Saakashvili Calls on Voters to Support Ruling Party

President Saakashvili told thousands of people gathered at a newly built stadium in Georgia’s second largest city of Kutaisi on May 28, that corruption and Russia “will never reign” in Georgia as long as his ruling National Movement party remained strong and united.

“For the first time during this [pre-election] period I want to address you not as the President but as the leader of the National Movement and as a citizen of this country, who should spend his life in this country after expiration of my presidency, who should bring up his children in this country: we were the country of mafia, corruption, the country, where invaders were raiding. As long as I am alive, as long as the organization, which I lead, is strong, as long as this team is united, corruption, ‘thieves in law’ [criminal bosses] and Russia will never reign in this country,” Saakashvili said.

“We are creating a new country; we are electing local authorities, which should be close to the people. I always pinned hopes on your support. I want you to pin your hopes on me. I request and call on you to support National Movement team for Georgia’s rebuilding, for fight against corruption and for unification of Georgia,” he said.

Saakashvili also said that although 20% of Georgia’s territories remained out of control, those territories “are neither lost, nor seized.”

“Unless the last Georgian lives here, nobody will be able to disintegrate Georgia,” he said. “United and strong Georgia will be recovered, like Bagrati Cathedral [in Kutaisi, which is being reconstructed] will be restored in its old glory.”

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