Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Thursday said his Government would adopt a long-term strategic plan for national development through 2036.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Kobakhidze outlined that the plan would span 11 years and would include specific priorities and actionable steps to achieve set goals.

“We have ambitious plans. Economic growth is one of our main objectives, and we expect a very positive year in this regard. We want to significantly exceed forecasts. Achieving at least 6-7% economic growth is possible, and we will do our utmost to ensure this. A major part of the education reform must be implemented this year, and considerable time and effort will be devoted to it”, he said.

“Overall, we want to fully streamline governance issues and, among other things, strategically plan the country’s long-term development. We have already announced that a plan through 2036 will be drafted. This will be an 11-year plan reflecting specific priorities and actions on the basis of which the goals should be fulfilled”, the Prime Minister continued.

Kobakhidze emphasised that the ambitious education reform was presented precisely because the progress in the sector had been slow and largely spontaneous, yielding no substantial results.

He added that a similar approach was needed in healthcare.

“The system is developing gradually, of course, but we face a problem in the healthcare sector, where due to unsatisfactory quality in a number of areas, many of our citizens who can afford it travel abroad for treatment. I believe that if we approach this issue systematically, it is possible in the medium term to ensure in Georgia a level of medical services comparable to those currently available in countries such as Turkey, Germany, Israel, or Austria. This requires not just passive management but a strategic plan. We want to develop such strategic plans in all directions, which will allow us not only to achieve incremental results, but to bring about transformative changes. This plan will be prepared in the near future, and we will have a very concrete vision in all areas”, the Prime Minister said.

He added that his Government was open to constructive input from all stakeholders and stressed the importance of involving genuine sector specialists in the discussion.

“When it comes to healthcare, the opinions of qualified and experienced doctors are far more important and interesting than those of politicians. We are ready for discussions with representatives of all sectors, including in an opposing format”, Kobakhidze concluded.