Irakli Kobakhidze, the nominee for the position of Prime Minister, presented the Cabinet of Ministers and the government program for a vote of confidence in the Parliament.

Kobakhidze emphasized that the two most critical national tasks are restoring Georgia’s territorial integrity peacefully and completely overcoming poverty. The government’s focus will be on reducing occupation and poverty percentages.

“Today, 20 per cent of Georgia’s territory is occupied, and 15 per cent of Georgia’s population lives below the poverty line. We can only be satisfied with our work and complacent with ourselves if we ignore these two percentages. Zero per cent occupation and zero per cent poverty is the Georgian dream. This is the Georgia of our dreams. The Government of Georgia in 2024 and in 2025-2028 will direct all its activities to make this dream come true and fulfil these tasks,” said Irakli Kobakhidze.

He also highlighted that one of the primary tasks of Georgia’s foreign policy is to resolve the Russia-Georgia conflict and restore the country’s territorial integrity peacefully. Kobakhidze stressed the importance of avoiding war and emphasized the commitment to non-recognition policies and the protection of the rights of Georgian citizens in the occupied territories.

“An active effort will still be directed towards the continuation of the successful policy of non-recognition and the protection of the rights of our fellow citizens living in the occupied territories, as well as the effective implementation of the policy of reconciliation and engagement, the purpose of which is to prepare the ground for the restoration of coexistence based on trust and mutual respect between people artificially separated by war before the conflict is resolved,” said Irakli Kobakhidze.

Furthermore, Kobakhidze emphasized the need to strengthen Georgian society, promote the formation of a healthy civil society, and invest more resources in education, science, culture, and sports.

According to him, one of the most significant challenges for Georgia is the absence of a solid societal structure, leaving it vulnerable to internal and external threats.

Kobakhidze stated that from 2004 to 2012, the government of that time deliberately worked to destroy the societal structure, “washing” the intelligentsia, and undermining civil society, leading to the formation of a pseudo-elite engaged in propagating pseudo-liberal ideologies and opposing the state and the church.