As all of you are informed the timelines for submission of MP lists for May 21 elections at the CEC is expired. These elections will be held on the basis of decision made by the Georgian nation and will be very important stage for Georgian democracy development and farther movements. I would like to stress on several issues about parliamentary elections and share my opinions with you. First of all it is in the interest of our country to hold these elections in honest and transparent way; all votes should be counted in fast manner, not to make anyone have a feeling of injustice or some serious violations - we should not allow such incidents and violations.

We are absolutely open for this. I want to invite as many observers as possible on May 21.

Every Georgian organization, non-governmental groups and political parties, should have rights to participate in the process of elections, to observe the process without disruption.

Another issue I would like to address is the list of National Movement Party. You know that by this evening Nino Burjanadze decided not to be part of this ruling National Movement's party list. I understand why she has decided it and of course I am not satisfied with this decision of hers.

I want to tell you that Nino is very, very important person for me. She is Georgia's patriot; we have been standing together for many years. She is the person, who in the most difficult times - for example last November when the country was engulfed in the sharp political crisis - stood firm and twice performed the presidential duties in very difficult times and secured stable and peaceful transition. This is the person, who is a symbol of stability, peace, political intellect and dignity for me. Despite her decision, she is and will remain one of the greatest political figures of Georgia. Despite her decision to temporarily quit the politics - she will continue performing duties of the parliamentary chairperson in this transition period before the election of new parliament - I hope she will return back to active politics and I am sure she will remain one of the most important figures for a long time.

The National Movement is not only Saakashvili, Burjanadze, or lawmakers and ministers; this is a nation-wide people's movement, which was behind the Rose Revolution, which has carried out very difficult and painful reforms - not always without mistakes - with its shortcomings, but which turned Georgia into a real state.

This movement should remain the people's movement, which is not only based on personalities. This is not President Saakashvili's party. This is the party of its members and of its supporters.

We have accepted the major demand of our society - very radical reshuffle of the party-list - and I want to say that more than three-fourth of the party-list, which we have submitted for the upcoming parliamentary election, consists of new faces. These are those people who have never been affiliated with the politics in recent years.

David Bakradze, the Georgia's foreign minister, leads the party-list. This is a very serious, independent figure, who is not a party activist with his background - by the way he became a lawmaker with the recommendation of Nino Burjanadze. Second in the party-list of MP candidates is Koba Subeliani, the state minister for refugees and accommodation - a person who has no big political experience; although he is a prominent figure, but not a political one. There are many young people, but there are also many elderly people - the best representatives of Georgian intellectuals, people from education and science spheres, Georgian businessmen which represent minority in this list as majority candidates - these people are not oligarchs or corrupted businessmen, they represent free business. They developed their businesses in free atmosphere and they know the price of rule of law.

So we have presented the wide spectrum of Georgian society. This envisages to staff parliament with new faces and not only with young generation. We have presented people of different ages, those people who are great professionals in their sphere, have great experience and are able to change a lot in our country for better. All these people who are presented in our list are very honored and appreciated. We were able to get to consensus about the list of MPs, many National Movement representatives are not on list. The leader of ruling party is not on the list, the General Secretary of National Movement is on the list, the famous parliamentarians are not on the list, and the majority of the fraction is not presented. I am going to meet these people tomorrow and tell them that their work is appreciated by our country and by me. They served Georgian Parliament and society for four years honestly, they never got involved in corruption and were supporting our anti-corruption reforms with all their force. I want to remind you that this is the Parliament the majority of which accused several corrupted deputies in corruption and supported their arrest. This is very truthful majority and they need to be appreciated. But the most important today is the new energy and better future of our country. Georgia needs stability and unity today the most. Georgia is facing a lot of challenges but at the same time is in the period of historical abilities. Our mission is to overcome these challenges and to use these abilities.

Press Office
of the President of Georgia