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Topic Discussion III
Participation in
Democratic Decision-Making:
The Vital Voices of Women, Civil Society and
Pluralism
Room 1
(4 of 16 pages)
We want to talk about the kind of institutions that can help. We next hear from
Ms. Lana Gogoberidze, the Leader of the Majority in the Parliament of Georgia.
Lana Gogoberidze: Thank you very much. I want to confess that I feel myself in a very difficult situation.
Because first of all I was told that I had ten minutes and ten minutes is quite different from five minutes. First,
and then I thought that I had to speak about pluralism in general and then the roles of other. Then I have prepared
this kind of participation and now I'll try to change it but it will be, I confess it will be difficult. Yes I
have experience in the parliament. And now the point is that I thought that here the people don't know very well
the situation in my country and I thought it can be interesting to say some words about how we came to this situation
today. If you allow me, I will begin.
When in 1991 the totalitarian regime of the USSR collapsed, Georgia was the first one to begin this independent
life. But we were very naïve at that moment, and we had not considered all the dangers that we were rated
as. And the first of all was the nationalism, extremism and linked with the aggressive separatism. And that was
because why we had all this bloodshed and even civil war and all this kind of events which convince the real collapse
of our economic system. It was essential for that moment. And then we began restoration of all our first president,
fled from the country because the real nationalist and together with either way begin to construct a real pluralist
democracy. Because it was our real choice, it was our conviction. We came with this conviction to parliament. Our
president was of this kind also. We knew that without democracy, we could do nothing. We had no resources, we weren't
a rich country, we had only our intellectual potential, and our convictions that we have to build democracy. And
so then we created our party which was called Citizens Union. That was because we wanted to underline that the
citizenship is the main part of this being the part of a system of government, despite the religion of our ethnic
belongings.
And so we created our party which is called Citizen's Union and I think that it was a crucial moment for our democracy
because it was not only the creation of a party, of also it was the beginning of real pluralism in our country.
We have a stronger position in the parliament, but we try to make all our decisions by consensus. Because we think
that it is the only way to have the agreement in society, which is really very, very important. Maybe the most
difficult task for all of us politicians of different convictions, is to gain the trust of population. We try our
best. Especially the parliament, to be really open and transparent institution. That we acknowledge the new opportunities
for participation and sincere political activity still have a very short history. And we need more and more time
to be rooted in a general consciousness. A clear understanding on the part of Georgian citizens. Of the rights
and responsibilities can truly develop until there are strong and delicate instruments for protecting the rights,
laws and norms on which a free society is built.
And the most important mechanism by which they build democracy, becomes more firmly rooted in the public image
are long governmental organizations, course NGOs, these don't public participation. And mass media which is fully
free and independent in our country and I can tell you a funny story. When the representative of council of Europe,
so called pari days (ph) came to our country, then he had a meeting with our President, and he told him that he
was in the suites looking simply all the libraries and all the newspapers. And he had only translated, the first
pages of our newspapers, and then he told [inaudible] that you know, I have seen all the critics towards you, nothing
else. He said that little [inaudible] for him because he's so, the media is really in the present, really free
and really independent. Because very independent, because they are writing everything they think is possible.
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