Press Digest 10.11.2014
Given the current circumstances, I personally think that Irakli Alasania grabbed the very first chance that fell in his hands to launch an independent game -- Archil Gamzardia
When will Parliament yield its podium to President?
“By making his statement, Alasania has dealt such a big blow to our country, which tops even the marginalized and criminal band of the Nationals”
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Given the current circumstances, I personally think that Irakli Alasania grabbed the very first chance that fell in his hands to launch an independent game -- Archil Gamzardia
"The interview with Bidzina Ivanishvili really had no surprises. We all expected that he would have posed some questions to our Defense Minister regarding “the case of cables” and tenders. These questions are probably logical and to the point. Whether the public will share them is likely to become known in the near future. Likewise, Ivanishvili’s move to come down on the President and support PM Gharibashvili is nothing new. However, it was striking that the formed PM has not held back from criticizing his “heir” for harsh statements against Alasania,” announces expert Archil Gamzardia in his interview with the Kviris Palitra gazette.
“Ivanishvili’s decision to expand on a new political talk show was also interesting. It is also worth finding out whether or not the events covered by the talk show will be linked to the ongoing developments in the country. However, under any circumstances, the messages which Ivanishvili will deliver to the public through this talk show will have a major effect on the nearest political and public perspectives. Former PM also spent a long time on making it clear that he is no longer a center of power and the government is totally free from his influence. As it appears, for Ivanishvili, this is a rather vulnerable subject,” claims Mr. Gamzardia.
“As for the high-profile scandal of the week and the move from Alasania’s team members to define the steps from the Prosecutor’s Office as politically motivated, regarding this issue I can state that it is quite understandable that some occurrences in the politics can lead us to this or that political decision but on this particular occasion, the incarceration of the former high officials cannot really be defined as a political decision. The fact is that the steps from the Prosecutor’s Office are not coordinated to that of the Court. Consequently, I think that Mr. Alasania and his entourage acted irresponsibly. A Defense Minister is obliged to know that the Prosecutor’s Office can apprehend an inpidual without having enough ground for doing this; however, each and every country has a court, which can render a just verdict by rebutting some unfounded indictments,” asserts Archil Gamzardia.
“All similar occurrences in the country cannot be labeled as political persecution. From the very beginning, Mr. Alasania made an incorrect interpretation of the current goings-on in our country and, on top of that, he took a hasty step… Unfortunately, the Premier followed in his footsteps by making an impetuous decision … Obviously, some preconditions leading them to these irrational decisions existed from the very beginning but both of the top officials were obliged to handle this immensely delicate issue with kid gloves. This would have made for the formation of a much healthier atmosphere in the country. The only factor making us define his move to join the left-wing party as beneficial for us is that the National Movement will lose a status of the key opposition party. Alasania’s party will undoubtedly be able to contend with the Nationals and finally best them. In this way, we will get rid of this excruciating headache once and for all. Thus, if we focus our attention on the positive sides of the presumable collapse of the coalition, we may suppose that all these processes are in line with their scenario outlined in advance; however, some hasty and impulsive statements from Alasania as well as other high officials undercuts the credibility of this supposition…Whether this way or that, it’s a fact that Irakli Alasania is a rather ambitious political leader who has failed to realize his ambitions because of his modest potential. Only time will tell if he can succeed in unlocking his potential in the future. Given the current circumstances, I personally think that the former Defense Minister grabbed the very first chance that fell in his hands to launch an independent game,” concludes the respondent.
When will Parliament yield its podium to President?
"President Giorgi Margvelashvili is expected to enter the Parliament to discuss the recently unfolded events in the country this week. Mr. Margvelashvili expressed his desire to scrutinize this issue in the legislative body Wednesday. He also wants to attend the Government session; however, as we have been informed from the President’s Press Service, we will find out whether the President will attend the session not earlier than next week. We would like to remind our readers of the fact that Defense Minister Irakli Alasania’s ouster was followed by the resignation of several ministers. In the wake of this, the President unexpectedly wrapped up his visit in Austria, returned to Georgia, issued a special statement and expressed his desire to attend the parliament’s and government session, reports the Rezonansi gazette.
“At the special briefing, Mr. Margvelashvili stressed that the country’s European choice was made not by this or that political party but by our ancestors in the furthest antiquity and, hence, pushing our country from the already chosen path is something impracticable. Clearly though, we can raise a question as follows: are our politicians at the country’s service, are they doing their best to render a good service to their people by pursuing their interests? Certainly, this question needs an adequate response. From all this it follows that we must quadruple our efforts to do a good job and address the pressing challenges of the day. Within my authority given to me by the constitution, I do appeal to the Parliament and Government of Georgia to discuss the issue of implementing the paramount package granted to Georgia by NATO at the coming government session. I and the Secretary of the Security Council will attend the discussions. In addition, I call upon the parliament to take into account that I intend to release a special statement to the Parliament this week,” announced President Margvelashvili.
“As Head of the legislative body, Davit Usupashvili, stated, the Parliament is ready to listen to Mr. Margvelashvili. “According to the constitution of Georgia, the President is obliged to file an annual report to the body and whenever the necessity for this emerges, he can also address the parliament by conveying an important message to it,” stated Mr. Usupashvili. Later, the Chief Executive declared on the program the “Subjective Opinion” that the latest developments in Georgia are extremely unpleasant as the three pro-western leaders abandoned the coalition. “Three ministers’ dismissal is nothing good for the country. By losing three pro-western ministers, we have dissipated really paramount resources and have withered the image of the country,” stated the President.
“As MP, Vakhtang Kmaladze says, after the President expressed his desire to take the floor and address the parliament, a parliament session has not been held. As per him, the parliament will listen to the president this week. To the question what kind of an effect the meeting between Alasania and Ivanishvili can have on Mr. Margvelashvili’s speech, Khmaladze stated that the President is expected to touch upon the country’s foreign course and thus, this issue cannot in any way be related to his speech,” concludes the author of the article.
“By making his statement, Alasania has dealt such a big blow to our country, which tops even the marginalized and criminal band of the Nationals”
"This is Alasania’s political demarche. In fact, Alasania’s team was commissioned to pursue our Euro-Atlantic interests in the international arena. As they say, the prospects for the implementation of this course in our country have been jeopardized and a number of questions have surfaced in terms of this issue. Precisely these unfounded allegations spurred us to urge Maia Panjikidze, Alexi Petriashvili and Irakli Alasania to give us the names of those people who have blocked them from chasing the already chosen course. Otherwise, we are left with an impression that the people who fought against Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations are the Georgian President, Prime Minister and the members of our parliament. Their team member, Vice-Speaker Zurab Abashidze, is comfortably nestled in the Parliament, for instance. Thus, their refusal to name the people who have allegedly thwarted them in pursuing their Euro-Atlantic aspirations will easily be defined as sabotage,” states documentary filmmaker, Goga Khaindrava, in his interview with the Kviris Palitra gazette.
“Precisely steps by them are hindering Georgia from pursuing its Euro-Atlantic aspirations. By making his statement, Alasania has dealt such a big blow to our country, which even tops the marginalized and criminal band of the Nationals. In fact, the entire western world now assumes that Georgia has veered from the chosen path by foregoing its economic and strategic ambition to move closer to Europe. This is a really bitter pill for us to swallow as it moves us backward and endangers our economic and political development. Almost nothing can compensate for this great loss with which our country has already been inflicted. That is the reason why we want them to specify who these mythological powers are that have deliberately posed threats for our European future,” states Goga Khaindrava.
“By the way, I’ve witnessed all processes that have led them to take their posts. That is why I want to know what Alasania’s team members are saying to those people that helped them in coming into power. If Alasania’s statement is not supported by relevant arguments, this will directly mean that he is arranging sabotage against his country as well as the people. Now it’s up to those people who are the leaders and initiators of this political demarche to decide whether or not the ongoing processes in our country serve the interests of the Nationals or any other belligerent power. Frankly speaking, I have not followed carefully the steps by Mr. Alasania and I cannot tell for certain whether or not this man has lobbied the Nationals; however, I have found out that our foreign course was totally determined by “Free democrats” and those who hobnobbed with them. Precisely, this is the reason why these powers will be held accountable for the repercussions of the ongoing political processes,” alleges the respondent.
“Willingly or unwillingly, Mr. Alsania played into the hands of those dark forces that are outside our country today and are trying to maintain their authority as well as influence the country through such a marginalized force as the Nationals. Precisely Alasania has given them a chance to topple our country by making others think that it has run of course. The West has already responded to this issue and this will undoubtedly damage the reputation of our country on the international scene,” contends Mr. Khaindrava.
