Saakashvili’s Statement on Free Economic Zone

Poti, April 15, 2008
 
I salute Georgia, which is fighting to find a way out of poverty. Many people live in hardship in our country. Very many people have lost hope, there are many unemployed people. This day is dedicated to entire Georgia, but first of all, to those people who suffer mostly, those who need support with deeds and not with words. Therefore, we have gathered here to launch a very big deed. We have gathered to respond to the needs of our people. Today we will take the path, which will bring us to Georgia without poverty, attraction of billions of investments to Georgia, providing jobs for tens of thousands of Georgian citizens, establishing Georgia as a key financial-economic center of the region, overcoming poverty and unemployment in the country. We are starting deed, which will change Georgian economic reality, everyday reality for millions of our families, the deed, which will be a golden beginning for all of us, all of our compatriots.

Today, based on the act signed by me, construction of a new port will begin on the territory adjacent to Poti port, which will be three times more than the existing one. If the current turnover is eight million tons, we will increase the capacity three times. The new port will be equipped with the most modern forms of port technologies. Tens of thousands of new jobs will be created here in the near future. And I want to stress – jobs will be created not for foreigners, but for the Georgian citizens. I want to stress – my firm position is that Georgian citizens – although foreigners should also benefit – should be key target, who will benefit most of all by Georgia’s economic development. Georgians should not lose their jobs in Poti in favor of foreigners. It means that we should ourselves produce our goods. Free economic zone means creation of an industrial zone – we should produce our goods and fill our domestic market with our domestic goods. We should produce our own goods and gain access to the neighboring markets. It is shameful that we, Georgians, fail to satisfy even own small market. In order to really develop, we should take over our domestic market and we should gain access to many foreign markets around us.

We have also gathered here to launch the second big affair – opening of a free industrial zone in Poti and launching of its construction. In the nearest 50 months over USD 200 million will be invested in the new industrial zone of Poti – this is a minimal sum and I am sure that much more will be invested – and tens of thousands of our compatriots will be employed, over 400 enterprises, facilities, new industrial centers will be set up. In this case our priority will also be employment of local population. I am deeply sure that today is the beginning of the golden age for Georgia. This is a golden beginning for all Georgians, for all citizens of Georgia, for our citizens of various ethnicities, for Georgia’s future.

We will increase pensions and expand granting of cheap credits for the newly established Georgian business. But the new port and the free industrial zone will become a new Georgian economic miracle. Afterwards, all Georgian families will breathe freely.

My major vision is to turn Georgia into Dubai and Singapore of this region. And it is not difficult. It is very easy and simultaneously it is a great challenge. It is not difficult for us, because we are ready for great challenges. We have no oil and gas in Georgia. There are the countries around us, which have both oil and gas, but we have little, almost nothing. But we can have what actually not even a single country in the region has – effective government, very small bureaucracy, which serves people, uncorrupted environment – and Georgia is the most uncorrupted country in this region and one of the most uncorrupted countries in Europe and we have achieved it through undertaking huge efforts. We have more than twice reduced crime rate within past two years, let’s think about it, which consequently resulted into creation of many enemies to us. Today the crime rate in Georgia is the lowest than it had ever been even in the Soviet times. Georgia has simple procedures, low taxes; Georgia has economic and political freedom. Georgia has what is much more than oil and gas. It has a well-functioning, adjusted safe state; it has laborious and intellectual people and generally is a very beautiful and attractive country. This is not the second-rate issue, because it is the country, which attracts foreigners, tourists or businessmen like a magnet. Those people, who arrive here – if they avoid incidents and no such incidents have occurred recently – fall in love with Georgia and want to create something new for our country.

I want to stress that everything what is being done now is – and I have already said – a deed instead of a word. I want everybody to understand that this is not done only for one election and you will probably believe me, because I have already been elected and I am not going to run for this position again. This is the project of my life. But I want to say that this project is much longer-term than this five-year presidential term. And it will bring early results in three months, then interim results in the nearest years, but it will take more than five years and decades to see final results, final revival, and 100-storey skyscrapers here in Poti.  

In order to overcome poverty in the adjacent regions, including Samegrelo, Guria, Adjara, Kutaisi, whose social development is also very important, although it will start immediately, but it will also take much more time than five years.

I am not a populist to lie. The miracle will not happen in six months, but it will definitely happen here and it will happen much sooner than anyone can imagine. It will be a miracle, which will be created by our joint efforts, by our bravery, our decency, our skills, intellect and patience. Therefore, it is what we are creating for ourselves, but at the same time for our children and our grand children, for future generations of Georgia. It is much more than simply a presidential term of one person, a term of one parliament, a term of any government. We should believe in our future. We should believe in our future, when we believe in our force. We should believe in our force, we should believe in our luckiness. We should believe that Georgia is really protected by a miraculous force. Georgia’s economic experience, the experience of our reforms is being studied in 60 countries. This is not invented by me. This is a well-known fact. Georgia will become an example for the entire world and a mystic country for the entire world, as it was during Medea’s Kolkheti and it will be Georgia of a golden beginning.