The FINANCIAL — According to the investment climate, a Transport and Trade Facilitation Survey released due to the joint efforts of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia (MOF) and the U.S Chamber of Commerce, Georgia has showed the best statistics in fighting against corruption compared to its neighbouring countries.
“The survey’s results are an ultimate incite for foreign investors, giving them the go-ahead to put money in the country with no qualms about how healthy the business environment of the market is. It is a mainstream wish of the Georgian government to achieve even better results by conducting reforms that first of all contribute to making “doing business” conditions in the country highly attractive,” declared Nick Gilauri, the Minister of Finance of Georgia.
On February 20, in parallel to the survey presentation, MOF announced the opening of a modern-standard monitoring centre, by means of which by the end of the year all 32 customs offices will be switched to a joint observation system installed at the Ministry.
The survey shows that companies doing business in Georgia perceive the Customs department here as less corrupt than those of other countries. In other words – compared to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan – businesses say that Georgian Customs are the least corrupt.
“We’re aware of the problems that still exist in Georgia’s customs offices and this monitoring centre is the best means for taking immediate measures in case a complication is raised,” stated the Minister.
The survey of the U.S chamber of Commerce is based on the responses of 202 companies doing business in: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. In Georgia around 40 companies and international organizations participated in the survey.
Nearly 60% of businesses in these 8 countries identified corruption as one of the top 3 challenges to conducting business. Georgia was the only country where corruption was not identified in the top 3 challenges for operating a business.
“The corruption level in Georgia is around 20%, which is quite an acceptable figure for the country. Georgia has shown good scores compared to the other countries covered in the survey,” noted Esben Emborg, the President of AmCham Georgia.
In September 2006, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – the world’s largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, and more than 100 American Chambers of Commerce in 91 countries – launched a new initiative to provide the U.S. government and other relevant institutions with a strategic business outlook vis-à-vis the emerging markets of Central Asia, the Caucasus, Ukraine and Turkey. The initiative, entitled Eurasia Business Platform (EBP), also allows members to create and maintain dialogue, access and strategic interaction with Eurasia’s government and business decision makers.
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