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Saakashvili Again Calls For Belt-Tightening

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  • Saakashvili Again Calls For Belt-Tightening

    SAAKASHVILI AGAIN CALLS FOR BELT-TIGHTENING
    By Mzia Kupunia

    The Messenger
    Oct 26 2010
    Georgia

    "Every member of society should work to improve himself in order
    to overcome poverty for good," said the Georgian President, Mikheil
    Saakashvili. He was speaking at the joint session of representatives
    of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and the
    Ministry of Infrastructure on Friday. "No success can be achieved
    in conditions of hopelessness and cynicism, the way we had for so
    many years. People even stop dreaming. But now it is time to create
    examples of success. Working on even micro-projects is a basis for
    new achievements," the President commented.

    Although the world economic crisis is not yet over, Georgia has
    some economic growth, Saakashvili noted, adding that the country
    "still has a hard period ahead." He said that increasing inflation
    was a major concern as it could harm the most vulnerable part of the
    Georgian population. "A mechanism should work at full strength in
    order to create prospects for everyone. This should be done within
    a year and a half," the President noted.

    Everything that is done should be followed by "multiple effect",
    Saakashvili said at the session. "We need more privatisation and to
    attract more investment. We politicians should care about maintaining
    political stability, so that there is no fear that tomorrow or the
    day after someone will again decide to sit in a cage and intimidate
    Georgian society," the President stated, adding, "Our society has
    overcome this stage for good. Now we should continue working in every
    direction. We should be always in a good shape." he added.

    In conditions when the cost of food on the world market is increasing
    and affects food prices in Georgia, hurting our population, people
    might ask what's the use of building a glass bridge in Tbilisi or
    pouring sand on Batumi beach, Saakashvili said, explaining that the aim
    of all these investments is to attract more investments in the future.

    "For example, if we have 100 million and distribute this money to
    the poor in addition to what they already receive, the money will be
    exhausted in two months and Georgia will stay without any income in
    the future," he stated, listing investments, infrastructure, tourism,
    Georgian products and new businesses in agriculture or other fields
    as sources of income for the country. He pointed out, "We should not
    forget that every newly constructed road, each tourist or each newly
    opened business employs people."

    Everyone including the President and the Prime Minister should be
    promoting Georgia, Saakashvili noted. "I am actually no longer of an
    age to show off my muscles in the sun, but because it is something
    that is broadcast in the international news, yesterday I jumped in
    the sea and swam to show that we have prospects for developing coastal
    resorts," he said.

    Saakashvili hailed the construction of a new road to
    Samtskhe-Javakheti, saying that it has not only infrastructural,
    but also political importance. "Javakheti is populated with ethnic
    Armenians and Georgian Armenians; however they were completely isolated
    from the rest of Georgia [due to road problem]. It was easier for
    them to go to Yerevan [than to Tbilisi]," he noted. "Although we sent
    Georgian language teachers to that region, the locals showed very
    little interest in learning Georgian," he added, reiterating that the
    construction of new road helps the integration of the ethnic Armenian
    population with the rest of Georgia.

    Georgian Government members should "tighten their belts" in order to
    "make a leap forward," Saakashvili said at the session. "We have chosen
    the right idea because whatever we are doing, we do it as best as we
    can for future generations," the President declared.




    From: A. Papazian
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