What was changed in Georgia after the announced rally of April 19 and what clout did the National Movement show that day? Does it prove the National Movement to be a strong opposition? Georgian Journal interviewed the member of the majority faction of the Parliament, head of the Parliamentary Committee for the Protection of Environment of the Parliament Giorgi Tsagareishvili. Q. How do you assess the 19 April rally and did it meet the expectations?
A. I did not have great expectations, because Georgian Dream hasn’t done ahything bad to be worthy of ralying of thousands in the streets or protests. The reason of the rally was entirely artificial. Most of the people on Rustaveli Avenue on April 19 didn’t even know that the meeting was held to ‘defend European way’. National Movement tried to exhibit clout, but it is questionable, how they achieved their goal. They just cheered up each other. Recently, they went through great pressure; members of the party were arrested or are wanted by Interpol’s red notice; more than 300 are brought to book for their crimes, etc. The country was ruled by one person through opinionated party approach.
Q. National Movement does not trust the surveys that “are financed by Ivanishvili”. Do you have information about political surveys? What ratings of the parties do they show after the six-month rule of Georgian Dream?
A. Let me tell you that during the rule of Georgian Dream, our coalition hasn’t ordered any survey. We did it, but through the intraparty surveys and this information is confidential. We study the development of public opinion. Nobody has questioned our aspiration toward Europe. It is clearly defined in our program’s foreign policy. Bidzina Ivanisvhili’s first visit to Europe after the elections clearly indicates out way to Europe. We finished fulfilling of all recommendation of Assosiate Agreement of Vilnius summit. We have to complete some technical issues. In November, in Vilnius when association agreement will be discussed, Europe will give a hand and we will take it. Right now Prime Minister is in Strasbourg to deliver a speech at the Euro-parliament. Georgia’s aspiration to get closer to Europe has a long history. Sulkhan-Saba visited Europe, to meet with the Pope in the 17th century. The declaration that Georgia began to talk about European choice only after Rose Revolution, brings smile to my face.
Q. April 20 was the last date when the President could use his right to dissolve the government and the parliament. Did April 19 rally intend to remind it?
A. If president was aiming to use this right, it’s already late. We had information that the President was going to do that. His aim looked scary but thanks to our initiative, we changed the constitutional background 20 days before that. It rules out that kind of events and has no legal background to incite an artificial crisis in the country. Our political opponents were convinced that we had control over the situation. It helped our people feel more secure.
Q. Why did the National Movement announce about the rally two months earlier than April 19?
A. Because they made arrangement and organized all their forces; actually, they squeezed their forces like lemon and gathered people from all regions. Besides, they hoped that Georgian Dream would make mistakes on the way to European integration and it would drive more people to join the rally.