Mikheil Saakashvili’s appeal to the citizens of Georgia
By Keti Arjevanidze
Monday, November 26
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili addressed the Georgian people with a video message on November 23th, dedicated to the ninth anniversary of the Rose Revolution. In his message Saakashvili spoke of the past achievements of Georgia and the future challenges of the country.
“During these nine years we got through many crises, we met a lot of obstacles and we dealt them; we all together tasted success and failure, we survived and achieved progress, created new state institutions, opened a new way for our nation and fundamentally changed the society in which we live. This is our mutual achievement,” Saakashvili said.
President Saakashvili is assured that from 2003, the government with the people have opened a new long-term period of collective building, adding that there is no time for wasting energy or deconstruction, until the country reaches the ultimate goal.
According to the head of state, despite political viewpoints, there is only one subject that requires attention: “promises: people’s hopes connected with the improvement of their conditions and Georgia’s basic direction, but not the shadows of the past and our private memory’s bitter taste,” the president stated.
According to Saakashvili the main achievement of the Rose Revolution is that people are in power, based on the institutions created by people. According to him, the leaders of the country are accountable for performing all the promises given to the population, “otherwise people will be disappointed. Today people have the power– not some political group or social elite,” Saakashvili said.
Saakashvili mentioned that the signals of worry are being sent in various directions, as the wave of arrests increase. But Saakashvili expresses conviction that there is no way back and the Georgian people will continue on the pathway to democratic development. “I am sure that the past ten years of development will be followed by the next ten years of development,” he said.
However, Saakashvili also admitted that after many years, there appeared the sense of instability, but added that he is oriented on the future and is always optimistic about the country and people.
Saakashvili also admitted that he is familiar with the difficulties of being in the government and the justification of the people’s expectations. “I know how difficult it is to destroy and abolish what is done, when there is a lot to do, so I appeal to everybody to work for the people, for the future and not pay attention to the past and to the private confrontations,” he said.
The head of state also appealed to the new majority to be fully concentrated on the people and to the performances and the promises made before the elections. He added that “we gave them more authority than it was considered by the constitution, because we want them to have an opportunity to govern and to execute the promises given, we want them to be accountable to you,” the president stated.
President Saakashvili concluded that Georgians have to continue the process of development though unity, as there is no time for confrontations.
