Translated material
T. Kandelaki: The page of history when Russia was an enemy of the Georgian government is closed
Moscow ceases to be an enemy of official Tbilisi. This opinion is shared by the famous TV presenter and public figure Tina Kandelaki. The day before, she gave an exclusive interview to Caucasian Politics, in which she shared her vision of what will change in Georgia after the elections.
— Now they are talking about the possible impeachment of Saakashvili. How do you assess the likelihood of such a scenario?
Saakashvili now has a very difficult and delicate situation. He accepted the election results not because he is a democrat and a decent president. He does this because he is in a stalemate.
He has very large savings during his presidency. What does it mean to be president? This means having immunity. He understands that from 2013, of course, he will not be any kind of president of Georgia. Accordingly, there will be no immunity.
Why have some ministers already departed on the Tbilisi-London route? Because they want to keep their money and get their family members out. And to avoid a situation where they are taken to court with the accumulated or stolen goods - let the court sort it out - they will have to share.
But Saakashivili is not a minister - he cannot fly or leave somewhere. Therefore, there will be bargaining: either he will voluntarily return everything, and he will be given the opportunity to stay in Georgia or, most likely, leave, or there will be no peaceful scenario. Because impeachment does not belong to a peaceful scenario. After impeachment, there will probably be a desire to understand all his thefts. Which, of course, there were. He had in his hands huge tools to turn Georgia into his own business.
— What, in your opinion, will change with the advent of the new government in the internal politics of Georgia, in the policy towards Abkhazia and South Ossetia?
Many people say: “How is this cabinet of ministers different from that cabinet? They are just as pro-American as the previous ones.” On this occasion, my friend correctly said: “They are good guys, and they will let us breathe freely!”
I think that domestic policy will be entirely aimed at attracting investment. Because the external debt is $14 billion. And it's not far from default. We need to resolve this situation now. And since domestic policy in Georgia greatly influences foreign policy, I think that the rhetoric will be different. And the attitude towards Russia will become different.
As for Abkhazia and South Ossetia, what Ivanishvili said is one of the most pragmatic options for solving this problem. It is necessary to create conditions under which Abkhazians and Ossetians want reunification.
We always forget about the interests of the Abkhazians and Ossetians. We usually say: we will annex these territories back to ourselves, but we won’t ask people - they will hand over their Russian passports and take Georgian ones. But these are living people. Which at some point - unfortunately for Georgia - made a different choice. And the task of the Georgian government today is to create all the conditions so that they want to choose Georgia again.
— What specific steps need to be taken for this?
It is necessary for people of other nationalities - Abkhazians and Ossetians, our brothers - to feel the possibility of any social lift in Georgia, including to power. Abkhazians and Ossetians do not want to be in a state where they are always secondary. They also want to be the first, to achieve success in all areas.
It is always very difficult when there is one nationality that forms the basis of the country, and others. Which in this case, being de facto fraternal, are still not Georgians.
Can an Abkhaz or Ossetian be a deputy prime minister? The example of Gagloeva, which Saakashvili always showed to everyone, is, of course, not indicative, but rather satirical (Ossetian Gagloeva was Saakashvili’s press secretary - Ed.).
We need to understand what Abkhazians and Ossetians can expect from Georgia if the situation develops in such a way that Georgia is reunited?
— Do you think that the likelihood of such a scenario has now increased?
I am Georgian. Every Georgian, when he thinks about his homeland and its current situation, of course, believes that this is possible. Each of us hopes that in our lifetime Georgia will be reunited and regain its territorial integrity. If I thought differently, I would not be Georgian.
— What changes can we expect in foreign policy and, first of all, in relations with Russia?
Bidzina said this very well: he will fly here and talk with the legitimately elected President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, on whom and only on whom depends what the relations between Russia and Georgia will be.
Bidzina is a pragmatic person, and, unlike Mikhail Nikolozovich, he has no debts. He is not beholden to either the Americans or Russia. Therefore, he will look for partners for reasons of efficiency.
And there is no need to be afraid that Georgia is moving towards NATO. This movement lasted 9 years and led nowhere. And Russia is nearby. Despite the fact that Bidzina’s first visit will be to Washington, it is necessary to create conditions so that the next one after that will be to Russia.
— Will the movement into NATO continue, what do you think?
After this happened in Georgia for 9 years, and similar processes took place in Azerbaijan, Ukraine and other countries of the post-Soviet space, it is ridiculous to say that this will suddenly end abruptly.
This is not only a problem in Georgia. This is also the problem of other former Russian satellites, which, at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union, were left to their own devices and, naturally, found themselves under the influence of the other largest power in the world. This is not an accident.
America then extended its hand to all these countries, which for the first time found themselves independent, sovereign, and - what’s worst, as history later showed - absolutely not ready for this. And this situation is unlikely to change in the coming years.
But what is NATO? Vladimir Vladimirovich said well the day before yesterday: yes, we and the United States are the two largest powers possessing a nuclear triad (nuclear weapons on land, in the ocean and in the air - Ed.), but we understand that we never use this triad . We understand perfectly well that the Americans will never send a nuclear bomb to Russia from Georgian territory.
When there was a conflict in 2008, Condoleezza Rice said very well in the BBC film: “When we realized that relations with Russia were tense, we told Saakashvili that we would not do anything.” This moment is very clear in the film. Therefore, talking about moving to NATO is nothing more than a message to Russia: “We have a different partner, a different older brother.”
My friends and I laughed at Saakashvili: he is speaking, and behind him there is an icon on one side and a bust of Kennedy on the other. Well, this is just nonsense. He qualified Russia as an enemy. The fact that this will definitely not happen again is clear. This page of history, when Russia was an enemy of the Georgian government, is closed.
I said and say: do not confuse Saakashvili with the Georgian people. I said it a year ago, and four years ago. Saakashvili chose this position for himself - this is his choice, personal. The Georgian people did not share this choice. As, in fact, he proved this in the elections.