President Saakashvili is not the right person to teach how to handle relations with Russia or ongoing ‘borderisation’ process because he’s the one who bears “lion’s share” of blame for existing situation, PM Ivanishvili said on September 30.

He made the remarks when asked by journalists to comment on President Saakashvili’s call for cooperation to tackle “stealthy and dangerous annexation” of the Georgian lands by Moscow as Russian troops are shifting South Ossetian administrative boundary line deeper into the Georgian-controlled areas in the process of ‘borderisation’.

Ivanishvili said no one can justify Russia’s “aggression” and “it is clear that territories are occupied”, but it would not have happened if not previous government’s “gross ignorance.”

“He [Saakashvili] thinks that it’s our [current government’s] fault and now he wants to teach me as if it is the fault of our softened rhetoric or our actions. But that’s the fault of their ignorance and foolishness,” Ivanishvili said.

He said that Saakashvili’s administration did not receive “good” legacy from its predecessor government either in respect of conflicts, “but it was much better than what we have now and they had a chance to improve it.”

“Saakashvili has lion’s share of [responsibility] for that and should he mentor me what I have to do? One should learn from those who have achievements,” Ivanishvili said.
 
“We will be principled and consistent and we will definitely fix what they have spoiled – I promise this to the Georgian population, but it will need time,” he added.

He also criticized Saakashvili for say that “in recent months we’ve lost control over more arable farmland” than during the 2008 war in Kurta and Tamarasheni – two villages in breakaway South Ossetia, which Georgia lost, among many other villages, as a result of the August 2008 war with Russia.