Ruling party MPs visit opposition leader Khoshtaria on hunger strike
Kobakhidze (R) said that the majority MPs are ‘concerned’ about Khoshtaria’s health and publicly ask her to call off her hunger strike. Photo: Irakli Kobakhidze's Facebook page
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The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party MPs Irakli Kobakhidze, Mamuka Mdinaradze, and Shalva Papuashvili have visited opposition Droa party leader Elene Khoshtaria who has been on hunger strike in the parliament building for 15 days, demanding the imprisoned former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili’s transfer from a prison hospital where he is currently receiving care to a civil clinic.
Kobakhidze said that the majority MPs are ‘concerned’ about Khoshtaria’s health and publicly ask her to call off her hunger strike.
Kobakhidze added that the GD members ‘exchanged information' with Khoshtaria during the visit. However, he did not disclose any specific details.
Mdinaradze noted that the majority MPs had a ‘genuine’ conversation with Khoshtaria.
We asked her to stop the hunger strike, but she does not share this opinion, he said.
Saakashvili was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after a clandestine return from eight years in political exile. He considers himself a ‘political prisoner’ and claims to be on a hunger strike.
The former president, who was serving his sentence in Rustavi Prison No.12, was transferred to Gldani prison hospital on November 8 to ‘prevent deterioration in his health due to increased risks,' the penitentiary service reported.
Saakashvili released a letter from prison hospital on November 11, saying that he is ready to call off his hunger strike if taken to a multifunctional clinic for rehabilitation.
Nine MPs from the parliamentary faction United National Movement - Unified Opposition have gone on hunger strike, demanding the imprisoned former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili be transferred from the prison hospital where he is currently receiving care to a civil clinic. The MPs who went on hunger strike are: David Kirkitadze, Akaki Minashvili, Temur Janashia, Bachuki Kardava, Nika Machutadze, Giorgi Godabrelidze, Sulkhan Sibashvili, Levan Bejashvili, and Abdula Ismailov.
Leader of the Droa opposition party Elene Khoshtaria, who has been on a hunger strike in the parliament building for eight days demanding the imprisoned former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili’s transfer to a civil clinic, has said that she will only accept medical care to prevent her own death. Khoshtaria noted that she received an intravenous infusion yesterday because her health examination showed ‘dangerous’ results.
Droa opposition party leader, Elene Khoshtaria, who has been on hunger strike for six days while demanding the transfer of former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili to a civil clinic, says that she is ‘strongly against’ Saakashvili returning to power.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava visited Droa opposition party leader Elene Khoshtaria, who has been on a hunger strike in the parliament building for three days, demanding former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili’s transfer to a civil clinic rather than a prison hospital. Saakashvili, who was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1 after returning from eight years in political exile, considers himself a ‘political prisoner’ and has reportedly been on a hunger strike for 36 days.
On the third day of his hunger strike, Georgian opera singer Paata Burchuladze says that losing the imprisoned former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili the public is losing Georgia as well.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) parliamentary faction head Mamuka Mdinaradze says he is ‘more concerned’ about the health of opposition leader Elene Khoshtaria who is on a hunger strike in support of the imprisoned former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, than the ex-president’s well-being.
Head of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Irakli Kobakhidze, who is holding meetings with MEPs and EU officials in Strasbourg along with other Georgian MPs, says that the country’s foreign partners wish to see a decrease in Georgian political polarization.