Georgia to use Russian experts to overhaul tax system
[Presenter] The Georgian prime minister [Zurab Zhvania] and the Russian economics minister [German Gref] are pleased
with the economic forum [being held in Tbilisi]. They have said that specific projects are already being discussed.
Zurab Zhvania said that Georgia's interests would be taken into account in the process of attracting Russian
investments.
[Zhvania, speaking in Russian; recording starts in mid-sentence] - Georgia's support for Russia's accession
to the WTO [the World Trade Organization]. This position was supported not only by the president, but by parliament as
well. We are pleased that in the spirit of cooperation, we have received Russia's absolute support in the
resolution of all issues we raised.
[Presenter] Georgia agrees to Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization. From now on, Georgian and
Russian economists and businessmen will cooperate. An agreement to this effect was signed by Georgian and Russian
economics ministers at the Courtyard Marriott hotel today. Infrastructure, transport, airlines, ports, agriculture and
tourism are the spheres in which Russian businessmen are interested.
However, the Russian side puts conditions [on investment]. If the tax system is not transparent and taxes are not
low, Russia will not invest in Georgia. Russian economics minister German Gref expressed this position of Russian
entrepreneurs at a joint news conference at the Courtyard Marriott hotel today.
Zurab Zhvania has said that the Georgian government is already working on the liberalization of the tax system.
Another group of economic experts from Moscow will visit Tbilisi in a few days to discuss this issue. Russia is ready to
share its experience in this area with Georgia.
[Zhvania, in Russian] We are holding consultations with many experts. I was very pleased when some 15 minutes ago we
agreed that a representative of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development [and Trade], Mr Gref's first deputy Mr
Dmitriyev, who is here now, will pay a special visit to Tbilisi in three-four days and will share Russia's
experience in tax reforms. Mr Gref has promised that we in Georgia can do even better than they did in Russia thanks to
many additional factors. This experience is of particular value for us. I stress once again that in the next two to
three weeks a draft version of the project [Tax Code] will be ready and open to public scrutiny, Georgian society.
[Gref] We have not come to put any conditions. Of course, we have not put any conditions regarding the implementation
of any reforms and do not intend to. You know, all forced reforms end in a bad way. Therefore, if our experience is
needed, we are ready to share it. But we cannot force it here and cannot put any conditions.
Georgia itself is interested in this in the first place. If the tax system is not transparent, if taxes are not low,
there will be no investements. This is obvious, because we cannot force private business to invest.
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