The Head of the Government Administration of Georgia, Levan Zhorzholiani, together with the Minister of Infrastructure, Revaz Sokhadze, and the Head of the Efficiency Department of the Government Administration, Guram Dumbadze, met with representatives of member companies of the Association of Infrastructure Builders.

According to the press service of the Government Administration, the meeting addressed recent legislative and systemic changes aimed at effectively resolving the challenges that exist in the process of procuring and carrying out construction works.

Participants highlighted the importance, for the sector, of bringing the cost of construction materials, transport, labour and machinery closer to market value, and of introducing a price indexation mechanism, as well as the role of the electronic market research module, which gives all interested parties an equal opportunity to take part in the market research process.

According to the Head of the Government Administration, one of the primary aims of these large-scale reforms is to build high-quality infrastructure in the country that will serve citizens for many years to come.

“Georgian infrastructure must be synonymous with quality. It cannot be the case that the same piece of infrastructure requires rehabilitation just a few months or a year after a given project is completed. It should require nothing more than routine maintenance and upkeep. We have introduced innovations such as indexation, and, as a result of serious work carried out by the National Bureau of Expertise, the prices of machinery, materials and wages have been established. It cannot be that the state and businesses pay different prices for the construction of the same piece of infrastructure. Thanks to the introduction of the electronic market research module, over the past year we have corrected flawed practices related to market research and procurement,” Levan Zhorzholiani noted.

The Head of the Government Administration underlined the important role played by the Ministry of Infrastructure, the State Procurement Agency and the Levan Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau in developing and implementing the reforms. He stated that the reform enables the state to obtain a high-quality product in a competitive environment, while providing the private sector with fair and predictable conditions.

During the meeting, representatives from the construction sector outlined current industry challenges and highlighted various new initiatives.

Levan Zhorzholiani addressed inquiries from the private sector, emphasising the government’s commitment to maintaining a close and continuous partnership. Furthermore, it was noted that ongoing reforms will focus on supporting the construction industry and bolstering its long-term commercial health.