Press Scanner
Compiled by Londa Mindiashvili
Tuesday, July 28
Everything depends on the adequacy of the opposition – Irakli Melashvili
Versia reports that leader of the National Forum Irakli Melashvili says: “How long Saakashvili’s Government will lead the country depends on the adequacy of the opposition. I hope it will not need Biden to resolve this issue and the Georgian opposition will manage to do it itself. Did we expect that Biden would pass judgment on the problems in the streets?
“The opposition should take into account many issues. I agree with the idea that political processes must take place in Parliament as in every normal country. But is it possible to discuss any issue in the present Parliament of Georgia?
“Kakha Shartava received an invitation card from the US Embassy to attend Joseph Biden’s speech. They introduced us to the protocol. Kakha went to Parliament to hear it but left very soon. He was the only opposition leader at the meeting. It was very strange situation: when you are invited by an Embassy you go, or it would be impolite. It is not important which side you are on, whether you are Government or opposition you represent your country at such an event.
“It seems that the rating of the National Forum is more frightening for the opposition than the Government. The so-called opposition meeting with Biden was nothing of the sort, because there were only three opposition leaders, Biden and nongovernmental organisations present.
“Everything has happened as we had said it would. For instance, did the rallies serve any purpose after 26 May? It would have been better if the opposition parties had met people in the regions. Saakashvili understood this and asked his group to go to the regions. Saakashvili has better political intuition than many oppositional leaders.
“I will be categorically against restarting rallies in Tbilisi without meetings in the regions. But I do not know what the opposition is going to do. I have not met with opposition leaders for a long time,” added Melashvili.
Zakaria Kutsnashvili is a supporter of revolution
Mteli Kvira reports the statement of Georgian lawyer Zakaria Kutsnashvili in which he says: “The meeting with Vice President of the United States Joseph Biden was held in a very bad format. The Government knew that this separate meeting would make problems for them. If the opposition and nongovernmental organisations had met Biden separately they would been able to give him more detailed information about the problems in the country than they managed to do.
“I received Nino Burjanadze’s, Irakli Alasania’s and Levan Gachechiladze’s promise that they would introduce the issue of political prisoners at the meeting and they did that. The leaders gave a list of political prisoners to Biden who passed this to his assistant and promised to help.
“I demand that the opposition parties present their specific plans to Georgian society. Some of them support impeaching the President, others a referendum, a third group early elections and the fourth rallies. Each party should be given the possibility to assure us of the superiority of their programme. The National Forum’s policy is right. To achieve the goal we must unite.
“After my comment on Kavkasia TV that there will be no peace in Georgia if there is no justice in the country my father was arrested. We demanded and still demand early Presidential and Parliamentary elections. The Government which came into power by revolution must be changed by revolution,” added Kutsnashvili.
Versia reports that leader of the National Forum Irakli Melashvili says: “How long Saakashvili’s Government will lead the country depends on the adequacy of the opposition. I hope it will not need Biden to resolve this issue and the Georgian opposition will manage to do it itself. Did we expect that Biden would pass judgment on the problems in the streets?
“The opposition should take into account many issues. I agree with the idea that political processes must take place in Parliament as in every normal country. But is it possible to discuss any issue in the present Parliament of Georgia?
“Kakha Shartava received an invitation card from the US Embassy to attend Joseph Biden’s speech. They introduced us to the protocol. Kakha went to Parliament to hear it but left very soon. He was the only opposition leader at the meeting. It was very strange situation: when you are invited by an Embassy you go, or it would be impolite. It is not important which side you are on, whether you are Government or opposition you represent your country at such an event.
“It seems that the rating of the National Forum is more frightening for the opposition than the Government. The so-called opposition meeting with Biden was nothing of the sort, because there were only three opposition leaders, Biden and nongovernmental organisations present.
“Everything has happened as we had said it would. For instance, did the rallies serve any purpose after 26 May? It would have been better if the opposition parties had met people in the regions. Saakashvili understood this and asked his group to go to the regions. Saakashvili has better political intuition than many oppositional leaders.
“I will be categorically against restarting rallies in Tbilisi without meetings in the regions. But I do not know what the opposition is going to do. I have not met with opposition leaders for a long time,” added Melashvili.
Zakaria Kutsnashvili is a supporter of revolution
Mteli Kvira reports the statement of Georgian lawyer Zakaria Kutsnashvili in which he says: “The meeting with Vice President of the United States Joseph Biden was held in a very bad format. The Government knew that this separate meeting would make problems for them. If the opposition and nongovernmental organisations had met Biden separately they would been able to give him more detailed information about the problems in the country than they managed to do.
“I received Nino Burjanadze’s, Irakli Alasania’s and Levan Gachechiladze’s promise that they would introduce the issue of political prisoners at the meeting and they did that. The leaders gave a list of political prisoners to Biden who passed this to his assistant and promised to help.
“I demand that the opposition parties present their specific plans to Georgian society. Some of them support impeaching the President, others a referendum, a third group early elections and the fourth rallies. Each party should be given the possibility to assure us of the superiority of their programme. The National Forum’s policy is right. To achieve the goal we must unite.
“After my comment on Kavkasia TV that there will be no peace in Georgia if there is no justice in the country my father was arrested. We demanded and still demand early Presidential and Parliamentary elections. The Government which came into power by revolution must be changed by revolution,” added Kutsnashvili.