Saakashvili's case aggravates Georgian authorities' foreign policy risks

Two foreign doctors have received a temporary license from the Georgian Ministry of Public Health and have already examined Mikheil (Mikhail) Saakashvili. The West will not leave unanswered any confirmation of the abuse of power against Saakashvili, local analysts have pointed out.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 29, American medical expert Eric Goldsmith arrived at a Tbilisi clinic to examine the former Georgian President, Mikhail Saakashvili.

As reported by Shalva Khachapuridze, a Saakashvili's advocate, the third president of Georgia has already undergone a forensic psychiatric examination, consisting of two parts – answers to questions recorded on a dictaphone, and tests.

A confirmation of improper Saakashvili's medical treatment can lead to accusations against authorities, Irakli Menagarishvili, an analyst at the Georgian Fund for Strategic and International Studies, believes.

"Accusations can be put forward against authorities because of their attitude towards a political opponent, if facts of abuse of power or unethical behaviour are proved. And in case of proved facts, there will be consequences," Mr Menagarishvili has stated.

Mamuka Zhgenti, an employee of the Georgian Institute of European Values, is sure that the attitude towards Saakashvili is affected by the personal hostility to him of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling "Georgian Dream-Democratic Movement" Party.

Mr Zhgenti has drawn attention to the fact that Georgia's Western partners are no longer hiding the fact of oligarchic rule in the country and the pro-Russian position of country's authorities. In this regard, if Western doctors confirm the Saakashvili's mistreatment, this will only cause an additional reaction, he has stated.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 29, 2022 at 11:05 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.