06.05.09 Speech in front of the Parliament premises

Happy Giorgoba (Saint George’s Day) to all of you. This Giorgoba turned out to be fairly difficult, but I am convinced that the country will soon set itself free from these testing times. We were standing near the premises of the Police Headquarters when Special Forces were deployed outside the Police Headquarters. Instead of refraining from further agitating people and instigating of provocations, and protecting its own citizens, Special Forces started shouting “Misha – Misha!” In a country, which claims to be democratic, law enforcement units do not chant President’s name. This is shameful. The law enforcement units are protecting one person instead of the country’s citizens.

Shameful is the behaviour of the policeman who could have refrained from raising their hands against their own brothers, since people did not intend to break into the premises of the Police Department, and of the policemen who were getting especially violent when they heard my voice.

I am declaring with full responsibility that police Special Force were tasked to purposefully target oppositional leaders.

I am now returning from the Republican Hospital where there have been up to 30 injured people admitted.

I saw Gia Maisashvili, who suffered bullet injury in his forehead. I also saw a young men who was hit by a stone in his eye; doctors in the Republican Hospital are trying to save the eyesight of one of the persons who suffered eye injury. Zviad Dzidziguri has also sustained injuries, our brothers Gachechiladze, and Shalva Ogbaidze, Member of our Party Board, have  suffered serious injuries.

As it looks, I was a special target too, since all six members of my security team have suffered serious injuries. In January, Saakashvili violated the law and without any prior notice deprived me of security services to which I was entitled as a former Chairperson of the Parliament and an Interim President of the Country on two occasions. Members of the team refused to continue their duty in the security services and stood by our party. Today six of them suffered serious injuries. Some were hit by bullets in the forehead, eyes or temples. One of them needed stitching.

The police do not confirm the use of plastic bullets. One of such bullets I am holding now in my hands and the entire world will see it.

Protesters were shot at from the Premises of the Police Department only because these people were trying to save three young people from the hands of the police, one of them was a fifteen year old boy threatened with rape. Nobody shall forgive the Government for this act.

I have promised people that I would be attending protest actions together with my children. Both of them were with me today as well. My 23 year old son was hit with a bullet in his jaw but he is ok.

We are being advised that in democratic States, Government is changed through other means. In democratic States, Police do not threaten a fifteen year old boy with rape.

We will not give up. No force will be able to resist us unless the President resigns and the Government changes.

We are very well aware of the value of democracy. We are standing here today to make sure that our children’s dignity is not offended, and that they live in a democratic State. We will inevitably achieve our goals at all costs. I would like to tell the
entire world community that Georgia, Georgian people deserve to be free, enjoy justice and good governance.

I believe that impunity existing in the country will soon be put an end and Georgia will be democratic, united, ensuring justice and protection of dignity.

They failed to intimidate us, they will never manage to intimidate us and make us retreat even for a single step.