Shevardnadze is not Regarded a Actual Politician Any More

The Resonance

(Georgian Press Digest. 29.11.01. Civil Georgia) – President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze left for the CIS summit in Moscow today. According to today’s press, the summit is very significant because of bombing Pankisi gorge, Georgia, by Russian aviations several days ago. The Resonance considers that solving of problems inevitable for Georgia will very much depend on how firm Georgian President will be at the summit.

“It is difficult to presume whether Shevardnadze will have better arguments against Putin or vice versa. The fact is that leaders of both of the countries have something to complain about towards each other”, the Resonance says.

The paper assumes that Shevardnadze will be put in difficult circumstances at the summit since he is not regarded as a great politician there any more. Shevardnadze dishonored his own popularity while said that Ruslan Gilaev, Chechen field commander requested by Russian government, is an educated and intellectual person. 

The paper says that the Western Media criticizes Shevardnadze also. His name is more and more related to family clans and corruption in Georgia. According to experts, the West is thinking about replacing Shevardnadze with another figure.

Shevardnadze’s rating is very low in Georgia as well. The Resonance directly states that the President used his international authority not for his country’s advantage but for his relatives and friends to gain wealth.

The paper talks about the new political reality shaped in the world nowadays. This is the epoch when the cold war is over and the USA and Russia have shared interests. “Eduard Shevardnadze’s political career, which was actually created during the confrontation between the West and Russia, may end in case he does not catch up with the new political reality”, the paper says.