Ruling party head: “no humanitarian goals” behind calls for Saakashvili's release
In an interview with Imedi TV, the ruling party Chair claimed Zourabichvili had received over 1.1 million votes in the 2018 election from voters who did not want to see UNM - which formed the Government between 2004-2012 - regain power in the country. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
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Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said President Salome Zourabichvili would need to consider her voters’ 2018 rejection of the opposition United National Movement party in deciding whether she would pardon the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Making the comment amid calls by the UNM opposition for granting Saakashvili a release or postponement of the rest of his sentence on medical grounds, Kobakhidze said Zourabichvili should take into account the “position of her voters against a return to power” of the party.
In an interview with Imedi TV, the ruling party Chair claimed Zourabichvili had received over 1.1 million votes in the 2018 election from voters who did not want to see UNM - which formed the Government between 2004-2012 - regain power in the country.
When it comes to pardoning Mikheil Saakashvili, the only goal behind [the calls] is that the United National Movement party returns to power, the situation [in the country] becomes disorderly, and then these people will lead us to the same results that they led us to in 2008 [in reference to the Russian invasion in Georgia]”, the GD official said.
“Therefore, at the very least, the President should consider the position of her voters that she was supported for in 2018, and that was the non-return of the United National Movement party”, Kobakhidze said, adding “There are no humanitarian goals behind Saakashvili's release - the only goal is to return this criminal political force to power”.
Zourabichvili on Wednesday said the “principal question” on whether she would pardon the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvi would be “answered in time”.
She also told the BBC last month she had “no power” to pardon Saakashvili as cases against the latter were still pending and the domestic legislation prevented pardons from being issued before all outstanding court cases against individuals were completed.
The President also told the channel she would not pardon Saakashvili as she did not wish to “become an instrument for more polarisation” on the domestic political scene, and referenced the “autocratic” former Government of Saakashvili as her motivation against issuing a pardon.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday said the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili and his entourage “must come to terms with the reality” that the former official will “have to serve his sentence”, in comments on the ongoing controversies related to the former official’s health.
Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze on Wednesday met representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps in the country to provide them with “detailed information” about developments around the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili, the Ministry said.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Wednesday said the “principal question” on whether she would pardon the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvi would be “answered in time”.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said pardoning the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili would be a “gravest” move for President Salome Zourabichvili and her career.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday suspended the right of MPs to visit the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili in detention without permission.
The opposition United National Movement party on Tuesday said it was “regretful” that “some individuals” among its membership were using the topic of an upcoming rally for supporting the imprisoned former President Saakashvili to “cause a split”.
The leaders of the United National Movement party and other opposition parties, as well as Georgian citizens, are currently gathered at a solidarity rally for the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili at the Peace Bridge in Georgia's capital Tbilisi and other major cities across the country.
Levan Ioseliani, a member of the Citizens opposition party and the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday said ensuring release of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili was a goal of the opposition United National Movement party, while other domestic opposition parties were “not motivated by such goals”.
Irakli Zarkua, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday responded to an article by Michael McFaul, the former United States Ambassador to Russia, on the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili by saying mentioning the latter in connection to democratic and human rights concerns was “absurd”.
Doctor Shahin Lahan, an American health professional who contributed to a medical report on the imprisoned former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, on Monday told Tbilisi City Court dementia was a “major health issue” for the former official’s condition in detention.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Sunday said steps taken by the Georgian Government over the past year had been “not only correct, but also had no alternative” and allowed it to “maintain peace and tranquillity” in the country.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday called the United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan’s statement on former President Mikheil Saakashvili’s clandestine return to Georgia - “unfortunate”. The rule of law is a “supreme principle” and it should be effective in the USA as well as in Georgia, he said.