Saakashvili Invokes Heroes from History in Campaign Speech

Speaking to thousands of supporters in Zugdidi, close to breakaway Abkhazia in western Georgia, incumbent presidential candidate Mikheil Saakashvili said 2008 would be ?the year of Davit the Builder, the year of victory.?

In a 20-minute speech, aired live on Mze TV, Saakashvili in one of his final pre-election addresses focused on Georgia?s heroes from history, especially King Davit the Builder, who united Georgia in the twelfth century.
 
?Georgia was as bountiful as it is now during the time of Davit? But there were traitors in the time of Davit as well, who wanted to cause turmoil; but during that time we were able to take on and defeat the strongest empires and we will be able to do the same today as well,? Saakashvili said. ?We all remember [events in] Ganmukhuri and I am sure Davit [the Builder] was right beside us, right beside me there?  We are a nation which values traditions and tradition dictates that a son should try to be like a father. The father of our Georgian family is Davit the Builder. People, I want to ask you all: are we successors of Davit the Builder, who united Georgia and who defeated all of our enemies? We should prove we are by uniting Georgia and defeating our enemies.?

Saakashvili then spoke about Abkhazia and said that Georgia would restore its territorial integrity ?very soon.?

?Tomorrow Enguri [a river dividing breakaway Abkhazia from the rest of Georgia] will become a symbol of Georgia?s unity, whatever the price,? he said. ?This flag [referring to Georgia?s national flag] of Giorgi the Brilliant [Georgia?s king in the fourteenth century] now flies with pride and it will fly over Sokhumi as well very, very soon.?

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)