Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili gives opening address at Batumi Economic Conference as Goran Svilanovic, George Tsereteli and Petros Efthymiou listen on.BATUMI, Georgia, 12 May 2012 – Regional co-operation on economic development is not only sound fiscal policy but key to peace and security, parliamentary and government leaders said today at the opening of a major economic conference in Georgia.
More than 100 parliamentarians and nearly 250 participants started their meetings Saturday morning under the theme of "Fostering Economic Co-operation and Stability in the OSCE Region". At the opening of the OSCE PA conference, Assembly President Petros Efthymiou called for a new Marshall Plan for growth, recovery and social cohesion in Europe.
"Austerity cannot go on forever," said Efthymiou. "It is time we as parliamentarians return to our proper role of providing the needed oversight and debate on spending cuts, which not only target the budgetary excesses of the past, but limit our investments in the future."
President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia and Chairman of the Georgian Parliament David Bakradze remarked about the transformation their country has undergone in the last eight years – particularly rooting out corruption.
"Batumi is a symbol of change for Georgia," Saakashvili said. "The biggest problem was not eradicating corruption, it was to change the mentality of civil servants to teach them not to humiliate their fellow citizens. They are here to serve their people."
Bakradze added: "We changed the entire philosophy of doing business in Georgia." A "single-window philosophy", he said, has increased transparency and led to "psychological, moral and technical changes".
Goran Svilanovic, co-ordinator of OSCE economic and environmental activities, emphasized the Irish OSCE chairmanship's focus on good governance as essential to the region's ongoing efforts for transparent an co-operative business practices.
"Good governance is extremely relevant as it is key to sustainable economic development," Svilanovic said. "It is essential in overcoming the financial and economic downturn."
The conference runs through May 14 with sessions on strengthening energy security and efficiency, creating a transparent investment environment, addressing security challenges through economic policy, expanding transportation and tourism development, and growing small- and medium-sized enterprises. Speakers include leaders of parliaments, governments, the private sector, inter-governmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations.
