Constitutional coup took place in Georgia simultaneously with "rose revolution"

MOSCOW, June 7 (RIA Novosti) - A constitutional coup took place in Georgia simultaneously with the "rose revolution," Malkhaz Gulashvili, a leader of the Georgian opposition movement Forward Georgia, told RIA Novosti.

"Today the parliament, the government and judicial power mean nothing in the country," the politician said.

According to him, the Georgian parliament is actually a one-party body. "The small opposition group does not attend parliamentary sittings, which means that the parliament is fully controlled by the presidential party," Gulashvili said.

"So, the amendments to the constitution made after the Rose Revolution have significantly extended presidential powers and now there are no legislative obstacles to dictatorship," the politician said.

The leader of the opposition party noted that despite the active promotion of the "rose revolution" in the world, certain facts testified to "serious regress in the progress of Georgia." He said that after the "rose revolution" three television companies and six newspapers had been closed due to government pressure.

Gulashvili said the anti-corruption campaign developed into "a purely propaganda act designed to cover up violations of human rights and legal proceedings."

The other negative consequences of the revolution include "the depressing state of the energy industry, frequent blackouts in the regions, and the growth of unemployment by 100,000 during the new administration."

According to Gulashvili, "the government should act as a business manager, improving the capitalization of the country, but this is not so."

"On the contrary, our new authorities terrorize businessmen, which is why we have a bad investment climate. Russian companies that wanted to invest money were placed in such conditions that forced them to abandon the idea. The capital outflow from Georgia, according to the government itself, has made the situation precarious," Gulashvili said.

The attitude of society to the Georgian leadership has seriously changed in the last year and a half. "One can feel it after the general euphoria created by the 'rose revolution'," the politician said. He also noted "the growing struggle of the authorities against the political opposition."