.Georgians question Saakashvili's reform pledge
TBILISI, Georgia (AP) - Georgians were critical Thursday of President Mikhail Saakashvili's plans for major political reforms as the country struggles to cope with the devastation caused by its war with Russia.
In a speech Tuesday at the U.N. General Assembly, Saakasvhili promised major social and legal reforms that would strengthen checks and balances in government, overhaul the legal system, broaden media freedoms and provide support for the political opposition. He compared his program to the Rose Revolution - the 2003 peaceful protests that brought his pro-Western government to power.
But Nino Burdzhanadze, the former speaker of parliament, said Georgia does not need a new revolution.
"We are farther from solving the conflict that we were before the August crisis," she told The Associated Press. "We have problems with the economy and democracy, how can you speak of promises right now?"
She blamed Saakashvili for the political and economic disruption caused by last month's war with Russia, in which Georgia used military force to try to reclaim control of a separatist region, South Ossetia.
Russia crushed the Georgian military, drove deep within Georgia and later recognized the independence of South Ossetia and another breakaway region, Abkhazia.
Opposition leader Georgy Khaindrava said Saakashvili's promises of democratic reforms only highlighted his government's failure to bring promised change.
"We have to acknowledge the first revolution yielded no results," he said.
Political analyst Archil Gegenidze said Saakashvili needed to follow through on his promises.
"Nothing stopped him from implementing these reforms earlier," Gegenidze said. "Words should be followed by action."
In his speech before the U.N. General Assembly, Saakashvili said his expanded democratic initiatives will include more independence for Parliament and the judiciary and increased funding for opposition parties.
He said opposition parties also would have greater access to the airwaves and pledged to introduce "enhanced" due process, jury trials and lifetime judicial appointments.
Saakashvili was elected by a landslide in January 2004, just two months after leading the Rose Revolution. He focused on the economy, increasing social spending and raising monthly pensions.
Most Georgians still praise him for seeking closer ties with the European Union and NATO, and for trying to reduce Moscow's influence.
But his popularity waned when his programs failed to dramatically reduce corruption and persistent poverty and opposition protests last fall were dispersed with tear gas and rubber bullets.
That crackdown badly damaged Saakashvili's democratic credentials, but experts said he has been helped by Russia's aggressive support of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and the Kremlin's obvious desire to see him go.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called Saakashvili a "political corpse" and "a lunatic."
MyWay
In a speech Tuesday at the U.N. General Assembly, Saakasvhili promised major social and legal reforms that would strengthen checks and balances in government, overhaul the legal system, broaden media freedoms and provide support for the political opposition. He compared his program to the Rose Revolution - the 2003 peaceful protests that brought his pro-Western government to power.
But Nino Burdzhanadze, the former speaker of parliament, said Georgia does not need a new revolution.
"We are farther from solving the conflict that we were before the August crisis," she told The Associated Press. "We have problems with the economy and democracy, how can you speak of promises right now?"
She blamed Saakashvili for the political and economic disruption caused by last month's war with Russia, in which Georgia used military force to try to reclaim control of a separatist region, South Ossetia.
Russia crushed the Georgian military, drove deep within Georgia and later recognized the independence of South Ossetia and another breakaway region, Abkhazia.
Opposition leader Georgy Khaindrava said Saakashvili's promises of democratic reforms only highlighted his government's failure to bring promised change.
"We have to acknowledge the first revolution yielded no results," he said.
Political analyst Archil Gegenidze said Saakashvili needed to follow through on his promises.
"Nothing stopped him from implementing these reforms earlier," Gegenidze said. "Words should be followed by action."
In his speech before the U.N. General Assembly, Saakashvili said his expanded democratic initiatives will include more independence for Parliament and the judiciary and increased funding for opposition parties.
He said opposition parties also would have greater access to the airwaves and pledged to introduce "enhanced" due process, jury trials and lifetime judicial appointments.
Saakashvili was elected by a landslide in January 2004, just two months after leading the Rose Revolution. He focused on the economy, increasing social spending and raising monthly pensions.
Most Georgians still praise him for seeking closer ties with the European Union and NATO, and for trying to reduce Moscow's influence.
But his popularity waned when his programs failed to dramatically reduce corruption and persistent poverty and opposition protests last fall were dispersed with tear gas and rubber bullets.
That crackdown badly damaged Saakashvili's democratic credentials, but experts said he has been helped by Russia's aggressive support of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and the Kremlin's obvious desire to see him go.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called Saakashvili a "political corpse" and "a lunatic."
MyWay
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