PM claims new ministry will drive regional development, infrastructure growth

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has announced the creation of a new Ministry of Regional Development as part of Georgia’s broader effort to enhance municipal infrastructure and ensure balanced territorial growth.

“Regional development is one of our top priorities,” Kobakhidze told Parliament during his annual address. “To reflect this priority, we have established a completely new Ministry of Regional Development within the government structure.”

The Prime Minister emphasised the need for more systematic municipal planning, saying that development plans would be drawn up for each municipality. “These plans will guide the development of infrastructure in a coordinated way,” he said.

As part of the government's strategy, additional funding has been allocated to key urban centres. Kutaisi and Rustavi have each received 40 million GEL in supplementary funding, while Poti was allocated 20 million GEL. Kobakhidze said the aim was to accelerate urban development and support mayors in implementing key projects.

Turning to agriculture, Kobakhidze reported “unprecedented growth” in the winemaking sector. “Last year, we harvested 325,000 tonnes of grapes - a record figure and a significant increase from the 52,000 tonnes recorded in 2012,” he said.

He noted that wine export revenues reached $276 million in 2024, compared to just $65 million in 2012. In total, Georgia earned $565 million from wine and spirit exports in 2024, marking a 23% rise from the previous year. Winegrowers’ income also surged to 485 million GEL, up from 70 million GEL in 2012.

“These numbers show how far we’ve come in 12 years and demonstrate the effectiveness of our agricultural support programmes,” the Prime Minister said.

Kobakhidze also highlighted improvements in access to government services. The number of Justice Houses across Georgia has grown from 12 in 2012 to 125. “Justice Houses now cover almost the entire country, offering around 500 services,” he said, adding that mobile Justice Houses have reached 143 villages.

The government’s land registration programme also continued, with 810,000 land plots surveyed and over 550,000 officially registered during the reporting period.

“These initiatives reflect our commitment to building strong regions, supporting farmers, and ensuring access to essential public services,” Kobakhidze said.