Analysts concerned about possible Saakashvili revenge

The victorious Georgian Dream coalition is still basking in the euphoria involved in forming a new parliament and the new government. However, many analysts warn coalition members about President Saakashvili and his team and encourage them to prepare for his acts of revenge. Presumably, it will take place in 6 months after approving current parliament when the president will have the right to discharge the parliament.

Some analysts suggest that the National Movement will do its best to discredit the Georgian Dream through undermining the GD's activities with different means. First the UNM will exploit any increase in crime that occurs in the country and then direct the publics' attention to the Georgian Dream. Secondly, prices on the monopolized items will be further increased again creating dissatisfaction among the population. GD has also to fulfill social promises.

Indeed, Georgia is a country of surprises. The president named himself in opposition. It is well known that president posses many levers to control the situation in the country. The fact that the president claims to be in opposition is very dangerous for the democratic development of the country. It would have been much better if he had resigned as the chair of the National Movement. Instead, Saakashvili tries to preserve his governance, influence and power in different fields. For instance, he recently appointed a new governor in the Kakheti region, his former minister of healthcare, Zurab Chiaberashvili. According to his order, the new mayor was recently elected in Kutaisi and his is also a UNM member. Just five-days ago Saakashvili issued a new order subordinating various financial operations concerning high officials to the state security service under his control.

Some analysts suggest that Saakashvili is not only the opposition leader but wants to create two ruling powers– one, legal Georgian Dream, and another under the control of himself.

Now all the governance of all the regions is under the subordination of the president, so are the leaders of various self-governing bodies through the country. It will take time and considerable efforts from the ruling Georgian Dream to change the situation in this regard. The self governance system is elected so they could not be easily changed until the following self government elections. As for the regional governors the President appoints them based on Georgian legislation.

As a serious tool in the direction of confronting the ruling power, the UNM is planning to use nationwide TV broadcasters Rustavi 2 and Imedi. They have already announced their plans to close down entertainment show programs and instead transmit political talk shows, information, investigation programs and so on. All this is done to create a protest charge in the population, therefore promoting UNM ideas that undermine the ruling Georgian Dream.

Analysts express concern that such a situation might impose conflict between the majority and minority wings instead of promoting the development of the country. Some analysts suggest that the Georgian Dream should very quickly wake up from the euphoria and accelerate the process of legalizing parliament, establishing government and launch a counter attack. It means that it should start investigating criminal cases committed by UNM high ranking officials, starting from the issue of the lost war and subsequent occupation, the illegal appropriation of private ownership and harassment of the businessmen, illegal expenditure of budgetary money by the president, his close environment and other leaders. Crimes committed by law enforcement bodies such as the prosecutor’s office, the police, various regiments of the police such as the Constitutional Security Department and Special Operative Department and other special task forces and riot police. Investigating their bloody raids on peaceful demonstrators on November 7 in 2007, May 26 in 2011, as well as other cases of killing innocent people( Girgvliani, Robakidze and so on). Revealing violations committed by the State Audit Agency, discharging and punishing unfair judges and many other things.