The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili:



First of all I would like to greet the President of Poland Bronislav Komorowski and say that he is a very much-desired guest in Georgia.

I want to note that he is not a guest of the President of Georgia or Georgian high officials only, but he is a guest of all Georgian people, because if there is a pro-Polish nation in Europe and all around the world -the Georgian nation is the one that can claim pretensions on this title.

I think that we had proved it many times with our history and relations.

Georgia now is at very interesting stage of development. Despite the war and occupation by our neighboring country we made significant progress during last several years.

In regards of progress Georgia represents a country that fought the most with the corruption.

According to the data provided by the World Bank we are number one reformer state all around the world in regards of economy. Due to EU surveys we are number two country in regards of security after the Island.

Sure Georgian reforms represent vital brand for the countries in this region.

At the same time we observe the development of Poland with great admiration.

I want to say that Poland stood in a best way through the world crises among European countries and it was the first result of those reforms that the current government of Poland carried out. We are studying these reforms with great interests. I have to express my admiration because of those foreign policy steps that Poland had made during last several years and months by the personal efforts of the President of Poland in strengthening the reputation and positions of Poland.

Strong Poland - one of the major members of EU - plays decisive role within the region for all other countries that have Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

I think that now appeared a chance for Poland to become one of the major players in EU as a result of very interesting work carried out by the President of Poland and its current government.

We are waiting for the Summit that will be held in September with great interest. Hopefully, the will of farther integration and the perspectives of European future of this region will be expressed during this Summit.

We observe the relations of Poland with Ukraine with great attention and believe that the relations that Poland establishes with Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan are of vital importance.

At the same time I told Mr. President that we are observing the development of events taking place in Belorussia with great attention. We understand pretty well the challenges that this country faces, but at the same time we know it very well that it is an absurd if we try to prove that Russia is more democratic than Belorussia. Unlike Russia Belorussia doesn't occupy a neighboring country. Carrying out the isolation policy - as it usually happens - is the direct attempt to cease sovereignty of Belorussia and to put the country under a complete control of today's government of Russia. It is unacceptable and counterproductive for Europe's long-term development. This is a very talented European nation and such a result will be harmful for the whole region. I consider that as never before it is necessary to hold a dialogue and openly speak about all those issues that cause the interest and the same time anxiety of all of us.

I want to thank Poland for that great international support that it provided towards us in every international organization and want to tell Polish nation: they are very much expected to come to Georgia.

There is an account on Facebook opened on my behalf and I have hundreds of Polish friends there. I think I am not the only one who has friends in Poland and I believe that there are many people like me in Georgia.

I want to present a book to Mr. Komorovski that was published in Poland. By the way it is one of the bestselling books in Warsaw and it is interesting that the name of this book is "Gaumarjos!"

This is a new Polish book about Georgia and it is important that it has not only interesting plot, but at the same time it sells well not only in Poland. It is a true sign to know how big is the interest and how much they like Georgia in your country.

This word means greetings in Georgia and it is the most suitable word that could be uttered towards you. This is why I want not to present you a book only, but to tell you - Gaumarjos to our big friend, the President of Poland. Thank you very much.



The President of Poland Bronislav Komorovski:

The emotion that connects these two nations is very important.

Thank you very much for this book - I will read it by all means. Not only the history is the bases of sympathy between Georgia and Poland, but the cooperation reached during last 20 years that deepened during last several years even more.

Warmth and love that exists between our people bears huge tradition and it has long history. It will be like this in future as well. We are children of brave countries.

We must firm and develop relations between our countries even more. The final aim of all of it is Georgia's integration to NATO and EU. We are doing everything and will continue the same way for Georgia to become the part of this family.

Eastern Partnership Summit will take place in Warsaw in September. This will be one more chance for Georgia to become integrated to European family.

Now about bilateral relations - we must now focus on the direction that was not active in regards of cooperation in past - for example in economy. Tomorrow Georgian-Polish economic forum will be held.

Time has come to transfer our relations on the different stage - lets start doing joint business and activate our economic cooperation. Investors must come to Georgia and bring investments with them. Our doors are opened as well for Georgian investors.

Poland is greatly interested in Georgia's integration to EU and NATO. We will deliver our recommendations on this matter as well. Georgia had chosen the right way for the development and friendship between countries must transfer on the different stage.



Lika Beraia, TV Channel Imedi: Poland had already taken over the EU Presidency. What can Poland as a friendly country of Georgia do in a rank of EU Presidency do in order for Russia to fulfill obligations taken before international commonwealth and start de-occupation of our territories? In general what are your evaluations regarding the fact that Russia until now maintains the status of occupant?



Bronislav Komorovski: Poland is not a super power and is not going to be. We can be efficient in regards of increasing a chance for Georgia to find more secure place throughout the world - it is North-Atlantic Alliance. We will help Georgia to get integrated to EU and NATO. This will be exactly the contribution of Poland in regards of regional policy support.



Polish journalist, a question related to internal political situation in Georgia.



MikheilSaakashvili: Georgia made incredible steps in regards of rapid development after the war indeed. Today we have very difficult situation - our neighbor practically doesn't recognize our borders, our government and cease fire agreement. We have 500 thousand IDPs in our country that has population of 5 million. Despite this fact we had managed to develop rapidly. Batumi doesn't look the way it looked even three years ago. In one year Batumi will become like Singapore at least from visual point of view. We have pretension that more interesting things take place here and in whole country than in Singapore. Georgia carried out very rapid reforms and managed to turn the situation. I think that we will have double-digit economic growth this year.

Now about the relations with the opposition - we had an important political turnaround - several weeks ago the agreement was achieved with political parties on the reform of election code.

Upon the demand by the opposition, we have agreed on what I am personally not very much in favor of - increasing number of lawmakers. I do not like it, but changing electoral system was the opposition's one of the major demands. I know that the political party of my friend, my colleague in Poland is demanding reducing number of lawmakers. Unfortunately, opposite has happened in Georgia... So if you reduce number of MPs, we will only envy you. It was our compromise to the opposition, because we want such an electoral system, which would secure legitimacy of election results and which will maximally reflect interest of the entire spectrum of the society. Georgia is an exceptional country in this regard. In the difficult geopolitical situation in which we are now today, democracy is kind of a shield for us. We have media pluralism, so Georgians do not depend much on foreign television channels, because we can see any media means from the spot. We have well-developed political class, which is also a serious protection against destabilization from within Georgia.

I really believe that we will become a hub for this region in respect of trade, reforms, development, visual aspects and purely quality matters. Poland can play great role, because it understands us as no one else ever understood us. Polish people understand like no one else what does massive deportation mean and ten percent of the population is massively deported in Georgia in a very well organized way, among them the representatives of all ethnic groups. Polish nation understands well what does it mean to carry out reforms in extremely difficult geopolitical situation. There exists certain chemistry between Georgia and Poland at every level. The formula of this chemistry is not pretty clear for me, but I had tested it personally during my long life. This formula daily expands on Georgian and Polish people, when they start relations. Now I absolutely agree with Mr. President - the main thing is to transfer on very pragmatic and specific issues after these formulas. Lets start specific works on bringing Polish companies here. Lets create a logistical center of transfer over this region for Poland, because I think that Poland has ability to help Georgia in Singaporization (I meant economic, otherwise we are Europe sure) and play an important role and manage the operation of this very interesting region - Mid Asia, Caspian, the whole Northern China and also in the direction of South-North from this spot. In this respect we believe that Poland will be first of all Poland's friend and lobbyist - as it always was. This will be a strong Poland the word of which will be heard and the ideas will be envisaged. This is Poland's policy's new aspect for us. I believe that new successes that Poland and its President have are reached within the last several months