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Saakashvili Opens New Parliament Session

Georgia Materials 7 June 2008 14:06 (UTC +04:00)

President Saakashvili told the new Parliament that the nation's unity was the major value, reported Civil Georgia.

President started address with saluting the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Ilia II; government members and foreign diplomats, attending the inaugural session of the newly elected parliament.

"I want to give my special salute to our people, who keep a close eye on us," Saakashvili said while addressing the inaugural session of the parliament on June 7.

In his address he acknowledged the previous Parliament's positive role and thanked its chairperson Nino Burjanadze for, as he said, "good job."

He also said that the term of the new Parliament "should be the period of overcoming poverty" and "taking historic decisions."

Saakashvili also said that Georgia managed to overcome "very difficult political crisis" last November "through democratic process." He also said that he stepped down and called early presidential elections last year with a purpose to gain a new mandate for further reforms and for "consolidation of the nation."

"Whatever personal insults and attacks are made against us it does not matter, our major value is unity of Georgia," he said. "We have no right to divide Georgia into radicals and moderates; our goal is to reach out our hand to each citizen of Georgia."

Meanwhile, only few hundred protesters are gathered outside the Parliament.

"Our goal is to leave the ruling party alone in this illegal Parliament," Davit Gamkrelidze, the leader of New Rights Party, part of the eight-party coalition told the rally. "Shame on those parties and politicians who will enter the Parliament."

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