As far as I know, the government has already been approved.
You have created a whole epoch together with Vano Merabishvili not only in the history of Georgia, but for the world’s law enforcement agencies.
I have a claim that we have one of the best police forces. This is not a bold statement.
We used to be one of the most criminalized, mafia prone, corrupt and out of control countries.
According to the EU studies of last three years, we are the safest country in Europe. This is true.
It is safer here than in Denmark, France, Germany, England…
We need to learn to appreciate and need to realize how much progress we have achieved.
It indeed is the merit of each one of you.
Certainly, I know that the salary of a policeman is not sufficient. Certainly, I know as well that each one of you have far more demands, as in terms of finances as well as appreciation, but on the other hand, we are nation of pride and that is why the Georgian police, together with the armed forces, are two of the most credible state institutions in the country.
Bacho Akhalaia is not a stranger to you.
He has many loyal supporters, but because of specific reasons, he has many enemies as well.
When we appointed him as the head of the corrections’ department, one of my friends called me, a supporter of our government, and told me: I think we are in trouble – the 26 year old boy will not make it.
I was a Minister of Justice at that time and I knew well what kind of horrific sphere corrections was then.
Bacho did handle it and in fact handled it very well.
The criminal structure here consisted of legal thieves, organized crime, the second wing – the second layer was the street crime. The third layer – very important one – it was the management of crime from prisons, while the forth was the crime at schools.
We gave no space to the first two. We have defeated the first – the organized crime by pulling the government out from their hands and adopting the respective laws.
We have dealt with the second by the principle of zero tolerance, with which we defeated the street crime.
The third one was a very difficult one. Many Georgians might remember how the phone calls were made from prisons to deposit balance on cell phones, etc. Even a couple of our Ministers had become victims of it then...
Prisons had been the centers of violence and drugs and he managed to eradicate it.
The next layer concerned the education system and he managed to solve this problem at schools as well. Thus, we have fully eradicated crime in Georgia.
This is exactly how he acquired “enemies”. After all, the issue is that it was the result of the crime rate amongst us.
I do not like at all for people to be imprisoned in Georgia and to have many prisoners, and now we have to think of different forms of humanization and alternative penalties.
Certainly, many families are upset with this; certainly, these people are being manipulated; certainly, people will not be happy as long as their family members are in prison.
This is the way it is, it is unfortunate and I repeat once again, it does not make me feel happy at all.
The police are very well functioning, one of the most efficient Georgian structures.
The transfer of its head as a Prime-Minister attests precisely to the fact that he was a very successful leader.
We have discussed it together and it was a request of Vano Merabishvili as well for his substitute exactly to be Bacho Akhalaia.
I, certainly, agree entirely.
This fact results in a certain conflict of interest too, and that is why David Akhalaia has to leave the structure – this is inevitable. We cannot allow the creation of family groups within the ministries and we have it well realized.
We have to carry on with what we have begun and take it to the end.
Criminality should never return to Georgia, corruption should never return, no matter how much our opponents and those who do not wish us well desire it.
The police are a depoliticized structure.
We believe in people of all political views.
You have to equally protect everyone and have one criterion towards everyone, there has to be a uniform, objective attitude towards everyone.
Yet, we cannot be indifferent towards those people, who desire the restoration of corrupt criminal system; who desire the return of old “trash” even in the police – of criminals, drug dealers, etc.
Thanks god, we have managed to reduce drug addiction in Georgia and we will surely not allow its return.
Precisely because of this we need traditionally grateful leaders, but with humanistic, democratic outlooks.
We want to continue further facilitation.
There is a very high class leadership here – in every agency, head of every chain of the Ministry and they need great care, and facilitation in all aspects.
I believe the new minister will not have problems with it.
The ministers, the president, even the Prime Minister – we are all of secondary importance, against the most important guarantee for our secure country – against the institutions, which we have created in terms of police. This is the chief achievement, which is superior to everything and we have to show special care for it.
I would like to express my great gratitude towards Vano Merabishvili for doing a great job in fulfillment of this historic function, and wish further success to the new minister and each one of you.
Thank you.