The President of Georgia attended the opening of the International Wine Institute in Tsinandali today. Mikheil Saakashvili addressed the participants of the event and called the founding of this school a political event. The Head of State commented that, winemaking and wine export have a strategic meaning for Georgia.

Mikheil Saakashvili praised the youth for attending this school and promised the successful students that the government will finance their studies abroad in the future. As the President noted, Georgia needs many professionals in this direction and he considers sharing the foreign experience crucial – “We have never needed foreign knowledge more” – he noted.

During his speech, Mikheil Saakashvili also recalled the time period, when an embargo was established and the Russian wine market was closed to Georgia. First of all, he thanked the Georgian wine-makers because without their persistence and bravery, Georgian wine would have been destroyed. The President noted that, compared to the time before 2006, we are selling more higher quality wine, but he also added that we have to keep working in order to improve the quality and international marketing.

The above-mentioned school was founded by the “Silk Road Group” with the patronage of Mikheil Saakashvili and the support of the Ministry of Agriculture. A research center, equipped with a high tech laboratory will function within the institute.

Additionally, opening of a special wine school is planned in the future in order to popularize Georgian wine. Leading Georgian specialists will teach students of various schools of Kakheti the principles of winemaking, breeding grapes, and marketing wine as well as other related disciplines.