[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 91 (Friday, July 14, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6830-S6832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SEMINAR ON THE GEORGIA REPUBLIC
Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, in May 2000, a delegation from Georgia
attended a five-day seminar in western Sicily to help further a culture
of lawfulness in Georgia. The delegation consisted of government
officials as well as senior educators, representatives from the
Orthodox Church, and the media. The program was organized by two non-
governmental organizations--the National Strategy Information Center in
Washington, D.C. and the Sicilian Renaissance Institute in Palermo,
Sicily--with financial assistance from the City of Palermo and the U.S.
Department of State. The seminar featured presentations on key aspects
of the Sicilian Renaissance as well as one-on-one meetings between
Georgians and their Sicilian counterparts to discuss specific programs
that could be implemented in Georgia. The focus was on how in recent
decades cultural change in Palermo and other parts of Sicily helped
reduce crime and corruption, the lessons from the Sicilian experience
that may have applicability to Georgia, and how the Sicilian experience
can be modified or replicated in Georgia. The consensus of the Georgian
delegation was that the achievements of the Sicilians were remarkable
and that many of the practices that have been effective in Sicily are
applicable to the prevention of crime and corruption in Georgia. The
delegation is now developing culture of lawfulness programs with
specific products, and methods of evaluation. Additional sectors of
society such as the police, social workers, NGO's will become involved
as progress is made.
Mr. President, this program is one that attempts to go to the root of
one of the major problems left over from decades of communist rule:
corruption. The National Strategy Information Center should be
commended and encouraged in these types of programs. This is exactly
the kind of program we should be encouraging not just in Georgia but in
the other Silk Road countries as well.
I request unanimous consent that the following article from the
Giornale di Sicilia (Palermo) be printed in the Record with my remarks.
It is an interview with Vakhtang Sartania, Rector of the Pedagogical
University of Tblisi, Georgia, and head of the delegation visiting
Sicily, about the visit to Sicily.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
[From the Giornale di Sicilia (Palermo), June 5, 2000.]
Tbilisi. In Palermo for Lessons of Lawfulness
(By Franco Di Parenti)
Palermo. ``Being in Sicily is like being at home. There are
lots of similarities between this country and Georgia: here,
too, people are straightforward, well-disposed towards others
and proud of their culture; even nature is very similar.''
Vakhtang Sartania is about to leave Palermo and, together
with some souvenirs, he is bringing back in this suitcase the
image of a city that he found different from the usual
cliche. And he tells it with great enthusiasm. Sartania is
the Rector of the Pedagogical University of Tbilisi, the
capital (twinned with Palermo) of the former Soviet State of
Georgia; he led a delegation, invited by the Sicilian
Renaissance Institute and the City of Palermo, that had
meetings at all levels for five days in order to understand
what ``Palermo's spring'' is about, what the ``culture of
lawfulness'' of which Leoluca Orlando speaks so much consists
of, and how it happened that in the city of the mafioso
terror there are today only a few murders. It was not be
change that the Georgian delegation included mostly
educators, plus an orthodox priest from the Academy of
Clergy, and only one specialist in national security.
``Perhaps,'' Sartania says ``the image which most impressed
me was that of a schoolboy, Umberto, who during our visit
came up to Mayor Orlando and patted him on the arm, showing
how happy he was to meet him.''
It can be read as a sign of a new relationship between
citizens and institutions * * *
``It surely can. You see, I come from a country that has
experienced war and has only recently regained freedom. But,
just like Sicily, Georgia too has given a remarkable
contribution to the world culture. That's why I was very
pleased to see Palermo so lively from the civil point of
view, and I think that credit for this must be given to the
Church and Mayor Orlando, who can be considered the symbol of
such transformation.''
Did Palermo appear to you different from what you expected?
``Movies and books often give us a different image of this
country, and I must admit that I expected to find here a
gloomier atmosphere. Perhaps many, even in my country, think
it to be still so; the truth is that you have nice people and
nice cities here. Anyway, I was expecting a city different
from the way it is usually described.''
What did this feeling originate from?
``From past contacts between Sicilians and Georgians. For
instance, in 1968 some earthquake refugees from the Belice
Valley were given hospitality in my country for some time.
And since Sicilians don't like to feel in debt, six years ago
some Sicilian families began to give hospitality to children
coming from Abchasia, A Georgian region with many
difficulties''.
You came here to understand what's behind local successes
in the fight against the Mafia. Is your country too menaced
by organized crime?
``Georgia has a very important geo-political position
because it connects Asia with Europe. Commercial links have
just started being developed, such as those in the oil sector
or the so-called ``silk route''. There's the risk that
organized crime may infiltrate into or exploit such links for
illicit traffic. We must be ready to avoid it. Above all, we
must work on prevention''.
Is this the reason why your delegation consists mostly of
educators?
``Your experience in combating the Mafia is very
interesting, and we look at the promotion of a ``culture of
lawfulness'' with special attention. We must transmit
positive values, such as patriotism and tolerance, and must
invest resources in that direction. In our current phase, so
delicate for our country, we must explain that welfare is
good, but it has to be legal; that family has a great value;
that family, school and society are the foundations of an
educational system. But I wish also to add that our
relationship must be based on a two-way exchange. We've got a
lot to learn, but others too can learn from us.''
____
[From the Press-Office of the President of Georgia, July 11, 2000]
Statement of the President of Georgia, E. Shevardnadze
My fellow compatriots, I would like to draw your attention
to one of the urgent problems facing Georgia.
Yesterday I signed the Decree on the ``National
Anticorruption Program'', according to which a special
authorized group of the highest level was established, headed
by Mr. Lado Chauturia, Chairman of the Supreme Court of
Georgia.
This group shall elaborate several stages of the
anticorruption program, oriented on various trends, which
will be the ground for very radical actions and corresponding
policy.
There is no time left, the situation is unbearable, our
society expects the urgent measures from us.
I would say, that I made this very hard decision after
beginning of the process of economical improvement in the
country. It is
[[Page S6831]]
enough to say, that in the first part of the current year the
Gross Domestic Product has increased by 5 percent, and the
industrial output by--11 percent in comparison with the same
period of the last year. The export volume is increasing, and
it is important, that since 1998 the change in the tax
incomes' gross has taken place for the first time.
All I said indicates that the country will definitely
overcome the both--the budgetary and the financial crisis;
the significant economic growth will occur, the problems
related to unpaid salaries, pensions and other kinds of
payments will be solved as well as those of social
assistance.
But the success will be temporary only; the country will
fail to recover entirely, if we do not have the clear, exact
and active anticorruption program as a firm basis for it.
Let me label this social disease as ``malignant tumor'',
that is removable with pain, but necessary measures should be
taken urgently.
I should be fair and remind you--much was done during the
last 4 years in order to set some limits to ``corruption
space'' and for creation of the anticorruption basis in
Georgia.
Proper legislative system was created and that is very
important. Criminal, Civil and Administrative Codes
reflecting contemporary realities and national specific
nature were worked out and approved. The common courts and
Supreme Court have the new legislative basis.
Many laws have been approved, intended against the
corruption processes in the society. The law ``On Licenses'',
``On State Purchase'', ``On Monopoly Activities and
Competition'' and many others are among them.
The law ``On Conflict of Interests at Public Service and
Corruption'' is worth to mention on the ground of which
Information Bureau for Ownership and Financial State of
Higher Officials has done a large-scale work.
The judicial reform has been carried out--the penitentiary
system was subordinated to the Ministry of Justice.
Two thousand persons were arrested within last three years
for committing crimes like abuse of one's position and
misappropriation of State property. The six hundred of them
have been already imprisoned.
These facts seem to prove the intensity of our struggle,
but our efforts are not still enough. At the same time, one
must consider the unfit system of the law enforcement bodies
extremely hard material and financial conditions of the
employees, poor technical basis.
Yet, I believe, that law enforcement bodies and reforms
therein are of great importance and they will intensify
combat of corruption.
They should not wait final preparation of the program but
intensify the activities for establishment of the
corresponding fund.
The interested bodies have suggested the several versions
of the anticorruption program.
Most of them are interesting and I would emphasize the
suggestions of the local administrations, local self-
governing bodies, and of course, the corresponding
Parliamentary Committees.
As for my yesterday's special Decree about the
anticorruption program, I have already said, it has a very
important function and liabilities.
Well, I think I must share several opinions.
The first conceptual thesis is that the corruption has
reached the crucial level with its scale and nature, that
makes dubious almost every State initiative and
implementation of some Governmental programs.
Unfortunately, the high level of the corruption has damaged
authority not of the Government only, but of the Georgian
independent state.
The fulfillment of both interior and foreign priorities is
immediately connected with the necessity of suppressing
corruption.
I am not departing from my responsibility and am fully
responsible for this situation.
But nobody should forget that President of the State is
able to do only what the society and the whole country are
capable of performing.
Since the end of the civil war and bloody conflicts, and
until now, I had to compromise on some issues, in order to
rescue the other more important and more priority values for
the moment.
Last 8 years of my governing have been devoted to turning
of almost ill independent Georgian State into a healthy one,
and to create it in fact.
That's why I had to make a hard choice concerning, problems
to be solved on the first stage and proper use of our poor
resources more effectively.
Once more, I declare with all responsibility: nowadays
nothing can be of more important issue for Georgia's society
and State development, than combating corruption.
All other issues must be subordinated to the settlement of
this strategic issue.
The second: the long-term and detailed analysis of the
corruption as a phenomenon in the country allows me to
conclude the following: In spite of some proper programs, the
anticorruption activities up to now produced no desirable
results. The local programs failed to create proper State
mechanisms, able to solve the problems.
In other words, the solving of the State-scale problems
appeared impossible within the framework of the separate
actions. Even the judicial reform, quite effective
anticorruption action by itself was not enough evidently.
It goes without doubt, that in order to solve large-scale
State problems, it is necessary to elaborate a multistage
statewide program.
Meanwhile, the program must be supported by the consequent
actions systems, finances, and social-political factors and
by the active support in the society.
The third: My long-term experience of being at the wheel of
the country, has assured me that unprepared actions hear only
a campaign, surface character and can yield only temporary
results.
In some cases, the populist impulsiveness may only
aggravate the problem. So, instead of recovery from the grave
disease we are likely to get the opposite result.
That is why I acted so carefully.
That's why, I consider it both necessary and possible to
undertake the radical measures after common State program for
complex anticorruption policy was prepared. I would say, the
national program and the corresponding executive mechanism
will be created.
As we established the anticorruption service and some
corrupted officials have been arrested, I could have earned
more ``grades'' in the pre-electoral period, but I am sure,
that we would not be able to combat corruption, and that
would only worsen the situation by populist actions.
The fourth: working out of the anticorruption program will
be the ultimate step for the fulfillment of my main purpose--
to combat corruption in Georgia for good.
I am sure, that after recovery from the disease, the
Georgian State will be healthy and sound, and Georgian people
will have own everlasting prospects of the national
development.
I declare that the statement of the anticorruption program
that will be submitted to me by the group, working on it
presently will be a cornerstone of my policy during the
second term of my Presidency, as it is economic growth at
present stage.
The same statement and recommendations define the purposes
and rights of the special anticorruption service or the
anticorruption committee.
The necessity of creation of such a body is the topic of a
large-scale discussion in the society, which must be
continued.
The fifth: the members of the group, working at the
program, (it is remarkable, that the number of the group's
members may be enlarged, if necessary), as well as the
invited guests (I mean the well-known foreign experts), must
gain the trust and create the necessary authority in the
society, important for implementation of the program.
This group will depart from narrow political interests. It
will realize a super-party, nationwide mission and shall
cooperate with those political forces, for which corruption
is national insult, humiliation of national dignity, source
of national and social jeopardy and not the life style.
The sixth: I completely understand the great national
importance of these tasks. I have made this strong decision.
My political will is firm. I address to my adherents,
companions, the members of government, parliamentarians; I
categorically demand from them to accept president's will
with complete responsibility and understanding.
The first victims of anti-corruption policy should be those
unkind officials and statesmen, who are determined to reach
their aims and goals by using their positions, enjoying
partisan or relationship links with me for their own
prosperity and not for strengthening the national buildup.
The seventh, I strongly believe that anti-corruption
activities will receive complete support from the citizens of
Georgia and from the whole Georgian society. At the same
time, all of us need to acknowledge our civil and national
responsibilities.
In this complicated and non-compromising combat, we, the
society and government, must defend the superiority of
justice and law, we must categorically exclude the efforts of
mutual punishment, blackmailing and civil counteract.
I gave a special importance to the support and principal
attitude of the press, primarily television and mass media at
large.
The Georgian media is our democracy's important
achievement. For several times, it showed veritable national,
patriotic attitude toward the national affair and devotion
toward any national interest.
Even more patriotism and intense sense of responsibility
are necessary today.
In the process of being of vital importance, the unity of
words and actions must turn into principal measure and basis
of patriotism for every citizen and government official.
More than this, during the program elaboration, and while
its implementation, no single agency shall avoid the
responsibility that it invested in it by the law and all
agencies shall be obligated to fight against corruption.
I want to add that to combat corruption with some
repressive methods implies a certain preventive system, an
active application of economic lever and mechanism, the
restriction and suppression of criminals in the economic
sphere.
I don't suspect that in the present circumstances, when the
society has realized the importance of such a destructive
vice, with joint will and endeavor Georgia can overcome this
problem and recover from such a shameful disease as
corruption represents itself.
In response, our generation will regain the right and honor
to look into the face of the next generation proudly and
create healthy, honest and democratic order in Georgia.
It is my firm decision and I will use all my strength,
experience and facility to realize it.
[[Page S6832]]
And now, let me announce the Decree.
``On Elaboration of National Anti-corruption Program''
``Taking into consideration the scale and the complexity of
the corruption and to increase the effectiveness of
activities for its suppression a national group shall be set
up to the office of President of Georgia. The group with the
following membership shall develop the anti-corruption
program:
1. Lado Chanturia--Chairman of Georgian Supreme Court, Head
of the Group;
2. David Usuposhvili--Lawyer, Executive Secretary of the
Group;
3. Gia Nodia--Director, Caucasus Institute for Peace,
Democracy and Development;
4. Sulkhan Molashvili--Chairman of Georgian Chamber of
Control;
5. Levan Dzneladze--First Deputy of Georgian Minister of
Finances;
6. Nana Devdariani--Georgian Public Defender;
7. Gia Meparishvill--Member of Parliament;
The task group shall present the main trends of the program
by September 20, 2000. The essential components and plans
will be implemented before the final presentation of the
program. The deadline of developing and publishing complete
version of national anti-corruption program is fall, 2000.
While working out national anti-corruption program the
Group shall:
Gather, analyze and collect recommendations of
international organizations concerning corruption in Georgia,
programs worked out in governmental structures, research
agencies and ideas based on private initiatives shall be
presented to the Group;
Be provided with the idea of the national consensus--to
negotiate with each interested person, political and social
groups;
Work out a specific mechanism to make a program taking into
account society involvement and their proposals and opinions;
Explore, analyze and use experience in corruption problems
of foreign countries and leading international governmental
and non-governmental organizations;
Define the separate sections of anti-corruption system,
provide their systematic description, (legislative base,
institutional structure, political system, economical base,
moral, psychological preceding, etc. . . .) and explain the
relationship concerning reasons and results, hence, set up a
system of priorities;
Elaborate on political, financial, institutional,
legislative and personnel staff providing schemes for anti-
corruption program implementation;
Analyze acting legislation of Georgia, make complex program
of legislative amendments and thus eradicate those
legislative defects that promote formation of corruption
based relations or hinder effective struggle against
corruption;
Study the relations of separate national traditions to
corruption-based relations spread all over the country and
take appropriate measures;
Make a prognosis for main obstacles expected on the
definite stages of project implementations process and define
the ways to avoid them;
According to definite program activities make a prognosis
for the most afflicted social groups and regions and plan to
take social protection measures;
Seek and invite Georgian and foreign specialists to
elaborate on concrete problems and thus to arrange working
conditions for at least two specialists on every issue;
Discuss the materials offered by experts, plan to take
concrete measures in definite directions and unite them
within the frames of complex anti-corruption program stages;
Define the mechanisms for the monitoring of program
implementation process and for adequate reaction towards
variable environment;
Present concrete recommendations concerning anti-corruption
activities to the president of Georgia in case of demand, or
by private initiative, in case of especially important
issues;
Demand from every state and local administration requested
information in timely order without any obstacles.
We acknowledge that foreign countries and international
organizations and/or missions acting in Georgia shall provide
active support and give necessary assistance (including
financial aid) to the Group;
Non-governmental organizations, political units and
representatives of public society shall be urged to cooperate
with the group and respond their requests on time;
The group shall work out the working schedule within next
week. It should be taken into consideration that a special
anti-corruption plan and materials thereof are designed at
the national Security Council to President of Georgia and
according to the order of President of Georgia will be handed
over to the Group to utilize them while working process.
The members of the Group who are not in civil service shall
receive their salary from exploring funds of the Program;
The executive secretary shall provide administrative and
technical arrangements for the Group.
____________________