President claims she hasn’t refused to pardon her predecessor

President Salome Zourabichvili told Radio Liberty this week that she had not refused to pardon her predecessor Mikheil Saakashvili, who is now serving his six-year-term for abuse of power while in office. 

She clarified she typically did not comment on pardons unless she had explicitly stated an intention to pardon someone.

Zourabichvili also reflected on the historical contributions of various individuals, including Saakashvili, second President Eduard Eduard Shevardnadze, and late PM Zurab Zhvania, in shaping Georgia’s current path. 

She also pointed to the “tendency for governments” in Georgia to turn somewhat autocratic after starting well.

In her previous comments, Zourabichvili claimed she would “never pardon” Saakashvili.