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Do you think the President’s speech will have any practical effect on the problems in Georgia?

Monday, March 1
“I do not think the President’ speech will have any practical effect on the problems in Georgia. The speech was of course very well made, it was nice to hear, but it will have no practical effect.”
Teona, 32, unemployed

“In my opinion this speech is the same as his previous speeches, unfortunately. These are just words, you will not see any progress with Georgia’s problems. I am a realist and I know that our problems will remain as they are for a long time. But if I am wrong I will be really happy, so let’s hope for a successful future.”
Nana, 45, lecturer

“I am not very competent on this issue but I hope everything will be alright. I really trust that this speech will be implemented and that it will have many practical effects on the problems in Georgia.”
Dmitry, 27, student

"The most important thing is how we can implement his words in reality. There are too many problems at the present moment, from political to economic; it would be very difficult to improve things in all those directions. He has promised that everything will be fine in 2010 but I do not believe this, it is an unrealistic statement I think."
Guga, 38, economist

"President Saakashvili has done many positive things for the country. His opponents, I mean the opposition, are always focused on negatives, which is not right. It is not easy to be the President of Georgia, as Georgians always want more and more. I am sure that the situation would have been worse if someone from the present opposition had been head of the country. Most things the President said are true."
Tamar, 51, pensioner

"I do not consider it will have a practical effect. The President talked about economic advance, didn’t he? But how can this economic development be achieved when real steps have not been taken in this direction? Agriculture is in a very poor condition, and what is most important there is no stability in the country, our territories are occupied and the Government has no effective strategy of how to change this situation. Let’s do what he has stated and then I will believe his words."
Guram, 43, historian

“Did he actually say anything new? I heard nothing interesting in his speech, although I listened to it all as usual. I guess he had nothing new to say. As for practical results, I think practical results should always follow from whatever the President says.”
Gia, 38, unemployed

“I guess he is the most-listened to and obeyed figure in our country. If he genuinely wants the plans he talked about to be carried out in reality, this will be done. If he talked just because he needed to talk, then his words will remain only words. Let’s see. He has more than three years to do all that he wants to do for this country.”
Maka, 26, accountant

“It was the usual speech that he gives every other day. I don’t think anything will radically change after that speech in Parliament. I am not such an optimist.”
Dato, 52, engineer