We have all the resources to reduce the gap with advanced European countries to a minimum by 2030, to completely eliminate poverty and become a high-income country. For this, the main thing, along with an effective economic policy, is to maintain a peaceful and calm environment in the country, - Irakli Kobakhidze, the chairman of Georgian Dream, said.
According to him, the difference between Georgia and advanced countries in terms of living standards is gradually decreasing.
As Kobakhidze notes, according to the data of the International Monetary Fund, compared to 2012, in 2023, Georgia surpassed more than 30 countries in terms of economic indicators and moved from the 110th to the 79th place, which means that the economy of Georgia increases in relation to other countries.
"There are many measures of a country's development and the standard of living of the population, but the most important measure is its economy. It is enough to look at the list of countries per capita and you will know exactly how people live in a specific country.
According to the International Monetary Fund, people in Germany and Sweden live 3 times better than in Georgia today, and in France - about 2.5 times better. They live 60% better in Russia than in Georgia, and 50% better in Bulgaria. Georgia is ahead of the candidate countries for EU membership - North Macedonia, Bosnia, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine, as well as Azerbaijan and Armenia.
It should be noted that the difference between Georgia and advanced countries in terms of living standards is gradually decreasing. For example, according to the data of the International Monetary Fund, in 2012 people in Germany and Sweden lived better not 3 times but 4.5 times better than Georgia, in France not 2.5 times but 4 times better, and in Russia and Bulgaria - not 58 and 51 percent, but by 148 and 67 percent.
In addition, according to the data of the International Monetary Fund, compared to 2012, in 2023 Georgia surpassed more than 30 countries in terms of economic indicators and moved from the 110th to the 79th place. This means that the economy of Georgia is growing not only in absolute terms, but also in relation to other countries.
It is often said that the economic development in Eastern European countries was accelerated by joining the European Union. Actually, if we look at the countries that joined the European Union in 2003, we will see that according to the data of the World Bank, in 2003-23 the nominal economy of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia grew 4 times, of Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia - 3 times, and of Slovenia and Hungary - 2 times. However, it is interesting that in exactly the same years, according to the data of the same World Bank, the economy of Georgia grew not 2 times, 3 times or 4 times, but 7.5 times. These data confirm that the main factor of rapid economic development of the country is not the membership of any union, but the economic policy pursued by the government.
According to the International Monetary Fund, by 2028 the difference between the living standards of the population in Georgia and the EU member states will further decrease. In 2028, the PPP gross domestic product of Georgia per capita will exceed 32,000 dollars, and the gap with the majority of EU member states (including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece) will be less than double. In particular, our lag with Italy will be 99%, with Spain - 86%, with Portugal - 72%, and with Greece - 48%.
It should also be noted that in recent years, Georgia has always exceeded the forecast of the International Monetary Fund. Therefore, we have all the resources to reduce the gap with advanced European countries to a minimum by 2030, eliminate poverty completely and become a high-income country. For this, the main thing, together with an effective economic policy, is to maintain peace and calm environment in the country," - Irakli Kobakhidze wrote on the social network.
