Minister: Opposition’s Blackmail Unacceptable
There is a room for dialogue and compromises with the opposition, but it becomes impossible because of the opposition’s “attempts to blackmail the authorities,” Alexander Lomaia, the minister of education, said on November 3.
Speaking in a live interview with the Rustavi 2 TV, Lomaia, an influential member of the cabinet, said: “Our opponents should give up attempts of blackmailing this government… This government will not yield to blackmails… Blackmails, masterminded in the capital city of our northern neighbor, will not work.”
He also said that the opposition’s political demands do not reflect needs of the society.
“We see political groups who do not speak about how they plan to address social difficulties. Their slogan is – Georgia without President,” Lomaia said. “What does this slogan mean? It means weak Georgia not capable of overcoming challenges… This is the Kremlin’s dream; this is the Kremlin’s trap.”
He pointed out that the society’s dissatisfaction over social problems was “fair and natural.”
“President Saakashvili inherited this country split into three parts [referring to breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia]. This government has started institutional reforms. As a result of these reforms and it is quite natural, many dissatisfied people have emerged.”
The Rustavi 2 TV’s interview with Lomaia was, surprisingly, simultaneously re-broadcasted by a rival Imedi TV. “We had to rebroadcast this interview because, despite our numerous requests, the officials keep refusing to be interviewed by the Imedi TV.”
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
