PM Garibashvili: less important what would MEPs say on Saakashvili

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili says that it has no importance what several MEPs would say about Georgia’s third president Mikheil Saakashvili, who was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1, after eight years in political exile. 

“It is important for us what the Georgian people would say. Saakashvili has committed crimes, has been convicted by Georgian courts and is now serving his term in line with law,” Garibashvili said earlier today, responding to the letter signed by 73 foreign politicians, including MEPs, who call on EU officials to ensure Saakashvili’s release from prison before he appears before a ‘fair court.’ 

The Georgian Dream ruling party MPs have also stated that the MEPs and others, who have signed the letter, ‘are against the rule of law.’ 

The opposition parties, however, say that the letter is one of the confirmations that Saakashvili ‘is a political prisoner.’

Saakashvili, who was arrested on October 1 in Tbilisi, a day before Georgian municipal elections, has been on hunger strike since his detention.

He says he aimed to support his United National Movement opposition party to win the recent municipal elections and then replace the Georgian Dream government via snap parliamentary elections. 

Now he is a citizen of Ukraine and is holding an official post in the National Reforms Council of the country. He was convicted in absentia in Georgia back in 2018 for abuse of authority and was sentenced to six years in prison. 

Saakashvili has also been charged with four other offences which are still in courts.