Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili today visited the Guria province in western Georgia, where extensive repair works are under way on local roads. Saakashvili spoke to locals and noted: "The kind of economic revolution that took place in Ajaria should also take place in Guria. Certain concrete issues must be properly addressed for this to happen." The president said that over the past 15 years roads in Guria have been in an especially bad condition and noted that 17m lari had been allotted from the state budget to repair them. He added that all reconstruction works on Guria's principal roads would be completed by the end of this year. 
Saakashvili inspected the road works together with Highway Department head Roman Dalakishvili and Guria Governor Mikheil Svimonishvili. Svimonishvili noted that repairs on the Sajavakho-Chokhatauri stretch of road had already been completed and that the Ureki-Ozurgeti road would be completed by the beginning of August while the Chokhatauri-Kobuleti road would be finished by the end of the current year. 

Meanwhile, 4.5m lari has been earmarked from the central budget for the construction of a water pipeline in Ozurgeti which will be completed in about one month's time. In addition, 0.5m lari has been allotted for construction on a water pipeline leading to the resort of Bakhmaro. 

Finally, construction is under way in Ozurgeti on a sports palace which is to meet European standards. The Sports Department plans to have the project finished by October.

Press Office
of the President of Georgia