On 25 June, Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili presented the annual report of his government, as well as the 10-year development plan to the country’s parliament. 

According to the 10-year development paper, the Georgian government plans to: 1) allocate more than 300 million lari to subside mortgage loans for families between 2021 and 2022; 2) ensure to employment for about 100,000 individuals in small and medium business; 3) create 30,000 new jobs by 2030 in the mining field; 3) to create free-trade regimes with at least 11 countries; 4) the Produce in Georgia agency would help more than 2,000 companies with exporting their goods; 5) Produce in Georgia programme would allocate 6 billion lari to fund 1,300 new enterprises and 400 hotels; 6) increasing exports from Georgia to $ 5 billion in the coming years; 7) from 1 July increasing the social support to children of poor families to 100 lari; 8) install smart cameras in all cities and highways, as well as building new border units and infrastructure; 9) open new tourist centres in municipalities; 10) all cities would have 24-hour water supply by 2025, while by 2030 the whole population of the country would enjoy quality and licenced, round-the-clock water supply; 11) spend 31 billion lari on infrastructure projects; 12) increase the annual number of tourists to 13 million, and reach $6.5 billion in tourism revenues; 13) spend 2.8 billion lari on higher education, and 2.1 billion on scientific research; 14) raise the salaries of teachers above 2,200 lari by 2030; 15) develop anti-armour, air defence, artillery, intelligence, surveillance, and military engineering capabilities. 

When speaking on the annual report, Garibashvili highlighted that the effects of the pandemic contracted the Georgian economy by 6.2%, though the government promptly sought $2.1 billion from international financial institutes. This money helped continue infrastructural projects, agricultural development, as well as to support local production and the working class. Specifically, he claimed that government health expenditures amounted to 900 million lari ($288 million USD), support for businesses amid the pandemic reached 3 billion lari ($957 million USD), while $1.3 billion ($414 million USD) was spent on social protection measures. Regarding Georgia’s vaccination efforts, PM Garibashvili said the country is set to receive 4 million vaccine doses by the end of the year, which, he claimed, will suffice to vaccinate 60% of the population 

Recalling significant infrastructural projects, Garibashvili said that about 82% of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway has been completed, with test deliveries already underway. In addition, the Georgian PM said that the construction of the Poti Maritime Terminal “is in its active phase,” while a new terminal has already been added to the Kutaisi International Airport. “The Anaklia Deep Sea Port remains a priority,” he added.

In terms of international relations, Garibashvili reiterated that full-fledged European Union and NATO integration continue to be Georgia’s key goals, stressing that the country plans to officially apply for EU membership in 2024. To this end, the Georgian Prime Minister asserted that “cooperation with the EU is deepening at both the highest political and institutional levels.” Regarding U.S.-Georgian relations, PM Garibashvili stressed that “legislative acts approved by Congress at the end of 2020,” and the reintroduction of the Bipartisan Georgia Support Act, confirm Washington’s “unwavering support” for Georgia.

Noting that international support for Georgia’s non-recognition policy of the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia was growing, Garibashvili noted that the Georgian authorities were also “working to punish those responsible for violating the lives of our citizens, to release illegal detainees, including Zaza Gakheladze and Irakli Bebua.” In addition, Garibashvili highlighted the recent deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia, brokered by Georgia and the US which resulted in the release of 15 Armenian prisoners of war.