Russians Should be Given 1 Year to Sell their Apartments in Georgia – Saakashvili

He adds that Russians who came to Georgia are starting businesses, where they exclusively employ other Russians, and this approach should be changed in the future.

‘‘Considering that Russia is the occupier, it’s impossible not to see this as a national threat. These Russians are doing business, creating their closed circles, they have restaurants, hotels, construction companies, which Georgians are practically excluded from. When investment comes from another country, especially from Russia, at least 90% of the employees must be citizens of Georgia,’’ said Saakashvili.

‘‘No one is asking us anything. We are hopefully waiting for the Ukrainians to win the war while hoping a new war doesn’t break out between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Russia views us as servants and knows they have Georgia in their pocket. Georgia has never been so weak and vulnerable. We are dependent on Russia not having time for us while it’s preoccupied in Ukraine, where it will inevitably be defeated. This empire will definitely collapse, and Abkhazia and Samachablo will be returned. I am absolutely certain of this and we will do it together’’, said Saakashvili.

The former President addressed the mass exodus of youth from Georgia.

‘‘We know that everyone is looking to escape from Georgia. Young people study in order to get a diploma and take off. It makes total sense. There are no prospects here. I am ashamed before those people who came back in 2009-2010-2011-2012 counting on me, hoping to live in the new Georgia, but instead ended up in a desperate state. I pity the people who left with their families the most. I couldn’t look away. When they ask me why I put myself in danger, it's because I couldn't stand by and watch this misfortune from afar, even if it cost my life. I am where I am today. I want to turn this mutual feeling of despair into a will to fight for betterment, a sense of unity.

For people not to flee, we need to offer them opportunities here, and to be able to do that, the current situation must be fundamentally changed. The current state of affairs is structured to bring about decline, emptying, unhappiness, and weakening. Our Georgia, Georgia that I envision, is strong and stands by strong Ukraine’’, said Saakashvili.

The court session on the so-called November 7 Case was held today in the Tbilisi City Court. The prosecution accuses Mikheil Saakashvili of mass raiding of protesters on November 7, 2007, storming Imedi TV headquarters, and illegally seizing and appropriating property belonging to Badri Patarkatsishvili. The former president has been charged under the third subsection of Article 333 of the Criminal Code, which implies exceeding official authority in a way that caused a substantial violation of the right of a natural or legal person, society, or the legal interests of the state. The crime is punishable by 5 to 8 years in prison. Along with Saakashvili, Vano Merabishvili, Zurab Adeishvili, Davit Kezerashvili, and Gigi Ugulava are also charged within the case. Saakashvili participated in the court session remotely from the Vivamed medical clinic.

Mikheil Saakashvili, who is a citizen of Ukraine, was arrested on October 1, 2021, the day before local self-government elections. He was found guilty and sentenced to six years in prison for the cases of pardoning the employees of the Constitutional Security Department convicted for the beating of a Member of Parliament Valery Gelashvili and the murder of Sandro Girgvliani. Saakashvili is also charged with illegal crossing of the state border, raiding Imedi TV, November 7 protest crackdown, illegal appropriation of Patarkatsishvili’s property, and embezzlement of 9,024,367 GEL belonging to the Special State Protection Service. The former president pleads not guilty and says he is being politically persecuted.