Ruling party MP: people wishing to see Georgia at war behind Zelenskyy’s calls on Saakashvili’s release

The authors of the “special operation”, who wished to drag Georgia into the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, are behind the recent video address of the Ukrainian president on the release of imprisoned former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili on medical grounds. 

Volodymr Zelenskyy on Monday addressed the “Georgian people and the government” to allow Saakashvili’s treatment abroad and “save the life” of the politician who currently holds Ukrainian citizenship. 

Mdinaradze, who refrained from identifying the “authors”, claimed revealing details, “which many know behind the scene”, could have sparked turmoil in the public. 

He noted sending Saakashvili [from Ukraine] to Georgia in September 2021, aimed at both “dragging Georgia into the war [at that time there were expectations over the launch of hostilities] and triggering confrontation inside the country”. 

A fellow member of the ruling party Nikoloz Samkharadze said Zelenskyy’s address could be perceived as a “request”, but noted it should have legal grounds. 

He said that a court alone, based on proper evidence, could allow Saakashvili’s release on medical grounds or the postponement of his sentence. 

Saakashvili, who chaired the executive committee of the Ukrainian national reforms council, was arrested in Tbilisi on his clandestine return ahead of municipal elections and is now serving his six-year-term for abuse of power while in office.