Protest Action at Boris Paichadze National Stadium

Nino Burjanadze’s Public Address

Greetings to all of you!

I am proud to be Georgia’s child; I am proud that Georgians were never scared of fighting for freedom. I am convinced that we will inevitably win; we will not retreat even a step and we will walk only ahead towards victory.

Today Georgian people have once again proved to the entire world that they are heroes and they will fight till the end to save the country. Today you scared the one who was trying to intimidate you; you have proved to the President of Georgia that it is impossible to intimidate or stop you.

Today is 26 May, the day which was organised by people and not by the Government. This is a celebration of people and it has been proceeding without the President of Georgia, without the President who will soon stop being the President of this country. 

I would like to call upon everyone – take a look at this people and you will see that these people will always fight for their dignity, unity of their country, find a common language with Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers, find a dignified way out from any complex crisis, but they will never put up with injustice, oppression and offences. Take a look at these people and you will see that these people indeed deserve independence, freedom and democracy.

Today is a day of happiness for each of us. We will inevitably succeed in our struggle.

August 2008 was a turning point in the recent history of Georgia. Society was turning its blind eye on many issues with the hope that the country would be united, however, probably even this was not the right thing to do, since the country cannot be united if it is based on injustice, the country will never be happy if people are unfairly suppressed. August events have directed people’s wrath against the Government. People will not forgive the Government for the August war, graves of unknown solders, collective grave sites, bloodshed for no reason, and beating of a 14 year old youngster...

Today the Government should be held accountable in front of you. Today’s gathering is a proof that the only issue that a dialogue with the Government can be held, is the terms of Saakashvili’s resignation. Holding meetings and talks on any other issue but the President’s resignation would mean betraying you and those people standing behind you.

I am calling upon everyone who is here and who will join us later, to show the Government our strength. Saakashvili hoped that people would not gather here at the National Stadium today. Today Saakashvili is scared of you indeed.

We are saying that we will not go back even a step. We know that every day of Saakashvili remaining in power poses threat to the country. We know that in this country the President is the source of destabilisation.

The Government has named us as a “radical opposition”; however this is the first time in the world when the representatives of a radical opposition and their supporters have been demonstrating with culture of political maturity, peace and courage for the last 50 days.

We will fight, fight to save our country and achieve Saakashvili’s resignation.

I am convinced that those who have seen your power will never make mistakes which will cause people’s anger.

We promise you that we will not go back even a step. We have to retain the achievements we have today. We all have to take decisive steps together, so that this Government is removed from power. With your power, with our unity we will surely achieve our goals.

I would like to note that many outside Georgia could be surprised that the society in Georgia has such power and voice.

They might be surprised that a man in a white cap  standing here (Utsnobi – a singer), who did a lot for this country, and we are convinced that he will never step back. The country with such people will surely win. Such country will surely become united, strong, just and democratic.

Nobody and nothing can intimidate us; we will struggle and achieve our goals and be triumphant.