Opposition Lelo party MP Davit Usupashvili believes that the former president Mikheil Saakashvili’s quitting will not harm Georgian politics. He said it was up to the ex-president to decide.

“As a politician, I have been advising Saakashvili since 2004-2005 to preserve the role he played in transforming the country, but he chose the path of destructive political leadership, especially in the second half of his presidency.

In 2013, when his presidential term ended, I said publicly, and not only publicly, that the former president should have preserved his role and position of the former president, which was a very serious position for the society, if he wanted to do good. I don’t remember much of the benefits of his being in politics after 2007-2008 and I don’t expect it now either.

I do not think that Georgian politics will be affected by Saakashvili’s decision to step aside. I understand that his supporters think otherwise, but all supporters must understand that nothing is permanent. Especially such officials should be able to come and go. I think that he acted catastrophically wrong, both personally for himself and for Georgian political life, when he arrived.

Whether he will stay in politics or not is up to him – after Saakashvili was arrested, I have been supporting him as a person. I wish members of his family to have their beloved son, father, husband healthy and I wish him to think about other aspects of his life, the sooner the better,” said Usupashvili.