President Saakashvili said in an address to his party congress on November 23 that Georgia faced “a moment of truth” and the January 5 early presidential elections would be “a decisive moment” for each citizen of Georgia.

It was announced by the ruling party officials ahead of congress that they planned nominate Mikheil Saakashvili as the party’s candidate for the early presidential elections. However, it seems that official nomination will come only after President Saakashvili steps down. That is expected to happen no later than November 26.

In his speech President Saakashvili has suggested that his re-election in the early polls would equal to restoration of Georgia’s territorial integrity and the country’s integration to Euro-Atlantic structures.

Thousands of ruling National Movement party activists were gathered at the congress, which was held in the Sports Palace in Tbilisi. The event was broadcasted live by the Georgian televisions.

“My life loses reason if we fail to restore Georgia’s territorial integrity and if we fail to integrate Georgia into Euro-Atlantic structures,” Saakashvili said. “On January 5 we should answer the question: do we want Georgia’s unity; do we want further progress?”

“I am an ordinary citizen of this country and I also have dreams. I see Sokhumi in my dreams, my white house in Eshera,” he said. “But I also see a nightmare in my dreams: I am in Sokhumi, but I am not allowed to walk there.”

“On January 5 my nightmares will either come true, or we will all go back to Sokhumi and unite Georgia… We will either open this road towards Sokhumi, or forever close it down.”

He also suggested that this road to country’s reunification posed a threat of provocations, which was natural, because, “the easiest way to prevent provocations would be to join Russia and to cede our territories.”

Saakashvili pointed out that “if everything goes due plan” Georgia would become an official candidate for NATO membership in 2008.

In his address, Saakashvili spoke much about the progress his government and his ruling party made. “We are young revolutionary government… We are idealist and maximalists – this is our party’s major strength,” he said.

Referring to recent anti-governmental demonstrations and unrests in Tbilisi, Saakashvili said that “machine of lie” has challenged Georgia.

A term “machine of lie” has been frequently used by the ruling party and governmental officials recently in allusion to, what they call, a Russian-backed and business tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili-financed campaign to overthrow the current Georgian government. Imedi TV, co-owned by Patarkatsishvili, was a major component of this “machine of lie,” the authorities claim.

“The goal of this machine of lie was to hit us at the most painful places,” he said. “There still are attempts to internationally isolate Georgia. But today here is the president of Poland and this is our response to those attempts who wanted to isolate us from Europe and this is the Europe’s response as well to these attempts.”

Lech Kaczynski, the President of Poland, who is currently visiting Tbilisi, attended the ruling party’s congress. He was then to meet with opposition leaders.

Saakashvili, however, also said that the challenge had not yet been finally overcome. “Our enemies still hold their hands on us,” he said.

In a conciliatory gesture to opponents, President Saakashvili said that he was ready to offer his hand of cooperation to everyone. “We have no anomies within Georgia,” he said. “I also can turn a blind eye and forget all the insult I have received in recent days. But we can forget and forgive them this.”

However, then he added: “There might be some questions to some people over links with the Russian intelligence, but we are ready to forgive them.”

Remarks were made in reference to some opposition leaders, whom the authorities have accused of having links with alleged Russian intelligence operatives in Georgia. The opposition claims allegations are part of the authorities’ campaign “to terrorize opponents.”

In the end of his speech Saakashvili has warned that there would be “many provocations” ahead. “There will be many attempts to stir turmoil, but we should respond with calmness and restraint,” he said.