Mikheil Saakashvili calls for political unity during court statement

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili made a statement during a court hearing, saying it is obvious why he is imprisoned and calling for unity among political forces.

“It is a great honor for me to be in this misunderstanding with these very worthy people. It is clear to everyone why I am in prison. I am here because I did not surrender Tbilisi at the right time, did not run away, did not leave and did not take advantage of the offer. Because I created a state together with my friends, associates and people, because I am a citizen of Ukraine and I have also done a lot for Ukraine,” Saakashvili said.

According to him, representatives of various political parties were present at the trial.

“We may not agree on a common assessment of past events, but it is impossible not to agree on the future. Our disagreements are small compared to the great challenges, and it is with such unity that we will win. This regime feeds on our fear… Our answer is simple — we will not tolerate anything, we will not accept anything, we will not be afraid of anything,” he said.

Saakashvili also spoke about his health and time in hospital, saying that during a critical period he withdrew from political processes.

“When I was in the hospital, on the verge of death, I was in such a difficult state that I practically withdrew from the processes and then the party broke up. Then I realized that we cannot stop, we cannot retreat. We will not admit, we will not tolerate and we will win,” he said.

He criticized the legal proceedings against him and described the situation as “absurd,” using a metaphorical story to illustrate his point.

“The reasons for this misfortune, apparently, go back to my childhood. In kindergarten in Saburtalo, at the age of four, a shark bit my toe, and since then I cannot stand this sea animal. The prosecutor should probably take this into account as well. I even had a dream about it — a completely absurd scene that shows the kind of reality we are living in,” he said.

Saakashvili called for unity beyond the courtroom.

“We must unite not only in the courtroom, but also in our squares, in our streets, in auditoriums, in joint events. First the country and then ourselves and any party… The choice is absolutely clear, Georgia will definitely survive,” Saakashvili said.