“Convenient to the President”: Zelensky canceled Poroshenko’s decree on depriving Saakashvili of Ukrainian citizenship

The former president of Georgia and the ex-governor of the Odessa region, Mikhail Saakashvili, again became the owner of the citizenship of Ukraine. This decision was made by the head of state Vladimir Zelensky.

"Amend the decree of the President of Ukraine of July 26, 2017 No. 196 ... changes, eliminating the provision on the loss of Saakashvili’s citizenship of Ukraine by Mikhail," said a statement issued by the press service of the Ukrainian leader.

Recall that a native of Tbilisi became a citizen of Ukraine on May 30, 2015, after which Petro Poroshenko, who was president of Ukraine at that time, appointed him governor of the Odessa region. At this mutual cooperation of politicians has ceased. In his post, Saakashvili began to criticize the mayor of Odessa, Gennady Trukhanov, for his participation in corruption schemes and protection from the presidential administration. Later, with the accusations, he attacked Poroshenko, as a result of which he was dismissed from office in November 2016, and in July 2017, he was deprived of Ukrainian citizenship.

Saakashvili himself has already expressed appreciation to Zelensky for returning legal status. In addition, Ukrainian media reported that the 51-year-old politician will return to the country on Wednesday, May 29.

“Thanks to President Zelensky! Glory to Ukraine! ”He wrote on Facebook.

At the same time a few hours before it became known about the decree, Saakashvili called Poroshenko’s actions to deprive him of his citizenship as “the cowardly act of an unworthy president.” At the same time, the return of citizenship would be a "courageous act of a worthy president." According to Saakashvili, he aims to support Ukraine and its new “very talented” leader.

At the same time, on May 22, the lawyer of the ex-governor of the Odessa region, Ruslan Chernolutsky, submitted to the presidential administration of Ukraine a petition for the return of Saakashvili’s citizenship. The letter states that the former head of state of Georgia does not need “no positions and preferences.”

We note that at the end of April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin pointed out that it would be fair to restore the rights of Ukrainian citizens who were forced to leave the country, fleeing persecution.

“He should have been returned and restored to his violated rights,” said the President of the Russian Federation, speaking of Saakashvili.

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The restoration of justice and the rule of law was also announced by the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine, Alexander Danilyuk, who was appointed to his post on May 28.

“One thing is important now: the law was violated, and what they did to Mikhail was certainly not an example of how Ukraine should behave with its citizens,” he said at a briefing.

“It remains to find out what role was prepared for Saakashvili”

According to Vladimir Katenev, a member of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, the Zelensky team can use Saakashvili’s experience as a politician.

“From the very beginning, when Zelensky came to the presidency, he abolished a number of personnel decrees Poroshenko. If the new Ukrainian leader can use the energy and potential of Saakashvili for peaceful purposes, then something can come out of this, ”Katenev said in an interview with RT.

He stressed that it is quite difficult to get along with and negotiate with the former President of Georgia.

“He is a very emotional, quite bright and informal person. But often it puts in extremes, it can be difficult with him. So far, it remains unclear to what incarnation Zelensky uses it, ”explained the deputy.

In turn, Vladimir Olenchenko, a senior fellow at the Center for European Studies at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, believes that Zelensky’s decree has two goals.

“On the one hand, it could be a decision taken in peak Poroshenko. Thus, he wants to show his attitude towards Poroshenko, who before transferring power, created Zelensky quite a lot of administrative and economic difficulties. In addition, this desire to demonstrate the presence of their own opinions on certain issues, ”- said the source RT.

On the other hand, according to Olenchenko, the new president of Ukraine can connect Saakashvili to the formation of a team headed by Zelensky.

According to the expert, the head of state can use the ex-governor of the Odessa region as a “political ram” and benefit from the fact that Saakashvili understands the situation on the ground.

“Zelensky needs people whom he will place in different places and on which he could rely, rely on, whom he could trust. Saakashvili has lived in Ukraine for some time, he, undoubtedly, harbored resentment at Poroshenko, and so Zelensky would be comfortable. I don’t know what role he is preparing for him, but the fact that he granted him citizenship is clearly not without purpose, ”Olenchenko emphasized.