By Vasili Rukhadze

After the November 2003 “Rose Revolution” in Georgia, many predicted that the young and inexperienced administration of Georgian president Saakashvili would collapse without actually changing anything in Georgia. However, President Saakashvili’s reforms turned out to be successful and appear to be working well. His overwhelming zeal and passion is felt in every reform and action taken for the strengthening of the Georgian state. But what are those reforms that Mr. Saakashvili did after all, within two and half years of his rule, that obviously started to reshape Georgia, lift it from the hopelessness, lawlessness and corruption and gradually turn it to a modest nation?

Saakashvili is merciless when it comes to ruin the old and rotten – obstacles to his reforms. He, with a strong hand, cut and reduced the corrupt and unprofessional Georgian Police of 30,000 men to half of that, simply firing thousands of policemen (along with traffic police). They used to spread on the highways and streets of Georgian cities, extorting huge bribes for both minor traffic violations or serious crimes. Fired policemen took to the streets to protest against “unlawful” layoff, but Saakashvili simply went on to start the creation of new Police Patrol in a calm and swift manner. Thousands of young Georgian citizens were called to participate in examinations set to determine physically and intellectually most fit to join the force. Thousands of new policemen were enrolled in new Police Patrol, based only on their professionalism and honesty. Their monthly salaries were increased tenfold reaching 700 Georgian Lari, pretty much enough for a medium size Georgian family to live decently from month to month. Well dressed and well armed, Georgian police soon became main force in the government’s fight against corruption and gained respect within Georgian society. The level of trust towards Georgian Police currently reaches 75%, which is highest not only in the former Soviet Union, but also in entire Eastern Europe.

Mr. Saakashvili mercilessly attacked corrupt state officials. He arrested dozens of officials, who served under ex-president Shevardnadze’s administration and stole millions of dollars from the state coffins. With rare exceptions, based on the newly adopted law, these arrested officials were set free in return for bringing tens of millions of stolen dollars back to the government. Ironically, this sum substantially increased the state budget within a time period of only six months. Mr.Saakashvili additionally created the Financial Police, as a watchdog, which along with Georgian Interior Ministry, permanently searches, detects and eradicates any traces of corruption. Since Saakashvili came to power hundreds of judges, managers, policemen, businessmen and state bureaucrats (including Saakashvili’s ruling National Party members) were arrested on corruption, tax evasion and tax fraud charges.

Saakashvili made a mortal blow to the Georgian mafia. Dozens of “Thieves in Law” (Mafia Dons) were arrested. Dozens of others fled from Georgia to Russia or other Eastern European countries. Their properties have been confiscated by the Georgian government. Many Georgian mafia members, convicted for different crimes, were arrested and extradited to Georgia from former Soviet republics. Georgian mafia, so powerful during Soviet times and under Shevardnade’s regime entirely lost its control and influence not only on Georgian state structures, but on the Georgian business as well, thus giving a huge boost to Georgian economy. Saakashvili entirely changed the Georgian prison system putting “Thieves in Law” and ordinary convicts in the same prison buildings and cells, this way further diminishing their influence in jails and stripping them off all the privileges and comforts that “thieves” enjoyed and nurtured in their isolated and lavish cells.

Saakashvili also attacked the corrupt Georgian educational system. All the presidents of state universities, heads of the faculties and many professors of state universities got fired, some of them were arrested on corruption charges. In one blow Saakashvili denied the old caste of “Red Professors” their cushy positions which they firmly occupied since Soviet times, uninterrupted during Shevardnadze’s rule. This caste turned state universities and educational institutions into money making machines where all prestigious positions and places at departments were sold to students in high prices. This deep corruption diminished the overall quality and level of Georgian science, medicine, art, cinema and sport. Saakashvili reduced the number of private and state universities, merging them and leaving only highly qualified institutions to survive. The number of departments, as well as of professorial positions was drastically reduced. New, young and honest rectors, departmental chairs and professors were appointed, brought in through difficult tests and competitive examinations. Saakashvili’s new education reform aims at eradication of corruption in the system and bringing it up to international standards. One main step towards this was the establishment of one, united National Examination (American GRE and GMAT-like) for all Georgian high school graduates, willing to continue their studies for a degree at higher institutions. The examination is tightly controlled and honestly determines the intellectual level of the applicant. Applicants are also given advice and offers for higher educational institutions based on their test result. This test greatly diminishes the decision-making power of the professor on the exam and represents a lethal blow against corruption at Georgian educational system.

Saakashvili established Professional Competitive Examination, for all the willing to fill executive and judicial positions in Georgian regions. Many newcomers, who were not even members of the ruling National Movement party (or any other political party) won the competition and were appointed as judges and state executives in many districts. While state bureaucrats and judges are being closely watched for any possible misconduct, their salaries were increased.

Reforms continue at Customs Department of Georgia, notorious for its level of corruption under ex-President Shevardnadze’s regime. Hundreds of officials were fired or arrested on corruption charges. The size of the department was reduced and new professional examination brought many young and honest professionals.

Reforms continue, as continues the fight between old and new Georgia: The old with its nepotistic and corrupt culture and the new with its reformist spirit. Not everything is sunny and rosy in Georgia right now. Many things were done but much more needs to be done. The president’s overwhelming popularity is also diminished because of painful and not always popular reforms. But as President Saakashvili once put it himself, reformist presidents’ fate is always the same – their popularity decreases until they eventually get voted out. What endures are their reforms, giving new breath to new nations, raising them from the mud and backwardness of the past.

Georgia’s path on reforms continues, thus offering very interesting case of study for the students of political science, history and all others interested in political development of post-Soviet states.

Vasili Rukhadze holds an M.A. in Political Science from The City University of New York.