The attitude towards former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili is contradictory. Not only in Georgia but also in neighboring countries. In Armenia, for example, the “pro-Putin” people represent him as a screwdriver of the American monstrous “project”, and the “pro-Americans” as the savior of Georgia. Generally speaking, the attitude of our compatriots towards Saakashvili is positive: overcame corruption, built roads, reduced the prices, brought investments, developed business, etc. “Here is an example”, say those who bring Saakashvili as an example, “how one person can improve the country”.
Of course, these assessments are exaggerated, but I would not say they are totally wrong. Georgia really has changed since the “rose revolution”. A simple example: we are not able to build at least part of the “North-South” road for 7 years, and Georgia’s highways stretch dozens of kilometers. Or, nowadays, small cabins with broken furniture for the 88 disaster victims in Sevan are given for rent for 20,000 drams per day. You can rent a two-room apartment with all necessities in Batumi for that money.
In short, Georgia is ahead of us in many ways, although in recent years, the overall economic indices are not particularly impressive both in Armenia and in our neighbor countries. But can all the positive changes that have taken place in Georgia, be attributed only to Saakashvili? I’m afraid not. One of the main reasons for our differences is that the Georgians are more “state nation” than we are, they love the state more than, for example, Kazbek mountain. The second reason is that the Georgians have clearly chosen the path of integration with Europe, by paying a very expensive price for it. Of course, one cannot even overshadow the role of the leaders of the Rose Revolution, Saakashvili, Burjanadze, and especially Zhvania.
I think the former president of Georgia should be treated with respect, despite his fierce and unstable character. Throwing him into the street like a beggar is wrong, it’s not fair. I do not know what problems he has in Georgia, but I think he should live in his homeland. It is not good that it did not happen. Now, Piotr Poroshenko, depriving Saakashvili of Ukrainian citizenship, behaved like a true post-Soviet leader: squeamish, conjunctural and, as they say, “not transparent”. What to do, it is a “big policy”.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
