It was difficult to understand why it was not possible for the ex-president to appear in court, stated EU Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski.

He stressed that all the rights of Mikheil Saakashvili, as a defendant, should be fully respected.

“As the European Union, we are very concerned about the reports on the deteriorating health of the former president Mikheil Saakashvili. We have been raising this issue with the appropriate authorities. It is for the Georgian authorities to make sure that all his rights are fully respected, his rights as a prisoner and his rights as a defendant.

We sincerely hope that he will be allowed to appear before the court in the 21st century, in a place as advanced as Tbilisi. It was difficult to understand why it was not possible for him to appear in court. I hope that technically it will be possible for him to do it online, as his right as a defendant should be fully respected.

We are glad that, as far as I understand, he decided not to go on a hunger strike, because, of course, this would not contribute to his health. So we are monitoring his health very carefully. We are waiting for the next steps, which will be decided by the Georgian court,” the EU Ambassador said.