Former Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli has stated that Saakashvili, whom he described as “a coward crawling on the ground in 2008,” has no right to reproach him or brand him a traitor.

“Don’t make me say what I really think about Saakashvili. The coward Saakashvili, who brought Georgia to this sorry state, was crawling on the ground in 2008; he is in no position to lecture me or call me a traitor. A commander-in-chief deserves to be defended, but only a commander-in-chief worthy of the name,” Nogaideli told journalists.

Asked whether Saakashvili had not been worthy of the title, Nogaideli replied: “No, he was not. By 2008, he was no longer worthy of it. And there had been many problems before that, too.”

The exchange came after a confrontation between Nogaideli and former President Mikheil Saakashvili at the Tbilisi City Court, where bailiffs and lawyers were forced to intervene to restore order.

“I have nothing to say to this traitor. This is a sham trial orchestrated by Russia and Putin to silence me. A Russian is standing here giving testimony against me; Ivanishvili is having me tried by Russian judges,” Saakashvili declared following the heated altercation with Nogaideli, before walking out of the proceedings.