Representatives of the European Parliament’s main political groups called on the Georgian authorities, on Thursday 2 February, to allow former President Mikheil Saakashvili to be transferred abroad for treatment. The 55-year-old is serving a six-year prison sentence for “abuse of power”, which he says is political.
The MEPs also denounced the huge polarisation in the political class and in society.
“The life of the former president is at stake. This unacceptable behaviour of the authorities is in direct contradiction with the declared European aspirations of the Georgian government and the respect for values that this entails”, recalled Miriam Lexmann (Slovakian) for the EPP, warning that the authorities would be held responsible if anything happened to Mr Saakashvili. Mr Saakashvili’s party is a member of the EPP party.
For Petras Auštrevičius (Renew Europe, Lithuanian), the transfer abroad would save the former president’s life and allow the country, which wants to become an EU candidate, to “keep its European face”.
Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, Spanish) said the transfer would also allow for a “normalised political agenda” in the country.
Markéta Gregorová (Greens/EFA, Czech) denounced the case as “highly politicised”, adding that there is currently talk of a “political prisoner” rather than the country’s “candidate status” for EU membership.
For the Commission, Johannes Hahn stressed that the Georgian authorities should take all measures to protect the health of the former president. He advocated for them to allow an independent medical opinion from an international organisation on Mr Saakashvili’s health.
On behalf of the EU Council Presidency, Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson recalled that the Georgian authorities have a duty to care for and respect people, including their physical and mental health and physical integrity, adding that it is important that Georgia continues its efforts on the Rule of law.
Mr Jonson and Mr Hahn said that the EU was in contact with the Georgian authorities regarding Mr Saakashvili. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)