PM Presents Annual Report to the Parliament

On June 27, the Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia presented his annual report to the deputies at the plenary session in the Parliament. 

"There is nothing greater than to serve the daily lives of your citizens with dignity and fairness, and to do everything for this country – a developed democracy with a strong economy – to become a full-fledged member of the European family. Today, the most important process that is taking place in the country is the constitutional process regarding the electoral system, which is underway in this parliament. Two hearings have already taken place and the third hearing will take place on Monday. I would like to end this address in a simple manner. We must all understand that it is a fact that today, there is a parliamentary democracy in Georgia; moreover, there will be a vote on Monday, and this will be a parliamentary democracy that is based on a proportional electoral system," the PM stated while delivering a speech at the plenary session. 

The head of the government noted that a parliamentary democracy that is based on a proportional electoral system requires, first and foremost, an absolutely effective and politically neutral public sector. He also thanked all public servants who took part in the implementation of the government program.

"Parliamentary democracy that is based on a proportional electoral system requires, first and foremost, an absolutely effective and politically neutral public sector. This is a necessary condition without which the further development of the country would be simply impossible under such a political system. Therefore, I would like to thank each and every public servant who has taken part in the implementation of the government program, to call on them to be even more effective in the coming years, and to encourage them and tell them that there is no greater service than to serve the daily lives, the interests, the safety, and the development of your citizens with dignity and fairness, and, ultimately, to do everything for this country – a developed democracy with a strong economy – to become a full-fledged member of the European family," he stated.

PM on June 20 events: Unlike me, you are using the tragedy of these people for political purposes

"Regardless of the assessments that might exist – subjective, objective, biased, and so forth – the final assessment of the events of 20 June will belong to our public, our citizens, who, believe me, will ultimately assess all this as the law enforcement system suppressing an assault on the Parliament. This may take some time but this assessment applies today as well, you just do not want to give up as you have notions of your own; however, this is how it will be in the end," Giorgi Gakharia made this statement during the presentation of his annual report, in response to a question concerning the events of 20 June.

According to the head of the government, Gavrilov's presence in Parliament and him occupying the seat of the chairman was the greatest political mistake, for which the political force paid the price. However, assaulting police officers and attempting to break into the Parliament building is a criminal offense, and it will have its price as well.

"Of course, Gavrilov's presence in this building, him occupying this chair – this was absolutely unacceptable and it was the greatest political mistake, possibly even an offense. However, this was a political dimension and the political force answered for this – it paid the political price, and if there is anything left to pay, our citizens will demand it during the upcoming elections. However, when politicians (many of whom are sitting here today) who, if they were not involved in the organization (I will make no direct accusations), at least stood by and watched when this protest, which was peaceful, became violent (Mr. Bokeria, I remember his face very well; Mr. Ratiani…), and did not point out that this is a crime… Correspondingly, assaulting police officers and breaking into the Parliament is a criminal offence, my friends, and therefore, it will have a corresponding price. Take one thing into consideration: You can shout as much as you want here but ultimately, this will be an instance of the Georgian police preventing an assault and an attempt to breach the Parliament building, because this was its duty, its direct function. Of course, it is unfortunate that people were injured; this is extremely unfortunate, and you seem to think that no one is worried about this as much as… You think that you are worried about this most of all. Do you know why you are not worried about this most of all? Because you are acting in such an immoral manner that you are using the tragedy of these people for political purposes, and I am not. I do not use Mako Gomuri's name – which you use a hundred times a day – in such a manner and this is the difference between us, this is the moral distinction between you and me, and you would do well to remember this," he stated.

PM: 560,000 people have received assistance as of today and all of this will continue

"They seem to think that the government's Anti-Crisis Plan – both on the provision of social assistance to citizens, as well as with regard to the economy, in terms of helping businesses – is something trivial, when in reality it is not, and this is probably due to the fact that we are in the election cycle. As of today, 560,000 people have received assistance. This is a fact, these are the transactions carried out from the treasury by the Ministry of Finance," the Prime Minister said while responding to questions posed by deputies.

He also focused on the assistance that the self-employed, the socially vulnerable, large families, persons with disabilities, farmers, and others received from the government.

"We can argue a lot – Is it too little?! Is it too much?! Is it enough?! Someone might be given 10,000 and Mr. Chiaberashvili here would have made this promise without any problems, in any case. 99,336 self-employed persons received a one-off transaction of 300 GEL in assistance. 90,775 received 200 GEL, which will continue over a period of six months, amounting to 1,200 GEL in total. 196,496 persons – these are the people who scored between 65,000 and 100,000 – have already received this assistance. 22,900 persons – large families – received assistance. 42,000 persons with disabilities, including minors, received this assistance. 28,000 farmers received assistance amounting to 200 GEL per hectare; 72,000 farmers took advantage of agri-diesel, and so on. In fact, all of this will continue. Mr. Roman stated that we have deceived 300,000 or 400,000 people. His arithmetic is surprising. We have deceived no one, we are following this through to the end, and we will reach every person. I would like to reiterate: We were asked, on several occasions, what are our plans regarding the funds in the COVID fund, and what we are saving them for. We are saving them for the second wave. As you know, the biggest challenge of this crisis is its unpredictability and we are prepared – the financial stability of the country is absolutely ensured until the end of the year. We understand that this is not enough but it is important for us to maintain a minimum standard of social security in the face of such a high degree of uncertainty. Gentlemen, regarding your advice on how to utilize the funds from the COVID fund – I will do so according to your advice, precisely, and I will remind you of this later, so that you do not start with political speculations. I will remind you and tell you that we used the funds precisely in accordance with your advice," he told the deputies.

Giorgi Gakharia: Georgia has won an arbitration dispute in connection with Frontera

"Georgia has won an arbitration dispute in connection with Frontera. According to the arbitration dispute, the state received what it was due," the PM made this statement in Parliament, in response to a question posed by a deputy concerning the case of Frontera.

According to the head of the government, there was one open issue with regard to the aforementioned. It concerned one percent of the territory, regarding which the Ministry of Economy expressed the desire to speak with the investor.

"One issue remained there, which concerned one percent of the territory that is being used for extraction. This issue was left open and the Ministry of Economy expressed the desire to sit down with the investor – which, if I'm not mistaken, has been working in this country for the last 30 years – to discuss the interests of those employees as well, that are holding protest rallies today, and I simply cannot understand what is so bad about this. The state has already reclaimed 99% of the survey area and has it on its balance sheet," he stated.

PM to UNM: You are the people who gave the sincere protest of the youth the shape of an assault on the Parliament building and an attempted coup

Giorgi Gakharia addressed the United National Movement: You are the people who gave the sincere protest of the youth the shape of an assault on the Parliament building and an attempted coup

Mr. Gotsiridze, when you sat in this hall on 20 June, you dreamed that the police cordon would be breached and the people would burst in here. This was your dream then – I am certain of this, and you know this as well. This was Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia's response to a question posed by Parliament Deputy Roman Gotsiridze on this topic.

The head of the government thanked the police officers who put up with bottles being thrown at them and defended the state.

"Nothing else was driving you, all of you who sat here. I have photographs as well as footage of this. You dreamed that the people would burst in here, and you are the ones who transformed the sincere protest of the people, the youth, and gave it the shape of an attempt to storm the Parliament building and to stage a coup. You did this; this was your work and I do not understand why I should apologize to you. On the contrary, I would like to thank the police officers who stood here and put up with bottles being thrown at them, being assaulted with iron bars, being snatched, and everything else, and defended the country," the prime minister stated.

According to Giorgi Gakharia, Gavrilov in the seat of the chairman of Parliament was a political crime, for which the Georgian Government paid the appropriate political price.

"We will always respond to the enemies of Georgia in an appropriate manner. When the opposition is speculating about Gavrilov, this is a problem. As the head of the Government of Georgia, I will act in accordance with the law. Gavrilov in this seat was a political crime, for which the Georgian Government paid the political price. I would like to repeat for Ms. Samadashvili, who does not seem to know the difference between a political crime and a criminal offense: The criminal offense was committed by the gentlemen who are being held accountable; the trials were held. This does not require being a lawyer – this requires basic knowledge; the trials are over, the persons admitted that they were involved in the storming of the Parliament. There will come a time, gentlemen when the investigation will determine who the organizers of this attack were. I will reveal several secrets: I was not alone in this building. Do you know how well everything could be seen from the third floor of this building? The visibility was perfect, even the faces were visible. To say nothing of the fact that our population saw all of this live," he stated.

The prime minister recalled another rally that was held during his tenure as minister of internal affairs when the opposition was on one side and a different group of citizens had gathered on the other.

"There were risks. I remember the frantic faces of some members of the opposition, who said that what they wanted was for these people to come close to one another and hit each other. None of this has gone anywhere and all of this is accompanied by the relevant footage; keep in mind that the people, as well as history, will remember this," he told the United National Movement.