18.05.2008 Georgia, Tbilisi. Lech Kaczyński (R) once gave Mikhail Saakashvili (L) his hand at hard times (Polish and Georgian Presidents during a parade on the Day of Restoration of Independence, Georgia).
Photo: Dmitry Lebedev
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Mikhail Saakashvili Led Parade away from Opposition
// Georgia marked its Independence Day
Georgian opposition dreams of a revolution of lilies
Yesterday Georgia marked the 90th anniversary of the restoration of its independence. The government and the opposition celebrated the event in different ways: The former demonstrated the army’s military capacity pledging to restore the country’s territorial integrity, and the latter demanded that new elections be called. Kommersant correspondents Olga Allenova and Georgy Dvali report from Tbilisi.
The beginning of the celebrations of Georgia’s national holiday was pompous and impressive. The President congratulated everyone on the Independence Day, the army replied to him with triple Hooray, Georgia’s anthem was performed, and cannons fired from the Mtatsminda mountain. Red and white balloons flew in the sky, which has actually become part and parcel of any celebrations organized by Mikhail Saakashvili. The spectators, who filled Tbilisi’s central square, applauded. It much resembled the January inauguration of Georgia’s President.
In the Georgian media, there has been much speculation about the difference between such ceremonies in Russia and Georgia. It started on the day when Dmitry Medvedev was sworn in. Experts, who came to the studio, said that the inauguration in the Kremlin resembled a Masonic Lodge gathering and manifested that there is a gap between Russia’s government and people. “This inauguration shows to the Russian people that gods gather in the Kremlin,” the experts stated. “In Georgia the President is sworn in in front of the Parliament premises, and common people take part in it, too. This is where the difference lies – we have a democratic government.”
As the balloons disappeared in the sky and the applause ceased, the President addressed the citizens with a short speech.
“I wish us all that this day would be the symbol of Georgia’s independence and liberty, its Eurointegration, and a better social security for our citizens,” said the President adding that at the international level, the situation is challenging for Georgia, but the whole world has sided with it. In support of his words, Mikhail Saakashvili gave the floor to Poland’s President Lech Kaczyński and even called him “the president of the unique Polish people and the emissary of the European Union.”
In his turn, Mr Kaczyński congratulated everyone on the Day of Independence, which the Georgian people “gained under complex circumstances,” and on carrying out “free elections.”
“There were mistakes, of course,” he said. “But these were free elections. It’s a step forward on the way of Georgia’s democratic development, just like President Saakashvili promised it.”
At that moment it got clear why the address of the Georgian President, who usually delivers 40-minute speeches on days like that, was so short. The Polish President was performing his function, and he was to show the Georgian society and especially the opposition that the EU backs Georgia and doesn’t doubt the outcome of the parliamentary elections. Poland’s President conveyed the message his Georgian counterpart tries to inculcate into the Georgian people on such occasions. But uttered by Mr Kaczyński, these words had another shade of meaning.
“Georgia must join NATO, whatever! And you can count on our support in it!” the Polish President said. “Georgia has its historical territories, which no one may take away. You have the will to allow united Georgia to exist, and you should be strong and careful without crossing the boundary. And finally, the third matter we support you in, is Georgia’s Eurointegration.”
No sooner had the Polish President finished than the parade began. Elite units of Georgia’s Defense Ministry marched dressing on the President. They wore their ordinary uniform, not the parade one, which is regarded American tradition by military experts. They also marched in the U.S. style – not measuring out their pace as it’s done in the Russian army, but freely and keeping the rows even at the same time. They clasped M4 rifles to their bosoms. A rifle of that type costs some $1.500, which is three times more than the AK. But Mikhail Saakashvili, emphasizing Georgia’s western orientation, has already equipped all elite units of the Defense Ministry with these rifles.
There was one more thing that American and Georgian soldiers have in common. They were extremely sun-burnt, which meant that they had served in Iraq. Georgia’s contingent in Iraq amounts to 2.000 and yields only to those of the USA and Great Britain in these terms. According to President Saakashvili’s order, every two or three months Georgian sub-units in Iraq rotate – so that as many military as possible could get battle experience. In experts’ estimation, within two years the entire Georgian army will have served in Iraq. Regardless of the fact that within three years 4 Georgian soldiers were killed and 17 were wounded in Iraq, service there is reputed honorable. To join the Iraqi contingent, you must pass several tests, with another 7 people competing with you. When you hear a Georgian speak about their countrymen in Iraq, you’re sure to be told a story of a wounded Georgian soldier visited by the U.S. President – all TV channels broadcast it.
Expensive military Toyotas, instead of UAZes, and American APCs (armored personnel carriers), which followed the military personnel, also showed Georgia’s foreign policy priorities. DANA self-propelled gun howitzer models demonstrated Georgia’s military might as well.
Expressing his gratitude to Poland’s President and Georgia’s Patriarch, Mikhail Saakashvili addressed “the thousands of Georgian soldiers defending Georgia’s future.” “I pledge that despite all the attacks, Georgia will regain all the territories,” he said.
These were the words to be endorsed. The parade, which lasted as little as 30 minutes, finished.
The reason for the ceremony being that short got evident 15 minutes later, after the guests had left the tribune. A crowd appeared in Rustaveli Street bearing posters and flags. The people approached the Parliament. At the beginning of the column, you could see activists of the Republican and Labor parties – they hissed off the few military standing on the sidewalk and cried “Down with Misha!” As they reached the parliament square, you could see several women shout at them, “Instigators! traitors of Georgia!” These women had just watched the parade.
In no time the footsteps at the parliament were occupied by the opposition youth with megaphones. “We do not recognize the outcome of the elections!” they claimed. Then their places were taken by opposition leaders, who stated that they signed a common memorandum about refusing to take MP mandates and revoking their party ballots. The latter was done to prevent the authorities from luring minor members of opposition parties, who wouldn’t get in the parliament, into joining the ruling party. They also said that Saakashvili marked Georgia’s national holiday his own way – with tanks – and the opposition will celebrate it differently at the premises of the Parliament.
“Misha has quickly run away from the venue!” one of the united opposition’s leaders, Zviad Dzidziguri, shouted into his megaphone.
People laughed, and cried something.
“We’ll start a rally without any time limitations and summon the entire Georgia here unless the results of the voting are cancelled today,” another leader, David Gamkrelidze, gave an ultimatum to the government.
To summon the entire Georgia, the opposition needs TV air. So, they demanded that the Public Channel broadcast live the rally, or they’ll come to the building of the television. Then they appealed to the incumbent Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Nino Burjanadze calling on her “to join the people.” It need be said that the appeal was deliberate. You couldn’t see Ms Burjanadze standing next to the President during the military parade. She was absent at the tribune, which was a sensation: Ms Burjanadze had never missed any occasion of that kind. The opposition must have reckoned that she would side with them, which would have been its significant victory. But their hopes dashed.
Levan Gachicheladze, leader of the united opposition, shouted in his microphone, “I’m glad that the authorities have run away from here and we have taken their place!” And then he turned to the President, “Misha, here we are!” These words were especially endorsed by the public.
Labor party leader Shalva Natelashvili urged that the President “immediately dissolve the illegitimate parliament,” and Republican party leader David Usupashvili asked everyone to be patient and act in the framework of the Constitution. Many of the opposition leaders feared that a provocation might be brought about. “The special forces deployed not far from here consist of our brothers,” Mr Usupashvili said. “They are not responsible for what the government does!”
Georgy Targamadze, leader of the Christian Democratic party, also spoke about the necessity to avert provocations. He received an especially warm welcome. Many people doubted whether Mr Targamadze’s party would join the opposition – unless this had happened, the Georgian Parliament would have been bipartisan. But at that moment it got obvious that only the National movement will be present in there. Opposition activists said that they deprived the Parliament of legitimacy, and that a single-party parliament is characteristic of such states as Turkmenistan.
You could see white lilies in the crowd. Perhaps, some people wished a revolution of lilies would break out in Georgia on that day.
Olga Allenova, Georgy Dvali; Tbilisi
All the Article in Russian as of May 27, 2008
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