- Title: Saakashvili hits out at Ukraine's Poroshenko, launches new party
- Date: 11th November 2016
- Summary: KIEV, UKRAINE (NOVEMBER 11, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** NEWS CONFERENCE BY FORMER ODESSA GOVERNOR, MIKHEIL SAAKASHVILI MEMBERS OF SAAKASHVILI'S TEAM ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) FORMER ODESSA GOVERNOR, MIKHEIL SAAKASHVILI, SAYING: "I want to announce that we will be creating a new broad political force, a platform of new forces and our goal is a change of the current so-called political elite, who in reality are profiteers and the scum of society controlling Rada (Ukrainian parliament), the cabinet of ministers and all of Ukraine's branches of power. Our goal is early parliamentary election, as soon as possible." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) FORMER ODESSA GOVERNOR, MIKHEIL SAAKASHVILI, SAYING: "We will win only when we get rid of the so-called Ukrainian political elite who are the dregs of society and are racketeers, fully identical to the Russian ruling class. As long as we have Russian-like elements in Rada, in all branches of power, we cannot say that Ukraine will be able to leave behind its Soviet past, to leave behind Putin, to win in this war, to achieve peace and to head towards Europe." REPORTER TYPING ON LAPTOP (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) FORMER ODESSA GOVERNOR, MIKHEIL SAAKASHVILI, SAYING: "He (Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko) had a chance to use me to implement real reforms in this country, but it turned out that real reforms contradicted his wealth. I am here because, regardless of his will, I want to use my experience to bring real reforms and changes in Ukraine for the benefit of Ukrainian citizens. And now I am not obliged to do as he says." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 26th November 2016 15:41
- Keywords: Mikheil Saakashvili Petro Poroshenko Ukraine Odessa resignation corruption
- Location: KIEV, UKRAINE
- City: KIEV, UKRAINE
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015802B0N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili launched a new political party in Ukraine on Friday (November 11) to fight corruption, just days after resigning bitterly as a regional governor.
Saakashvili, who is widely credited with cracking down on graft when he led Georgia from 2004 till 2013, quit as governor of the coastal Odessa region last Monday (November 7), accusing his erstwhile patron, President Petro Poroshenko, of blocking his reforms there.
His political allies said his repeated criticism of authorities in Kiev had made him a target of political infighting.
Saakashvili, who assumed Ukrainian citizenship to be eligible for the post in Odessa, went on to say he would look to bring about a snap election as soon as possible and by peaceful means.
"I want to announce that we will be creating a new broad political force, a platform of new forces and our goal is a change of the current so-called political elite, who in reality are profiteers and the scum of society controlling Rada (Ukrainian parliament), the cabinet of ministers and all of Ukraine's branches of power. Our goal is early parliamentary election, as soon as possible," Saakashvili said.
Saakashvili, a bitter opponent of Russia, was among several foreign politicians and technocrats to be given key posts by the pro-Western leadership in Kiev after the Moscow-backed president Viktor Yanukovich fled in the face of mass street protests.
They were brought in as part of a drive to eliminate entrenched corruption and improve transparency in a country riven by cronyism, economic mismanagement and a separatist war in eastern Ukraine. At a news conference Saakashvili stressed the need for Ukraine to leave behind its Soviet part and head towards Europe.
"We will win only when we get rid of the so-called Ukrainian political elite who are the dregs of society and are racketeers, fully identical to the Russian ruling class. As long as we have Russian-like elements in Rada, in all branches of power, we cannot say that Ukraine will be able to leave behind its Soviet past, to leave behind Putin, to win in this war, to achieve peace and to head towards Europe," Saakashvili said.
He took more swipes at Poroshenko, one of Ukraine's wealthiest businessmen, on Friday.
"He had a chance to use me to implement real reforms in this country, but it turned out that real reforms contradicted his wealth. I am here because, regardless of his will, I want to use my experience to bring real reforms and changes in Ukraine for the benefit of Ukrainian citizens. And now I am not obliged to do as he says," Saakashvili said.
He added his new party would not have ties to big business and would not accept politicians or officials who had been in public life for a long time. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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