IN 2005 BUSINESS TO GET RID OF YET ANOTHER CONTROLLING BODY (ABSTRACT)

Sophico Sichinava

A new structure ? free trade and competition agency – was set up as a result of reforms in antimonopoly service and state price inspection.
It became more compact and mobile. The agency will be engaged in analytical activities and it will not be viewed as another controlling body. It will first of all protect interests of consumers and free competition, i.e. its content as well as name is changed.
Presentation of new concept was held in Tori at the end of December. The antimonopoly service submitted a new Georgian model for the consideration of experts, non-government organizations and media. Main principles and purposes of its work constitute the government’s economic case called deregulation and precise regulation.
Georgia adopted not an ideal, but quite an optimal tax code. However, this measure will not produce real economic effect unless we view it in the whole context including tax burden as well as deregulation, property or criminal-safety issues. The government’s economic case will produce effect if it is implemented as a whole.
Emzar Jgerenaia (head of antimonopoly service) ? the main purpose of our organization was in fact, drawing up of acts and revision of organizations. After the reforms the main source of our information will be bulletins to be distributed filled in by organizations. Then we will observe the situation based on the data of the statistics and Customs Department. Our main purpose and direction will be monitoring of state acts, local authorities or Georgian market. Free trade and competition law will remain, but as for the consumer rights law, it will be deregulated. It will be relieved from much of the subordinate legislation and it will be managed by non-government organizations or population itself. This view is new here. Consumer interests are protected in the same way in many countries. There was one controlling agency in the form of antimonopoly service and it was very easy to come to agreement with it. It will be much more difficult to arrange things with 30 non-government organizations.
As for advertisement law, we think that collection of levies for billboard advertisement does not befit such serious and solid agency. The functions will constitute competence of local government. As for the control of electronic media advertisement law, this function will be transferred to an appropriate regulating agency but, certainly, in a more perfect form.
We will no more be a revision and laboratory control service, we will not check octane in petrol station. Nor are we responsible for the ingredients of alcoholic drinks and certificates. It will not be our function.
The only purpose of the new service will be protection of business and market from government bodies of any level and their decisions. The word “promotion” is left out in the concept, as we should not deal with business promotion. The main thing is not to stand in the way of business and to relieve it from our chains. Therefore, there will be one main principle ? to provide free access to market and resources for any businessman, any resident or non-residents as well as to free business from government pressure.
The presentation was attended by Jemal Inaishvili, president of the Trade and Commerse Chamber. He supported the concept and declared:
– If we wish to live in economically developed state, we should go through the way passed by many other countries and we should not have a wish to live in a developed country with old rules that stand in contradiction with market principles.
The concept is, certainly, a stimulus for economic development. This first of all implies high level of quality and cheapening of service cost. Nowadays, Georgia faces many problems in this direction. Very often there is a situation when compared to other companies some businesses enjoy special conditions. Therefore, I think that the agency has been established in due time. We will be active adherents of the idea.