Press Scanner
Compiled by Messenger Staff
Friday, July 23
The authorities are trying to regain the sums spent on the elections
Republican David Zurabishvili states in his interview with Akhali Taoba, "Saakashvili is no longer regarded as either a star or a beacon of democracy; everyone was just waiting for the results of the elections. The elections had great importance. They have seen that Saakashvili has all the levers of power and now they want to know what he intends to do. They fear that Saakashvili might go out of his mind again and resume the hostilities. There are always such dangers while Saakashvili is in power.
"The world must see that the public expresses a conspicuous protest against the present Government. Stability cannot be established in the country without addressing opposition concerns. No third country will interfere in our internal affairs, as the West has decreed this, but if this does not happen I am sure that Georgia will again fall into the Russian sphere of influence. Russian influence will increase because one fine day everyone decide that they can no longer be bothered to help a country with an unstable Government which is a permanent headache," David Zurabishvili says.
"Certainly we do not have any illusions that the Government will resign if 100,000 people come out into the streets. Today the task of the opposition must be to mobilise the people gradually, slowly taking levers of influence away from the present Government. The present Government will not just leave. Can't you see what's happening? The authorities are trying to regain the sums they spent on the elections. The persecutions, repressions and terrorising of business are underway again. The elections are over and they have forgotten everything. We will have to face rather hard years," David Zurabishvili states.
Asked whether the situation will get worse in autumn, Zurabishvili answers, "I am not expecting much to happen in autumn. I expect things will get worse in spring of next year. Economic conditions will aggravate and public disappointment and dissatisfaction will become aggressive. These dissatisfactions accumulate little by little and the authorities have not learned how to stop this happening.
"I have been observing events for a long time. The same explosion which took place in 2007-2009 will happen again, and will be harder to control than before," Zurabishvili says.
Ex-Ministers in Sanakoev Government leaves Georgia
Rezonansi states that Gocha Dzasokhov, Leri Khabelov and Maia Tsaboshvili-Chigoeva have joined the emigration of Ossetians. According to conflicts analyst Paata Zakareishvili Ossetians are leaving Georgia in large numbers thanks to the Georgian Government’s wrong policy.
The Chair of NGO Iber-Ion, who has worked on the integration of Ossetians living in Georgia for years and was once a Minister in Sanakoev’s Government, has had to leave the country himself. He is in Canada now. He posted something about this on one of Georgian internet forums. However he does not want to comment further on the matter for fear that the occupiers and separatists might use his words for their own purposes, the newspaper says.
"I have not personally encountered any problems yet but in accordance with the reports of ethnic persecution there seems to be an inner fear in Ossetians. That is why they have decided to leave Georgia. An OSCE official has told me that he was asked by the residents of the Lagodekhi district village of Areshferani to help them leave Georgia, and seemed to indicate that they wanted to go to Russia. I know why this is happening: Ossetians unconsciously think about fear and confusion. The Georgian Government has caused them serious problems over the last 20 years which brought out the conflict between Georgians and Ossetians," Maia Tsaborashvili told the newspaper a couple of months ago.
"External factors seem to have not been evaluated correctly. The Georgian side made mistakes three times (in 89-90, in 2004 and 2008). As a result they have the feeling: what might happen tomorrow. I regard this as the major reason for ethnic Ossetians leaving Georgia. Kasabiev, Khabelov, Dzasokhov have already left Georgia. Vova Gutsaev has been to my place telling me that he is too tired and cannot stand any more," Maia Tsaboshvili said.
Paata Zakareishvili says, "There are Ossetian villages in Borjomi, Kakheti and Kartli. Unfortunately, Ossetians have left Georgia in large numbers since the August events and the process of emigration intensified after the war. They are afraid of persecution. They cannot live in Georgia any longer because they are alienated here, Georgia is not their homeland any more. Maia Tsaboshvili endured much from the Ossetians whilst working for Saakashvili’s authorities, and in vain. She was not appreciated for her service. Ossetians are leaving Georgia because they are being pressurised by the authorities. Our Government wanted to use them for its own purposes, not the state's interests. These people were forced to make a choice and finally did," Zakareishvili says.
Republican David Zurabishvili states in his interview with Akhali Taoba, "Saakashvili is no longer regarded as either a star or a beacon of democracy; everyone was just waiting for the results of the elections. The elections had great importance. They have seen that Saakashvili has all the levers of power and now they want to know what he intends to do. They fear that Saakashvili might go out of his mind again and resume the hostilities. There are always such dangers while Saakashvili is in power.
"The world must see that the public expresses a conspicuous protest against the present Government. Stability cannot be established in the country without addressing opposition concerns. No third country will interfere in our internal affairs, as the West has decreed this, but if this does not happen I am sure that Georgia will again fall into the Russian sphere of influence. Russian influence will increase because one fine day everyone decide that they can no longer be bothered to help a country with an unstable Government which is a permanent headache," David Zurabishvili says.
"Certainly we do not have any illusions that the Government will resign if 100,000 people come out into the streets. Today the task of the opposition must be to mobilise the people gradually, slowly taking levers of influence away from the present Government. The present Government will not just leave. Can't you see what's happening? The authorities are trying to regain the sums they spent on the elections. The persecutions, repressions and terrorising of business are underway again. The elections are over and they have forgotten everything. We will have to face rather hard years," David Zurabishvili states.
Asked whether the situation will get worse in autumn, Zurabishvili answers, "I am not expecting much to happen in autumn. I expect things will get worse in spring of next year. Economic conditions will aggravate and public disappointment and dissatisfaction will become aggressive. These dissatisfactions accumulate little by little and the authorities have not learned how to stop this happening.
"I have been observing events for a long time. The same explosion which took place in 2007-2009 will happen again, and will be harder to control than before," Zurabishvili says.
Ex-Ministers in Sanakoev Government leaves Georgia
Rezonansi states that Gocha Dzasokhov, Leri Khabelov and Maia Tsaboshvili-Chigoeva have joined the emigration of Ossetians. According to conflicts analyst Paata Zakareishvili Ossetians are leaving Georgia in large numbers thanks to the Georgian Government’s wrong policy.
The Chair of NGO Iber-Ion, who has worked on the integration of Ossetians living in Georgia for years and was once a Minister in Sanakoev’s Government, has had to leave the country himself. He is in Canada now. He posted something about this on one of Georgian internet forums. However he does not want to comment further on the matter for fear that the occupiers and separatists might use his words for their own purposes, the newspaper says.
"I have not personally encountered any problems yet but in accordance with the reports of ethnic persecution there seems to be an inner fear in Ossetians. That is why they have decided to leave Georgia. An OSCE official has told me that he was asked by the residents of the Lagodekhi district village of Areshferani to help them leave Georgia, and seemed to indicate that they wanted to go to Russia. I know why this is happening: Ossetians unconsciously think about fear and confusion. The Georgian Government has caused them serious problems over the last 20 years which brought out the conflict between Georgians and Ossetians," Maia Tsaborashvili told the newspaper a couple of months ago.
"External factors seem to have not been evaluated correctly. The Georgian side made mistakes three times (in 89-90, in 2004 and 2008). As a result they have the feeling: what might happen tomorrow. I regard this as the major reason for ethnic Ossetians leaving Georgia. Kasabiev, Khabelov, Dzasokhov have already left Georgia. Vova Gutsaev has been to my place telling me that he is too tired and cannot stand any more," Maia Tsaboshvili said.
Paata Zakareishvili says, "There are Ossetian villages in Borjomi, Kakheti and Kartli. Unfortunately, Ossetians have left Georgia in large numbers since the August events and the process of emigration intensified after the war. They are afraid of persecution. They cannot live in Georgia any longer because they are alienated here, Georgia is not their homeland any more. Maia Tsaboshvili endured much from the Ossetians whilst working for Saakashvili’s authorities, and in vain. She was not appreciated for her service. Ossetians are leaving Georgia because they are being pressurised by the authorities. Our Government wanted to use them for its own purposes, not the state's interests. These people were forced to make a choice and finally did," Zakareishvili says.