Georgian police reform is Saakashvili’s major achievement

According to recent polls, the most popular career choice for Georgian children is in the police service. This fact is remarkable. Indicating more than just what children dream about, it shows how Georgian society’s attitude to the police has changed.

In today’s Georgia the police are the most popular public institution after the Orthodox Church. President Mikheil Saakashvili himself considers police reform to be his major achievement.

In fact, the police in Georgia aren’t corrupt at all, it’s almost impossible to bribe a policeman, and the level of street crime is lower than in Sweden. The image of the police on television has also changed fundamentally. Criminals are no longer portrayed in a romantic way, and policemen are depicted as heroes.

Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively to VK