Ex-pres. Saakashvili agrees to be transferred to Gori military hospital, to stop hunger strike
Saakashvili, who is serving a sentence for abuse of power, considers himself a political prisoner and has been on hunger strike since the day he was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The former president Mikheil Saakashvili has accepted the Georgian government’s offer to be transferred to Gori military hospital and is ready to stop the 50-day hunger strike after the admittance to the clinic, ex-president’s lawyer Nika Gvaramia announces.
Gvaramia stated that Saakashvili will be transferred later today without specifying the exact time ‘due to security measures.’
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze has offered to the former president to undergo treatment in the military hospital in Gori earlier today, noting that his life and health will be ‘maximally ensured’ by the government.
Gori military hospital. Photo: RFE/RL.
Gvaramia also emphasised the importance of setting medical agenda with their involvement.
It is important for us to know for sure that everything is going normally there. The so-called refeeding protocol should be written by specialists and be daily reported,” Gvaramia said.
- President Zurabishvili welcomes Georgian gov’t decision to transfer Saakashvili to military hospital
The military hospital in Gori is ready to treat Saakashvili as it is ‘fully equipped,’ Georgian Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze reported earlier today and underscored that MRT medical device is functioning, noting its ‘software update is underway.’
She underlined that the ex-president will be able to receive all required services on the spot.
The hospital is technically maintained, the software is being updated and the patient will be provided with all the services he will need,” Tikaradze said.
‘An intensive ward has been set up for Saakashvili where he will undergo treatment,’ she added.
The Defence Ministry of Georgia has published a video of the facility.
It reported that Gori military hospital is a multipurpose clinic where ‘24-hour emergency and scheduled medical care is available.’
The military hospital is staffed with highly qualified doctors of various profiles and is equipped with the latest medical equipment,” the ministry says.
Saakashvili, who is serving a sentence for abuse of power, considers himself a political prisoner and has been on hunger strike since the day he was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1.
The opposition, NGOs and international community actively called on the Georgian government to admit Saakashvili into the civil hospital and to ensure proper medical care for him.