President Mikheil Saakashvili compares Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili with the French revolutionary leader Robespierre because of a series of criminal cases against former members of government. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — President Mikheil Saakashvili calls on the new government to start fulfilling its election promises and stop vengeance, comparing Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili with the French revolutionary leader Maximilien de Robespierre.

He drew attention to a recent statement by Chief Prosecutor Archil Kbilashvili, that there is no member of the former government which is not on the list of people to detain.

“Maybe it’s not a direct comparison, but I remember Robespierre, one of the leaders of the French revolution. On his orders, several people were executed a day. Then he gathered parliamentarians and told them that everyone should be arrested. What did parliament do? He was sentenced to death,” Saakashvili said.

The harsh words to his opponent in last October’s election came while the Georgian leader, whose party lost government power in that election, Tuesday addressed members of the youth parliament.

He said it was first time in Georgia’s history that power has been transferred peacefully, and denied that his concession speech had been the result of pressure from Washington.

“Some were saying that Saakashvili announced about government changing, that Americans called him. It’s nonsense. I don’t need anyone to call. I made up my mind, as I wanted to together build a democratic system, where a new majority would be elected,” he said, adding that he wants Georgia to be a country where there is no killing and arrests only because power has changed, but that life continues normally.

The president expressed concern because of the recent detentions, and the prospect of a wave of criminal cases against former government members.

“Government members stated that the wave will continue and will hit on many political opponents,” he warned.