Mikheil Saakashvili quotes

Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian-Ukrainian politician and reformer, best known as the President of Georgia from 2004 to 2013. His leadership was marked by pro-Western policies and ambitious anti-corruption reforms. He later played an active political role in Ukraine, including serving as Governor of Odesa Oblast. Here are 24 of his quotes:

It is time we Georgians did not depend only on others, it is time we asked what Georgia will do for the world.

Mikheil Saakashvili

Georgia does not need Russia as an enemy.

Mikheil Saakashvili

We must create the Georgia that our ancestors dreamed of, the Georgia that we dream of.

Mikheil Saakashvili

The more insecure you are, the more prone you are to create crises.

Mikheil Saakashvili

With the most powerful binoculars, I cannot see Alaska.

Mikheil Saakashvili

Understandably, no peace can sustained when people continue to suffer from hunger, lack of jobs, lack of basic public services - and most of all - lack of opportunity or hope.

Mikheil Saakashvili

While I have told about my successes, did I make mistakes? [I made] more than enough; many mistakes that I bitterly regret. First of all, my mistake was the court.

Mikheil Saakashvili

Georgia's character - now and forever - celebrates tolerance, embraces diversity, relishes lively and open debate, and above all, respects liberty and human dignity. Georgia is a democracy, because above all - its national identity is rooted in the traditions of democracy.

Mikheil Saakashvili

Our steady course is towards European integration. It is time Europe finally saw and valued Georgia and took steps towards us.

Mikheil Saakashvili

First and foremost - our vision for a united and peaceful Georgia is based on respect for the desire - and respect for the right - to South Ossetian autonomy.

Mikheil Saakashvili

I promise not to become a source of shame for you.

Mikheil Saakashvili

For the first time in 15 years, Georgia this winter has its electric power guaranteed without deficit. This is a historic achievement.

Mikheil Saakashvili

I have good relationships with Hillary Clinton, Joseph Biden and especially Richard Holbrooke - he is my teacher. I learned a lot of great things from him.

Mikheil Saakashvili

Georgia is not just a European country, but one of the most ancient European countries.

Mikheil Saakashvili

Solidarity was the best thing which happened in the 20th century.

Mikheil Saakashvili

We have not created any sort of democratic test for any nation.

Mikheil Saakashvili

Keeping small nations enslaved because of the deals between the great nations or because of any pragmatic considerations that might have been there are totally unacceptable.

Mikheil Saakashvili

I admire American ideas.

Mikheil Saakashvili

Georgia is the country of unique culture. We are not only old Europeans, we are the very first Europeans, and therefore Georgia holds special place in European civilization. Georgia should serve as a paragon for democracy where all citizens are equal before the law, where every citizen will have an equal opportunity for the pursuit of success and realization of his or her possibilities. Georgia should become and will become a homeland for independent, educated and proud people.

Mikheil Saakashvili

If the West is outdated, then why do millions of Poles, Czech, Estonians, Romanians, and others cherish so much the day they entered NATO? And why are millions of Ukrainians, Georgians, Moldovans, and others desperately knocking on the doors of the European Union? If freedom is no longer fashionable, how do we explain that the suicide of an unknown citizen in a remote Tunisian town has changed the map of the world?

Mikheil Saakashvili

I am Mikheil Saakashvili and Georgia did not have a criminal president [talks about himself]. I want every Georgian to know this. The founder of the Georgian state could not have been a criminal, because criminals do not establish states, they instead destroy them and you are [now] witnessing a classic example of that, as Georgia has fallen into the hands of bandits.

Mikheil Saakashvili