Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili today opened the newly built Borjomi Railway Station and rode on the four-wagon "Kukushka" train from Borjomi to Bakuriani. A presentation dedicated to the resumption of rail traffic between Borjomi and Tbilisi was also held today.
"I instructed the district administration head to build a new rail station. I told him to build a station of the sort that befits a normal country, the kind of station that would suit Georgia as a modern country, one that no-one would be ashamed of. I told him that it had to be of the highest quality... One year later this small and pleasant station, which meets world standards, has been built. As for other projects, our approach must be simple: remaking what already exists and simply repainting facades will bring us nothing. We must tear down the old and build new buildings of absolutely modern standards - like we have done here, except on a larger scale," President Saakashvili said.
Later on, the president travelled to Borjomi Park, where he attended the opening of the "Fairytale City" amusement park, a newly refurbished swimming pool and new tennis courts, where he played tennis. Saakashvili then went to Borjomi's public school No 2 and toured a new football field there.
"I have issued a decree saying that we must set up football fields and basketball and tennis courts. The most famous tennis players who played for Russia were Georgians. This means that Georgians have tennis in their blood. If Russia does not want Georgian wine and Borjomi mineral water, then we will no longer give them our tennis players. Here we will raise and train future tennis players to compete for Georgia. Our talent must not be wasted," President Saakashvili said.
After the presentation Saakashvili met participants in a summer employment programme for university students. The president decided to compensate some of the students 300 lari for their work, as opposed the originally planned 200 lari.
"This is a presidential programme; if the kids work better, then they will receive an additional 100 lari so that they do more. I thank them for what they are doing," President Saakashvili said.
Press Office
of the President of Georgia