Mikheil Saakashvili: Beyond Russian background, Gakharia shares with Kotsis one defining trait — insolence and pathological lying

“How far should we go? The naivety of part of Georgian society drives me crazy. Giorgi Gakharia went to Russia to build a career when relations between Russia and Georgia were at their worst,” the Georgia’s jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili wrote on social media.

According to Mikheil Saakashvili, “Gakharia has always been an official Russian agent and Ivanishvili’s project.”

“The peak of his Russian career came after 2008. Why did no one then question how he later ended up in leading positions under Ivanishvili, or why he ordered the brutal crackdown that gouged out protesters’ eyes to protect the Russian Gavrilov?

Why did no one ask why Ivanishvili didn’t hold him accountable, and instead quietly allowed him to leave for Germany? Why did no one recall that Ivanishvili repeatedly promised to create a ‘proper opposition,’ just as Turkmenbashi once officially designated his own controlled opposition?

Gakharia has always been an official Russian agent and Ivanishvili’s project. Why is no one asking how members of Gakharia’s party, whose mandates were officially terminated, can now enter an illegitimate parliament — unless this was arranged in advance with Ivanishvili?

It is difficult not to see that, beyond his Russian background, Gakharia shares with Kotsis one defining trait — insolence and pathological lying.

We are now in an ideal situation, because everything has been revealed, and those who continue to deceive themselves cannot be helped.

The truth is that Moscow decided and ordered Gakharia to enter parliament.

I have always held a firm opinion on this issue, and, as with all others, I have not changed it.

Why do Ivanishvili and his patrons need Gakharia in parliament? Because after destroying genuine political competition through repression and party bans, Ivanishvili still needs to imitate a political process — so that public dissatisfaction can be voiced by a loyal, controlled opposition and redirected away from the real problems.

Ivanishvili believes this will prolong his rule. We must not allow this,” Saakashvili wrote.