FROM THE EDITOR

Dr. Emzar Djgerenaia

I am eager to please my readers on Christmas Eve and assure them that everything will be all right. Yet, they are waiting for something more but I cannot console them by anything.

In the Y2001 the economic crisis has deepened, decrease in the production level exceeded 12%, the number of investments fell catastrophically. Budget revenues have considerably decreased, too. The fiscal policy does not change and is still directed against business and entrepreneurs. We did not listen to the advice of our economic experts. Nor are we eager to listen to Balzerovich’s advice. There is still no single strategy and conception of economic development. Yet, we do not know what we really want. The Parliament made the whole Government retire and then appointed the same government again in spite of the fact that a majority of deputies threatened that they would not designate any of the former ministers. This was the end of the “amateur Parliamentarism” epoch in Georgia. Next year a new constitutional Parliament of two houses will be elected. And in spring shortly before the elections new ministers will come (of course, partly). So there will be no end to our emotions. Someone will drive students out into the streets (it is a demonstration of force in a way) or will set up a clamor in the Parliament. There is nothing surprising in it. It is a struggle for power, search for vector and pillar in a political sector.
No one will have any time to attend to economy in the background of the political horserace in 2002 – the year of government change and new elections). We will go on with the battle of reforms, a tacit struggle against the corruption and a populist horserace in this absurd world. Economic decline will serve as a background for these events. The financial situation will become still more accelerated and the budget revenues will fall considerably as compared with the Y2001. Besides, the number of up-front sums in the budget has reached a catastrophic figure, which will certainly have an effect on the next year. There will be money and investment deficit, which will deepen inflation and deteriorate the life standard. The tariff on energy power and public utilities will increase again. The level of income will fall and the number of the unemployed will grow. The Georgian businessmen will be driven out of the sphere of small proprietorship (shops, restaurants) and the social environment will deteriorate. The salaries of ministers and officials will drop and the temptation of corruption will increase still more. Yet, we come to know that thousands of people in Georgia receive a grand award (ranging from 500 to 3000) in the form of grants. However, the country cannot boast of their achievements. First of all, a decent man would declare openly what he needs this grant for; he would report of the achieved results. Secondly, it would be more useful to suspend the issue of grants to our young friends whose salaries are 30 times more than those of ministers and to issue these very grants to officials. Our state is unable to give high salaries to ministers. Yet, it is impossible to prevail over corruption otherwise. The only way out is what I have just offered you. So, give up grants, gentlemen, in favor of ministers. With their incomes running into 2500-3000 thousand dollars a month, the corruption will suffer a severe repulse and the executive branch will become more competent. Give up the Y2002 grants in favor of ministers and live on your 170 GEL. This will be a great help for the country.
What should we hope for in 2002? First, the wisdom of Georgian people that does not surrender to political provocation and is able to solve its own problems. Therefore, people start to adapt to the market economy. The self-preservation instinct will help them to find small sources of income and survive the next year catalyst. Secondly, western partners who care about us and start to implement gigantic projects on oil pipeline, which will result in the increase of work places and in the number of investments. This will not concern every Georgian, of course, but the Y2002 will be decisive for Georgia, on the whole. The pipeline will bring new investments for 2003-2004 and will save the nation from the world integration. Only in this way, together with the USA and other western countries.
Thanks god ? at least, we the USA cares about us – and we have no time to do so ourselves.
So, my people, everything will be OK, God is gracious.