Nino Burjanadze, ex-parliamentary speaker and leader of Democratic Movement-United Georgia (DMUG), left for Moscow on March 3 as part of, as she put it, her engagement in “big politics.”

“This is very important visit, I am going there to defend the interests of my country and my people, because the country I am leaving for is our neighboring state, one of the largest and strongest states, and naturally the position of this state is important for Georgia’s unity, for Georgia’s democratic and sovereign development,” Burjanadze told reporters before departure.

“I am occupied by big politics; while others are occupied with mayoral elections and the authorities are occupied by carrying out black PR campaign against the opposition, I am doing big politics,” she added.

Details of Burjanadze’s visit, including with whom she plans to meet have not been released by her party. DMUG, however, said that after trip to Moscow, Burjanadze also planned visits to Brussels and in number of other European capitals, as well as to the United States.

Former PM and leader of Movement for Fair Georgia, Zurab Nogaideli, who has recently signed a cooperation agreement with Russia’s ruling party, welcomed Burjanadze’s visit to Moscow.

“It is very important that Nino Burjanadze has slightly changed her previous stance in respect of Russia, when she was saying that dialogue with Russia was needed, but with certain preconditions. You know she was saying that at first Georgia’s de-occupation should take place. But now we have all seen that no one is in fact afraid of our preconditions. The dialogue is needed to create a chance of de-occupation and of reunification,” Nogaideli told Rustavi 2 TV.