Irakli Kobakhidze: When the government decided to introduce the Georgian lari, our sense that statehood was developing became much stronger - Today, the lari is established as one of the important symbols of our statehood

This year is very significant; it is an anniversary year for our national currency. It marks 30 years since the lari was introduced into circulation, said Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze during his speech at an international conference dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the lari’s introduction.

According to Irakli Kobakhidze, the national currency, the lari, is already established as one of the important symbols of our statehood.

“This year is very significant; it is an anniversary year for our national currency. It marks 30 years since the lari was introduced into circulation. I vividly remember the time when the government made the decision to introduce the Georgian lari. Back then, our sense that statehood was developing became much stronger. The introduction of our new national currency was directly linked to this. The lari was born before our eyes, took root, and today it is established as one of the important symbols of our statehood.

We are a small country, but we have very rich historical traditions. It should be noted that the first Georgian money, the ‘Colchian Tetri,’ was minted 26 centuries ago. Eight hundred years ago, money minted in the name of Queen Tamar became one of the leading currencies in the region. Two hundred sixty years ago, the money issued by King Erekle was the most reliable trading unit in the South Caucasus. The Georgian lari is a direct continuation of these traditions, serving the interests of our state for 30 years,” Irakli Kobakhidze stated.