The President of Georgia visited a new pharmaceutical facility “Abipharm.” Mikheil Saakashvili toured the facility, familiarized himself with the working process, spoke to the personnel, and expressed interest in the quality of production.

“In reality we have one of the highest employment rates in the refugee districts. Employment was exactly what we promised people not only housing, schools, and water. Such facilities must spread like mushrooms. It is possible for us to export production from here to Central Asia and the countries of CIS. Georgia must become a large export center and not only in terms of financial, service, or tourist spheres but in terms of export production as well. This is absolutely doable and especially because this kind of production has large scale technological capacity. I am ready to open such facilities personally, in order to employ 10, 20, 30 people. In the end, thousands of exactly such facilities will solve the problem of unemployment” – stated the President of Georgia.

As Mikheil Saakashvili noted, signing the free trade agreement with the EU, negotiations regarding which have already begun, will increase the production capacity of Georgia even more.

“It is absolutely realistic for Georgia to have a deep and comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the European Union next year. We will also have it with America, which Turkey, Germany and other countries do not have. The Chancellor of Germany has set this as the primary goal in terms of relations with the United States. Georgia will be the only country in Europe and the entire region, to have a free trade agreement. The talks have already begun regarding this and I hope the decision will be made in a timely fashion. As a result of free trade agreements these with two countries Georgia is becoming a production center in all directions, especially in conditions where we already have free trade with CIS countries. When we sign free trade agreements we will get everyone moving and we will basically no longer have an unemployment problem. We will also have visa free travel with the countries of Europe, giving us an opportunity to be mobile and enter new markets free of charge. Georgia is a small country, with a small economy and it is easy to develop it if we become the part of the world community, which is already happening in reality” – noted the President.

Over 3 million USD have been invested in the “Abipharm” facility and it currently employs 30 persons, including some of the refugees living in the Tserovani IDP District. The managers of the facility are planning on expanding the number of employees.

There are already more than 5 facilities opened around Tserovani, which mostly employ local residents.