Procedure of impeachment can become the beginning of criminal prosecution of Saakashvili

The director of the Centre of Strategic Researches of the Caucasus Mamuka Areshidze answers the questions of the Internet portal “The world and we”.

- Will the initiative of ruling coalition about the impeachment announcement to the president reach the goal? Can this initiative become the beginning for Saakashvili's criminal prosecution after the termination of term of his powers?

It isn't so important whether an impeachment will be or not because there was not enough time before the termination of term of presidency of Saakashvili - about 4 months if to consider until inauguration of the new president. Proceeding from it, I don't think that impeachment will be obligatory. But criminal prosecution, most likely, will be begun, especially in connection with death of the former prime minister Zurab Zhvania.

Therefore, I think that the beginning of procedure of impeachment is more a political course, than activity which will really lead to impeachment. But such things happen in policy.

- What do you think of statements of some oppositional politicians that in Georgia there are political prosecution of opponents from ruling coalition?

Here it is necessary to remember a saying “Look who's talking!”. It fully belongs to performances of “United national movement” about that they are pursued. These conversations are addressed, first of all, not for internal consumption, but for the West.

Besides, the opposition should keep somehow the frame of the party and to be protected from legal prosecution, as a large number of representatives of National movement, deputies if not in legal, but morally are guilty that occurred. And they, being afraid of this legal prosecution, all the time try to draw attention of the West, say that calls in prosecutor's office and interrogations happen to the purpose of political prosecution.

And actually there is a lot of guilty. For example, let’s take the person who will stand from National movement in presidents of Georgia David Bakradze. Though this person is least guilty in those actions of which “United national movement” and his certain members are accused, he, nevertheless, was the chairman of parliament. And public opinion is such - he knew everything and was silent. In this sense he is guilty as the person who all knew, held the second position in the state and undertook nothing to liquidate those mistakes and crimes which were committed by other members of “United national movement”.

- What do you think of information that mission of the International Red Cross in South Ossetia took out by the cars with diplomatic numbers the patients to Georgia where they were put before a choice - to pay expensive treatment or to accept the Georgian nationality then treatment was carried out free of charge?

- Red Cross has nothing to do with it. Usually people from South Ossetia and Abkhazia contact the Georgian medical institutions in the Internet that they accepted them on treatment as to be treated in Vladikavkaz or Moscow is very expensive.

In this case such people, both Southern Ossetians and Abkhazians are included in the special program. And this program assumes that only citizens of Georgia can be treated this way. But they obtain not nationality, but the temporary certificate being in Georgia.

On the one hand this certificate confirms their accessory to the Georgian state, and on the other hand it is the document not obliging to something. And these people, who want to be treated, join this program.

About 90% of existing diseases fall under this program, except some oncological diseases.
The matter is that nobody pulls somebody violently here under the guise of treatment. People simply ask the Red Cross to help them and transported through border.

There is practically no such problem for Abkhazia as to get from there to Georgia is much easier, than from South Ossetia. And Ossetians should make a long way through North Ossetia, then in Lars and only from there to Georgia.

Therefore it is more comfortable for someone to get to Georgia such way. And some heavy patients, for example, had an accident who don't have any opportunity to carry through North Ossetia, the Red Cross helps and urgently delivers in medical institutions of Georgia for receiving the qualified medical care.

- What is your opinion on statements of some experts that in the present Georgian government there are rather influential forces which are inclined to “legalization of occupation and annexation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia?”

- Legalization is completely excluded. I can tell that any political force won't hold on in Georgia the couples of days which will tell that all events in these territories are lawful and have to be. It is possible to postpone somehow the solution of this question, to be engaged in the solution of other problems, to smooth in a sense a situation, not to exaggerate.

But to say that this occupation is lawful, means political death to any political force.

- In Georgia shortly the presidential elections will pass. In your opinion, what results are predicted, are any chances at opposition?

Results of sociological polls show a big separation at the candidate of ruling party from other candidates. The second and third place divide the representative of “United national movement” and Nino Burjanadze from “Democratic movement — United Georgia”.
In this case everything is unambiguous with the leader. But such definiteness exists only today. I can't tell what will be in October because falling of a rating of ruling party is noticeable too. If 5-6 months ago it was supported by about 65%, so now by 40%. Therefore all fight is ahead.

But I don't see resources at opposition, at National movement, at other oppositional leaders that they somehow considerably corrected the rating by October.