Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili expressed support to continuation of Georgia’s cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, however added that Georgia should itself define the economic priorities and “should not blindly follow IMF’s recommendations.”
“The IMF suspended program because of [ex-President] Shevardnadze’s government was corrupted. We should not blindly follow all the recommendations given by the IFM, or foreign experts if these recommendations are against our economic policy. We only need those recommendations, which are necessary for Georgia’s economy. Economic reforms are of vital importance for Georgia now,” President Saakashvili said at a news briefing on February 6.
He said, in the near future Georgia would implement tax reforms and simplify tax code. “We intend to reduce certain taxes.”
The IMF mission arrived in Georgia two days ago to discuss the current fiscal situation in the country. It is anticipated that the IMF will restore programs in Georgia, which will held the country in talks in Paris Club over rescheduling of its foreign debt.
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