Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili spoke in an interview, alleging that he was poisoned by Russian agents. He claimed that Russian operatives had infiltrated Georgian security services and that an attempt on his life occurred when he was injected with poison, an event he says left him in poor health ever since, though no evidence was presented to support the assertion.
Saakashvili further argued that former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the Georgian Dream party, bears responsibility for the state of affairs he described. He asserted that Ivanishvili had effectively captured Georgia under directions coming from Moscow, expressing a belief that the current leadership aligned with Russian interests and influenced political trajectories in the country.
In addition, Saakashvili accused the Vivamed clinic where he stayed of having main treatment decisions dictated by security services rather than medical professionals. The clinic in Tbilisi, where he is reportedly being held, stated that the former president has refused treatment since October of the previous year and has claimed a lack of trust in his doctors. Georgian authorities countered that Saakashvili has falsified information about his health to secure an early release from custody.
According to Saakashvili, several vital organs were at risk of failing, with medical experts suggesting the possibility of multi-organ failure in the near term. His public remarks accentuated concerns about his health and the perceived motives behind his treatment and detention, while the political climate in Georgia continued to be sharply polarized.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili responded by describing the situation as one where Mihail Saakashvili could be used to advance political aims abroad, implying that Ukrainian authorities might be involved in actions intended to destabilize Georgia. The Georgian Dream party, which governs the country, has publicly challenged the previous administration’s narrative, including assertions about Saakashvili being a prisoner of Vladimir Putin and suggesting that his arrest serves Moscow’s interests.
The unfolding discourse in Georgia touches on broader questions about the intersection of health, imprisonment, and political influence, with officials and Saakashvili presenting competing interpretations of present events. Observers note the complexity of accountability, governance, and the role of external actors in the country’s ongoing political drama, calling for careful scrutiny of all claims and a commitment to transparency in the handling of health-related and legal matters.