New Economy Minister Speaks of Priorities

New Economy Minister Lexo Alexishvili, who replaced on this position Kakha Bendukidze, said in the interview with the Georgian daily 24 Hours, published on December 18, that he will continue his predecessor?s liberal economic policy aiming ?to minimize state interference in the economy.?

?The [Economy] Ministry?s priority is to accomplish the privatization process. But at the same time, management of the state-owned shares should be arranged. I mean the state should know how to manage its property? We should have a policy towards large scale enterprises. We should know what we are going to do with, for example, the port of Poti,? Lexo Alexishvili said.

He said that within two weeks the Ministry ?will have a plan of action and data over the anticipated financial income expected from the privatization process.?

The new Economy Minister said that according to the draft of the state budget 85 million Lari (approximately USD 47,2 million) worth of revenue is expected from the privatization of state-run enterprises in 2005.

?It is of vital importance for us to implement the privatization process in a transparent way,? he added.
 
Alexishvili also said that deregulation of the economy will be another important priority for him. ?Economic deregulation envisages simplification of procedures related to licenses, permits, certificates etc…so as to ease business accessibility to various strategic trends in the economy,? he said.   
 
The Minister also stressed the importance of further boosting ties with international organizations. However, he did add that ?this does not mean that we will blindly accept their recommendations.? 
 
Before appointment on the Economy Minister?s position, U.S.-educated Lexo Alexishvili served as the Deputy Finance Minister. In previous years he was an aide to Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, when the latter was the Parliamentary Chairman. Alexishvili also worked for the non-governmental organization Association of Young Economists of Georgia.