Ex-Pres. Saakashvili’s health, safety “in best interests” of Gov’t - ruling party MP

Anri Okhanashvili, the Head of the Georgian Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said the opposition was using the topic of the former President for their “own political goals”. Photo: Parliament press office

Agenda.ge, 08 Dec 2022 - 17:56, Tbilisi,Georgia

Anri Okhanashvili, the Head of the Georgian Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said the health and safety of imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili was “in the best interests” of the Government. 

Responding to a meeting involving leaders of the Droa, Girchi-More Freedom and Strategy Agmashenebeli parties at the United National Movement opposition party offices earlier on Thursday to discuss plans to “save” Saakashvili, Okhanashvili claimed the opposition was using the topic of the former President for their “own political goals”. 

I do not believe the opposition is interested in or motivated to ensure Saakashvili’s health and safety, because these people, including Elene Khoshtaria [the head of the Droa party], are receiving funds from Russia”, the MP said. 

Reacting to recent comments by Peter Stano, the European Union Spokesperson for External Affairs, that the bloc was monitoring Saakashvili’s health matters, Okhanashvili said he “reserved the right to remind everyone” that the former President’s health and safety had been “fully protected” since his arrest in Tbilisi in October 2021. 

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday said Saakashvili had been offered to invite "any doctor, from any foreign clinic", but he refused to do so due to "different goals". 

The former President, who on Thursday said he intended to attend a trial hearing at Tbilisi City Court on Friday over granting him release on medical grounds, has been receiving treatment in the Vivamedi civilian clinic in Tbilisi since May. 

In a letter released by his entourage on social media, Saakashvili claimed the trial was about his “life and death”. 

In earlier comments, Georgia’s Justice Minister Rati Bregadze stressed Saakashvili’s rights were being “fully protected” in detention facilities, from the Rustavi No.12 prison - where he was initially placed - to the hospital of the Gldani No.18 prison - where he was moved in early November last year - as well as the Gori Military Hospital - where he was transferred in late November - and finally at the Vivamedi clinic.

The reaction came on the heels of claims by Saakashvili’s lawyers and the Georgian-based rehabilitation centre Empathy earlier this month over his “seriously deteriorated health” and an “urgent need” of transferring him abroad for “proper treatment”. 

The recent health report by Empathy, which had pointed to more than 20 health issues and raised the potential of “coma and death”, was cited by Saakashvili’s lawyers in their appeal to the court on December 1 to either release Saakashvili or postpone the rest of his sentence. 

Saakashvili, a citizen of Ukraine, was arrested in Tbilisi in October 2021 on his clandestine return to Georgia ahead of municipal elections.

The former president is 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.