State Minister for Reconciliation:  “Produce for a Better Future” will enable population living in occupied regions to receive grants worth GEL 35, 000

A new program – “Produce for a Better Future” will be implemented within the frameworks of Georgia’s peace initiative “A Step to a Better Future”, - Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, said after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. According to her, within the frameworks of the program the population living in occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region will be able to receive grants worth from GEL 7,000 to GEL 35, 000.

“The program “Produce for a Better Future” is linked to the peace initiative “A Step to a Better Future”. For the first time during the last 25 years, since the conflict exists, the financial resources are becoming available for residents of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region, as well as for any citizen of Georgia who reached the age of 18 and for those persons who have been registered under a new registration rule. They will have the opportunity to receive grants worth GEL 7 to 35 thousand for individual or joint projects. GEL 7 thousand worth grant will be issued on the individual project that is to implement in Abkhazia or Tskhinvali regions, and the grants worth GEL 15, 20 and 35 thousand will be issued on joint projects that will encourage economic activity, and most importantly, trade across the dividing lines, "said Ketevan Tsikhelashvili.

According to the Minister, citizens can apply for the new program starting from today. State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality noted that half a million GEL has been allocated for implementation of the program at the initial stage.