Opposition criticizes president, calls her ‘appointed,’ after her refusal to pardon Saakashvili

The United National Movement (UNM), Lelo and other opposition MPs have criticized Georgian president, Salome Zurabishvili, for her yesterday’s statement that she will never pardon former president Mikheil Saakashvili, ‘who is neither a political prisoner, nor a victim.’ 

 

Only the president is an authorised figure in the country to pardon inmates. 

 

The opposition MPs say that by the refusal Zurabishvili is ‘deepening a political crisis,’ and is making the statements which are ‘in the interests of the ruling Georgian Dream party.’ 

 

“She was appointed by the ruling party and not elected… that is why she is saying what is in the interests of the party,” UNM member Zaal Udumashvili said.  Saakashvili was convicted in Georgia back in 2018 in absentia for abuse of authority and was sentenced to six years in prison. 

 

He has also been charged with several other offences related to illegal takeover of property, illegal rally dispersal, embezzlement and illegally crossing the border. Saakashvili says he is a political prisoner.