Georgia's Saakashvili says has no intention to stay in power after 2013

In an interview with Russian weekly, Kommersant Vlast, Saakashvili, responding to a question what may change in Russia-Georgia relations till 2013 taking into view the Russian leadership’s stance that it will not have ties with Saakashvili, the Georgian President said: “Who told them [the Russian leadership] that the present Georgian leadership will exist only before 2013?”

“Yes, I won’t be running for presidency, but it does not at all mean that the ideology, which I represent, will not remain a priority for the Georgian population. There won’t be Saakashvili, but there will be someone else, but the course will remain the same,” he said.

Asked what would be his plans after 2013 and if he would try to introduce the parliamentary system, Saakashvili responded: “The last thing what I will do is to tailor the constitution under myself.”

“I think that there should be strong presidential system in Georgia. Each person has certain resources and by 2013 I, as the leader of the country, will probably have my resource exhausted. Maybe, resources will be restored after several years. I do not know.”

“But, anyway, it is correct that there are limits on presidential term. I do not think that Georgia will become a parliamentary republic. We face so many challenges today. Reforms, which we were implementing, required concentration of power in order to prevent a situation wherein a small group could block serious reforms. But any government should be balanced by free media and other institutions. It is impossible to have a free country without it,” Saakashvili said.

/Civil.ge/