Azernews.Az

By Jamila Babayeva

Georgia will sign the EU association agreement in 2014, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said in his New Year Congratulatory Message.

Garibashvili went on to note that 2014 will be one of the most important years for Georgia in terms of drawing closer to Europe.

"Georgia will sign the European Union association agreement and this will imply totally new opportunities offered to our country," he said.

He further said the internal EU market will gradually open to Georgian production.

"Visa-free travel to the Schengen Area is not an overly long-term prospect for our citizens either. We will make an all-out effort to provide all our citizens with decent living conditions," he noted.

Georgia initialed association agreement with the EU at a summit in Vilnius dedicated to the European Union's 'Eastern Partnership' countries - ex-Soviet states on November 29, 2013. Now the major task of the Georgian government is to sign the association agreement with the EU in September 2014. As Georgia's Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze said recently the country is ready to make every effort to sign an association agreement as soon as possible.

Garibashvili referred to the economic development as the main goal of the government.

"Numerous manufactories will be opened next year. And this will mark the irreversible process of our country's economic growth. We will ensure all conditions to develop and support business, create workplaces, and to ensure the employment of as many people as possible," he said.

He noted that the government will ensure all conditions necessary to have all lands cultivated with no exception in the coming four or five years.

"We must produce quality goods, so that export may replace import. We must streamline the use of our country's rich and abundant natural resources," Garibashvili said.

He also addressed the Abkhazians and Ossetians in his New Year's greetings.

"I would like to wish a Happy New Year to our Abkhazian and Ossetian brothers and sisters. And I am convinced that we will surely come to an understanding, restore our relations, and work to ensure our shared future," he concluded.

Tbilisi broke off relations with Moscow in August 2008 when Russia crushed a Georgian assault to reassert control over two rebel regions -- South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- and later recognized the regions. Georgia announced the two unrecognized republics as occupied territories in September 2008.