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| Forum participants watch short a documentary on the Rose Revolution. |
The Forum was opened by a short documentary that featured Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and depicted peaceful demonstrations in Tbilisi which led to the Rose Revolution on November 23, 2003.
In his video address to the participants of the Forum, U.S. Senator John McCain noted the importance of the Rose Revolution and described it as the time Georgia was “reborn” and a time for “inspiration” which fostered democratic changes in other countries as well.
Senator McCain also said that after the Rose Revolution Georgia successfully launched a fight against corruption and implemented defense, economic and political reforms. He noted the importance of “Adjara’s peaceful reincorporation,” but added that peaceful reintegration of breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia is now a challenge for the Georgian authorities.
In his remarks, President Saakashvili spoke about his administration’s achievements since the Rose Revolution and stressed that it is of vital importance to maintain a high level of confidence among citizens towards the state institutions.
“Of course, we face great challenges ahead… The most important thing today is that the level of trust towards institutions has significantly increased; we have gained trust in the education system, law-enforcement system, tax system. This is our basic capital. The trust towards leaders will increase and decrease, leaders will change, ministers and governments will change. The main thing is to preserve a high quality of trust towards institutions – this is our key challenge and the key lesson of the rose revolution,” Saakashvili said.
He also said that Georgia is “the first post-Soviet country which was able to totally change its old Soviet elite” in the government. “I want to say that we should be grateful to [late Georgian Prime Minister] Zurab Zhvania for this,” he added.
Saakashvili said that there was a supposition “voiced by skeptics” that his administration was doomed to failure because of “inexperienced and young” governmental officials.
“But since the very first day of our coming to power we have acted in accordance with a well-planned agenda,” Saakashvili said.
“Opponents also say that we are populists. But we have also disavowed these suppositions. For example, we told citizens that there will be no electricity without paying fees – this was a very unpopular move but we did it and we have even increased the collection of [electricity] taxes,” the Georgian President said.
French philosopher Andre Glucksmann and former Soviet dissident and former Israeli cabinet member Nathan Sharansky spoke about the importance of the spread of democracy in the world.
In his address to the Forum U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Bryza underlined importance of “institutionalization of reform” after the Rose Revolution.
“Without prosperity, without tough decisions, without a real commitment to justice you can not possibly begin the process of institutionalizing reform,” he said.
He compared events in Georgia to developments in Kyrgyzstan and said that in the latter’s case it was “not much of a revolution.”
“Maybe it was simply an uprising of the people, who were hungry for a sense of justice and who are now at the stage where we can not even talk about institutionalizing reform… It looks like a replacement of one group of leaders with another group of leaders, who previously were there [in the government], but never had the same commitment to reform, like our friend here in Georgia had,” he added.
Matthew Bryza also said that institutionalization of reform also needs courage, because the process might decrease the politicians’ popularity. But he said that Georgia is also exceptional in this regard, because, as he said, reforms are underway in Georgia, but the authorities still maintain a high popularity rating among the citizens.
“To truly institutionalize reforms, the government, any government, needs to establish priorities and establish inter-agency coordinating mechanisms that will allow a strategy to move forward,” Bryza said.
U.S. Ambassador John Tefft said that “more will, more bravery and more hard work will be necessary to solidify the gains of the last two years.”
He said that “the United States of America is on Georgia’s side” and is committed to help Georgia to confront challenges ahead. He listed “judicial reform” and a continued fight “against corruption” as the immediate challenges.
He also said that Georgia faces challenges which all other democracies have to confront “on a continuing bases.”
“In a free and fair nation decisions are made in a transparent manner… and with the input of all parties,” the U.S. Ambassador said, noting the importance of opposition as well, which, as he said provides an “invaluable service, as a critical check and balance of power.”
“We also should value the work of the media… This role must be protected by the government and by the people,” he added.
On the second day of the Forum, on November 23, President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko, President of Estonia Arnold Ruutel and President of Romania Traian Basescu will make speeches focusing on the necessity to consolidate efforts for development of regional democracy.
