Bidzina Ivanishvili releases an open letter about April 9
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Tuesday, Aril 9
Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Chairman of Georgian Dream party, has released an open letter regarding the 30th anniversary of April 9.
Ex-prime minister says that the date is one of the most important in Georgia’s history. “April 9, 1989, was the toughest and one of the most tragic days, but this day has become a symbol of freedom and independence for our country.”
As he says, the only power that Georgian people had on that day was unconditional love for their country and raw emotion. “This emotion gave us the strength to fight for liberty and on April 9, 1991, as the logical outcome of this battle, Zviad Gamsakhurdia announced the restoration of State Independence of Georgia.”
Ivanishvili also talks about the 2012 elections. He says that it was a huge victory for Georgian people, as they won without any force. “Brutal regime was defeated so easily that even they were shocked by the outcome. At that day, the spirit of April 9 was reborn”
But he also added that the situation became “nevertheless paradoxical.”
“In most cases, in every democratic nation, democracy comes with the development of the economy.” But, in his opinion, in Georgia, after the 2012 elections, the bar for democracy was so high that the economy could not keep up. “Our government raised the democracy to the level of European standards, but the state of our economy objectively fell behind.”
As the founder of Georgian Dream party says, this is what “evil forces are using against the government,” as they try to bring Georgia back to the 90s by speculating on economic problems.
“Our country’s development requires realistic and clear tasks, progress cannot be achieved immediately, it needs time and peace of our nation.” But as he says, despite our past, Georgians should combine forces for the mutual cause.
But this does not mean that people should forget about the past. “Nobody should get away with what they have done, but we should remember that the “devil divides” and pushes us to conflict”
“We have to follow the ideals of the April 9” notes Ivanishvili, as he expresses that Georgia should never return to its past, “Georgia’s path is the path of rational policy, development, and democracy.”
“April 9 acts as a reminder of this” concluded Ivanishvili.
