PM evokes “failure” of former President Saakashvili in organising sanctions against Russia for occupation

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday criticised the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili for transferring “strategic facilities” to Russian state-run enterprises and unilaterally cancelling visa requirements for Russian citizens “a few months” after the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia.

In his remarks over the 14th anniversary of the Russian invasion that sparked the five-day war between the two states and the ongoing Russian occupation of two Georgian regions, Garibashvili stressed the previous United National Movement Government had “not taken any action”, “even in terms of organising international sanctions” against Russia after the war. 

I would like to remind our citizens once again [...] [only] a few months had passed following the August war [with Russia], and Saakashvili had already started transferring strategic facilities to Russian state-run enterprises in 2009”, Garibashvili said.

The PM also recalled the statement of the former Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili in the United National Movement Government, who in 2012 said “Russian money does not stink” in welcoming investments of Russian state-run enterprises in the country.

Saakashvili's Government unilaterally cancelled visa requirements for Russian citizens. Saakashvili's Government did not take any action after the war, even to organise sanctions, to start working to impose some sanctions on Russia due to the occupation [of the Georgian territories]”, Garibashvili concluded in his comments.