Opportunities for opening an IT and Service Delivery Centre in Georgia, as well as favourable investment climate existing in the country were among the main topics discussed by and between Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia and Amy Weaver, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Salesforce today.

Meeting was held within the scope of a visit paid by the Head of Government of Georgia to Davos. Business enabling environment and prospects of future cooperation were discussed as well.

The Prime Minister of Georgia invited the CEO of Salesforce to get exposed to the pro-business environment in the country.

It was noted that Georgia is leading in a number of ratings produced by reputable international analytic organizations and right policies pursued by the Government of Georgia result in a quick recovery of the economy in the post-pandemic time.

According to the Head of Government of Georgia, the country has Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with the EU, China and other countries of the region, which let Georgia gain free access to a number of huge consumer markets of the world.

Salesforce is the largest computer software developer, which focuses on the customer relation management applications. Company operates in the USA, Canada, France, Germany, Belgium, Finland, UK, Brazil, Mexico, Israel, China, Japan and Italy. The Head Office of the company is based in San-Francisco, California.

Revenues generated by the company exceeded 26 BLN USD last year.

Press Service of the Government Administration

Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia met Derek H. Chollet, Foreign Policy Adviser to the United States Secretary of State today.

The Head of Government of Georgia thanked the US official for his visit to Georgia, thereby noting that it is yet another clear manifestation of US support to the country.

Dignitaries discussed the strategic partnership and prospects of future cooperation between the two nations. It was noted that within the partnership spanning for 30 years already, Georgia is a good example of a country empowered with unwavering support of the USA and assistance rendered to the democratic institutions of the country, capacity building in the defense and economic development.

Dignitaries reviewed the grave situation witnessed in the occupied territories of Georgia. US official clearly reiterated the unwavering support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

Also, discussion was related to the issues of regional security. Attention was paid at the meeting to the military activities currently witnessed in Ukraine. It was noted that Georgia continues to support Ukraine both at the political level - inter alia within the international formats, as well as humanitarian aid. So far over 500 tons of humanitarian cargo has been sent to Ukraine and support towards the war-affected people currently living in Georgia continues to this day.

Significance and strengthening of democratic institutions on the path of European and Euro-Atlantic integration was highlighted at the meeting. It was noted that authorities of the country assign special importance to US cooperation within this process.

Meeting held at the Government Administration was attended by H.E. Kelly C. Degnan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America (USA) to Georgia; Mark Simakovsky, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Jason Ham, US Department of Defense Official (Balkans, Caucasus and Black Sea Region) and Florence Akinyemi, Special Adviser to Derek H. Chollet, while the Georgian side included Revaz Javelidze, Head of Government Administration.

Press Service of the Government Administration

Today, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, accompanied by Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze, visited the Army City construction site on Mount Makhata.
The Head of Government familiarized himself with the details of this project for Georgian service members. The Georgian Government's policy intends all the best for the army, and care for our service members will continue, the Prime Minister emphasized.
The construction of Army City will be finalized in late 2022. The project involves seven 39-story buildings with 1,092 apartments to be constructed on Mount Makhata. Service members will be able to purchase residences on concessional terms with maximally affordable financial obligations. In particular, 50% co-financing will be employed. Instead of a private company, the Defense Ministry's construction film will be engaged, thereby reducing the capital cost significantly. Service members will enjoy 0% in-house financing instead of a bank loan. The estimated cost of residential spaces will be about 200 USD per m2, with service members paying only 100 USD per m2. This unprecedented offer will apply to service members based on preset criteria.
This project will continue, to which end amendments will be made to the Defense Code to allow officers ranked major and above, with master sergeants and sergeants ranked higher, to receive apartments, an unprecedented decision toward recognizing and appreciating the contributions of service members, and a move toward improving their living conditions drastically.

Press Service of the Government Administration

Today, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili submitted the second part of the European Commission's questionnaire - completed by the country before the set deadline-to Carl Hartzell, Head of the EU Delegation to Georgia, at the Government Administration.

"It is my pleasure to deliver to you our questionnaire answers. We have completed filling it, a total of 7 volumes. We are happy to hand it over to you, and we are looking forward to the European Commission's and member states' decisions," the Prime Minister said.

The Ambassador thanked the Prime Minister and emphasized that the questionnaire will be very helpful to the European Commission in delivering its opinion.

"Mister Prime Minister, I am grateful for being here to receive the result of your and many other people's hard work invested in the completion of the questionnaire's second and final part. It will be of tremendous help to the European Commission in delivering its opinion," Carl Hartzell stated.

The second, sectoral part of the European Commission's questionnaire incorporates 33 chapters and up to 2,300 questions, with May 13 previously set as the deadline by the EU. To complete the larger part of the questionnaire effectively and within maximally tight deadlines, all relevant institutions were engaged, and the process proper was personally supervised by the Head of Government.

As the Prime Minister pointed out, Georgia's European choice is a decision with no alternative, the Georgian people's and not just the Government's choice.

The completed part one of the questionnaire was submitted by the Head of Georgian Government to the EU Ambassador on May 2, at the Administration of the Government. After the submission of the second part of the questionnaire, the European Commission will start developing its opinion report to be subsequently referred to the Council of the European Union, with the latter expected to make a relevant decision at the end of June.

Press Service of the Government Administration

First of all, I wish to congratulate on this day - May 9 - 77th Anniversary of Victory over Fascism to our heroic veterans. I wish to assure my great respect to our heroic veterans, who participated in the Second World War (WWII). It was announced by Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia in a Park for Cultural Pastime and Recreation of Veterans upon his visit together with fellow members of the government gathered to pay tribute to the memory of servicemen fallen in WWII.

The Head of Government of Georgia laid a wreath of garland at the bust sculpture of Meliton Kantaria, thereby congratulating the WWII veterans on the 77th Anniversary of Victory and expressing gratitude for all their efforts and endeavours.

"You may well be aware that we - Georgians - have a tremendous contribution and great merit in the victory of the war. Of course, I wish to once again pay tribute to our heroes, who sacrificed their lives for a better future of the world. Victory in the war was greatly preconditioned by Georgians. I wish to congratulate you all on May 9 and wish you all victory and peace" stated the Prime Minister of Georgia.

In line with a Government Decree, participants of the WWII will receive a one-off payment of 1 000 GEL in connection with the 77th Anniversary of Victory over Fascism, while families of the servicemen fallen in the WWII will get 500 GEL. Respective Government Decree has already been signed by Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia.

Press Service of the Government Administration

Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia participated ibn a High-Level International Donors Conference for Ukraine within the scope of his visit to the Republic of Poland along with numerous other leaders of participating nations.

The Head of Government of Georgia arrived at the national stadium of Warsaw, which was a designated venue of the high-level conference. He was greeted by Mateusz Morawiecki, Prime Minister of Poland and Magdalena Andersson, Prime Minister of Sweden. The High-Level International Donors Conference is co-hosted by the Prime Ministers of Poland and Sweden, in partnership with the Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission. Participants of the conference reviewed the consequences of the war waged in Ukraine and discussed the solutions to the humanitarian and economic crisis.

Mateusz Morawiecki, Prime Minister of Poland addressed the audience along with Magdalena Andersson, Prime Minister of Sweden; Charles Michel, President of the European Council and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. Participants of the conference also listened to the video address of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine.

Prime Minsiter of Sweden, Spain, Ukraine, Lithunia, Latvia, Albania, Croatia, Iceland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Norway were among the participants of the high-level conference.

The Head of Government of Georgia addressed the participating leaders of states at a Pledging Session of the conference.

International Financial Institutions (IFIs), World Health Organization (WHO) and UN system institutions were engaged in the session along with various leaders of the world.

Georgian attendees of the High-Level International Donors Conference included Ilia Darchiashvili, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and H.E. Zurab Beridze, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Republic of Poland.

 Press Service of the Government Administration

I wholeheartedly congratulate every media outlet and journalists on the World Press Freedom Day.

Free and independent press based on true values and professionalism is one of the key features defining democracy of any country. Georgian media has gone a long way since regaining independence and endured many challenges, intimidation and pressure.

Provision of an enabling environment for the independent press has been among our prime goals from day one, when our political team came to power. It has been the aim of numerous reforms that we carried out. The Georgian media landscape is nowadays pluralistic and free. Every condition is created for boosting journalism and its further development. Georgia is an undoubted leader of the region by the World Press Freedom Index and it is ahead of a number of EU member states. It is a great merit of the authorities and society, manifesting in a huge gain for the entire country. Our authorities aspire to facilitate a further development of press freedom in the country.

Over and above, I pledge support and wish you every success in your future professional endeavors.

Irakli Garibashvili

Prime Minister of Georgia

By the decision of the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, the Ukrainian language sector was opened at the 41st Grushevski Tbilisi Public School. From today, Ukrainian students will have the opportunity to receive general education in their native language in Georgia. The Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Mikheil Chkhenkeli participated in the opening ceremony, and addressed the audience and  personally congratulated the Ukrainian students and teachers on the establishment of the new sector.

Mikheil Chkhenkeli: "Today is a truly historic day – owing to the decision of the Prime Minister of Georgia, Mr. Irakli Gharibashvili, a Ukrainian-language sector was opened here at the 41st Mikheil Grushevski Tbilisi Public School, which means that Ukrainian students will receive general education in their native tongue.

The opening of the Ukrainian-language sector is a clear example of the great support of our brotherly Ukrainian nation by the Government of Georgia and the Georgian people as a whole. The Ukrainian sector ceased to function at 41st Tbilisi Public School in 2011. Nevertheless, today, I am immensely proud that for the first time in 11 years, thanks to the efforts of our government, Ukrainian students in Georgia will have the opportunity to study in Ukrainian, their mother tongue.

As a result of tireless work, the predesignated team at the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia returned the Ukrainian-languagesector to the 41st Tbilisi Public School in exactly 2 weeks, where the entire teaching process will be conducted in Ukrainian language, from the first to the 11th grade.

In close cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine in Georgia, we have selected qualified teachers, whose salaries will be provided entirely by the Government of Georgia.

We are constantly expressing our support to the Ukrainian people, which is reflected in concrete steps. Please note, that owing to the decision of the Government of Georgia, Ukrainian students are enrolled at Georgian schools in an expedited and simplified manner.

Dear students and teachers, I believe you will make new friends in this warm and caring environment, and you will make both Ukraine and Georgia proud of you

Congratulations once again on this historic day and good luck!"

The opening ceremony was also attended by Andriy Kasyanov, Charge d'Affaires of Ukraine in Georgia, who thanked the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili and the Minister of Education and Science of Georgi, Mikheil Chkhenkeli for their support of the Ukrainian people. In his words, this is a great expression of support, as the Georgian side ensured the opening of the Ukrainian-language sector in the shortest possible time.

The school will offer educational, medical and psychological services to students enrolled in both the Georgian and Ukrainian sectors. Upon arrival, Ukrainian students had the possibility to inspect a library equipped with juvenile Ukrainian Language and Literary works.

The European Commission's questionnaire, designed to form an opinion on Georgia's bid to EU membership, will be made public by the Georgian Government. This decision was made at today's meeting of the Government Commission on EU Integration of Georgia, chaired by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.
The first part of the special EU membership questionnaire was handed over to Georgia on April 11, in Luxemburg. Based on this questionnaire, the European Commission will develop a document known as the Opinion on granting candidate country status.
The questionnaire consists of political and economic sections. In near future, Georgia will receive the second part comprising sectorial topics and compatibility with EU legislation by sector.

European Commission's questionnaire

Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia met Kairat Abdrakhmanov, High Commissioner of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on National Minorities today.

Dignitaries reviewed the successful cooperation of Georgia with OSCE institutions, particularly focusing on the active dynamic of interaction with the Office of High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM).

According to the Head of Government, Georgia is a multi-ethnic country attaching special importance to the effective implementation of the national policy on civic equality and integration. The Prime Minister of Georgia also believes that the referred framework paper developed with an active engagement of HCNM Office aims to create equal opportunities to all citizens of the country, irrespective of their ethnic, religious or other affiliations.

The Prime Minister of Georgia noted at the meeting that Georgia strives to adhere to the high international standards of human rights and freedoms, and to institutionalise the best international practices. The Head of Government of Georgia expressed his gratitude to the OSCE High Commissioner for his active engagement in the consolidation of democratic institutions of Georgia.

It was noted at the meeting that successful cooperation between Georgia and HCNM is evidenced with a vivid example of the education sector, which offers quality teaching and learning opportunities in the mother tongue. Among various mechanisms of a policy on civic integration, access to information and media in minority languages was mentioned, along with wide-scale public awareness campaigns on public programs and services, as well as promotion of cultural events.

Focus was made on the valuable engagement of OSCE in the process of peaceful conflict resolution in Georgia. Reference was also made on the military activities witnessed in Ukraine.

Meeting held at the Government Administration was attended by Mark Fumagal, OSCE HCNM Senior Political Adviser; Zhazira Kul-Mukhammed, OSCE HCNM Personal Adviser; Nino Gogoladze, OSCE HCNM Program Coordinator; Attendees from the Georgian side included H.E. Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Republic of Austria accredited to OSCE (Permanent Representation of Georgia) and other international organisations headquartered in Vienna.

Press Service of the Government Administration