Newly appointed Georgian Prime Minister Ivane Merabishvili has proposed allocating vouchers worth 1,000 lari ($613) to every family in Georgia, NewsGeorgia reported on Monday.
“Families can use the money to pay utilities or buy medicine and textbooks. Farmers can buy fertilizers and fuel. Or it can be used for other purposes not mentioned in the government program,” said Merabishvili, who was appointed prime minister on Saturday.
Famlies would receive the money next year, Merabishvili said, adding that the vouchers will be “for four years.” He did not elaborate.
Merabishvili, a key member of President Mikheil Saakashvili's team, is widely viewed as a potential successor to the president, who is not eligible to run for another term in presidential elections next year.
Merabishvili's proposal mirrors one from the opposition at the beginning of June that promised to "fulfill the dreams" of members of the public, up to a maximum cost of 1,000 lari.
