Saakashvili Lays Out Proposals to Opposition

President Saakashvili said he had offered opposition number of proposals including to launch discussions on constitutional reform to create “balanced system, in which there will be place for both the strong president and the strong parliament.”

Speaking in a televised address after meeting with four opposition leaders, Saakashvili said that he had offered the opposition to chair the commission, which will work of the constitutional changes.

Saakashvili said that he had also told the opposition “cooperation” in various state structures. “I would be glad to see opposition representatives on various responsible positions,” he said.

He said that the proposals also include composition of the public TV’s board of trustees on the parity basis and “moratorium” on investigation into cases of criminal offences, which, he said, were committed since the launch of protest rallies.

Saakashvili also said that “no matter of the content” of the talks “I want to welcome that the meeting took place.”

“Democratic dialogue between political parties means… compromises,” he said. “Compromises are not easy… but they are required.”

He also said that the sides had agreed to continue talks.

Saakashvili said that during the meeting with the opposition his arguments were based on four principles: supremacy of national interests; inviolability of Georgia’s democratization course; his responsibility towards each citizen and his “full respect towards that part of the society, who were forced to come out in the streets because of their difficult everyday lives, who were forced to express their protest because of hardship, hopelessness and social problems.”

He also said that the authorities acknowledged that Georgia was in “a difficult situation,” involving occupied territories and economic difficulties. He, however, also said that Georgia managed to establish itself as “a modern European statehood,” which, he said, was a huge achievement.

“Now we are moving to the second stage of our historical travel in order to jointly build a normal Georgian democracy,” Saakashvili said. “All forces in Georgia have a chance today to become a part of this political process to jointly build a civilized democracy.”

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)