Saakashvili: Russia stands behind decision on deprivation of citizenship

The Tbilisi's decision to start the procedure of deprivation of Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgian citizenship was made "at the behest of Russia" in order to prevent his participation in the next election, the former president of Georgia believes.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) of Georgia received a Ukraine's official statement that Mikhail Saakashvili is a Ukrainian citizen, and started the procedure of depriving him of Georgian citizenship.

"It's all Bidzina Ivanishvili's business. Today, he said that he fulfilled Russia’s orders, and thus blocks my way to the next election; therefore, he deprives me of Georgian citizenship after he forced me to leave the country," the RIA "Novosti" quotes Mikhail Saakashvili's today's statement.

Let us remind you that in Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili is accused of abuse of power, embezzlement of budget funds, dispersal of the opposition's action in November 2007, committing a pogrom in the "Imedi" TV company, confiscation of property of billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili, and involvement in beating up the MP Valery Gelashvili and murder of the banker Sandro Girgvliani. On August 2, 2014, the former president was arrested in absentia by a Georgian court. The Prosecution Office of Georgia demanded his extradition from Ukraine, but the demand was rejected. The ex-president himself treats his prosecution in the homeland as political.

Anna Natsvlishvili, the head of the "Association of Young Georgian Lawyers", said in her turn, that if a person is prosecuted, he cannot be deprived of citizenship.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.