Melia at a rally near prison: no one will cause a rift between me and Saakashvili

Head of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party Nika Melia claims that no one will be able to cause a rift between him and the currently arrested former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili. 

 

At a rally near Rustavi 12th prison earlier today, which is being held in support of Saakashvili, Melia pledged he will fight to the end to ensure Saakashvili’s release and the opposition’s victory ‘to save the country’ from the Georgian Dream government. 

 

Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili told Imedi TV yesterday that Melia opposed Saakashvil’s plans to hold a rally in central Tbilisi on October 3 where ‘bloody provocations’ would be staged. 

 

He claimed that Melia ‘dislikes Saakashvili very much and is happy with his imprisonment.’ 

 

Saakashvili, who claims he put his life at risk by returning to Georgia ahead of the October 2 municipal elections, has urged supporters to fight for the opposition victory in the mayoral election runoffs on October 30. 

 

He says he continues a hunger strike in prison and refuses any medical aid. 

 

The Georgian Dream government says that Saakashvili will leave Georgia only after he serves his prison term, while the Ukrainian authorities vow they will take all measures to return Saakashvili, who is a citizen of Ukraine, back to the country. 

 

Saakashvili was convicted in Georgia back in 2018 in absentia and was sentenced to six years in prison for abuse of authority. 

 

He has also been charged with several other cases which are still in courts. 

 

Saakashvili says all the accusations are politically grounded.