“Despite cataclysms and two decades of fighting against it, Lari still stands on its feet and has a future,” Rector of the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), Academician Vladimer Papava said at a scientific session dedicated to the 20th anniversary of introduction of Georgian national currency Lari.
During the event Rector Papava spoke about the national currency’s 20-year history and read a paper “National Currency of Post-Soviet Georgia: Twenty Years of Successful Reform and Fighting against Lari.”
“Twenty years have passed since Georgian national currency, Lari was introduced. Naturally, this is a historical date. It is a symbol of Georgian statehood and today, when we recollect this historical period, many want to show off themselves and rewrite the history. Therefore, the today’s scientific session is a short history and more economics about what happened 20 years ago and how they were fighting against Lari in the following 20 years,” Rector Papava said.
Representatives of Georgian governmental and non-governmental sectors, as well as academic circles attended the event.
TSU Professor Elguja Mekvabishvili said: “Lari is the national currency and it is the same state symbol, as the flag, anthem, etc. Thus, the birth of Lari meant that Georgia actually gained its independence and started to build its independent economic system. Marking this day is especially important today, when Lari faces certain problems. Analyzing the 20-year history with its positive results and shortcomings will help us not to repeat previous mistakes, to develop those positive tendencies, which were established during these 20 years and create truly national, strong currency, which will become a foundation for Georgia’s economic growth and prosperity.”
