N. Burjanadze

 

I would like to welcome everybody. I understand the interest related to our speech today and it is very natural owing to the events occurring during the last few weeks in Georgia. I, together with my friends, together with every citizen, fighting for establishment and development of democracy, am really happy because of the big fight for the establishment of democratic values in Georgia has been ended with the victory of the Georgian people, of Georgia. The events unfolding during the last three weeks were of primary importance, when the whole population of Georgia notwithstanding religious, ethnic and world outlook difference, enormous number of people supported each other to protect their own dignity and the dignity of their own country.

 

I permanently underline the fact that I am proud that there was not a single case when the people, who had suffered a great number of problems, serious pains, during the last 10 years, came out in the street. They did it 2 years ago when freedom of speech was threatened and they did it several weeks ago, when their self-esteem was finally hurt, when they were deprived the right the right of choice, when the democratic institutions, bases of parliamentarism in Georgia were really threatened  and when people were told that their opinion was not considered by the government.

 

I am happy that we, representatives of the opposition, in spite of the difference of opinions existing in that period, supported each other. We managed to reach the victory together with people just because, we managed to overcome the crisis just because we stood along with each other. Despite our differences we acknowledged the main, supreme values and supported each other for protection of these supreme values.

 

I think and it is not only my opinion, it is the opinion of my friends, my co-thinkers-it is of primary importance to again together continue the fight for better future. We feel the responsibility assumed on us before our country and our people.

 

We do know that in Georgia there will start the new era. We do know that for historic development of Georgia, the events to occur next three weeks, future months and years, are of primary importance. Owing to this we decided to jointly assume the responsibility for maintaining and strengthening the victory and the achievement we have gained several days ago.

 

We made a decision to continue a joint fight, joint work for building a democratic, rightful, European values oriented Georgia. We are sure that in case of the joint fight, the most part of the society will support us and together with the society, together with the population of Georgia, as a result of consultations and constructive cooperation  with the political spectrum we will achieve ordinary and stable development of events in the country.

 

We made a decision to participate in the forthcoming Parliamentary and Presidential elections as one bloc and support each other. We made a decision to have a single party list in the parliamentary elections, in which our co-fighters, our co-thinkers would be jointly represented. We made a decision with regard to our intention to implement serious changes in the Parliament, constitutional changes, which would create very serious Constitutional bases for the country in terms of a new system of administration. We made a decision on making drastic changes to the administration system, to importantly change everything related to the questions of internal management and administration of the country.

 

And finally, perhaps, the most important decision: We made a decision to have  one Presidential candidate in the next premature Presidential elections. We consider it of primary importance to forget about all kind of differences, all kind of different opinions to serve the interests of unity of the country for the future of the country. We have to manage to cooperate, to fight together for the future of our country. For this reason it is very important that we have one Presidential candidate. This one Presidential candidate will be Mikheil Saakashvili.(Applaud)

 

I am sure that in these Parliamentary elections, for sure, and in the Presidential elections, we will win. I am sure that Mr. Mikheil Saakashvili will win in this elections and I am sure that with this victory the whole Georgia will win. I sincerely wish him success not only in the process of elections, but what is more important, in the process following the elections, when really radical changes are to be made in the country. Please,…. 

 

 

M. Saakashvili

 

I would like to thank Mrs. Nino. Today Georgia is observed by every citizen, by every hero fighting during these days in a heroic way to win ”the revolution of roses”. I would like to say that it was already said and is being said now as well how easy it was to achieve all this. I would like to say that the witnesses, and it is important for history, know that it was not easy at all. There were several cases during these weeks when we were very close to Civil war, to shooting, to victim and it was really the result of the heroic fight of every person that it did not happen. It was a real peaceful revolution, which really owing to God’s blessing remained to be a peaceful, velvet, rose revolution.

 

I would like to say that during these days our unanimity was of considerable significance and of special importance was the role of Nino Burjanadze, who has become a new figure in the new revolutionary Georgia. For this reason it is of tremendous importance for me to say that sure we plan to win both the Presidential and the Parliamentary elections. Nothing can hamper this process. we are ready, I am ready to win in the Presidential elections in Georgia and we are ready to win in the Parliamentary elections and enjoy important privileges. Under our joint decision our list will be leaded by Nino Burjanadze, a really most sympathetic political figure in Georgia and be comprised of our active co-fighters, our citizens, outstanding representatives of our society.

 

In addition I have to say that in Georgia the epoch of personal administration should come to an end. Our task today is to depend on decisions made in a colleague and political  kind of way, based on concord among us and with the society, which will maintain stability, peace and balance and make the country escape from the crisis. At this stage it is of special importance to now and in future regulate the relations with all the regions including the autonomous republic of Adjara. It is of great importance for us to regulate relations with all the neighbours, including especially Russia, which just during the last days of the revolution, played a significant role in terms of its Minister of Foreign Affairs. And it is natural that it is important for us and we have guarantees that our western friends will help us and together with other countries, especially with Russia, we will be able to restore the state and maintain peace and stability. These are our nearest future plans.

 

Today the official election campaign is started. We want to have many other candidates, we want the elections to be absolutely free, transparent, peaceful. We will ensure that. I am sure that Nino Burjanadze herself will be the guarantee for that and the whole international commonwealth, all those tools covered by international control, the Baker plan, OSCE and other tools will be used at 100% volume to ensure that each citizen of Georgia has an absolute guaranty that not a single vote would be lost in our country and that we can maintain our really exemplary inclination towards freedom, which was observed by the whole world. Today we are having very important days for Georgia.

 

I would like to say to each family in Georgia: it is sure that in one, two or three weeks or in two months miracles would not happen, but now it is important to survive these 40 days, maintain peace and quietness. After these 40 days, when you grant us the mandate to administer Georgia on both the executive and he legislative levels, all of our promises, given by us, will be fulfilled by us starting from January 4. Sure we can not make miracles in a day, but we will make very apparent and serious steps for each Georgian family, each citizen of Georgia, representative of each nation, living in Georgia, to be given the opportunity of normal living, development and future prospects. This was the aim of the "Revolution of Roses” and not a certain political group coming to the authority. Our main goals are the reasons why the revolution took place, why it still continues. The revolution is ongoing and it will come to an end when Georgia would be developed, happy, successful and stable state, which would be an exemplary for the rest of the world. Thank you very much.   

 

 

Z. Zhvania 

 

Revolution has come to an end, friends. Now we conceive the heavy heritage, left in Georgia, very confused and bad relations with our neighbours, the country being practically in financial collapses, unregulated problems with regard to regions. For this reason we have two main tasks today” one discussed by Mikheil Saakashvili, i.e. the preparation of such elections, regarding  the fairness of which no single person in both the country and outside it could have a doubt, ensuring that each citizen has an opportunity of expressing his will without an obstacle.

 

And on the other hand, to extinguish fire that might be lighted in the budgetary, social, energetic or in all other spheres in the country. The primary task for us in these transition 40 days period, I once again repeat, is to in possible extent ease and decrease the scales of crisis existing in the country. I imply the every day problems of thousands of co-citizens, who after the common merriment expect somebody solving their problems and expect the government considering the situation created in the country with responsibility.

On the other hand, we intend to use these 40 days for clarifying the specific action plan, with which Georgia will start to pace after January 4. We are having very serious ambitions. Our joint ambition is to make Georgia a real candidate of being a member of the European Union in the period of few months. Our real ambition is to make Georgia a real candidate of being a member of the Euro Atlantic Union and the NATO. Our ambition is to make Georgia one of the attracting countries for our international partners in terms of investing money and doing business. Our ambition is to make Georgia one of the exemplary, strong and regulated European country. For reaching this goal we intend to use these weeks to form a team without precedent, the team, in which will be united not only the active representatives of the political parties, but the door of which will be open for the society and we in this regard will make steps in the nearest days and we intend to sit together with the Georgian and outstanding international experts to offer the society, strategic and specific development program without precedent, I would repeat, without precedent, in absolutely all the spheres. This is, ladies and gentlemen, an unique chance for our country and we intend to spare no efforts to enhance the society use this chance, these opportunities at 100%. Thank you very much.