Ex-Pres Saakashvili claims former PM Gakharia ‘has always been Russian agent’ and ‘Ivanishvili’s project’

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili on Monday said former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia “has always been a Russian agent” and “a project of Bidzina Ivanishvili,” the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party.

“Let’s stop pretending. It drives me crazy how naive part of our society can be! Gakharia went to Russia to build his career when relations between Russia and Georgia were at their worst. His Russian career peaked after 2008,” Saakashvili wrote in a post on social media.

The ex-President questioned why Gakharia, after serving in senior positions under Ivanishvili, had never been prosecuted or held accountable and why he had been allowed to “quietly leave for Germany.”

“Gakharia was always a Russian agent and Ivanishvili’s project. Why did no one question how his parliamentary mandate was restored after it was revoked, if not through a prior deal with Ivanishvili?” Saakashvili said, calling Gakharia “shameless” and a “pathological liar”.

Saakashvili added that Gakharia’s entry into Parliament was meant to simulate a political process for the ruling party amid repression and restrictions against opposition forces.

“Ivanishvili needs Gakharia’s so-called ‘loyal opposition’ to channel public discontent and buy a few more years of control. We must not let that happen,” he concluded.

Saakashvili’s comments come after the Gakharia For Georgia party announced plans to enter Parliament, saying that boycotting it had been “a mistake”.