giorgi Gakharia stated.

"I would like to thank each and every police officer, I would like to thank every medic, who has been fighting for our citizens' health 24 hours per day, I would like to thank the companies, the cashiers and consultants of grocery stores, the employees of pharmacy chains, who are working even today and will continue to work tomorrow, even under the conditions of the virus, for the benefit of our citizens," Gakharia stated, noting that it is important to take preventive steps so that everyone - the authorities, the government, the civil sector, business, and citizens - can defeat this virus together.

"I would like to reiterate my firm belief that we will emerge victorious from this ordeal, from this difficult challenge," he said.

By B.Alexishvili