Civil Georgia, Georgia
Sept 30 2005
Saakashvili Gives Promises in Adjara on Eve of Poll
President Saakashvili called on local residents in the Adjara
Autonomous Republic on September 30 for a support in order to enable
the government to continue more vigorously infrastructure development
in the region.
Saakashvili was speaking at an opening ceremony of a new tunnel,
which cuts the distance between Adjara’s two resort towns of Kobuleti
and Batumi almost in half. He was accompanied by the ruling National
Movement party’s two MP nominations – Koba Khabazi and Jemal
Inaishvili, who will run for the MP by-elections in Kobuleti and
Batumi single mandate constituencies, respectively, on October 1.
`I promise that roads will be reconstructed, infrastructure for water
supply will be completely rehabilitated and schools will be
reconstructed in Adjara in the period of my first presidential term
[before 2009]… You will have 24-hour electricity supply… and these
are not just empty promises. I love most of all when I keep my
promises. I have promised to opened this tunnel by the end of
September… We’ve done it,’ Saakashvili said.
`Some people [referring to opponents] say that we are doing this just
for the elections. But we were working a year before the elections,
three months before the elections, the day before the elections, we
will work on the election day and we will continue to work after the
elections as well, only if there will be your support,’ he added.
He also said that attracting more tourists in Adjara should be a
priority. `We are refurnishing the facades of the buildings, opening
beautiful fountains in Batumi and this is done to turn it into a more
beautiful place… Next year a direct railway connection between
Yerevan [Armenia] and Batumi will be launched; also a new direct
flight between Yerevan and Batumi will start to operate next year…
This is all done to attract more tourists,’ the President said.