Saakashvili honours reformed Georgian police

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili congratulated policemen with the Day of Police on May 6. Talking of the importance of the day at Batumi Boulevard, Saakashvili praised the reform of the Georgian police which has “brought bright light” not only to the countries of the region but the whole world. “I don’t want to use the word “myth” because it is reality, but something really impossible has happened by creating the solid basis for the modern state on this abandoned post-Soviet ground. If people nowadays dream about a country like Georgia it is all your merit,” Saakashvili addressed the policemen.

Praising the reforms as “the symbol of Georgia’s transformation” he compared the old and new police forces emphasizing that they didn’t only differ in uniforms, cars or salaries but in their approach towards the people and the struggle against corruption. “It’s a fact that the police was corrupt in past but it’s absolutely free nowadays,” he said stressing that “the major difference is that Soviet police considered people as their property and treated them as a target of humiliation, cursing and torturing.”

Welcoming the success of the police, the President spoke of Georgia as the number one fighter against corruption acknowledged as such by the international organizations. Stressing that this country with no oil and gas has gone through an economic and energy embargo, various provocations and finally the aggression of the largest and impudent state Saakashvili highlighted the fact that “such a country however didn’t collapse.” “Those people, who had special privileges in past times are now opposing our police but these are the people who couldn’t stand the fact that career is made in Georgia only by of serving your motherland, your people and your future without having personal interest not by good networking and friendship,” the President told the policemen.

Highlighting that the modern police belongs to the people and serves and defends the people’s interests the President spoke of people’s great love and respect towards “the defenders of their motherland”. Talking of the abolition of street crime and hooliganism from streets and the removal of organised crime in prisons, Saakashvili discouraged those who oppose the Georgian statehood and the idea of a better future. “Our enemies couldn’t have ever dreamt in their most horrible dreams that Georgians would create something that would make it a successful country from the retarded position and everyone would speak about the positive reforms of Georgia,” the President said referring to the police.

Saakashvili also emphasized that public order crime in Georgia is lower today than in our northern neighbor state and in post Soviet space in general as well as in Germany, France and England. Welcoming the positive effects of the police reforms from 2004, Saakashvili stressed that people feel free and safe in the country nowadays. Recollecting the smiling strong policemen that were regulating the traffic in the chaos of Russian bombings, the President said even the traffic penalty checks have spread the message that “the Georgian state exists and it knows what it is doing.”

“It is your merit that our economy develops with such a high tempo despite all the obstacles. It is also your merit that everyone dreams of Georgia and we are absolutely sure in our better future with you,” the President told police. Being aware of the hard living conditions and low salaries policemen may be facing Saakashvili said that the Government has been working on this issue. “First of all you work in order to give people of different ethnic or religious origins a feeling that this country belongs to them. No matter who is our enemy or how strong and organized are our adversaries, we will be spiritually stronger and protect our dignity,” Saakashvili encouraged the policemen.