Why the Georgian Prosecutor's Office Is Not Rushing to Charge Saakashvili

The Georgian Prosecutor's Office has addressed the question of why it is not in a hurry to bring charges against Mikheil Saakashvili in response to a journalist from Sputnik Georgia:

“Mikheil Saakashvili has already been arrested as a convict. He is a person wanted and has been sentenced to six years in prison and is currently in a penal institution. In this case, there is no legal time limit for bringing charges. Given this circumstance, he will not be charged today. Regarding the new investigation, it is being conducted intensively, and it is still unknown when charges will be brought,” stated the press service of the Georgian Prosecutor's Office.

In his home country, Saakashvili has been sentenced in absentia for the murder of banker Sandro Girgvliani and the beating of MP Valery Gelashvili. In one case, he was sentenced to three years in prison, and in the other, to six. Additionally, Saakashvili is involved in cases related to the violent dispersal of an opposition rally on November 7, 2007, the destruction of the Imedi television station, and the embezzlement of funds from the state budget. These cases are still under discussion in the courts, and no verdicts have been issued.

The Georgian Prosecutor's Office has stated that there is no discussion about extraditing Saakashvili to Ukraine, and he will have to serve his sentence in his home country. It should be noted that Saakashvili is currently a citizen of Ukraine. President Zelensky has stated that he is preparing to personally deal with the return of the detained Ukrainian citizen and the former president of Georgia with the help of the country’s authorities.

The third president of Georgia was detained from one of the residential areas of Tbilisi.