Georgian PM: new social programme to reduce unemployment, address cost of medications
The prime minister also touched on the rising price of medications in the country, noting that cheap, in-demand medications are available in Turkey, and yet they are not imported into Georgia due to a ban. Photo: the Georgian government press office.
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Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili spoke at length about his cabinet’s plan to launch new social programmes to address unemployment and the cost of medications in the country during an interview on TV channel Imedi.
The main problem in the country today, except for the occupation, is unemployment, and, of course, poverty,” the PM said, noting “one of [his] biggest dreams is to defeat poverty with his team.”
PM Garibashvili said the new social programme will address unemployment by building a ‘well-functioning system’ which will support the ambitious plan of employing 300,000 people.
Per preliminary calculations, we will have to allocate about 100 million GEL in the first stage and then increase it in order to pay these people a decent salary and target poverty. We will create job opportunities, teach and train these people, we will include vocational education as well in all municipalities”, PM Garibashvili said.
He expressed hope that the private sector, businesses will be interested in the initiative and be involved.
The prime minister also touched on the rising price of medications in the country, noting that cheap, in-demand medications are available in Turkey, and yet they are not imported into Georgia due to a ban.
I had an absolutely open and honest conversation with representatives of the pharmaceutical business. We invited all the major players on the market, and I spoke to them openly. I have already planned two or three future steps which will directly affect drug prices. We will regulate the market, simplify the import of high-quality drugs, so that the population has a wider choice and can pay less," PM Garibashvili said, adding that there is ‘no clear answer’ as to why there is a ban on imports of drugs from Turkey, ‘where the pharmaceutical industry is well-developed.’
He highlighted the importance of healthcare as critical to a high quality of life for the country’s citizens.
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