Saakashvili Breaks Silence

President Saakashvili said in a recorded televised interview on November 4:

• Protest rallies are part of democracy and this is normal;
• I listen to everything what the people are saying. I am the president of the country and of each individual person;
• Political technologies of some political parties are very clear: a factory of lies;
• The same persons, who were resorting to this factory of lie in mid 90s against ex-Russian president Boris Yeltsin, are doing this now in Georgia. They arrived here and set up this factory of lie;
• This is untalented attempt of imitation of Rose Revolution.
• The goal of protest rallies is very clear: to create virtual reality that Georgia is weakening;
• Oligarch Russian forces are lobbying to stage turmoil in Georgia ahead of elections in Russia;
• We have decided to hold elections in late 2008 after Russia imposed embargo on Georgia. There was a threat of direct confrontation between Russia and Georgia after this embargo was imposed in late 2006;
• It is too risky for Georgia to have elections in spring, 2008, at the same time when presidential elections are also held in Russia in March, 2008.
• In January or February, 2008 the fate of Kosovo will be decided and it is most likely that it will be internationally recognized. Russia made it clear it planned to recognize Abkhazia and S.Ossetia in case of Kosovo’s recognition, which in turn means a risk of having confrontation.
• That is why we have decided to shorten president’s term in office for at least eight months and to prolong the parliament term in office;
• We have failed to explain this to the society properly. But by publicly saying this we did not want to give additional reason to Russia to start accusing us that we were planning something in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. But now I am saying this.
• I plan to take my next presidential oath in the Gelati Cathedral in the western Georgia;
• Elections will be held in autumn, 2008 as envisaged by the constitution;
• We are ready to work on further improvement of the election code.
• Territorial integrity and unemployment are the major challenges;
• Our economy will grow by 14% this year and this is a result of enormous efforts undertaken both by the parliament and the government and first and foremost by the Georgian people;
• I do not think it is right to speak about the problems all the time, but everyone should know that I constantly think about these problems.

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