Welcome.
I have been advised to delay this event because of the bad weather but we have little time, while we have a lot to build. That is why we certainly have no time to delay and I have decided to start everything today.
It truly is a very important day for Telavi and the entire Kakheti region today.
I would like you to take a look at today’s Telavi, because you will never see it again like this.
You will see this city like it has never been throughout its many centuries of history – it will be one of the prettiest, most pleasant Georgian-European city; the beauty of Georgia, one of the most dazzling crowns of Georgia; one of most glittering heritages of this era of reconstruction; which we will hand over to our sons, our grandsons and future generations.
I would like for all of us to start the beautification of this city together today.
I would like to assure you that I am not exaggerating and will name these projects, the implementation of which begins in Kakheti today.
For the first stage of construction, there is 120 million GEL allocated by the government of Georgia, the World Bank and private funds and I am convinced that this amount will triple, quintuple.
We need to absorb this 120 million in the coming 6-7 months.
The rehabilitation of 140 buildings has started in Telavi; the entire renovation of old parks and squares; the creation of new parks with landscape architecture, replacement of communications by underground placement, restoration of historical buildings, boundary-surrounding walls, gateways; the installation of modern lighting systems in the city; providing the city with fiber optic internet.
The reconstruction of streets and buildings is beginning – Cholokashvili Street, Erekle Square, Rustaveli Avenue…the fortress of Erekle the Principal, the theatre, the ultra modern Justice House, Nadikvari Park and the “Intourist” of Telavi, which will become the symbol of reconstruction.
That is what is being done only in Telavi and there are many more other projects planned, which I will not name, so that I do not leave any out.
There are many things being done in Kvareli as well – basically, every street is being restored; 6 new hotels are being constructed, the facades and roofs are being replaced entirely; the gateways and fence walls will be renovated, the entire communication system will be replaced as well as the water and sewage systems.
The rehabilitation will also begin in Gurjaani – the construction of the Justice House is planned, the complete rehabilitation of Akhtala Resort; building of a sports complex, a swimming pool; the construction of a new hotel and new resort in Vejini.
The fundamental rehabilitation of Dartlos will be carried out in Mta-Tusheti. The fundamental rehabilitation of the Tusheti road will take place this year and next year.
The roads in all directions will be repaired in Kakheti. Within the modernization plan of 2015, we are proposing an opening of a new tunnel on Gombori by the end of 2014. We are already making preparations for this; its design takes several years to develop.
According to my forecast, Telavi will connect with Tbilisi by 2016-17 through a shorter road than, for instance Gori, and it will be straight like an arrow too. Telavi will be 40 minutes away after its completion.
The distance will become even shorter than that made by Gombori, which will be an entirely new life for Kakheti.
I would also like to tell you that together with the restoration of these 9 streets, 6 courtyards and other projects, the major brands of the world will come here.
Like in Tbilisi, the Radisson comes to Tsinandali. Instead of the Telavi “Intourist” the American brand “Best Western” will come.
Our enemy could not even imagine that we would be able to rise again in Kakheti and Georgia in general. It knew very well where to hit us the hardest. The Shah Abas exiled Kakhetians and eradicated the vine. After being the president elect for the first time, the first large scale action he took against Georgia was to embargo the Kakheti wine. They know very well that this is the backbone of our statehood. Regardless of this, Kakheti has risen to its feet.
They did everything against us – tried an energy embargo…
We endured this winter…though the bad weather still persists. Some might even laugh at the 20 GEL voucher, but for people to whom 7, 8, 10 or 15 GEL is sufficient to illuminate their house or heat it a bit, this 20 GEL still matters.
This kind of redistribution is possible in conditions when no one steals money.
Some might even laugh at the 30 GEL voucher for the spring work, especially those who are obsessed by millions, but for the government that very well understands the pain of every citizen, this 30 GEL very much matters.
I know very well that Georgia is moving forward with very small steps, but who would imagine that Georgia would endure the economic and energy blockade.
In spite of everything we have an annual economic growth. See it yourself, what was the grape harvest like last year and we will have a much better harvest this year.
We endured the war…Tell me, in which country has the Soviet Union, Russia intervened and did not topple the government and did not destroy the country?
Our country stands proudly and proudly waves its flag. That is why they know that they are not victors of Georgia.
We know that Georgia will finally prevail when we are free from their soldiers once and for all and we regain our territories.
The new-old head of our occupant has appointed a new venue and place for the general battle several days ago – the fall parliamentary elections in Georgia.
We all heard it on TV, but just like they could not destroy us with blockades, just like they could not defeat us in the war, they will not beat us in the democratic battle, as democracy is always won by the people; the Georgian people will always prevail in this battle.
Surely, our country moves forward with small or big steps, but the main challenge for me is for every family to see its own share in the success and progress of the country.
I want each person in every region of Georgia to be able to access what only was accessible to those who would stare at people with disdain. They will look at people from beneath now and will treat them with respect, will be kind and appreciate them.
This is the difference between our psychology and their serfdom and feudal mentality.
The feudal system will never come back to Georgia, the serfdom will never return to Georgia and we will never be either the slaves of other countries’ or that of another feudal system.
This is our psychology – this is exactly what we are building!
That is what we are building the new hospitals for!
That is what we are creating new agricultural centers for!
That is what we are importing the new agricultural equipment for!
That is what we are building the new schools for!
And that is what we are building this new city for!
I would like every person, whose house we are repairing to think about opening a hotel, a café.
I went to the Telavi market and saw how trustworthy the people who stood there are, what kind of people live here.
I go village-by-village and know how the owner of even a small vine treats its hard labored harvest, its small cornfield, how proudly he raised his children…that is why it is our duty to give the best education, the best prospect to children, as for their parents, grandmas and grandpas, give them an opportunity to work.
Exactly because of that everything should be redistributed among our people. That is why I like when many foreigners open hotels, but I would like Georgians to open hotels as well and sell their products themselves.
I have a small wine vineyard here myself and know what it means to look after it. I want my neighbors around to be not Americans, Germans and French, but Georgians.
We are doing everything so that 5 times more money will be spent in the private sector in the next 2-3 years including in the new enterprises of agriculture, in small factories and reengineering facilities so that Georgians and the residents of Kakheti stand on their feet. They should proudly and boldly look to future, which in fact is our end goal.
We have many more projects, which envisage rehabilitation of our holy places. Among them, we are planning to renovate the infrastructure of the David Gareji Monastery Complex; similarly, you have seen how the Nekresi and Gremi surrounding territory have been done.
You know that Shuamta has been rehabilitated; the Signagi Bridge renovated, the Gurjaani Kovladtsinda is to be renovated very soon.
All of this represents our culture, part of our spirituality, our touristic potential and source of income. May everyone see what kind of wealth we possess?
Our “patrons” from the north used to come to Georgia before, we had to entertain them here – we had to dance, sing… had we gone there, we had to sing and dance there as well, make a table and whether being there or here, we had to be their entertainers free of charge.
We are not afraid of receiving any guest, just like the Georgian man would always do as a ruler of his own land, wealthy with its fatherland, a man full of extreme pride and dignity.
It will always be like this from now on and the people who will do this is you – people that stand by me here today.
I would like to particularly mention - each delegate, your governor, who works on all of this and is the author of the idea. Zurab Adeishvili was the author of the idea of Signagi rehabilitation in its time, though he does not like it when I speak about this.
Everyone would say then: What does the Prosecutor General have to do with the rehabilitation of cities, but if the person’s heart beats despite of where he works, everyone will achieve everything that concerns our country.
Likewise, it is now the idea of Zurab Adeishvili to rehabilitate Telavi, Gurjaani, Kvareli and other places.
Certain radical elements in Tbilisi are still full of desire to prove how corrupt the government of Georgia is. I speak about Zurab Adeishvili, because with that aim they decided to organize a rally at the Zurab Adeishvili house in Kvareli. Everyone got organized, went there and could not find the house, as they looked for the nicest house. Whereas, Adeishvili has an ordinary, modest house in Kvareli. His father was a director in farming, but he did not earn wealth then and has raised his son just like this.
If our government had been driven by the desire to earn money just like the previous one did, it would be an easy thing to do, but tell me on what kind of villas, money, cars and in general, on what material values can one possible exchange the dignity and happiness of doing things for your country and children.
They will never understand it as the more they would steal from the state the better it was for them.
We have a feeling that we are building our own country – it is our country, our dignity, our future our children and our honesty.
There is no greater dignity for us than being in service of you and seeing a spark in your eyes.
What kind of house can one build for it to outweigh and be better than saying that – I have built new Batumi! I have built new Zugdidi! I have built new Kutaisi! I have built new Kakheti! I have built new Tbilisi and we have built new Georgia!
One of them was mentioning my declaration in the parliament a while ago, but my declaration has not become much bigger – I have spent my salary mainly on my orchard in Kakheti, yet my condition has changed and increased as much as the condition of the country has.
I will surely include new Batumi in my declaration!
I will surely include new districts of Tbilisi in my declaration, as there has never been so much built in Tbilisi as has been built in the last 5 years!
We will surely include new roads of Georgia in my declaration, together with Ramaz Nikolaishvili!
We will surely include the new center of Zugdidi in my declaration!
We will surely include the renovated center of Kutaisi and the new parliament!
I know very well that our people are still very much in poverty, despite the fact that poverty, at minimum, has shrank twice in recent years.
The bulk of our society is still in much poverty and I have included this in my declaration as well.
I know very well what debt I still have –My main debt is that we overcome this poverty once and for all and I have included this also as a debt in my declaration.
We will also include new Telavi and new Kakheti as wealth in my declaration together with the debt which the government will surely pay.
This is what our accountability is before you.
I would like to congratulate you today and tell you that despite the frost, spring will surely come to these new streets.
We will have the best vintage in fall this year, Kakheti will also be prettier and the life will be better as well.
We will defeat our occupant in the battle which it declared against us four days ago too – the rendezvous which it set us for fall.
Thank you very much.