“Burjanadze and I didn’t speak for three years before the Rose Revolution. I was dissatisfied with her actions, but I immediately set aside all personal grievances when the situation demanded it,” former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili wrote on social media.

Saakashvili emphasised that everyone should be able to come together.

“I didn’t speak to Burjanadze for three years. But, in terms of unity, I’d like to cite Malaysia as an example. During my visit to Malaysia in 1998 to study their economic model, the then Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, detained Deputy Prime Minister Anwar on dubious charges. Anwar spent over fifteen years in prison. Meanwhile, Mahathir was replaced in power by Reza, who proved to be extremely corrupt and authoritarian. Before the next elections, Mahathir approached Anwar’s wife with a proposal to put the past behind them and form an alliance. And that is precisely what happened; Reza lost the election.

Today, the 101-year-old Mahathir lives peacefully in Malaysia, while Anwar is the Prime Minister. These individuals were able to unite; so what has happened to us? Do we really bear some kind of curse?

For the record, Burjanadze and I did not speak at all for three years before the Rose Revolution, as I was dissatisfied with her actions. However, I set aside all personal grievances immediately when the situation demanded it,” Saakashvili wrote.