President Saakashvili said on January 30 that Georgia needed “a strong parliament” with “more functions.”

Speaking with regional-based journalists, Saakashvili said that Georgia had had, of necessity, “a strong president” during his first term in office.

“The country needed a strong president, to make immediate decisions and implement these decisions quickly, without waiting for long procedures – and I do not regret that at all,” Saakashvili said. “On the other hand, we now need a long-term strategy, we need a strong parliament. Therefore, I am determined and it is necessary to give more functions to Parliament – under the leadership of the parliamentary chairperson.”

He gave no further details, instead changing to another issue - the need to strengthen the judiciary.

“I am very grateful that today we have a non-corrupt judiciary. 80% of world leaders cannot say this. We have achieved it. There are many honest and energetic young, and old, employees. Now the most important thing is to strengthen this system. People should feel that it is an independent player, making independent and fair decisions, and dependent on only one thing – law and justice,” Saakashvili said.