In an interview with the German news magazine Der Spiegel, Georgij Chaindrawa accuses the United States administration of spreading the false idea that Saakashvili's government is democratic and turning a blind eye on his totalitarian behaviour. According to Chaindrawa, Saakashvili's government bears little resemblance to a democracy. Rather, Chaindrawa claims that the government of Georgia is an authoritarian regime that suppresses civil liberties and the freedom of the press, similar to the Russian government policies of Vladimir Putin. Chaindrawa states that Saakashvili tried to close down an independent TV station (Imelda TV), declared a state of emergency in 2007 against mass protests of the opposition, and committed election fraud. Chaindrawa also asserts the politics of Saakashvili's government as a cause of the current war with Russia. He says: "He wanted a victory parade in Zchinwali and got Russian troops marching toward Tbilisi". Map of Georgia When asked why he was dismissed from the government in 2006, Chaindrawa stated that he tried to avoid military adventures in the conflict with South Ossetia and that he was highly critical of Saakashvili's failed 2004 attempt to conquer Zchinwali.  On the question of what the West should do, Chaindrawa replies that the West should support the Georgian population, its civil society, and its institutions rather than the Saakashvili government. He continues to say that Georgia needs politicians who are pursuing reconciliation and compromise rather than confrontation.
Georgian president Mikheil SaakashviliIn an interview with the German news magazine Der Spiegel, Georgij Chaindrawa accuses the United States administration of spreading the false idea that Saakashvili's government is democratic and turning a blind eye on his totalitarian behaviour. According to Chaindrawa, Saakashvili's government bears little resemblance to a democracy. Rather, Chaindrawa claims that the government of Georgia is an authoritarian regime that suppresses civil liberties and the freedom of the press, similar to the Russian government policies of Vladimir Putin. Chaindrawa states that Saakashvili tried to close down an independent TV station (Imelda TV), declared a state of emergency in 2007 against mass protests of the opposition, and committed election fraud. Chaindrawa also asserts the politics of Saakashvili's government as a cause of the current war with Russia. He says: "He wanted a victory parade in Zchinwali and got Russian troops marching toward Tbilisi". When asked why he was dismissed from the government in 2006, Chaindrawa stated that he tried to avoid military adventures in the conflict with South Ossetia and that he was highly critical of Saakashvili's failed 2004 attempt to conquer Zchinwali. Map of Georgia On the question of what the West should do, Chaindrawa replies that the West should support the Georgian population, its civil society, and its institutions rather than the Saakashvili government. He continues to say that Georgia needs politicians who are pursuing reconciliation and compromise rather than confrontation.
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Georgian president Mikheil SaakashviliIn
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Map of Georgia
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Map of Georgia