English translation of the text as provided by authors
Address of the Georgian people to the Vice President of the United States of America, Mr. Joe Biden
Today is a historic day for Georgia. We are assembled again in Freedom Square, in order to once more reaffirm Georgia’s attachment to western and democratic values and to greet and welcome America’s Vice President, Mr. Joe Biden.
It is more than a hundred days that we are demanding the very same changes that President Barack Obama’s new administration has set as a goal for itself and for the world. It can be said that Georgia today is the country which more than any other needs this change. It is time for change in Georgia.
On Freedom Square, We are again assembled today, political parties, nongovernmental organizations, Georgian society, pluralist and multifaceted, but united around the very same demand for which we stood here at the time of the Rose Revolution, during American President’s last visit [in 2005], and before at the time when the Soviet Union was collapsing: “To be able to live in a free and democratic society”.
We are the same people, who in 2003 during the Rose Revolution, called for a government elected through free and fair elections, for democratic state institutions, as a condition for the nation’s strengthening and for justice and freedom, as the only way leading to the development of the country.
Despite the unconditional support of the United States of America, to this day this aim has not been achieved. For the state institutions do not yet stand at the service of our citizens, because the democratic institutions – Media, Parliament, Judiciary, Private business are still usurpated by a corrupted and clannish governing.
Over the years, instead of consolidating state institutions, the unconditional support given to a limited group of people has thrown Georgia back to the days of authoritarianism, which in itself was one of the main causes of destabilization. This authoritarian trend created a rift between the society and the government, and left the country unguarded against foreign enemy while the emerging crisis became almost irreversible. The consolidation of personal ties at the expense of political principles raised questions as to American intent. It fostered among the governing few unchecked self confidence and assertiveness, among the consequences of which one can count the tragic 2008 august war.
Mikhail Saakashvili has failed the ideals of the Rose Revolution and has betrayed the course chosen by his own People. He has set himself on the path towards authoritarianism And with his adventuristic actions, he has lost for Georgia the prospects for real independence and short term integration in the Euro-Atlantic family. Instead of restoring as promised the territorial integrity of the country, he dragged Georgia into a war, which led to the loss of additional territories. Instead of the promised free economic development, the main assets of the Georgian economy have been handed over to Russia and its capital. Every day the Georgian state gets weaker and more fragile the trust in Georgian institutions.
The help and support provided by the United States of America for Georgian independence and sovereignty have proven invaluable and unprecedented.
It is only natural that Georgia expects from the new administration concrete measures in order to revive the democratic institutions: Army, that as a result of war and political repressions is on the verge of destruction; Police, which as a result of ultra politicization is terrorized and has lost its capacity to function; Judiciary, which as a result of political interferences has turned into a repressive machine in the hands of the governing team; Media, which is simply dying; Private property, which is totally undefended; free economy and business, which find themselves under the constraints of state racketeers.
Expectations are high!
Hope in Georgia remains alive!
Struggle for real democracy is going on!
We are awaiting your visit in Georgia with the greatest hope and we believe that the new posture of your administration is what we need in order to give back to our people the right to free choice and free elections and that will help to bring the country once and forever out of its dark past.
We express the hope that America will support the will of the People in order that in Georgia be restored a democratic system, be appointed early, free and fair elections, media be freed from governmental censorship, citizens be allowed to defend their elementary rights through a fair process of law, and in order for us to be able to reach our objective – free elections – not from the street, but through a normal political process.
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