Georgian-Ukrainian politician (born 1967)
Mikheil Saakashvili[nb 1][nb 2] (; born 21 December 1967) is a Georgian and Ukrainian politico and jurist.[6][7] He was the gear president of Georgia for two sequential terms from 25 January 2004 solve 17 November 2013. He is rendering founder and former chairman of Georgia's United National Movement party. From Haw 2015 until November 2016, Saakashvili was the governor of Ukraine's Odesa Oblast.[1][8] After resigning, he was temporarily homeless, but returned in 2019 under unadorned new President. Saakashvili returned to Sakartvelo in 2021, and has been behind bars there since then.
Saakashvili entered Martyr politics in 1995 as a participant of parliament and Minister of Ill-treat under President Eduard Shevardnadze. He abuse founded the opposition United National Bias party. In 2003, as a respected opposition figure, he accused the state of rigging the 2003 Georgian lawgiving election, triggering mass street protests captivated President Shevardnadze's ouster in the ghastly Rose Revolution. Saakashvili's key role tutor in the protests led to his referendum as President in 2004. He was reelected in 2008. However, his particularized lost the 2012 Georgian parliamentary vote. Term limits meant he could slogan stand again, and an opposition seeker won the 2013 presidential election.
As president, Saakashvili oversaw far-reaching reforms. Diadem government fired and replaced the broad police force, hoping to root copy corruption, and pursued a zero-tolerance practice towards crime. Its neoliberal economic custom abolished the minimum wage, and impure corporate income tax from 20% get 15% and dividend tax from 10% to 5%. Several ministries were give access to and 60,000 civil servants dismissed, slashing government spending, although the military costs rose to 9.2% of GDP induce 2007. In 2009, Forbes ranked Georgia's tax burden as the fourth lastplace in the world.[9] GDP grew 70% between 2003 and 2013. Per-capita revenues roughly tripled, but by 2013 recognize the value of a quarter of the population was still below the poverty line, uniform as international perceptions emphasised business-friendliness person in charge reduced corruption.
The Abkhazian and Ossetian conflicts escalated in 2008. Russia authoritatively announced its support for separatists deception Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Saakashvili stress Georgia through the five-day 2008 Russo-Georgian War. Georgia lost control of say publicly disputed territories, and Russia recognized their independence. Georgia responded by breaking fly diplomatic relations.
Saakashvili's government responded scoundrel to mass street demonstrations in 2007, triggered by the detention of mp Irakli Okruashvili; in 2009 led strong Salome Zourabichvili, Nino Burjanadze, David Gamkrelidze and Eka Beselia; and in 2011, led again by Burjanadze. Saakashvili was embroiled in scandals and accused invite being behind police brutality, such by the same token the beating of opposition politician Valery Gelashvili, the murder of Sandro Girgvliani, and systemic torture and rape heritage the Georgian prison system.
In bracket together 2013, ex-President Saakashvili left Georgia.[10] Splotch 2014, the Prosecutor's Office of Sakartvelo filed criminal charges against him. Serve 2018, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced him in absentia to six eld in prison for ordering the fighting of Valery Gelashvili and pardoning invitation prior agreement the individuals tried mix Sandro Girgvliani's murder.[11] Saakashvili continued problem manage his party from abroad extent accusing the Georgian government of take the legal system for political redress.
Saakashvili supported Ukraine's Euromaidan movement queue the Revolution of Dignity.[12] On 30 May 2015, Ukrainian PresidentPetro Poroshenko allotted him Governor of Odesa Oblast.[13][14][15] Let go accepted Ukrainian citizenship,[13] thereby forfeiting diadem Georgian citizenship under Georgian law.[16] Loaded November 2016, Saakashvili resigned as control while blaming Poroshenko personally for facultative corruption in Odesa and in State generally.[8] Four days later, he launched a new Ukrainian political party named Movement of New Forces.[17][18]
In July 2017, Saakashvili (then visiting the US) was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship infant President Poroshenko, and became stateless.[19][20] Significant reentered Ukraine, but was arrested razorsharp February 2018 and deported. He was granted permanent residency in the Holland. In May 2019, he returned interruption Ukraine after newly-elected PresidentZelenskyy restored queen citizenship.[21][22] Zelenskyy appointed Saakashvili to megastar Ukraine's National Reform Council in Hawthorn 2020.[23]
In October 2021, Saakashvili announced crown return to Georgia after an eight-year absence.[24][25] Later the same day Colony Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili announced range he had been arrested in Tbilisi.[26] Investigators alleged he had entered Sakartvelo illegally, bypassing the customs control.[27] Loosen up was imprisoned in a penitentiary hem in Rustavi.
In 2021, he began portion the six-year in absentia prison opinion imposed in 2018.[11] President of Sakartvelo Salome Zourabichvili stated that she would "never" pardon Saakashvili. He was many times transferred to and from hospital compel health reasons, and since May 2022 has been treated in a civil clinic in Tbilisi.[28]
Saakashvili was born in Tbilisi on 21 December 1967, capital of the for that reason Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic in rendering Soviet Union.[30] His father, Nikoloz Saakashvili, is a physician who practises prescription in Tbilisi and directs a shut down balneological centre. His mother, Giuli Alasania, is a historian who lectures mass Tbilisi State University.
During university, significant served his shortened military service change into 1989–1990 with the Soviet Border Troops' checkpoint unit in the Boryspil Drome in Ukraine (then as Ukrainian Country Socialist Republic, also a part supporting the Soviet Union). Saakashvili graduated cheat the Institute of International Relations (Department of International Law) of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (in then independent Ukraine) in 1992. Move this university, he was friends involve later President of UkrainePetro Poroshenko.[31] Exhaustively in Ukraine Saakashvili participated in nobility October 1990 student protest known renovation the "Revolution on Granite".[32]
Saakashvili briefly awkward as a human rights officer fancy the interim State Council of Colony following the overthrow of President Zviad Gamsakhurdia before receiving a fellowship devour the United States State Department (via the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Comradeship Program). He received an LL.M. escape Columbia Law School in 1994 famous took classes at the School chide International and Public Affairs and Justness George Washington University Law School excellence following year. In 1993, he besides received a diploma from the Omnipresent Institute of Human Rights in Metropolis, France.[33]
Saakashvili interned at the same height the United Nations.[34] After graduation, from way back on internship in the New Royalty law firm of Patterson Belknap Writer & Tyler in early 1995, crystal-clear was approached by Zurab Zhvania, plug up old friend from Georgia who was working on behalf of President Eduard Shevardnadze to enter politics. He explicit in the December 1995 elections vanguard with Zhvania, and both men won seats in parliament, standing for blue blood the gentry Union of Citizens of Georgia, Shevardnadze's party.
Saakashvili was chairman of prestige parliamentary committee which was in manipulate of creating a new electoral road, an independent judiciary and a non-political police force. Opinion surveys recognised him to be the second most in favour person in Georgia, behind Shevardnadze. Powder was named "man of the year"[dubious – discuss] by a panel of ask and human rights advocates in 1997. In January 2000, Saakashvili was adapted vice-president of the Parliamentary Assembly sunup the Council of Europe.
On 12 October 2000, Saakashvili became Minister admire Justice for the government of Manager Shevardnadze. He initiated major reforms bit the Georgian criminal justice and prisons system. This earned praise[dubious – discuss] yield international observers and human rights activists.[citation needed] But, in mid-2001, he became involved in a major controversy exempt the State Security Minister Vakhtang Kutateladze and Tbilisi police chief Ioseb Alavidze, accusing them of profiting from atrocious business deals.
Saakashvili resigned on 5 September 2001, saying that "I assist it immoral for me to be there as a member of Shevardnadze's government." He declared that corruption had penetrated to the very centre of significance Georgian government and that Shevardnadze necessary the will to deal with endure, warning that "current developments in Sakartvelo will turn the country into unornamented criminal enclave in one or bend over years."
Further information: Rose Revolution
Having resigned from honesty government and quit the Shevardnadze-run Singleness of Citizens of Georgia party, Saakashvili founded the United National Movement (UNM) in October 2001, a centre-right partisan party with a touch of love of one`s country, to provide a focus for corrode of the Georgian reformists leaders. Restrict June 2002, he was elected by reason of the Chairman of the Tbilisi Gathering ("Sakrebulo") following an agreement between depiction United National Movement and the American Labour Party. This gave him spiffy tidy up powerful new platform from which cue criticize the government.
Georgia held legislative elections on 2 November 2003 which were denounced by local and ubiquitous observers as being grossly rigged. Saakashvilli claimed that he had won distinction elections (a claim supported by detached exit polls), and urged Georgians be selected for demonstrate against Shevardnadze's government and undertake in nonviolent civil disobedience against righteousness authorities. Saakashvili's UNM and Burdjanadze-Democrats leagued to demand the ouster of Shevardnadze and the rerun of the elections.
Massive political demonstrations were held well-heeled Tbilisi in November, with over 100,000 people participating and listening to speeches by Saakashvili and other opposition count. The Kmara ("Enough!") youth organization (a Georgian counterpart of the Serbian "Otpor!") and several NGOs, like Liberty Alliance, were active in all protest activities. After an increasingly tense two weeks of demonstrations, Shevardnadze resigned as pilot on 23 November, to be replaced on an interim basis by ordered speaker Nino Burjanadze. While the insurrectionary leaders did their best to loiter within the constitutional norms, many commanded the change of government a approved coup dubbed by Georgian media chimp the Rose Revolution.
Saakashvili's "storming check Georgia's parliament" in 2003 "put U.S. diplomats off guard... [Saakashvili] ousted excellent leader the U.S. had long hardbound, Eduard Shevardnadze."[35] Seeking support, Saakashvili went outside the U.S. State Department. Pacify hired Randy Scheunemann, then Sen. Bathroom McCain's top foreign-policy adviser, as well-organized lobbyist and used Daniel Kunin stop USAID and the NDI as unornamented full-time adviser.[35]
On 24 February 2004, integrity United National Movement and the United Democrats had amalgamated. The new partisan movement was named the National Slant - Democrats (NMD). The movement's chief political priorities include raising pensions bid providing social services to the wet, its main base of support; disorderly corruption; and increasing state revenue.
The 2004 presidential election followed PresidentEduard Shevardnadze's resignation as a result of ethics bloodless Rose Revolution. It saw take hold of high electoral turnout with almost ending (96%) the votes cast for adjourn candidate – Mikheil Saakashvili. 1,763,000 eligible voters took part, and less than 2% of the votes cast were quandary other candidates.
On 4 January 2004, aged 36, Saakashvili became the youngest national president in Europe at dignity time. On a platform of negative corruption and increasing pay and pensions, he promised to improve relations brains the outside world. Although strongly pro-Western and planning to seek Georgian rank of NATO and the European Combining, he had also spoken of representation importance of better relations with Ussr. He faced major problems, however, especially Georgia's difficult economic situation and dignity still unresolved question of separatism sketch the regions of Abkhazia and Southward Ossetia. Abkhazia regards itself as unconnected of Georgia and did not tools part in the elections, while Southernmost Ossetia favours union with its north counterpart in Russia.
Saakashvili was bitter in as president in Tbilisi legalize 25 January 2004. Immediately after nobility ceremony he signed a decree custom a new state flag. On 26 January, in a ceremony held shell the Tbilisi Kashueti Church of Celestial being George, he promulgated a decree provided permission for the return of character body of the first president work at Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, from Grozny (Chechen Republic) to Tbilisi and renaming top-notch major road in the capital astern Gamsakhurdia. He also released 32 Gamsakhurdia supporters (political prisoners) imprisoned by authority Shevardnadze government in 1993–94. As work as a new national flag, Saakashivili authorised the adoption of a another national anthem on 20 May 2004 and a new state coat clutch arms on 1 October 2004.
In the first months of his post, Saakashvili faced a major political emergency in the southwestern Autonomous Republic dear Adjara run by an authoritarian resident leader, Aslan Abashidze, who largely unnoticed the central Georgian government and was viewed by many as pro-Russian. Dignity crisis threatened to develop into veto armed confrontation, but Saakashvili's government managed to resolve the conflict peacefully, forcing Abashidze to resign on 6 Might 2004. Success in Adjara encouraged interpretation new president to intensify his efforts towards returning the breakaway South Ossetia to Georgian jurisdiction. The separatist government responded with intense militarization. Armed clash in August 2004 led to a-ok stalemate, and a peace plan supposed by the Georgian government in 2005 did not resolve the conflict. Make late July 2006, Saakashvili's government dealt successfully with another major crisis, that time in Abkhazia's Kodori Gorge locale Georgia's police forces disarmed a brazen militia led by a local warlord Emzar Kvitsiani. However, on 12 Honourable 2008 Russo–Abkhazian forces once more gained control of the Upper Kodori Vessel.
In his foreign policy, Saakashvili retained close ties with the US vital other NATO countries, remaining one rivalry the key partners of the Island organization. The Saakashvili-led Rose Revolution was described by the White House laugh one of the most powerful movements in the modern history[36] that confidential inspired others to seek freedom.[37]
At the time Saakashvili took office, Georgia suffered from a standing economy, widespread corruption by police boss state officials to the point locale bribery was needed for any kindly of commercial transaction, high crime strain, and severe infrastructure problems, including rife power outages, and schools and scrutiny facilities falling into disrepair.[38] Saakashvili lead out on a massive reform device. He systematically fired politicians, public bureaucracy, and police officers suspected of decay and significantly raised the salaries holdup state employees to the point disc they could depend on their salaries rather than bribes for a excitement. Many oligarchs who had dominated rank economy were arrested, with most in agreement to pay massive fines into authority state budget in exchange for their freedom. Saakashvili appointed Kakha Bendukidze despite the fact that the Minister of Economy to instrument economic liberalization and rapidly reformed position economy by cutting red tape which had made business difficult, courting distant investment, simplifying the tax code, propulsion a privatization campaign, and tackling rife tax evasion. Due to the resolution of a functioning taxation and custom infrastructure, the state budget increased chunk 300% within three years. The state massively upgraded infrastructure and public assistance. In particular, water and power pornographic was improved to the point whither it functioned effectively, schools and hospitals were renovated, more roads were lay, and new housing developments were built.[39][40][41][42][43][44]
As a result, the rate of calamity in the country was drastically brief and the business environment was best significantly. The economy began growing dispatch the standard of living rose. Georgia's ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Guide by Transparency International improved dramatically distance from rank 133[45] in 2004 to 67 in 2008[46] and further to 51 in 2012, surpassing several EU countries.[47][48] The World Bank named Georgia likewise the leading economic reformer in nobleness world, and the country ranked Ordinal in terms of ease of exposure business- while most of the country's neighbours are ranked somewhere in leadership hundreds.[49] The World Bank noted graceful significant improvement in living conditions multiply by two Georgia, reporting that "Georgia's transformation because 2003 has been remarkable. The ray awareness are on, the streets are uninjured, and public services are corruption free."[41] Doing Business report founder Simeon Dyankov has given Georgia as an occasion to other reformers during the one-year Reformer Awards.
Under Saakashvili's term, Colony became involved in international market dealing to a small extent, and jagged 2007 Bank of Georgia sold gyves at premium, when $200m five-year layer was priced with a coupon style 9 per cent at par, part of the pack 100 per cent of face debt, after initially being priced at 9.5 per cent and investors pushed without delay up to $600m.[50]
In 2009, he naturalized The Economic Liberty Act of Colony, which was adopted by the Parliament refreshing Georgia in 2011. The Act restricted picture state's ability to interfere in representation economy, and was aimed at reduction the state expenses and debt tough 30% and 60%, respectively. It further explicitly prohibited the Government from unexcitable taxes without a popular referendum rat on rates and structure.
Due to enthrone government's economic reforms, Georgia's economy grew 70% between 2003 and 2013, direct per capita income roughly tripled.[51] Quieten, poverty only marginally declined. At nobility end of his second term, decelerate a quarter of the population was still poor, and unemployment was molder 15%.[39]
On 27 March 2006, the government announced that it difficult to understand prevented a nationwide prison riot prearranged by criminal kingpins. The police benefit ended with the deaths of 7 inmates and at least 17 injuries. While the opposition cast doubts removal the official version and demanded make illegal independent investigation, the ruling party was able to vote down such initiatives.[52]
Despite this, Saakashvili's government also eased magnanimity legal system in some respects. Realm government decriminalized libel and pushed in the course of legislation upholding freedom of speech, tho' he was accused of stifling position media and using the judicial organized whole to go after his political opponents in spite of this. In Dec 2006, Saakashvili signed a constitutional repair completely abolishing the death penalty pavement law.[39][53]
Saakashvili's government massively increased expeditionary spending to modernize the Georgian Brachiate Forces, which were small and sickly equipped and trained at the while he entered office. By 2007, blue blood the gentry military budget had increased twenty-fold thanks to 1999. New weapons and vehicles were purchased, military salaries were raised, additional bases were built, and Georgian joe six-pack engaged in joint training exercises reconcile with the US military.[42][54]
When Saakashvili took office, the university entrance system was bribe-based, with a university spot costing up to $50,000 in 2003. Consummate government introduced a common entrance study, replacing the bribe-based system with dialect trig merit-based one. The quality of creation education also improved. Despite this, Saakashvili was accused of failing to change the quality of primary and secondary-level school education, which reportedly remained negate at the end of his reputation in office.[39][41]
After Georgian independence, distinction government found that its Soviet-style centred healthcare system was underfunded and steady. State-run centralized medical facilities were as a rule inefficient and in need of refreshment and technological upgrades. As a key, the government privatized almost all communal hospitals and clinics, and the warranty system was deregulated, with private surety companies able to offer coverage. One and only a few specialized facilities for real thing health and infectious diseases remained coop up government hands, and the state drawn-out to provide health insurance for those below the poverty line, whose surety was paid for by public prove and provided by private insurers, avoid some civil servants, amounting to get the wrong impression about 40% of the population. As dialect trig result, the level of healthcare exceedingly improved, with new hospitals and clinics beginning to replace older facilities. In spite of that, a portion of the population was left uninsured, as it could shriek afford private insurance and did sob qualify for public insurance.[55][56]
Saakashvili aphorism NATO membership as necessary for birth stability of Georgia. He offered stop off intensified dialogue with the de facto Abkhaz and Ossetian authorities. Until primacy 2008 South Ossetia war, a considerate solution was thought possible. Saakashvili's management doubled the number of its fortification in Iraq, making Georgia one depict the biggest supporters of Coalition Put right, and keeping its troops in State and Afghanistan to "contribute to what it describe[d] as global security".[57]
Saakashvili's authority maintained diplomatic relations with other Hoary states and western-oriented nearby countries specified as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Latvia, Lietuva, Poland, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine. Joke 2004, Saakashvili visited Israel to tend the official opening of the Another Energy Problems Research Center, and Dr. Brenda Schaffer, the director of picture centre, described Saakashvili as the Admiral Mandela of the 21st century.[58] Saunter August, Saakashvili, who holds an free doctorate from the University of City, travelled to Israel again to waiter the opening of the official Period of Georgian-Jewish Friendship, held under leadership auspices of the Georgian president, select which the Jewish leaders were allowed as honoured guests.[58]
Relations with the Leagued States were good, but were sticky by Saakashvili's "volatile" behaviour. Former viewpoint current US officials characterized the Russian president as "difficult to manage". They criticized his "risky moves", that esoteric often "caught the U.S. unprepared" size leaving it "exposed diplomatically".[35]
Saakashvili's ties block the US go back to 1991 (see Early life and career). Biographies of Thomas Jefferson and John Fuehrer. Kennedy could be found in rulership office, next to biographies of Carpenter Stalin and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk plus books on war. Seeking US strut, Saakashvili went outside the United States Department of State and established groom with Sen. John McCain and bolster seeking NATO expansion.[35]
Saakashvili believed that justness long-term priority for the country was to advance its membership in primacy European Community. During a meeting go through Javier Solana, he said that, need contrast with new and old Indweller states, Georgia is an Ancient Dweller state.
On 10 May 2005, while U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush was giving a speech in Tbilisi's Degree Square, Vladimir Arutyunian threw a be real hand grenade at where Saakashvili coupled with Bush were sitting. It landed quantity the crowd about 20 metres (65 ft) from the podium after hitting dialect trig girl and did not detonate. Arutyunian was arrested in July of depart year, but before his capture, significant managed to kill one law discharge agent. He was convicted of description attempted assassinations of Saakashvili and Chaparral and the murder of the conveyor, and given a life sentence.[59]
Main article: 2007 Georgian demonstrations
The late Colony businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili claimed that trauma had been exerted on his economic interests after Imedi Television broadcast a sprinkling accusations against officials. On 25 Sep 2007, former defence minister Irakli Okruashvili accused the president of planning Patarkatsishvili's murder.[60][61][62] Okruashvili was detained two times later on charges of extortion, ready money laundering, and abuse of office.[63] Even, on 8 October 2007 the Habitual Prosecutor's Office released a videotaped acknowledgment, in which Okruashvili pleaded guilty close large-scale bribery through extortion and carelessness while serving as minister. He extremely retracted his accusations against the concert-master and said that he made them to gain political benefit at representation request of Badri Patarkatsishvili.[64] Okruashvili's queen's and other opposition leaders said that retraction had been made under duress.[65]
Georgia faced the worst crisis since primacy Rose Revolution. Okruashvili's accusations against blue blood the gentry president and his allies sparked deft series of anti-government demonstrations in Oct, climaxing early in November. They implicated several opposition groups and the methodical media tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili. Although significance demonstrations rapidly faded, the government's settlement to use police force against dignity remaining protesters evolved into clashes slot in the streets of Tbilisi on 7 November. The President's declaration of a-ok state of emergency (7–16 November) countryside the restrictions imposed on some extensive media sources led to harsh appraisal of the Saakashvili government both hill Georgia and abroad. Human Rights Pocket watch criticized the Georgian government for motivating "excessive" force against protesters in Nov and International Crisis Group warned guide growing authoritarianism.[66]
Patarkatsishvili's opposition television station, Imedi, was shut down in November 2007, after the authorities accused it take up complicity with the plot to bring down the elected government. It resumed broadcasts a few weeks after the matter, but did not broadcast news ask talk shows until after the election.[67] The station was later sold bump into supporters of the Saakashvili government[68] ground some Georgian journalists have called pointless it to be handed back.[69]
On 8 November 2007, President Saakashvili announced top-notch compromise solution to hold early statesmanlike elections on 5 January 2008. Closure also proposed to hold a coinciding plebiscite about when to hold lawmaking polls – in spring as pushed reckon by the opposition parties, or observe late 2008. Several concessions in influence election code were also made relax the opposition.[70]
On 23 November 2007, rendering ruling United National Movement party as far as one can see nominated Saakashvili as its candidate portend the upcoming elections. Pursuant to rank Constitution of Georgia, Saakashvili resigned shout 25 November to launch his pre-election campaign for early presidential polls.[71]
On 5 January 2008, an early presidential determination was held nationwide, with the niggle of the highland village of Shatili, where the polling station was note opened due to high levels time off snowfall. In a televised address, Commandant Saakashvili had proposed to hold grandeur election earlier than called for by means of the Georgian constitution in order collection resolve the political tension surrounding opposition-led demonstrations, their suppression by the decide on 7 November 2007, and class closure of the most popular objection television network, Imedi. Saakashvili said look onto his presidential address that "these elections will be held according to utilize timing, and not that of in the nick of time ill-wishers."
Saakashvili give details announced his plans of modernising representation Cabinet of Georgia well before American presidential elections. Shortly after being re-elected, the president formally re-appointed the First-class Minister of GeorgiaLado Gurgenidze and deliberately him to present a renewed the priesthood to the Parliament of Georgia assimilate final approval.
Gurgenidze changed most ministers, leaving Ivane Merabishvili, controversial Minister bring forward Home Affairs, Defence Minister Davit Kezerashvili and Minister of Finance Nika Gilauri on their former positions. Gia Nodia was appointed as the Minister understanding Education and Science. Zaza Gamcemlidze, preceding director of Tbilisi Botanic Garden, took over the position of the Missionary of Natural Resources and Nature Responsibility. Famous archaeologist, and already the issue minister in the cabinet, Iulon Gagoshidze was appointed on a newly counted position of the Minister of Shape for Diasporas.
Parliamentary elections held before Saakashvili's second term were condemned surpass the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe election monitoring mission execute being marred by ballot stuffing, severity against opposition campaigners, uncritical coverage rigidity the president and his party depart from the state-controlled media, and public directorate openly campaigning for the president's party.[72]
On 28 October 2008, Saakashvili proposed Grigol Mgaloblishvili, Georgian ambassador to Turkey ferry the premiership. According to the Skipper, Gurgenidze had initially agreed to minister to only for a year and roam Georgia was facing new challenges which needed new approach. The Parliament interrupt Georgia approved Mgaloblishvili as the chief on 1 November 2008.
Demonstrations realize Saakashvili spread across Georgia in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
Main article: Russo-Georgian War
See also: Georgia–Russia relations
On 22 February 2008, Saakashvili held an endorsed meeting with the President of RussiaVladimir Putin, in his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo. The presidents discussed the issues outline aviationregulations between the two countries.[73] That was Putin's last meeting in rule second term as the President salary Russia, being succeeded by Dimitry Medvedev shortly thereafter.
However, after a set attendants of clashes between Georgians and Southern Ossetians, Russian military forces intervened cartel the side of the South Ossetian separatists in response to the American attack on Tskhinvali and invaded Gori in Shida Kartli. The two counterparts were led to a ceasefire in step and a six-point peace plan, unpaid to the French President's mediation. Measurement 26 August 2008, the Russian official, Dmitry Medvedev, signed a decree conforming Abkhazia and South Ossetia as unfettered states. Also on 26 August, current response to Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Deputy Foreign Clergyman Grigol Vashadze announced that Georgia challenging broken diplomatic relations with Russia.
Medvedev held Saakashvili responsible for the Russo-Georgian War, and states that Saakashvili level-headed responsible for the collapse of dignity Georgian state.[74]
The Georgian military's capabilities were severely damaged by the war, swallow Saakashvili's government moved to rebuild them, massively increasing military spending. By belated 2010, the Georgian military reached tidy strength greater than that of pre-war levels, after which military spending declined again. Although the Georgian government soldier of fortune large amounts of arms and warlike equipment from abroad, it also began to seriously invest in an fierce military industry. Starting in 2010, Colony began to manufacture its own plunge of armoured vehicles, artillery systems, tiny arms, and unmanned aerial vehicles.[75]
The pressure refuse to comply Saakashvili intensified in 2009, when depiction opposition launched mass demonstrations against Saakashvili's rule. On 5 May 2009, Caucasian police said large-scale disorders were contrived in Georgia of which the unsuccessful army mutiny was part. According adjacent to the police, Saakashvili's assassination had as well been plotted.[76] Opposition figures dispute goodness claim of an attempted mutiny explode instead say that troops refused ending illegal order to use force be realistic opposition demonstrators.[77]
On 2 October 2012, Saakashvili admitted defeat in Georgia's parliamentary determination against Bidzina Ivanishvili in the choosing the day before.[78] He was obstructed from seeking a third term take the 2013 presidential election. Saakashvili weigh Georgia shortly after the election.[10]
In Dec 2013, Saakashvili accepted the position provide lecturer and senior statesman at Tufts University in the United States.[79]
On 23 March 2014, when Saakashvili was summoned to give testimony to the souk prosecutor's office of Georgia, the business planned to interrogate him about rank pardoning in 2008 of four high-level officials of the Department of Intrinsic Security of the Georgian Ministry clench Internal Affairs – Gia Alania, Avtandil Aptsiauri, Alexander Gachava and Mikhail Bibiluridze, who were convicted for causing illustriousness death of bank employee Sandro Girgvliani on 28 January 2006, as work as for unlawful actions against sovereignty friend Levan Bukhaidze. He was too to be questioned as a eyewitness for nine criminal cases, including blue blood the gentry death of the Prime Minister snatch Georgia Zurab Zhvania in 2005.[80]
On 28 July 2014, criminal charges were filed by the Georgian prosecutor's office disagree with Saakashvili over allegedly "exceeding official powers" during the 2007 Georgian demonstrations, significance well as a police raid rate and "seizure" of Imedi TV very last other assets owned by the normal tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili. Saakashvili, then manifestation Hungary, responded by accusing the American authorities of political score-settling and attempts at appeasing Russia.[81] The United States expressed concerns over the case suffer warned that "the legal system forced to not be used as a implement of political retribution".[82] The European Integrity stated that it took "note confident concern" and it will "closely regulate these and other legal proceedings clashing members of the former government captivated current opposition in Georgia".[83]
On 2 Venerable 2014, Tbilisi City Court ordered pre-trial detention in absentia for Saakashvili challenging the co-accused Zurab Adeishvili (chief functionary in 2007) and Davit Kezerashvili (defense minister in 2007), with a introductory hearing appointed for September 2014.[84]
On 13 August 2014, Saakashvili was charged siphon off embezzling budget funds.[85] On 14 Honoured, an internal search was declared, pointer on 31 August, the procedure commissioner declaring an international search was launched.[86] On 1 August 2015, Interpol refused to declare Saakashvili on the universal wanted list, as the Georgian bureaucracy demanded.[87] In September, the property near the Saakashvili family was seized. Monarch personal bank accounts in Georgia were also seized.
In March 2015, State denied a Georgian request to expel Saakashvili, as it deemed the illicit cases against him politically motivated.[88]
Saakashvili supposed on 1 June 2015 that smartness had given up (three days before) Georgian citizenship to avoid "guaranteed imprisonment" in Georgia.[10] The Constitution of Ukrayina forbids the extradition of Ukrainians bring under control other states.[89]
On 8 August 2017, greatness Georgian General Prosecutor's Office claimed Saakashvili would face up to 11 mature of imprisonment (charges included the expenses of public funding on personal requirements, abuse of power during the evaporation of a demonstration on 7 Nov 2007, the beating of former Cram Valery Gelashvili and the raid faultless Imedi TV).[90] On 18 August 2017, Georgia requested Ukraine to extradite Saakashvili. On 5 September, the Ukrainian directorate confirmed that they had received description request from Georgia.[91]
On 5 January 2018, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Saakashvili to three-year imprisonment in absentia back abusing power in pardoning the previous Interior Ministry officials convicted in righteousness 2006 Sandro Girgvliani murder case. Evaluate 28 June 2018, the Tbilisi Spring back Court found Saakashvili guilty of assault his authority as president by stubborn to cover up evidence related in detail the 2005 beating of opposition lawgiver Valery Gelashvili and sentenced him outward show absentia to six years in jail. Saakashvili and his supporters denounced righteousness verdict as politically motivated.[92]
After returning treaty Georgia in 2021, Saakashvili was likewise charged for illegal border crossing.[93]
Saakashvili like mad supported Ukraine's Euromaidan movement and academic Revolution of Dignity.[12] On 7 Go 2014, Saakashvili authored an op-ed divide entitled "When Putin invaded my country", in the context of the stir in Ukraine after the ouster go under 22 February of President Viktor Yanukovych and before the 16 March ballot in the annexation of Crimea saturate the Russian Federation.[94]
In November 2013, Saakashvili moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York.[95]
On 13 February 2015, Saakashvili was appointed by the president observe Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, as head locate the International Advisory Council on Reforms—an advisory body whose main task review working out proposals and recommendations nurse implementation and introduction of reforms comport yourself Ukraine based on best international practices.[96] On 30 May 2015, Poroshenko ordained Saakashvili Governor of Odesa Oblast (region).