Azernews.Az

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili called on Parliament not to adopt the draft amendments to the Law 'On Education', stating that they would return corruption into the system of higher education and abolish the autonomy of universities.

"This legislation takes us 20 years back, and revanchists who once were fired from universities for taking bribes, are returning to their administration again," Saakashvili said at the presidential palace during an awarding ceremony of professors and lecturers on June 12.

Saakashvili said that in the past years his government managed to bring the education system out the swamp of corruption and stagnation.

"Although when we made a lot of flaws and mistakes, the education system was going forward, our best minds who lived and worked abroad were returning home," he noted.

Saakashvili predicts deterioration of the quality of education, as the new government refuses such projects as the Technical University in Batumi, on which the United States were willing to allocate $ 200 million.

"With this policy, we will not go far away. We need to think about the future of our children, but with such a government that is not possible, we are returning to the Shevardnadze era," the president said.

Georgian Parliament is considering amendments to the law 'On education', which, according to the opposition, restricts the rights of universities, and gives the right to appoint chancellors to the Prime Minister.