Merabishvili gives his resignation conditions

If three preconditions are fulfilled I would be happy to leave my post - Interior Minister, Vano Merabishvili stated in his interview with Imedi TV, on November 13. He also mentioned that provocations from Russian bases located in Georgia’s occupied regions are expected and also emphasised that observation of spies continues.

“If three principles of any political power are followed, I will be happy to be freed of the responsibilities of Interior Minister. These principles are: Georgia must not be threatened to be back under Russia’s influence, there must be no threat of corruption in the police force and no thieves-in-law back in the country,” Merabishvili said.

He mentioned that the Russian bases in Tskhinvali are planning provocations against Georgia, but added however, “Georgia is technically capable of avoiding Russian aggression and sooner or later the occupied regions will have no other choice but to rejoin us. It will take time, but I am sure the truth will prevail, and the free country - without corruption, with free economics, where people love the police - will inevitably win. In the future the regions will have no other choice. They will join Georgia.”

Merabishvili also commented on the special operation against the Russian spies, emphasising that the operation was not aimed to irritate the Russians. He said, “The operation was not aimed at irritating Russia. Nor is the imprisonment of people. We are continuing to watch such people closely. The main goal for us is to stop their activities in Georgia.”

Representative of the Movement for Fair Georgia, Petre Mamradze told The Messenger, “We should be objective in assessing the Ministry’s activities. There are some achievements which are really obvious, like the Patrol Police. There have been politicians from the Baltic countries in Georgia who have commented that trust in the police in Georgia is higher in Georgian society than in their countries, when they are members of NATO and the European Union. As for the dark sides of the Ministry: they are very involved in almost every sector of Georgian life and mostly serve the interests of a political team.” Mamradze said, claiming that, “The best assessment of the Ministry’s activities was given by European analysts studying the reforms in the Ministry, in unofficial conversations. They mentioned that their activities look like a barrel, where problems, like some explosive substance are being accumulated and which sooner or later will burst inflicting very bad results.”

Based on these preconditions, Merabishvili will be the Interior Minister for eternity. Analyst Gia Khukhashvili told The Messenger, “I have controversial attitudes towards the Ministry’s activities. On an organisational and technical level, there are very clear achievements. As for the unattractive sides of the Ministry, the Police is very much politicised in the country, they are more involved with insider political issues, than with their main goal - that is to serve the public. I welcome the operation against the spies and want the Ministry to work in this direction and avoid from participation in the country’s political life and maintain neutrality, as is written in our constitution. The preconditions named by the Minister imply that he will remain in politics for a long time. Of those preconditions, the first would never be fulfilled, as Russian interest in Georgia will never decrease. There are people who have the illusion that Russia will give up its goal of Georgia; however, those who know the two countries’ past and history, would not think like this.”