Georgia ex-president urges supporters to take decisive actions

Georgian ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili has urged his supporters to take more decisive actions to take back the country.

The imprisoned president addressed his allies during another hearing regarding the case of his illegal border crossing, Caliber.Az reports via Georgian media.

He appeared via video link from the Tbilisi clinic "Vivamed" where he was transferred in May 2022 due to his deteriorating health. The ex-president wore a sticker with a black mark on his chest – a symbol used by those protesting against election fraud in Georgia.

"We are having our country taken away from us. Either we continue the resistance and reclaim our country, or we stop resisting, and Georgia, as an independent state, will cease to exist. Right now, there are 4,000 RoboCops and special forces between us and our freedom, between us and our salvation, and our future. However, there are many more of us, are not there? We keep saying 'within the law.' Which law? The one that doesn't exist? Which constitution? The one which was violated long ago?" Saakashvili said.

The ex-president called the government consisting of "Georgian Dream" party members "self-proclaimed" and "self-declared."

He is convinced that they actually lost the elections.

"Let's leave the tongue twisters behind. Now, what’s needed is firmness and determination, because someone who did this and stole the votes is capable of anything. The lives of each of you are at risk," Saakashvili added. 

The parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on October 26. According to the Central Election Commission, the ruling "Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia" party received 53.93 per cent of the votes, winning the right to form the government independently. Four opposition parties surpassed the five per cent threshold: "Coalition for Change" with 11 per cent, "United National Movement" with 10.16 per cent, "Strong Georgia" with 8.8 per cent and "Gakharia for Georgia" with 7.76 per cent.

All opposition parties that entered Parliament have refused to recognise the election results, deeming them to be fraudulent.  Georgian incumbent President Salome Zourabichvili has also rejected the election outcomes. President Zourabichvili said that the data from the Central Election Commission has been manipulated, and the opposition actually received more votes in total than "Georgian Dream" party thereby securing a majority in the Parliament.

By Naila Huseynova