Former Parliament building in Kutaisi to be turned into IT hub

A new information technology hub will be created in the former Parliament building in western Georgian city of Kutaisi, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili announced at the Government meeting on Monday.

The PM told the meeting the “non-functional” venue would be used to promote development of the IT sector “as much as possible”, and revealed the Government was working with an Israeli company for the purpose.

"[The hub] will attract and employ young people working in the field of IT. Our Georgian students, young people will be supported in their development", Garibashvili said, adding “tens of millions of dollars" would be invested in the project. 

The Parliament venue opened in Kutaisi in May 2012, five months before Georgian Dream defeated the United National Movement Government in elections. Under the Georgian Dream governance, Parliament sessions have returned to the original building in downtown Tbilisi, leaving the Kutaisi venue without purpose. 

More than ₾340 million ($127.83mln) was spent on the construction of the legislative body building in Kutaisi.