Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of the coalition “Strong Georgia”, said that we should all work together to remove the Russian Government from Georgia within 13 days.
He spoke to the citizens about the “Strong Georgia” Program – “Ilia’s Way”, and what the coalition has done to prepare for the October 26, 2024 meeting.
He reminded the citizens of their crucial role.
“A few months back, we decided to unify all our forces. Not to start thinking about a new coalition after the election, but to build one before then and show our voters that different political forces could find a language to work together around a shared goal, a shared program. We, the “Lelo” Party, Ana Dolidze’s People’s Party, Aleko Elisashvili’s Citizens and “Freedom Square”, under the leadership Levan Tsutskiridze formed a large coalition called “Strong Georgia”, to which the fourth president of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili joined. We argued, discussed and developed a program called ‘Ilia’s Way’. Yes! Why are there so many unreliable news in our country? Why are we constantly scared by so many things? We have never had a stable voice that reflects our national spirit, aspiration and the spirit of Georgia that Ilia left behind 150 years ago. Ilia died 117 years ago but his idea did not die.
Ilia’s line was forgotten, so we stagnated, had a small rise and violence. We named our program Ilia’s Road, which will begin working on the second day after the elections. We know exactly what to do for education, the economy, and how to finish the port of Anaklia. Not only the port but also a large city behind Anaklia that will be the first stopping point on the way to Sukhumi. You must remember this and play a crucial role!
In his speech, “Strong Georgia’s” leader also spoke of the importance of strengthening the self-government. He noted that the country should develop equally by implementing real self-government.
“We have been able to establish the world academy for Juventus in Tsalenjikha just a few kilometers away. In Zugdidi, it is possible to bring in huge names. If we were able to open an IT School in Tsalenjikha – the future profession for our children – innovation technologies, then such schools should be available in every municipality. If we were able to create a coalition in one municipality for the past 30 years, we should transfer that power to every municipality: you have to decide what you need on the spot, how you want to use the money, who you want to attract as an investor, etc.
Khazaradze said that real self-government must begin in the country to ensure that the country develops equally and Tbilisi doesn’t become a self-governing conglomerate.
Mamuka Khazaradze also spoke about the Russian influence and the visions for the country’s development.
“I want to tell everyone that in the next thirteen days, we must all be able to communicate our voice to every person around us in order to save ourselves from the Russian influences that are rife in the country.
In the last two decades, 37,000 Russian companies have been created. You know, as a businessman, I am a proponent of free trade, but I also believe that the priority should be given to Georgians and citizens. When 37,000 Russian firms are created and Russians are allowed to enter Georgia without a visa, and when everyone in the neighborhood has the right to reside after one year, then they buy the land. Khazaradze said that we will certainly fulfill the points in our “Ilia Road”, which will reduce Russian influence in Georgia.
Mamuka Khazaradze also promised that his coalition would be focusing on the 9 points to ensure that the country could join the European Union quickly.”
I also want to say that the first task will be to complete the nine points that will begin the process of our rapid insertion into the European Union. You know that we’re working on it, we’re working with the president of this country, with other political parties because, like in the past we are European. The country, our destinies is the European space. Only in this space can we protect our culture, estates, languages, traditions, and beliefs. We can then show the world that we are the most talented, that we have the best talent, that we are the ones who amaze the world with their talent in a normal setting. We need Europe to achieve this and, most importantly, for a stable peace”, he said.
Khazaradze talked about the part of the coalition’s program which deals with pensions. “Our plan and main message is that the state will decide the fate of our retirees once and for all. Our parents, grandparents and grandfathers who worked in the streets during the national revolution, prayed for our independence, and today, the state has abandoned them. What is the choice of today’s citizens? Or, they can choose between food and medicine ranging from 315 to 350 GEL. This is unbelievable. In Georgia, old age has become a punishment. We must change this. This is not a promise made by a political party. It is the concern of every statesman. We will also age, we’ll become pensioners and we will ask ourselves why we didn’t do anything at the time when we discover that the state doesn’t care about our fate. The 1000 GEL pension that we are talking about, is real because in Georgia where the total turnover is 240 billion and 63 billion is gaming and online casino, only about 1/3 of the business is 200 million. This is a catastrophe. I don’t think you should tax so heavily that it drives businesses out of the country. But fair taxation is needed. We have the resources necessary to tax businesses that do not generate revenue, are toys and cause many problems. Khazaradze continued, “We shouldn’t give anyone the right to pocket our tax budget in this country.”
Khazaradze also appealed public officials and promised that political revenge and influence will cease in this country. “I give a guarantee to all civil service workers and public sector employees who are honest and conscientious that political influence and retribution will end in this country once and for all. This will stop, because the civil service is the axis, the historical memory and the people that the state stands on. But those who are exceptionally corrupt, who have put their hands into our pockets, will be held accountable in a fair court. “Our country will move forward very quickly as soon as there is justice in this nation”, he said.
He also called attention to the workplaces. According to him the country needs direct investments for free to create decent jobs for citizens. “Here, I want to tell about the jobs. 200,000 jobs have been destroyed by “Georgian Dream”. We have become a consumer nation because of their policies. We import apples, ice-cream, onions, and garlic. You can see from the statistics that it’s a catastrophe. With the right approaches and the completion of Anaklia Port, the completion of our city, and the projects in our plan, we may be able to create jobs with decent salaries in the near future. The labor and work of those who have emigrated. They are ruining the country and this must be changed. We need free direct investments to create decent-paying jobs for our citizens. We know how to make it happen. I have done it before and now we will do statewide. We are a small country, we only have one solution: we must hold each other’s hand, protect ourselves and self-defense is always a battle for freedom in Georgia. We cannot argue about national issues. We can argue about economic issues but not on issues of national importance. Our country’s freedom, independence and integration into the European Union are at stake. In this spirit, all Georgians will visit the Russian government in 13 days”, Khazaradze stated.
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