Georgian ex-President Saakashvili to head Ukraine’s National Reforms Council
Ex-Georgian President and Odesa region governor Mikheil Saakashvili speaks to journalists on April 24. Maksym Polishchuk/UNIAN
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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree appointing Georgian ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili as the chair of the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council.
Zelensky hoped Saakashvili will ‘’give impetus’ to the Council and help make ‘important changes' in Ukraine.
Президент України Володимир Зеленський призначив Міхеіла Саакашвілі головою Виконавчого комітету реформ.
— Офіс Президента (@APUkraine) May 7, 2020
Детальніше за посиланням.https://t.co/uKH3jkQ9Sb
Initially, Saakashvili was offered the post of vice PM of Ukraine for reforms. However, his candidacy has been later withdrawn.
The possibility of appointing Saakashvili in Ukrainian government had immediately caused dissatisfaction in Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, President Salome Zurabishvili and Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze had named Saakashvili's criminal charges as the reasons for their concern.
In brief about Mikheil Saakashvili:
- Mikheil Saakashvili served as Georgia’s third president from 2004 to 2007 and again from 2008 to 2013
- He is accused of the violent dispersal of anti-government mass protests on November 7, 2007; unlawful raiding of Imedi television company by riot police and the illegal takeover of property owned by late media tycoon Badri (Arkadi) Patarkatsishvili
- In 2014 Saakashvili was officially charged for his role in several crimes in Georgia however by the time his case went through court he was already in Ukraine
- Ukraine’s president Petro Poroshenko appointed Saakashvili as the Odessa Governor in May 2015, but in November 2016 Saakashvili quit the post, accusing Poroshenko of corruption
- Prior to his appointment as the Governor of Odessa, Saakashvili received Ukrainian citizenship, therefore, his Georgian citizenship was automatically revoked
- In July 2017 Poroshenko annuled Saakashvili's Ukrainian citizenship and since then the latter had had no citizenship
- However, Ukraine’s new president Volodymyr Zelensky restored him the Ukrainian citizenship in May 2019
- Georgia has several times requested Saakashvili’s extradition from Ukraine, but in vain.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili says that the possible appointment of Georgia’s former president, Mikheil Saakashvili, to any post in Ukraine ‘is both incomprehensible and unacceptable.’
The cabinet of ministers of Ukraine has withdrawn the candidacy of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili for Vice PM of Ukraine for reforms from parliament, Ukrainian media outlet Censor Net reported earlier today.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze sent a letter to his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Razumkov providing reasons why Georgian ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili should not be appointed the new Ukrainian vice PM for reforms.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia says that the possible appointment of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili as vice PM for reforms in Ukraine by a strategic partner state is ‘absolutely unacceptable.’
Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine Teimuraz Sharashenidze has been recalled to Tbilisi for consultations as the former President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, who faces several convictions in Georgia, has been appointed chair of the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, who has appointed former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili chair of the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council, says that Saakashvili is now a Ukrainian citizen and the decision is the internal issue of the country.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated today that ‘the strategic partnership’ between Georgia and Ukraine will not be put under a question mark due to ‘certain irresponsible politicians’. Giorgi Gakharia made the remarks amid the former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili’s recent appointment as the chair of the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council.
Levan Varshalomidze, who headed the government of Georgia’s autonomous Adjara region between 2004 and 2012, will chair the United Investment Office in Ukraine which will be created soon, Ukrainian media outlets cited President Volodymyr Zelensky as saying.
The Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine Teimuraz Sharashenidze came to the Georgian Foreign Ministry for consultations earlier today due to the appointment of Georgia’s convicted ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili as chair of the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry will "monitor steps taken by the Ukrainian government" in deciding when Georgia's ambassador to the country will return to his diplomatic office. The ministry said it would follow "the process in Ukraine" and monitor steps taken by Ukraine in terms of "normalising relations with Georgia" in the near future.
The Ukrainian ambassador to Georgia has been summoned to the Georgian Foreign Ministry as ex-President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who now chairs the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council and is the citizen of Ukraine is ‘openly interfering in Georgian political and election issues.’
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili says that she is ready to visit Ukraine ‘as soon as possible’ for the ‘best future interests’ of both countries, noting that the statements made by former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who currently chairs the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council, are ‘affecting bilateral relations’.
Former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who is now a citizen of Ukraine and chairs the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council, says that only the United National Movement and not any other opposition parties in Georgia is capable of winning the upcoming parliamentary elections in October and that ‘the UNM is the only party definitely to win.’
Current opposition leaders and former allies of former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili claim that statements being made by Saakashvili is benefiting the ruling Georgian Dream party ahead of the October 31 parliamentary elections.
The third president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who currently holds Ukrainian citizenship and chairs the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council, says that he sees himself as the head of an interim government of Georgia.
Georgian ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, who currently holds Ukrainian citizenship and an official post in Ukraine, has responded to ongoing hostilities between Azerbaijan and Armenia, stating that disputed Nagorno-Karabakh is the ‘sovereign territory of Azerbaijan.’
The European Georgia opposition party has ‘openly declared a war’ against former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, comparing him with a treacherous character from Game of Thrones - Cersei Lannister.
The opposition United National Movement – Strength in Unity party held an outdoor presentation of its majoritarian candidates and election programme for the upcoming country-wide parliamentary elections in the Black Sea town of Batumi yesterday.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has urged its public servants to refrain from making any statements on Georgia which may spark tension in the country.
Georgian ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is currently a citizen of Ukraine and chairs the Ukrainian National Reforms Council, has stated that Georgian opposition parties must not accept a referendum instead of repeat parliamentary elections.