PM announces plans for new airport, claims unemployment, poverty “at historical minimum”

Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday said his office had plans to build a new, major airport for the country, which he said could be located at the Vaziani former airfield near the capital city of Tbilisi. 

 

In his remarks at the government session, the PM said the current Tbilisi airport was limited for  further expansion and hindered the government’s plans to transform the country into a regional hub. 

 

He noted foreign experts would study the potential of the Vaziani airfield, adding the implementation of the project could take decades. 

 

In his comments Garibashvili also claimed unemployment and poverty in the country were at a “historical minimum”.

 

“The unemployment rate in 2010 was 27%, now it is at 17%, this is a big progress in 10 years. If I am not mistaken, the poverty rate was 37-38% in 2010, 2011, 2012, therefore, everything we are talking about is not just words, it is all supported by facts”, he said and added unemployment level had reached 15.6%, “which is still a big problem, but it is a historical minimum”. 

 

He also noted the iInflation level hit  1.5% in May, which he said was “very good”. 

 

In comments on the inter-city transport, Garibashvili  said the government would  purchase 154 new, Isuzu, eight-meter, Euro 5-standard buses, and would pay ₾53 million for the project. 

 

In remarks on Georgia’s hosting the World Tourism Day celebrations next year, the PM claimed “it is not accidental and it is symbolic that the main theme of the Tourism Day will be peace and tourism, and it is symbolic that our country has been chosen to host this important event”.