The Preisdent of Georgia visited the 8 member Rusitashvili family in the Berbuki village. Mikheil Saakashvili expressed interest in the problems of the family and talked to them about the new initiatives. He touched on the programs that envision providing health insurance to those who are under 18 years of age and the elderly, as well as the programs related to employment and professional retraining. State assistance for many member families was one of the main topics of discussion. According to the President’s statement, this program will be very important for a family which has 4 adolescents and two pensioners. Mikheil Saakashvili noted that the employment issue remains at the top of the government’s challenges. This is why beginning in 2012, every person wishing to learn a new profession will receive a 1000 GEL study voucher from the state, which will fully cover the retraining course.

“Next year all four of your children will be insured. New hospitals have been opened and insurance has a lot of importance in terms of getting medical care there. Aside from this, we have implemented a new 140 GEL pension package and the good news is that the money assistance for medicines has quadrupled. We have also introduced a 1000 GEL retraining voucher, which gives an opportunity to everyone who desires to learn a new profession and raise their qualifications” – noted the President.

The Head of State also focused attention on the development of the agricultural sector and noted that farmers must have all the conditions to begin spring agricultural work. In regards to mechanization, according to Mikheil Saakashvili, soon we will have several hundred new tractors. As he noted, this year there will already be 12 mechanization centers in the country and agricultural technology will be accessible to all farmers. Two such centers will begin functioning in Shida Kartli – specifically in Kareli and Kaspi.

During the conversation the President also expressed interest in the electricity bills. According to him, despite the fact that a 20 GEL voucher is a small amount of money, it is important to the people to whom every Tetri is considerable, especially in the villages where some of the families consume electricity of 6-7 GEL.

In their turn, the hosts familiarized the President with the crucial issues of their family and the village. They noted that they make a living by farming, and the 30 GEL agricultural voucher given by the government for the spring agricultural work was beneficial to them since they have already used it.

“This voucher is truly a relief for such families. I am glad by the fact that it is working. In the beginning I was contemplating what kind of results it would bring, but 30 GEL will help a farmer to plough at least part of his land. The voucher envisioned motivating the residents of villages and it has worked” – noted Mikheil Saakashvili.

Otar Rusitashvili took Mikheil Saakashvili on a tour of his yard and showed him the crops he has harvested. According to him, his family has benefited from the corn crops, despite the fact that he does not have a lot of land.