PM laments “heavy legacy with no sign of democracy” inherited from UNM Government
Garibashvili said under the previous Government the judiciary had fulfilled the functions of an “ordinary notary office”, with judges "taking decisions on the instructions of the prosecutors". Photo: Government Administration
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday said the ruling Georgian Dream party had inherited a “heavy legacy" from the United National Movement, denouncing the former Government as an "established dictatorship and authoritarian regime with no sign of democracy".
On October 1, 2012 [through elections], we inherited a heavy legacy [from United National Movement party] - an established dictatorship and authoritarian regime under which people were killed, tortured, raped, businesses taken away, families destroyed, with no sign of democracy”, Garibashvili said at his presentation of the annual report of the Government's work in the Parliament.
Garibashvili said under the previous Government the judiciary had fulfilled the functions of an “ordinary notary office”, with judges "taking decisions on the instructions of the prosecutors".
We need to remind the public and our partners, our foreign friends, that we indeed inherited the heaviest legacy. There was no sign of democracy in the country [at that time]. There were no real, strong opposition TV channels and today these people [opposition members] are coming out and talking to us about free media”, the head of the Georgian Government noted.
Drawing a contrast to the current media environment, Garibashvili claimed reforms carried out by the ruling team had ensured "any TV station could be opened" in the country "within 10 working days".
Our government did everything to get out of this heavy legacy we had encountered. [During the previous Government] the whole state machine, the system was transformed into a system of repression, a system of oppression and destruction of citizens. This was the legacy we inherited”, he concluded in his comments.
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