PM Irakli Garibashvili said on November 27 that “even stronger” Interior Ministry is a “prerequisite” of country’s “success and strength.”

Speaking at a ceremony outside the Interior Ministry, marking 10th anniversary of establishment of the Patrol Police, Garibashvili said that “reforms and achievements of last two years are especially impressive,” adding that “approach towards citizens have been radically changed, as a result we have put each policemen back into the service of the country.”

“A citizen has no longer a sense today that a policemen is fighting against [a citizen],” Garibashvili said. “Georgia is proud of you and we pin hopes on you,” he told the patrol police officers.

“It is very regrettable that a small group of people do not understand the importance of why the police should be even stronger, why the Interior Ministry should be even stronger. Personally for me, stronger Interior Ministry means strong state and my slogan is the strong Interior Ministry, the strong state, the strong Georgian special services [security and intelligence agencies] – this is the prerequisite of our country’s success, progress, development and strength,” Garibashvili said.

“I want to call on the citizens and those people, who do not understand, wittingly or unwittingly, the price of your very responsible duty… and I want to ask those people who do not want you to be strong – what are they doing for strengthening of our country? Nothing. Unlike them, we can be proud of our achievements, our round the clock work and tireless efforts for strengthening of our country. That’s how we understand the strength of the state and building of the state. This is the path, passed by any successful country in the world, and I want us to pass this very same path,” the Prime Minister said.

“The state stands by you; the government, personally the Prime Minister, are standing by you and that’s how it will be,” Garibashvili told the patrol police officers.