“It Was Difficult for Saakashvili to See Photos of Governmental Officials’ Houses”

Manana Nozadze, www.presage.tv

On February 28, the Presage.tv asked the member of the Republic Party Davit Zurabishvili and expert Khatuna Lagazidze to evaluate the Georgian President’s speech in the parliament.

Davit Zurabishvili said in fact the President did not make speech in the Parliament; he left, rushed out of the session hall and then returned back, supposedly based on somebody’s suggestion.

“This person showed everybody that he is our past. Although he tried to say that he is not going to quit, that he would remain in the authority as well as his team; but all his pathos and reaction on critical statements of the oppositionist MPs about corruption, proved that he has finished all resources of political trust. I think, his speech was a good indicator of his exhausted possibilities. He feels that Bidzina Ivanishvili is coming with his coalition to replace him,” Davit Zurabishvili said.

As for the statements of the oppositionist MPs, Davit Zurabishvili thinks the President did not feel insulted at the Christian-Democrat’s critic and he had moderate reaction about their statements. However, he lost temper at Tsagareishvili’s speech because it was difficult for Saakashvili to see the photos of his officials’ houses.

“It was difficult for him to see the photos of his governmental officials and then the statement of the oppositionist MP Jondy Bagaturia finally finished him. He jumped up and rushed out of the parliament hall but then he returned back, supposedly somebody calmed him down outside the hall. The statements of the oppositionist MPs were painful for the president. In fact, the president’s replies to critical statements were stupid: Merabsihvili is scanty; Adeishvili is a homeless, and other stupid things,” Davit Zurabishvili said about Mikheil Saakashvili’s speech in the parliament.

Expert Khatuna Lagazidze has impression that yesterday the ruling party openly demonstrated their readiness to remain in the authority. The expert thinks, it was the president’s message to western partners.

“The President did not hide his readiness to maintain the authority when stating that he would do his best to assist the National Movement to stay in the government. In parallel to it, it is very important issue that target of his statement was not only Georgian voters but western partners too. Several days ago, the official of the US Defense Ministry made a very sharp statement during his meeting with the Defense Ministry of Georgia: first of all, the main requirement for Georgia’s integration into the NATO and EU, is fair, democratic elections in Georgia where Georgian people will have chance to independently vote for their candidate. And then she associated Georgia’s integration into the NATO and EU with democratic elections in 2012 and 2013.”

Khatuna Lagazidze said the US Defense Ministry official made a very interesting statement that although participation in various military missions and military development are very important, it is much more significant for the army to know its role and place in the democratic society. Namely, her thesis was the following that the Army must be apolitical and every citizen should feel it; the military units (Armed Forces in general) must not interfere in the election process in favor of any political parties.

“When the National Movement and its leader states that they are ready to use all resources to keep the authority, I have enough grounds to doubt that it is a challenge not only for their voters but for western partners that creates serious threats for the country. By the way, even before the elections in 2003, the US state officials never made such strict statements with regard to Georgia,” Khatuna Lagazidze said.