THE PRESIDENT OF GEORGIA MICHAEL SAAKASHVILI VISITED PRESENTATION OF THE BUILDING OF THE “HAIATE” HOTEL

7/25/2006

I would like to greet everybody, especially our foreign guests!

It is very pleasant to us, that such an important event in the matter of development of the economics of Georgia and our whole region.

It is possible to say, that in the business of development of the Georgian economics it is one of very important, historical step ahead.

The identity of Georgia is that our country was an important and central place of the Silky Way and you have really studied our history well.

Georgia really is an extremely important country; Georgia is one of the first countries of agriculture, it is meant that in the human history Georgians were the first, who bottled wines and Georgia is the native land of wine.

Georgia is also rather important in the world's mythology.

This is the country, where the hero of Greek mythology Prometheus was chained to one of our peaks.

Georgia is the country, in which there was the Golden Fleece, which was the symbol of wealth and success for the world's prosperity and for antique European world.

Medieval Georgia was the most important country of the Silky Way.

Therefore, identity of Tbilisi is the main compound of the central point of whole Middle Asia, roads coming from China, the Middle East and Europe.

Today is a very important day for us, as one of the best and modern, largest and new hotel complexes in the world is being built in Tbilisi.

Building of such a hotel in Tbilisi means that at building of this hotel and then during the process of its operation several thousand of people will be employed.

It means that the number of people, wishing to invest their money in Georgia will significantly increase, as Georgia, according to the Bank of Europe, is among three most uncorrupted countries in Europe, where on the European scales taxes are the lowest.

The procedure of taking of permissions and licenses is the simplest in our country and you will be convinced in it yourselves - taking of a building permission in Tbilisi is much easier, than in Moscow, Kiev, Paris, London or New York.

It is our conscious politics.

Our main identity is freedom for business, inviolability of property, business environment, free from interfering of uncorrupted state, which should bring prosperity to each citizen of Georgia.

Therefore it is a really important event.

It is not just a next presentation - it is a great beginning of the new epoch of Georgian tourism, in the sphere of building and architecture and also in respect of prosperity.

We are very happy because of it.

In comparison to former republics of the Soviet Union, except for Moscow, in respect of gathering of modern hotel centers, on the whole post-Soviet space Tbilisi becomes the place of the greatest concentration.

This is the country, which in this respect, just recently, was not an object of interest of anybody, but now it becomes the main center.

This is the result of liberty and development.

Though it is just the beginning; when everything is over (and I hope that I is over before the end of my first presidential term), it will be one the most important monuments of our joint activity.

Each person is appreciated not with his promises and words, but with his real heritage and business.

Certainly, private initiative is always the main driving force; today states build nothing, but we should establish such conditions, that after us this most ancient, interesting, special country and its special capital would have the best architectural face.

The monuments of our epoch are what have been established during these years.

After us we should leave such an epoch, that our grandchildren and their future generation would be proud with what has been created during these years.

In this respect, we are disposed radically and we have made resolute decisions - to finish everything and each assignment will be fulfilled as, as it is stipulated in the contract, which you have signed today.

Once again I would like to gratify you.

Here, except for the presented companies, to which I express my great respect, I would like to emphasize the role of Roman Pipia, as he is the classical example of those Georgians, who have managed to be engaged in successful business abroad, but returned to their motherland in order to invest their own money in economics of Georgia.

This is a symbol of new Georgia, as for years Georgia was the country, from which everybody escaped, nobody wanted even to have a look at it and even if somebody stayed, he was looking forward an opportunity to leave it.

Today, I do not advise anybody to leave it, as the symbol of that nobody should leave Georgia is returned people and we should emphasize that totally more than 80 thousand people more returned to Georgia than those, who have left it; and it is not little for a 5 million country.

2004 was the first years, when more people returned than left the country, last year the returned people are 80 thousand mode that those, who left.

There is one of successful symbols in it and Roman Pipia is among our doctors, dancers, artists, sportsmen, and businessmen.

I would like to emphasize his great patriotic merit in it.

Thanks to each of you very much.



Communications Office
of the President of Georgia