I greet you here on this beautiful place of Georgia - Anaklia. I want to tell you that today, when I flew here from Batumi it was cloudy there. The sun always shines, it is incredibly good climate and the best seashore within the scopes of whole country here. The only reason why this place wasn't developing was the military base placed here. Several big hotels are being constructed; the best seashore and boulevard will be arranged here as well. What's most important - the greatest enthusiasm is presented here among the locals, among employees here. The constructions are going on; the workers are everywhere. On my way here I saw them working. The construction of Anaklia Port begun several days ago; everybody is talking about this port, but no one could do anything about it before. You know that we have made several steps in this directions as well and as far as I am concerned a private investor begun the construction; he paid several million USD for this land. You know that the best equator leys here all around the Black Sea, I meant that here it is the deepest part of the sea all around the Black Sea region. Here is the deepest sea and is the best place for a port. Neither Greeks nor Turks were mistaken, when they built the castles, this is the best place in order to build a trading port.
You probably had some nice rest this summer. We have a very important session ahead where we have to develop a new Constitution of Georgia in reality. The Parliament is getting ready to adopt the new Constitution. It is getting ready to fundamentally develop new playing rules in Georgia, in politics, constitutionally for several years and decades.
This place - Anaklia, is in several hundred meters from Ganmukhuri occupational zone and is clearest evidence of the fact that Russian Government did everything with us what they could and it cannot do anything beyond this. This place represents the clearest evidence of the limit of imperialistic forces - of what they can and what they cannot do. I want to tell you that they carried out internal disorder inspiration in 90ies and unfortunately we helped them in it. I want to remind you all - they carried out an energy blockade after the Rose Revolution. We have done something that will not be like what we had before - people to live in normal conditions, our children to have future. It came out that this opposed of what was implemented in the whole Post Soviet space and first of all this is of course the heritage of Russia's imperialistic space and this is not accidental. You travel to Ukraine, to middle Asia, to other Post Soviet countries and you know that in regards of the development model they say that there exists what we have, what is the imitation of Russia and there exists what small Georgia had created - the most destroyed, the most corrupted, the most criminalized country; the country that was ill from hopelessness among all Post Soviet countries - this is how Georgia was before 2003.
The representatives of various Governments come to visit us - Vice Premiers, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Heads of Departments - they are traveling with pens and notebooks in their hands in our offices in order to learn how could Georgia do all of these. The articles about Georgia were published in half a million circulation. Many TV projects about Georgia were prepared. The Acting President of Moldova and some others told us that they need the same model in Moldova - they need Georgian Government in Moldova. "There is a Russian model and there is a Georgian model and we want to follow the Georgian model". They said this with direct and indirect meanings. Leadership of the empire knows all these better than we know and it is posing a fatal threat to them, because not only these people speak about it, I am not a big fan, but we spend time talking on many different subjects, about learning how to fly the airplane and also about Medvedev's reform. Do you remember Medvedev's speech from the beginning to the end? I have listened to Medvedev's speech about the police reform in Russia - only the word Georgia was not mentioned there, otherwise it was built on what Georgia has done in regards of the Police. Starting from let's call Militia the Police. Will one word change anything in this regards? In one word this is an ideological confrontation. From the subjective perspective of Russia's today's Government - Russia is a "street boy". It's leadership has criminal authority and Georgia all the sudden turned into a "best student" - a boy or a girl, he is getting the best marks, everybody likes, everybody cuddles, everybody want to help, everybody wants to open the way to him. Of course he is not obeying the rules set by the "street boy". "The street boy" hits him once, second, third time it pushed him with a shoulder, then it cursed him... finally the "street boy" decided to hit him well, but the "best student" slept back his hand and poked "street boy" back. At the meantime a policeman went through the rayon - in this case the example is the Commonwealth of Nations - and made everyone stop, and now the "street boy" knows that his situation became really weak in the street. Because everybody sees that this "best student" - yes, it might have his hand or leg band-aided - but still continues going to school, he is still getting the best marks, is still continuing to develop and strengthen. And in meantime the others are not obeying this "street boy" any more, they think if this guy got out off his hands and didn't hurt anything, what can he do with us? Aren't we raised in better situation? The more time passes by, the more irreversible this process becomes, because the small student is growing and is getting stronger. Of course for the mentality of "street boy" this is absolutely unacceptable situation. What can we do? Should we continue? Just because when you show your back to the criminal or to the "thief-in-law" and show them that you are afraid - your story is done, your existence is over and in general your live turns into the fear. We will never give them such a gift.
Now we are in the situation, when time is working for Georgia. Because if before war the time was working for them - we were in the worst condition. Now it is the situation when they are in the regime of imitation and watch carefully, it happens exactly like this, but they have no chance to imitate us - because when they declare modernization - it is the same to built this hotel on this sand without any fundament - so it is impossible to build the society of 21 century in the feudal country. We were able to reform Georgia during last several years, so that we already have fruitful soil here for the construction of statehood. I want to tell you that this creates absolutely unique system for the development of our country. Also the force that threatens us has some other types of problems. I was speaking with a very important person in oil business from one of the Arabian countries; I cannot name him because he is one of Executives in OPEC. He said that in maximum seven years Russia's oil output would reduce by 2.5-fold, because they counted everything on short distance and had not put investments in this sphere. If today Russia sells 11 million to the world market, in 6-7 years it will become 5 million or even 3-4 million. Poland will have more gas for export in 6-7 years, deriving from the new technologies in gas sphere, than Russia, I am not talking about Americans or other countries. The digit on which the wealth of this country stands on is disappearing and no one can substitute it. Time is working on us my dear friends and this is why we have to concentrate on one subject only. The irreversible stability, development, development and development of our political system.
Of course we still have too many problems in Georgia. Besides the occupation - when I speak about modernization, we should understand that we are spending much money on infrastructure, roads; Poti airport is being constructed- it is the private investment. We should build a bridge that will connect Ganmukhuri to Anaklia. All these represent state money. But we should understand that today state expenditures are 35% of GDP. In order for Georgia to develop it should be 30 percent, because we need to develop by 7-10 percents annually. 5-6 percent is not enough, for Georgia to go forward. For this reasons next year's budget should be - "tide belts tightly" - budget. Not because there is crises in Georgia, Georgia went through this stage best, despite the fact that there is a crises in the world, in Europe, in Russia - where a small dynamics went back to zero indicator. We don't need to tight belts just because we feel bad, but in order to have more success. It concerns everything - in distributing infrastructural projects better in time - though no one is happy because of construction of roads, schools, different communications, airports - like me. The private sector must substitute the state apparatus at most. This is the major source for country's economy. This concerns the Ministers as well. For example the salaries must increase in state apparatus on the permanent bases, but it is not necessary for the Ministers to fly with business class. Everybody must fly with economy class. It is not necessary to buy so many cars. It also concerns to the Parliament, the Supreme Court. Besides representative operational aims the state apparatus mustn't purchase anything that costs more than 15 thousand Euros. Are we some super-wealthy country? Upper limit must be established on all types of expenditures. There are expenditures that are necessary for the State, the salaries must be raised, but we should understand that it is very big privilege for the Ministers to be in Georgian Government in this very interesting moment of Georgian history. It is not important where would sit a representative of not very successful Government of not very rich country - in the economy class with the ordinary people or in the business class. Our Government will become successful, when our country is fully successful. This is how our Government should act; this should become the rule of their lives.
Now I am moving to a very important issue that concerns the administration of our country and the constitutional reform.
I want to tell you that besides I read Medvedev's experience I have learned how to fly the airplane this summer. Sometimes people try to relax and do something else, plus I think a lot on the development of our aviation. You know that we are building airports in Poti, Mestia and we have started serious negotiations with several available aviation companies. In Kutaisi, in Akhaltsikhe we have found the territories and first time in history the airports will be built there. There will be an airport in Tusheti. When I say - airport - I mean airport and not a field covered with grass, you find such places everywhere in Georgia. And we are constructing several other airports. Lets return to the issue of flying. The best process is when a pilot feels he can fly independently, when the airplane has a natural condition, you can take off your hands and it takes the right direction. It will take you to the right place and with small correcting will make you land. It is exactly like this in the administration of the State and the society. If you are not letting the society to be in the natural condition, what is right for them and it means an optimal direction deriving from the natural condition, than you have to hold the wheel slowly, your hand gets tired, you start to move to the landing position and might fall down. The authoritarian countries are like this. These countries are ruled unnaturally.The constitution must regulate the relationship with the government, parliament and, what's most important, with the society. The priority falls on the demand of the society. It means that the government will be accountable in front of the parliament and the legislative body in front of society.
We needed serious reforms in 2003. Many of us belonged to this political class than. It seemed like everything was distorted. No common political values existed then.
No body believed that incorrupt Government, normal state sector or public trust would ever exist in Georgia. Cynicism existed and one question existed always towards our country: could we ever be saved? Nothing can save us - this was an answer. We are through with all of this.
The political class agrees on several main issues today. First is that now it exists the common statehood mentality; and it is not only regional or feudal, but when I speak about regional, regional here didn't mean for example Mengrelia only, because it was the most important problem then in the capital of Georgia and within the political class. The main problem was in the capital and not in Adjara or in Mengrelia, not in Kakheti, not in Javakheti or in any other region of Georgia.
The first principle that was born in our political sphere was state mentality and establishing common national institutions, like -Army and Police. Absolutely independent national institutions that are free of any "regionality" , is free from any type of subjectivity no matter what ethnic or religious groups do one represent, because this doesn't mean anything in the process of realization of our political missions. These are the first common national institutions that we have established during the centuries in Georgia.
Second main principle is that the fight against corruption stands higher than political or personal loyalty.
We have political class that is ready to share the responsibility on the actions of the Georgian executive government and all together rule the country. This was absolutely impossible 6 years ago.
I speak about it because I find it necessary to create such situation when the Parliament would compose the Government. I, as the President of Georgia today have a wide authority that is written on the paper. One thing I have learned is that in the free society - and we are the free society - no matter how many authorities you write on the paper, no matter how many things you should own for yourself and say that I can do this, I can do that and tell the people that I am elected for 5 years, come and visit me after 5 years I will help you. Politics move to the streets and everybody think of permanent disorders, instead of integration into the Parliament and in Parliament everybody should participate in debates, among them the opposition should share the responsibility on series of issues of managing the country. This is why this system is more sufficient for today's Georgia and wouldn't be right for Georgia that existed 6 years ago.
I want to remind everyone that 6 years ago I have publicly stated that we would create Parliamentary Government that had never existed in Georgia before. By the way the Head of Venice Commission spoke about it as well. It is often said that it is an attempt to model the constitution on personalities; a term 'Putinization' has also been used. There is no need to reform the constitution for Putinization, as on paper Putin has no powers - according to the Russian constitution PM has no much powers. But everything is still in his hands, because of this situation today. Power will no longer be concentrated in any single center. A collective government will be established.
I categorically disagree with the Venice Commission - which in overall likes the new draft - to weaken the President and equal this post to the one that is in many European countries, for example Presidents of Italy or Germany, where the Presidents have symbolic role. So that the President would sit in Avlabari Residence and sometimes greet some foreign guests for 5 minutes. Georgia faces difficult challenges and there should be a strong President in Georgia. I am the first who is not going to take part into the President's elections. Though, the referendums of this type were held in many countries, they have achieved it and by the way due to all interrogations held in Georgia it became clear that it is possible to do something like this in Georgia too. But I categorically state - we mustn't do it. We should understand that without a strong President, especially in the situation of crisis, it would be difficult to govern Georgia. So in this regard we cannot accept European experts' recommendations fully.
Here remain very serious responsibilities. Here also remain some very serious powers in the foreign policy, in relations with the judicial authorities and regulatory committees. In one word in the power of the President still remain the most important levers on the most important directions of economy and legislation policy, but the Government will always be Parliamentary.
The Government will be accountable in front of the Parliament and the Parliament will be accountable in front of people on the daily basis. In one word - the Government will be accountable in front of people. The term of presidency will be 5 years, the Government could be changed more often. Today, when people request something, they request change of the President. Institutionally the President and the Government are not divided from each other. In the proposed system President remains stable, the Government might change after solving political or economic crises and on the other hand it provides the security of the political system. The political system must remain untouchable and secured; this is presented in this Constitutional model. This is why all artificial attempts are false - some people say that this will weaken the President and as some Europeans think that this will weaken Georgia - is not going to happen. We will have strong President and strong Parliament that will staff and control the Government. This will give us a chance that our reforms will become irreversible, because if you have observed, not only us, but everyone accepts the rules of this game. Their votes depend on this - they have to accept these rules. The society votes for these principles and they must show them that they will fulfill these rules better than the creators of these rules. It means all of us.
This is why we need to be in a good shape, we have to maintain daily communication with our people and manage the country by the help of our people.
I want to underline one more important issue.
This is an educational reform and the modernization of the education. When I speak about the modernization the main direction falls on the education. We put our special share in the world civilization. Now Russia signed an agreement with Armenia on the military presence. I am not nervous at all about it, It may be a source of concern as it may be a threat in a short-term perspective, but in a long-term it won't do anything. Like they withdrew their rusty military bases from Georgia, even sooner they will pull their bases from those countries, not even speaking about our territories. But what is most important what they lost is as follows: Russia was the center of gravitation for the imperialistic space - I mean technologies, educational centers, people used to go to Moscow to receive the special treatment, best cultural days were held in Moscow, bets universities were in Moscow and the best audience was in Moscow. All these vanished and evaporated. All of these were changed on rusty bases and on the influence that was obtained by threatening and love obtained by power. We never had power or anything else. We had exceptional culture and had especially educated people, unfortunately many of them were known by the name of an Empire, some of them even hit us with nuclear rockets during last several years. I am not saying anything about the fact that nuclear weapon was unfortunately created by our citizen for the misfortune of all world, but our aim is to realize it all and here we will have to express some less popular ideas. When I say that it is impossible to get University diploma without knowing one foreign language I know that many people think very badly about it. Because today we have many people in our families, among them in my family that have diplomas, but do not know any foreign language... What do you think - should Georgia be a part of world or some type of an isolated country? This is impossible because of our history and geographic location. And who are you in today's world if you don't know the major language of knowledge - English. China and Japan are developing rapidly, but nothing happens there without English. If you don't know English there is no development and there is no real chance to use your knowledge around the world. This is why it needs time. After some period of time we need to come to a conclusion that an University diploma is not issued if a graduate doesn't know English and if this diploma has no value in foreign countries - it is unpopular to say this. But people know very well that I don't say this because of some personal reasons, we say this because we want our children to have future. We don't have much money, but we give computers to the first graders. We don't do this because these children would vote for us in the Parliamentary elections in two years or in Presidential elections in three years, neither their parents will vote for us for this, but we are doing this because these children will create totally different Georgia in 10-15 years and will continue what we are creating now.
We are bringing 3 thousand teachers and are planning to bring up to ten thousand in future. These teachers will bring knowledge in Georgia, but besides knowledge they will become Ambassadors of Georgia in their countries and it is important for us to take good care of them, to hug them and to get as much as it is possible from them. I compared them to Kivchags, not because their appearance is similar or they have same manners. Kivchags weren't exceptional neither with their appearance nor with anything else, but Kivchags that time brought modernization to Georgia. Georgia needed the formation of an Army then. No one can agree of how many of them came to Georgia, history specialists like to utter various numbers, some say about 40 thousand, some say about 15 thousand. And today these people are already part of our modernization. In reality this will give us a chance for corruption never to exist anymore in the Universities and Colleges, when many things are really filtered, when the process is going on transparently in the reality, this is national mission, this is the road that will lead us there and if we are in need, we must tight the belts - not everybody will make it, but whoever will make it - would live in the better country.
This is our next challenge and our main share in the development of our country. I want to ask you to stay in the regime of permanent communication with one another. It is important that many of us to get involved in this process, as many of you would participate in it and start thinking together, more fruitful ideas we will have. Recently I have asked one investor, why so much money is invested in Georgia? Why so many foreigners come to Georgia? In the nearest future we will have more tourists than the whole Georgian population is and he told me: this is the only place except China and Dubai where something interesting is going on. Many of you travel all around the world. Some of you take business class, some economy class and you all know that Georgia is an alive country. I love to travel to Batumi every week, because I know something good happens there. If you go to Europe every ten-year, you will notice that everything is the same. Something is always going on in here. The locals have incredible aspirations towards progress, live, for the implementation of best standards existing around the world. It is possible to do it here in Anaklia, in the historic center of Mengrelia, it is possible in the rest of Georgia. But this has to be most complicated here. This is why some regions develop more, some less. The revival of whole countries, regions and sometimes the whole world started from one city. There are several working places in Georgia. I want no one to be able to stop this process and we all say together - our generation, our policy, our Parliament, our Government and our Georgia could give an example first of all to its own people, to its own history and then to the rest of the region. We have achieved it all and now it is time for us to start working hard and discuss the Constitution more widely. People are ready for the big changes.
Thank you very much.