Petras Auštrevičius, a member of the European Parliament, has underscored the expectation that Georgian authorities will address the situation of Mikheil Saakashvili, the former president who remains imprisoned in Georgia. He highlighted that Saakashvili’s condition carries significant weight in light of Georgia’s ongoing pursuit of closer ties with Europe and its broader European ambitions. In his view, the government must act with careful consideration of how Saakashvili’s treatment is perceived on the international stage, especially by Western partners who are watching the country’s reform process and its adherence to democratic norms.
Auštrevičius noted that the European Union’s 12 recommendations for Georgia’s political and judicial alignment are essential steps on the path to potential candidate status. Yet he urged authorities not to overlook what he framed as the 13th recommendation—an appeal coming from Western civil society and allied states—to allow Saakashvili access to medical care. This request, he argued, is not merely about humanitarian concerns for the individual but also about the credibility of Georgia’s reforms and its readiness to meet Western expectations for rule of law and human rights.
According to the MEP, several Western countries have already expressed willingness to engage with Saakashvili in a manner that ensures his health needs are met, while still respecting Georgia’s sovereignty and legal processes. He emphasized that a decision on Saakashvili’s case should be made promptly, reflecting the urgent nature of his medical situation and the potential implications for Georgia’s international standing. The ability of Tbilisi to balance domestic political considerations with outside expectations will be a visible signal of how seriously Georgia takes its European path and its commitments to universal standards of justice and human dignity.
In related remarks, Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of Georgia’s Parliament, framed the Saakashvili case as a touchstone for Georgia’s republican vision of Europe. He suggested that the situation is seen by many as a measure of the country’s sincerity in upholding sovereignty and the rule of law, and he warned against allowing any impression that Georgia might diminish its obligations in pursuit of political convenience. The discourse around Saakashvili’s fate has thus become intertwined with broader debates about Georgia’s identity, its constitutional order, and the pace at which it integrates with European institutions. Overall, the discussions reflect a moment of high sensitivity for Georgia’s governance choices, signaling that decisions on Saakashvili could either strengthen or complicate its European prospects depending on how transparently and compassionately those choices are made.