Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday said the imprisoned former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili had been offered by Justice Minister Rati Bregadze to invite “any doctor from any country” for his medical treatment, but the aim of Saakashvili’s lawyer was to release him from custody on the medical grounds and not to heal him in Georgia.
The Head of the Government said the ex-president had “illusions” that he would be released early from prison and noted he had been “playing” and “lying” to everyone to avoid his sentence, which would not happen, since no one would be allowed “ whoever he may be, to be above the law”.
One thing I know is that this person decided to come here and organise a revolution, bloodshed, from the day of his imprisonment he threatened everyone that [...] bloodshed would start”, Garibashvili added.
The PM “sincerely” wished Saakashvili a “long life and good health” and stressed the government would continue to do everything to protect the constitutional rights of all prisoners.
Saakashvili has been receiving treatment in the Vivamedi civilian clinic since May 12, after he was moved from the Gori Military Hospital - where he was transferred in late November from the hospital of the Gldani No.18 prison - where he was moved in early November last year from the Rustavi No.12 prison - where he was initially placed.
Saakashvili, a citizen of Ukraine, was arrested in Tbilisi in October 2021 on his clandestine return to Georgia ahead of municipal elections. The former Georgian president has been serving a six-year term for abuse of power in two separate cases stemming back to his time in office, while three other cases are pending.