Good evening everyone!

I would like to present Mr. Grigol Mgaloblishvili as the new Prime Minister of Georgia and inform you that we will present the new government of Georgia together with the new Prime Minister in the nearest future.

You are informed that we had an obligation to present the new government together with the new Parliament of Georgia. We have implemented these changes but postponed the process because of the Russian aggression.

One year ago when we agreed that Lado Gurgenidze would become the Prime Minister he has promised us to do his utmost during this year.

Lado lead our government in very dignified way during this very difficult period of time. During his term he has faced so many challenges - these challenges were so difficult to face for any economist, for any politician and generally for any person.

This period was coincided by war and by unprecedented economic crisis.

In the most challenging period Georgian government was able to maintain financial and banking systems, to maintain budget income and currency.

You know that the whole Eastern Europe is experiencing the heaviest economic collapse period.

The economy in Ukraine was almost destroyed and amounts from Monetary Fund were immediately issued for Ukraine to solve the situation. Hungary, Czechs Republic, Lithuania, Latvia and several other countries are experiencing the same problems still.

The Russian economy is on its edge practically, its main structures are almost destroyed. The aggressive movements of this country caused this.

The Georgian government showed great maturity and mobilization and we have to appreciate it a lot.

Today our country needs new energy, new power, new Prime Minister and some changes, this is why we have decided together with Lado Gurgenidze to implement these changes in our government.

Our mutual decision was to develop Financial and Investment Council, which will coordinate Parliament's, President's, Government's and regional finance investment business, will attract foreign investments and will control banking system.

I have asked Lado Gurgenidzse who will be the Chairman of this Council and will serve for Georgian sake.

This is an emergency structure, which is developed because of the world economic crisis. Lado Gurgenidze will concentrate all his energy and attention, to avoid the worst results of the world economic crisis.

This is very important because he had structured many progressive banks in Georgia - these banks are very successful regardless huge problems around the world. He had structured a very good system and was able to maintain the firmness of this structure - I have asked Lado Gurgenidze to become the Chairman of this new Investment-Financial Council. We must work together on the stabilization of this system and on the implementation of new reforms together.

We are facing new missions and new challenges.

We are in the new reality and we many threats are still ahead.

As I have already mentioned we need new energy, new cadre and new blood to resolve all these problems. It is necessary because we have to maintain and develop our statehood, to avoid this existential threat, which is still threatening Georgia. We need to create new jobs and fight the greatest problem of our country - unemployment. We have to successfully fulfill the post-war reconstruction and 18 months plan and go back to the realization of our 50-months program.

When we speak about 18-months plan, first of all we mean not only the political but economic stabilization.

This is why we work so close with our government.

Our economy is facing double challenges because the Russian aggression and world economic crisis.

How should we respond to this challenges?

By new radical, democratic and liberal reforms.

I do not have any other suggestions to our new government.

We need more democracy, more economic liberalization, less taxes, better investment environment, to make sure more money is invested to Georgian economy and to create more new jobs. We are making lot of progress in this direction and we will do more.

Now about international assistance - in this very hard period Georgia was able to receive new Marshal Plan in reality.

After the World War II United Stats has invested huge amount of money into the Europe's economy and helped it to revive. Without this help Europe couldn't be this successful - even Germany, Netherlands or other countries. Practically Georgia has received new Marshal Plan - it was exactly what Angela Merkel was speaking about during our discussions and during EU Summit as well.

We have received 2 and a half billion. We have to see how we will spend this money.

First 6 months will be the most challenging, this is why we need a lot of patient. We have to distribute this money in a right way. I ask my new government to go to the Anti Crisis Council, where the opposition is also presented and start open discussions with them.

This is transparency first of all and establish Parliamentary control over the government working process.

I would like to say a few words about Grigol Mgaloblishvili.

He is very well educated young man, he received his education in Georgia and in foreign countries; He was a very successful ambassador in Turkey. We received huge investment with his involvement.

We need a Prime Minister, which has big experience in investment attraction. This is the main criterion for me, and also his honesty. I control these issues personally.

I learn on my own mistakes, and I know that this is not a mistake.

We need a person who will be able to see each challenge in a new way and will work together with the new government, among them with the commission, which will be lead by Lado Gurgenidze.

The Georgian government worked very well and now we are expecting the new plan from Grigol Mgaloblishvili, he will work on plan how we should save our country, how to create new jobs and how will we start development of our economy.

Now I want to recall our most recent history, specifically November 7.

It is very difficult for Georgians to recall this day, it is very difficult for me specially.

Our duty is to remember November 7 and to very well understand what happened in order to make conclusions so as to prevent its reoccurrence.

We have all learnt big lessons from November 7; we have seen mistakes made by the Georgian authorities; those events demonstrate how important it is for the government and the president to listen to the people and how important it is to maintain dialogue even with minor groups. November 7 has also taught us that unity is needed if we want to have a democratic society. It has taught us that confrontation is not the way to resolve differences; it is the way of death. It has taught us that unity is the most important value. If it hadn't been for these lessons, we would have failed to demonstrate such incredible unity in August during the war with Russia.

Many things have changed in Georgia since November 7 and we have progressed since then. We have launched many democratic reforms and we are undertaking measures for the parliament to be stronger, for more public control, for the opposition to be more involved in state affairs, for the establishment of proper rules of the game between the authorities and opposition.

We have started new wave of legal reforms and I am looking forward to January 1, when we will have Jury in Georgian legislative system. It will happen first in Tbilisi and then in other parts of Georgia.

We will see how this institute will work, and I hope a lot that it will work in a good order. This reform envisages the delegation of functions on the society, the establishment of civil control over Judges - so this reform is considered to be the most important reform.

We need more openness, much more democracy.

The session of Georgian Parliament Committee was aired on different Georgian channels during these days.

I want to tell you that it is only possible in just several countries around the world.

I was listening to the Secretary of the National Council, who was answering most difficult questions in an open air. I think that even for me it is very difficult to respond so quickly and spontaneously. I think he was very good I have called him and thanked him.

This is a real democracy.

Real democracy is not only fight between each other, but the permanent dialogue with the society based on the principles and hard talks in Q&A regime.

I think we have all - the majority of people - learnt the lessons of November 7ht. Today, Georgia is a more democratic state than it was a year ago; the opposition is more influential - regardless of whether they are in Parliament or not - than it was a year ago.

It is our responsibility not to brake any more bridges within the Georgian society, this is why we need to implement more reforms, this is why we need to strengthen democracy, we need to be more open, we need more dialogue with our society.

Finally I want to repeat - today Georgia is still facing the most evil attacks, a very aggressive and very evil force is standing on top of Tbilisi.

Our country, our democratic nation is the first victim of this aggression, and unfortunately not the last one.

This evil forces will not be able to defeat our country and they wont brake us, for this we need unity like never before.

Our strength is in our unity.

We need more development, more democracy now, we must show everyone that Georgia is the full right member of civilized world.

Our respond is construction and development.

Those who do not want us to be free - our respond is more freedom.

I want to ask all these questions to our new government in coming days.

I have told the representatives of the opposition today - we will envisage the conclusions and recommendations of temporary parliamentary commission.

Life won't stop in this country.

If the Parliament will approve new Prime Minister on his job, he has to go to the regions immediately to meet the people, to talk to them about jobs, about not losing jobs in this very difficult period of time.

You know that we have problems in development and construction sphere, but construction process must not stop, the banking system must not stop, the enterprises must not stop, we must maintain what we have and must maintain development process.

Our development progress was so good and fast, we must not allow Georgia to return back to 94-95, this will not happen.

We need unity my friends, we need calmness and a lot of work.

Several days ago the chief of local administration of Tsalenjikha Gia Mebonia and one civilian were killed, one policeman was wounded.

Georgia is still under attack.

Gia Mebonia is a hero. We were going to award him with an order but he has refused it. These are Georgians, unfortunately Gia is not with us any more.

Before we have such people, before Georgia has this type of aspiration, before our country is supported by the commonwealth of nations, Georgia will not be defeated, if of course we will not be the ones who wants to defeat itself. We have many examples of this type in our history.

I think that we are at the very different level right now, we have different aspirations and directions, and it will end with totally different results - with our strength, with our unity, with our integrity, de-occupation and Georgia's integration in European institutes, and this will be our main aim.

Better live for our citizens - this is the general issue, this is our future.

I welcome you once again and wish you a productive week in ithe Parliament.

Thank you!

Communications Office
of the President of Georgia