But I think as time went on after the Rose Revolution, I think he wanted to perpetuate this kind of system in which there was really absence of checks and balances, no real opposition included in the political process very much sort of governing by committee of the inner circle, of loyal allies around the president.

VOA: standard.2009.09.01

I didn't quite know where we would be at any given time and I think we discovered this as we went along."

VOA: standard.2010.02.27