Burjanadze: “President Has to Make Decisive Step”

Nino Burjanadze
Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee
Candidate to the Parliamentary Chairmanship

“Reforms should continue, furthermore, they should become more intensive. We need to implement serious structural changes in the government. Those who has discredited whole government can not return back to power” – says Nino Burjanadze to “Civil Georgia” correspondent.

If elected, Burjanadze’s prime goal would be to decrease tension in the Parliament. She believes that “current situation in the Parliament is a major source of destabilization”.

Burjanadze refrained form making any predictions about the outcome of elections of the Parliamentary Chairman. “Mr. Lortkipanidze is very serious candidate who possesses strong means to acquire significant number of votes in his favor,” says Burjanadze.

Burjanadze could not estimate chances of Jemal Gogitidze, candidate for chairmanship, nominated by “Agordzineba” block.

Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee envisages importance of the post of speaker in different angle as well. She believes that these two-three days would determine whether Georgia would be closer to Russia on expense of country’s interest and pro-western policy that Georgia has been implementing so far. In this connection it is very important who would become the next Parliamentary Chairman, says Burjanadze.

Nino Burjanadze welcomes later improvement of relations between President Shevardnadze and Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze: “It is essential for the center to have normal relations with the regions. In case of Adjaria there are plenty of things to be regulated in relations with the center. I welcome this kind of non-confrontational solution of the problem”.

While commenting President’s policy, candidate of chairmanship said that Shevardnadze should apply to drastic measures to recover the country form the crisis. Nino Burjanadze thinks that there were many mistakes done in this regard. “I am not talking about President only. The Parliament is responsible too. But I think that President has to make decisive step. We are expecting this from President quite long. Frankly speaking, I thought that Shevardnadze would have done these steps at the very beginning of his presidency. I thought that he would have changed the ministers, but it did not happen”.

Nino Burjanadze emphasizes activities of the ‘reformers’ team. Despite the fact that they tend to express their opinion in loud manner, their position is to be taken into consideration. “If we have conducted certain actions in connection with these ministers, we would have avoided such a crisis”, says the parliamentarian. (Here Burjanadze means ex-Justice Minister Mikheil Saakashvili’s accusation of ex ministers of Internal Affairs and State Security for corruption).

Even though Burjanadze agrees with reformers aspirations, she often does not share their radical attitude. “I always prefer to maintain moderateness even in most sensitive matters” concludes the candidate to chairmanship.