<p>The President of Georgia addressed the annual 21st International Economic Forum in Krynica, Poland. During his speech, Mikheil Saakashvili talked about the successfully implemented reforms in various spheres. For instance, he mentioned the simplified process of starting a business and the defeat of corruption in Georgia as well as the published statistics, according to which Georgia is the safest country in Europe.<br /> <br /> During the forum, the Prime Minister of Poland - Donald Tusk also emphasized the successful implementation of reforms in Georgia. According to him, Mikheil Saakashvili should be credited for Georgia&#39;s advances towards EU integration.<br /> <br /> The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili:<br /> <br /> Ladies and Gentlemen,<br /> <br /> It is certainly an incredible honor to address this great audience and the forum in Krynica, where I have come - the main forum of Central and Eastern Europe and I think this is partly due to the good work of organizers of this forum. I think, mainly, the reason why the people are attracted to Poland, is because of Polish miracle and I was just speaking about the embodiment of this miracle few minutes ago from this very stage. I want to help and thank for this amazing, inspiring speech. But, also, I came here after addressing at Young Leaders Forum and I was remembering the time when in early nineties I was studying in Strasbourg together with Polish citizens. We had to get internship at the Council of Europe. By the time we were not members - neither Poland nor Georgia, and this was a club of Western nations. We had to go for several weeks in security clearance. Poles and I just entered this building. I do not know if most of you know what the Council of Europe is doing these days, but at that time it was the most important thing to be in. I remember that they and I hardly had any money to eat when we were studying in France. Look, what has changed! Look, what Poland has become today! A locomotive for European integration, a locomotive for European economy overall and also, they are inspiring all the other countries that I am inspiring. That is the belief in Europe. They are not cynical of great process of European integration. That is still the belief that there is no other way and no matter that Europe will always have the amazing instinct to come together, to find solutions, to overcome and carry on with European project. From that point of view, I think, the fact that Polish economy is doing so well is radical reforms. We are telling people - Look at Poland! They have done reforms in early 90s. These are the results. They are still carrying on the reforms, since you cannot stop them; these are the results. Look at the Polish entrepreneurs. I think one of the main reasons of this success is not just the reforms that have already been done, but also the other reforms, which I am still carrying on along with the government. What I would like to underline is that Polish entrepreneurs are the most risk-taking, most open-minded, most flexible one among those ones I have seen in Europe or worldwide. I think this is another talent that Polish people have from which we have to learn.<br /> <br /> Ladies and Gentlemen, major historical events - good or bad - almost always take us by surprise. Nobody really predicted that Poland and other Eastern and Central European countries in the 80s, nobody has really preempted or anticipated the so called &quot;colored revolutions&quot; that happened in the Ukraine, Georgia and other places 15 years later. Indeed, Briyan Chilkoot - CNN correspondent is a &quot;Godfather&quot; of Rose revolution. Some people think that we were meeting in some secret place - under the floor and planning beforehand what to call the revolution. Believe me it did not happen this way. Briyan Chilkoot was in a live broadcast from the place of the revolution for the first time in TV history. CNN was broadcasting it for 4 hours without any advertisement.<br /> <br /> He said: It is the rose revolution. This is the way the revolution was given this name. As most of you know, seven years ago, Georgia was basically a failed state.<br /> <br /> People often argue about what should have been done or if some other action would be better - whether we should have rehabilitated the state or not. Neither was there anything to rehabilitate. Building the state we almost started from scratch.<br /> <br /> According to World Bank survey, among the failed states of Central and Eastern Europe, Georgia is on the first place in terms of doing business.<br /> <br /> According to some European surveys, Georgia, which was famous for high rate of organized crime dominated by the Soviet legacy, is on the second place after Iceland among the most secure countries.<br /> <br /> From this point of view, our capital holds the first place in Europe and it takes the leading position among the most secure places in the world.<br /> <br /> According to a Transparency International report, Georgia which used to be swamped into absolute corruption takes the most progressive steps in avoiding this contamination. According to social surveys, including Gallup, 6 years ago 98% of Georgians claimed that it was impossible to live without corruptive deals. Today this rate is lower than 0.2%, which is also proven by the latest surveys. By the way, we have defeated corruption.<br /> <br /> We made a dramatic choice, by totally changing the police structure. We discharged old human recourses from their posts as a result of which we had no police for almost for 3-4 years. We did not do it because all of them were guilty. In fact some of them were affiliated with organized crime.<br /> <br /> The situation today is radically different. Tax and customs reforms were successful. This is both the result and the main driver of what the popular publication The Economist recently characterized as Georgia&#39;s &quot;mental revolution.&quot;<br /> <br /> For instance, I will recall the visit to Batumi international Container Terminal along with world leaders. Required customs procedures take only 7 minutes there. For realizing the reform we discharged old employees of the customs office and replaced them with new human recourses.<br /> <br /> We have transparent Palaces of Justice in the country, where 90 % of business actions administered by computer programs, i.e. on the basis of &quot;one window&quot; principle.<br /> <br /> The registration of either property or private entrepreneurship is the simplest in Georgia compared to any other country. We are proud of our advances and reforms, since we are building a democracy, new political system and economy.<br /> <br /> I will remind you that 20% of the country is occupied and a large part of the population has IDP status, but the country is developing despite these challenges.<br /> <br /> The Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk:<br /> <br /> Greetings to my friends and heroes at the Economic Forum...<br /> <br /> President Saakashvili was awarded with the most prestigious award that economists, businessmen and experts give out in Poland...<br /> <br /> Several years ago, no one would have expected the advancement of Georgia and Moldova towards Europe and that the standards that are so native to us, would be so accelerated. This is not a short and easy road, but with result-oriented policies, compliance with standards, and the courage of the leaders of Georgia and Moldova, - these countries are successfully travelling the aforementioned road. We have also travelled the same road prior to integration into the EU, which has no alternative today in economic and political terms.<br /> <br /> The most ambitious countries that will meet at the Partnership Summit in Warsaw are travelling the right road towards this alliance and nobody in Georgia, Moldova and now Ukraine questions their integration into the European Union.<br /> <br /> That is why a strong voice should come from Kryinica today, Warsaw tomorrow and Brussels and Strasbourg, talking not only about the status quo of Europe, but about what we together should accomplish in the future as well. Building various appropriate structures, creating an exclusive political format within the EU, questioning the Schengen, refusing the idea of EU expansion and refusing membership to countries that are in compliance with every EU standard, would mean capitulation.<br /> <br /> The European Union should accept the ambition of the countries that are represented by Prime Minister Filat and President Saakashvili; and it should do so not only to satisfy these countries but to defend the interests of the European Union itself.</p>