PressDigest 27.11.2014
Should Georgia join Anti-Russian campaign? The Nationals think it should
“Power has been thrown into the street and a political force able to grab it has not, unfortunately, emerged in our country so far”
Our Government has failed to take active steps at the international level – Zaza Piralishvili
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Should Georgia join Anti-Russian campaign? The Nationals think it should
"A parliament session at which a resolution regarding the so-called agreement between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway enclave of Abkhazia was to be discussed was not held yesterday. It is expected to start after the wiretapping legislation is approved by the MPs. A core point included in the Nationals’ project covers such acute issues as Georgia’s hypothetical decision to join the anti-Russian campaign as well as the presumable elimination of the Abashidze-Karassin format,” reports the Rezonansi gazette.
“As the Nationals allege, the Dream Government has a chip on its shoulder and in order not to discuss the resolution by the Nationals, they’ve gotten down to drafting their more loyal project. Although, no one knows whether the issue of sanctions will be included in their project as even the members of the majority are allegedly blowing hot and cold on this issue. The two parties reportedly clashed at yesterday’s bureau session, at which the Nationals expressed their overt protest against the Georgian Dream’s refusal to discuss their resolution soon enough. As the representatives of the National Movement maintain, an adequate reaction to the flagrant steps by Russia simply does not suits the leading team today,” says the article.
“We would like to remind our readers of the fact that according to the Nationals’ resolution, Abashidze-Karrasin format must be reversed, Georgia must join Europe’s anti-Russian campaign and must discuss the issue of Abkhazia’s annexation in the UNO and OSCE formats. Georgian Dream has not made it clear which of the recommendations offered by the Nationals are acceptable to them; however, according to them, if by raising the issue of imposing sanctions on Russia, they want the government to refuse to export Georgian production to Russia they will never accept this proposal,” reads the paper.
“As Vice-Speaker Manana Kobakhize announces, absolutely no one is against this resolution; however, it has not been submitted to the body yet and, accordingly, has not yet been registered. Giorgi Baramidze, a member of the left-wing party, immediately responded to Ms. Kobakhidze’s words by stating that they are not interested in their explanations or excuses. However, this statement from Mr. Baramidze did not throw the Vice-Speaker off balance and she quickly responded to him by saying if he was not interested in their explanations, he could leave the session and go wherever he wanted. As for Akaki Bobokhidze, he protested against the Vice-Speakers eagerness to present them with their explanations and asked her to keep silent. Another member of the opposition, Khatuna Gogorishvili, announced that the leading team is following its “toothless logic” by trying to register its own version of the resolution. However, as member of the Coalition, Gigla Agulashvili, states the resolution will undoubtedly be discussed as soon as the time for this comes. Meanwhile, in his words, they are drafting the project for another resolution. “The Nationals are simply extremely eager to express their overt protest against the government’s every “flagrant move”. In this way, they are simply trying to boost their rating as if only they are concerned with the country’s future and no one else. However, we all know to what their stentorian statements can lead us. We know that by bragging and releasing some kind of boastful announcements we cannot pursue the interests of our country and people… I still think that we can accept some balanced version of their and our resolutions; however, I want to strongly emphasize that if by raising the issue of imposing sanctions on Russia, they want the government to refuse to export Georgian products to Russia, we will be forced to turn down this advice,” declared the representative of the leading team.
“Power has been thrown into the street and a political force able to grab it has not, unfortunately, emerged in our country so far”
"Despite the fact that Tina Khidasheli did not hesitate to challenge the rationality of Beselia-Popkhadze’s legislation, I do not really think that leaving the coalition falls within the Democrats’ interests at this point in time. However, they long to get their slice of pie that is their share of power. They are, in fact, doing this by repeatedly proclaiming their stance and openly expressing their opinions. However, once again, I state that I do not think they are going to withdraw themselves from the coalition. Simply because, if they take this step their political prospects will be immensely obscured and vague,” declares expert Gia Khukhashvili in his interview with the Akhali Taoba gazette.
“Overturning Mikheil Saakashvili’s government was simply one of their tasks. However, they still have left to fulfill their key mission that is demoting his system kit of illegal surveillance, blackmailing, intimidation and other corrupt practices. We have gotten one tangible result from the elections — the new government is much more humane than the previous authorities. Clearly though, we are obliged to move forward by drawing more and more positive changes in our peoples’ lives. A man’s rights as an inpidual should prevail in our country, humans rights must stand above everything else. Accordingly, the Government must achieve this accomplishment as soon as possible. Our politicians must strain to provide a solution to this issue. In fact, we are faced with a perpetual dilemma – human rights or security. Even full-fledged democratic counties find it rather cumbersome to maintain the most advantageous balance in this direction. Benjamin Franklin once said that if you turn down freedom on behalf of security, you will lose both of them,” emphasized Mr. Khukhashvili.
“This conflict demonstrates perfectly well which branch of government enjoys an advantage over the other – politicians that want the country to cherish democracy or the law-enforcement bodies. For 20 long years the government has always be reliant on the law-enforcement agencies and this should be brought to an end once and for all. The law enforcement agencies must be blocked from controlling each aspect of our lives and MIA must definitely find its place when it comes to the configuration of power,” states the respondent.
“Such a preposterous logic of who is not with me is against me will lead them to nothing good. Extremely woeful is the fact that the Government is making such inexcusable mistakes today. Putting freedom under a question mark on behalf of security is the crudest mistake the Government can ever make…. The present status quo does not really suggest that early elections will be called for in Georgia. The last elections have clearly demonstrated that voter turnout is immensely low as the people are simply unable to see a worthy political force to which they can give a vote of confidence. Figuratively speaking, power has been thrown into the street and a political force able to grab it has not, unfortunately, emerged in our country so far,” concludes the expert.
Our Government has failed to take active steps at the international level – Zaza Piralishvili
"In my mind, the measures put forth by the Georgian authorities are not effective enough to draw the attention from the International Community. What can we do against Russia by shouting neurotically? This issue needs a much more rational approach. We must take only well-measured and constructive steps if we want to get any tangible results. However, since the Government is mainly manned with the politicians without enough experience and political acumen, we have failed to elaborate a well though out plan and adopt some effective measures. The Georgian political biggies were simply obliged to prepare the International Community and make them view the present developments in our country in Ukraine’s context. Although, because of its irrational policy, our hapless government made a mess of everything,” announce philosopher Zaza Piralioshvili in his interview with the Rezonansni gazette.
“Anyway, it does not matter how great present authorities’ enthusiasm is to take really effective steps, Russia will not allow them do this. This country would have completed this agreement under any circumstances and no one on earth would have blocked it from doing this. Today, Russia is in desperate need of one more really productive political decision; otherwise, as the dark background in the country strongly suggests, it will be defeated and forced to back down. In the present state of play, nothing on earth could have deterred the aggressor country from taking this flagrant step; clearly though, our Government could have shown itself in a better light by pursuing a more trenchant policy,” maintains the philosopher.
"We all know that for decades or even centuries Russia has viewed Georgia as its legacy. Naturally, our each and every attempt to change its view is a hostile step in the eyes of the Russian Bear. It’s also obvious that a rift between the different branches of our government is extremely beneficial for Russia today. The Georgian Dream has banished the pro-western force from the coalition that is the Free Democrats, and by doing this, they have made a really serious political decision. If we look over the present situation and take a look at different statements some issued from political podiums and others posted on different social networks, you will see that they are now urging the Georgian Dream to chase out the Republicans as well. Therefore, there is not even a shadow of doubt that for Russia the government that has been purged from the pro-western political powers is much more acceptable than a government which is replete with them,” concludes Mr. Piralishvili.
