HOW CAN WE RESOLVE THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IN GEORGIA?

By Mate Melia

Georgia gets deeper into the economic crisis day by day. Country failed to hand over economic levers and future to professional economists.

Moreover, economic purposes are directly aimed at the political ones. There’s a serious political hotness challenged by a battle for governance. Each Party, faction, and leader is in process of seeking his own place in the existing or perspective political map and is busy with intrigues. None cares about the economy. Professionals are condemned and expelled from the governmental bodies. They are even out of time for economic discussions.
Under these circumstances, one of the most talented and professional economists Professor Vladimer Papava formed the Strategy and International Affairs Research Fund. After the post of Minister for Economics of Georgia, Mr. Vladimer Papava went to the State Chancellery – the place, where his immense talent and authority was limited and confined in bounds. He was even criticised for his words abroad and then… he left.
Vladimer Papava
Liberation or transfiguration for the independent soul
There are too many economists and scientists in the real economic environment of Georgia. Some of them are as qualified and experienced as western specialists, in spite of that, they are igmored by the government and political establishment. The solution is simple-politics, population and narrow party interests that are aimed at reaching and maintaining authoritative posts. As to economics, it is a more pragmatic and literal science. Economists say that 2*2=4, yet politions answer that it depends on circumstances. Moreover, the metamorphic situation in Georgia when it is not quite clear who is who in politics and where politics does not require any special knowledge and professionalism. Our politicians aspire to politics in which populism is predominant.
Thereof, economists are not popular in the government. This could be the foremost reason of Prof. Papava’s retirement first from the ministerial portfolio and then from the post of Deputy Parliamentary Secretary. He was not forgiven for the “Nezavisimaia” , a newspaper article, that was full of patriotism and truthfulness. He wasn’t forgiven, whereas others were forgiven calumniation. However, Vladimer Papava, as many economists in Georgia, believes that real reforms and political will promote the development of Georgia.
Nowadays Vladimer Papava is the pattern of free mind and in 16 July 2001 conference of the research fund had presented the new task concerning the tools and ways of resolving the crisis.
Despite the nihilistic attitude to economists in the country, Papava managed to invite and assemble economic elite in theMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia in order to speak and discuss the problems of Georgian economy. Their opinion was universal: country needs national strategic economic policy with the concrete mechanisms of implementation that has to be promoted without fail. Among the discussion members were Doctors and Professors: Mr-s Leo Chikava, Avtandil Silagadze, Revaz Kakulia, Nugzar Paitchadze, Jacob Meskhia, T. Chikvaidze, Emzar Djgerenaia, Avtandil Sulaberidze, Tamaz Akubardia, David Onoprishvili; Mrs. Nana Adeishvili; The CERMA executive Mr. Niko Sulaberidze; The presenter of Anti corruption Service Mrs. Keti Kheladze etc.
This was the first attempt of giving the free economic mind open road in the country. True, none is able to prescribe a medicine for solving the problem, but Georgia owns the economic and scientific potential that would promote the settlement of crisis in Georgia.
Each scientist-economist comes to the sole conclusion – to develop the economic program in distinct directions, which will settle crisis in the country and warrant its safety. All this will constitute one strategy in which each side and sector will be in causative dependence from each other. All sides shall constitute the integral part and shall depend on a common strategy that will promote the settlement of the crisis.
Fund is now interested in serious matters and its program gives a hope of finding a solution provided political pressures are not on the way. We should seriously think about whether the government will be ready to consider the recommendations of Georgian expert economists.