I had to halt my very important visit to Switzerland where I was scheduled to hold impotent meetings with the government leaders and influential politicians.

I believe that I should be with my people when they need me most. Before coming back to Georgia I gave interviews to the world's leading TV companies.

A barbaric act that took place in Georgia has been fully covered by all leading TV companies all day long.

Solidarity is crucial for us these days so as to make these imprudent people come to senses.

First of all I would like to thank our government at every level, our energy sector workers who did not have a minute sleep these days. Hundreds of people are working to fix the problem.

I would like to thank the city authorities. Lots of people live in the city, therefore the number of buses should increase.

The way how organized our people are and how correctly they understand the existing situation amazed me.

I admired a TV story when a schoolboy was carrying firewood and saying that we would overcome everything.

I want to strictly warn all the speculators - we would not allow anyone to benefit from this situation and raise prices on kerosene and gas. We will teach the lesson to these speculators. We advise everybody not to occupy themselves with this business.

Today one of the leaders of the Russian Duma advised Georgia to kneel.

Even thought the most part of Georgia is in blackout I want them to know that Georgia will never kneel. These people will never see kneeled Georgian nation. We are much bigger nation than these "little men" think we are, because we managed to overcome much more difficult situations.

Today we were hit heavily not because we were corrupt or not ready for that, but because this was the first winter when Georgia had no electricity problems, because we have established order in this sector and have detained several hundreds of people. We have built power plants and several months earlier started looking for alternative routes.

Despite the predictions that Georgia would break up and ruin we claimed this year as a year of reconstruction. These malicious people saw that we are not lying. Indeed, we are building, increasing the state budget and diminishing corruption. We are developing faster than other big countries.

Just at this moment we were hit heavily and to make everything apparent to everyone they blew up the pipeline on their territory.

They could have hit Czechia and the Baltic states but they have chosen us because they think they will cut the chain here and will unable Georgia to become independent.

For the first time Georgia is not having an unworthy government. It has a united, caring, acting, smart and accountable government.

Independence consists of three major components. The first one is energy and economic independence. This was the last winter when they could hit us so heavily.

The gas pipeline will launch in the fall. We are building our own power plants. They knew it very well. We are achieving economic independence.

The second component is territorial independence. Georgia is becoming stronger and stronger and no-one will be able to hit him easily.

The EU and the US have engaged in the process of restoring our territorial integrity. The time has come when Tskhinvali and Sokhumi will be our well-developed cities. We will achieve it by all means.

The third component is Georgia's integration into NATO. Georgia is the member of the community of democratic European nations and it should be formalized.

No-one will roam on our territory as it used to be. No-one will take into and out the weapons on the Georgian territory as if it were a deserted territory and not a state.

All the three aims are achievable and really attainable. I want each of us to think through it carefully.

Today the future of our children is being decided - they will either be the citizens of a semi colonized country, which nobody respects, or a modern European state. This question is being decided today. Later it was decided in the Baltic states and in Georgia on April 9...

Snow on our streets reminds me a chilly weather on November 23, which we bravely overcame and started a normal way of life.

If we stand firm, Georgia's ill-wishers would never see pessimistic and miserable Georgia. They must never see it until we are alive.

I address the citizens of Georgia. Let's not make these evil forces happy. Evil is fighting against good. This is a classic example of evil. If not evil, who would freeze children and women? Evil should not triumph. We will overcome this hardship and continue development.

This is the principle of every ordinary man.

We carry on active work under a military regime. The interior minister is overseeing the repair works on the power transmission lines. Minister of energy is in Iran, which offers us to supply Georgia with gas. We have already set up a special infrastructure for that.

They must never use their last leverage against us.

These days our government has been living in their own cabinets. No-one will rest until we find a prompt way out.

This is the way that will help us get rid of evil forces.

I have been thinking on this issue from the very first day, that's why we were hit so heavily. They would never see our fear and weakness. We will do everything for that.

Communications Office
of the President of Georgia