Political analysts assess damage to Georgia from situation with Saakashvili

Criticism of the Georgian authorities because of the situation with Mikhail Saakashvili does not yet bear any special negative consequences for the country, but if something bad happens to the former president of Georgia, the attitude of the West will change its direction, political analysts note.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on October 1, Mikhail Saakashvili went on a hunger strike in a prison in Rustavi. The former president of Georgia demands to release him from custody. On the 46th day of his hunger strike, the politician suffers from severe weakness, his advocate reports.

Carl Hartzell, Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, says that a video with Mikhail Saakashvili’s transfer to the prison hospital raises questions.

MEPs also spoke about the situation with Mikhail Saakashvili. Viola von Cramon notes that the former president’s case “is becoming very political, and Georgia deserves better.”

According to Irakli Menagarishvili, an analyst of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, the sharp criticism by the European community puts pressure on the ruling “Georgian Dream-Democratic Community” Party.

Mamuka Zhgenti, a member of the NGO “Georgian Institute of European Values”, believes that if something bad happens to Mikhail Saakashvili in prison, the West’s relationship with the Georgian authorities will change. Now the aim of the European institutions is to ensure that nothing bad happens to Mikhail Saakashvili in prison.

Nika Chitadze, the head of the Centre for Security Studies and International Relations, believes that opposition protest actions will gather more people when ordinary citizens see that the country is deviating from the European path.

The actions in support of Mikhail Saakashvili do not stop in Georgia. On November 16, more than 100 cars drove past the parliament building, blocking traffic on the street for at least two hours.