Major General Koba Kobaladze, Director of the State Service of Veterans Affairs, Lela Kiknadze, head of the project planning and management group of the Service, and Tuba Ozutok, head of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), visited the villages in Ozurgeti Municipality, where they got acquainted with the progression of beekeeping support project as well as dynamics of development, and spoke to veteran farmers. The information is spread by the State Service of Veterans Affairs.
Reportedly, TIKA donated hives, honey production equipment and beekeepers’ equipment to “Guria War and Defense Forces Veteran Farmers Association” last year as a part of cooperation between the State Service of Veterans Affairs and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA). The beekeeping inventory was distributed among the veterans living in Ozurgeti Municipality who are involved in beekeeping.
Koba Kobaladze emphasized the importance of the support expressed by international partners towards the veterans of Georgia and noted that the project is noteworthy since the activities of the veteran farmers involved in beekeeping have expanded with support of Turkish side. Consequently, their economic situation is improving which is the main goal of this project.
He thanked Tuba Ozutok for the support and many years of fruitful cooperation and expressed hope that the cooperation between the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency and the State Service of Veterans Affairs will be further deepened and similar projects will be implemented in other regions of Georgia to overcome the social and economic challenges faced by veterans.
Tuba Ozutok also expressed gratitude to Koba Kobaladze and the members of “Guria Veteran Farmers’ Association” for the successful implementation of the project.
Ozutok noted that the project supported by the Turkish government is effectively implemented which creates the basis for the joint efforts of Turkish and Georgian sides to be even more productive for veteran farmers by the end of the year. Ozutok promised even more support to the State Service of Veterans Affairs and veterans of Georgia in the future.
As a reminder, Guria War and Defense Forces Veteran Farmers Association was established in 2022 on the initiative of war and defense forces veterans living in Guria and with the support of the State Service of Veterans Affairs. It brings together nearly 150 war veterans and 2 cooperatives. The relationship between the State Service of Veterans Affairs and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) was established in 2017. “TIKA” is an organization operating under the government of Turkey, which together with other international organizations has been implementing joint projects in the fields of health, infrastructure, tourism and agriculture in almost all regions of our country for several years.
