Tbilisi’s warning about the possible recall of the ambassador from Ukraine in the event that the ex-president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili gets a post in the Ukrainian cabinet is a pressure on Kiev. This was stated by the head of the parliamentary faction of the Party of the Servant of the People David Arahamia on the air of the political talk show Freedom of Speech by Savik Shuster.

The politician explained that he considers it unacceptable when another country tells Ukraine about plans to recall the ambassador or take some kind of diplomatic pressure because of his appointment to the government.

“I believe that it is politically impossible at all, we are a sovereign country, the sovereignty of other countries must be respected,” the parliamentarian stressed, adding that he cannot imagine Ukraine trying to exert such pressure on other states.

At the same time, the prospects that Mikheil Saakashvili will take the post of deputy prime minister are still vague. As explained by Arahamia, appointing Saakashvili to this post only by the votes of deputies from the party "Servant of the People" will not work due to the low attendance of extraordinary meetings of the Rada under quarantine.

“Therefore, we must either wait until we can mobilize more people to parliament from our faction, or agree to support other factions in order to make this appointment the only such impulse,” noted Arahamia.

In his opinion, putting forward the candidacy of Saakashvili for voting makes sense only if there is an absolute understanding of the balance of votes.

“Because it will be very bad if, for example, it is put to a vote and we fail this vote,” Arahamia added.

At the same time, Yuriy Boyko, co-chairman of the Opposition Platform - For Life party, who was present at the studio, said he was skeptical of the idea of ​​appointing Saakashavili to the Ukrainian cabinet.

“There will be no benefit from him”

Mikheil Saakashvili himself also took part in a talk show. He said that the idea to invite him to the government of Ukraine belongs to Vladimir Zelensky, since the situation in the country is “beyond the critical line” and the authorities need to actively act. Speaking about the advantages of his candidacy, Saakashvili especially emphasized his alleged close acquaintance with a number of major world leaders.

  • David Arahamia
  • © Screenshot from video: Youtube

“I know very closely Donald Trump for many years. I’m ready to share these contacts with all the current European leaders, and I have very good experience working with the Republican Administration of America, ”the politician said.

He also named two key points of his anti-crisis plan for Ukraine. First, the country must reduce regulatory restrictions and red tape to attract enterprises that are now leaving China to Ukraine.

“We can pick up dozens of enterprises from China,” Saakashvili said.

Secondly, Ukraine should take advantage of the situation and increase food exports.

“The whole world will need food, a disaster will occur. This is a Klondike for Ukraine, ”the ex-president of Georgia emphasized.

However, experts are skeptical about Saakashvili’s anti-crisis initiatives. As Andrei Suzdaltsev, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and World Politics at the HSE, noted in an interview with RT, although new ideas are expected from the odious politician in Ukraine, in this case he did not propose any breakthrough initiatives.

“The economic growth that was in Ukraine was secured by the contribution of the agricultural sector. Ukraine is increasingly turning into an agricultural country. As regards the attraction of companies withdrawing production facilities from China, such an opportunity is theoretically visible. But investments can fall only on peaceful soil, and Ukraine continues to announce to the whole world that it is a victim of Russian aggression, and there is a war on its territory, ”the expert recalled.

According to political analyst Alexander Dudchak, Saakashvili already had a chance to prove himself as a reformer in both Georgia and Ukraine.

“Saakashvili says a lot about his brilliant plans ... But there will be no benefit from him,” the expert noted in a commentary on RT.

Political Salesman

Recall that Mikheil Saakashvili served as President of Georgia from 2008 to 2013. In the fall of 2013, before the end of his second presidential term, the politician fled to Europe. Already in 2014, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia opened a series of criminal cases against Saakashvili on charges of abuse of power and embezzlement of budget funds.

However, Saakashvili’s political career did not stop there: he found a new haven in Ukraine. In 2015, the ex-president arrived there at the invitation of Petro Poroshenko.

  • The Rose Revolution in Georgia, 2003
  • Reuters
  • © Gleb Garanich

As a result, the Georgian politician quickly received Ukrainian citizenship and the post of head of the Odessa Regional State Administration. However, in 2016, he left this post, saying that he could not overcome corruption among local officials. The politician founded the Movement of New Forces party and announced that he was going to start the fight against corruption already at the national level, in the highest Ukrainian elite. At the same time, his relationship with Poroshenko deteriorated to such an extent that Saakashvili was expelled from the country and deprived of Ukrainian citizenship.  

However, he did not abandon his political ambitions in Kiev and even broke through the Polish-Ukrainian border. However, Saakashvili could legally return to Ukraine after Vladimir Zelensky became president. Then the new authorities restored the Ukrainian passport of Saakashvili. 

Political scientists note that, apparently, the current president of Ukraine has high hopes for Saakashvili. Earlier it became known that he could get the post of deputy prime minister for reform in the government of Ukraine. The former president of Georgia wrote about this on his Facebook.

“It is a great honor for me to receive an offer from President Zelensky to become Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Reforms,” Saakashvili wrote.

This information provoked the indignation of the Georgian authorities. According to Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, if Saakashvili takes office in the Ukrainian government, Tbilisi will not leave this unanswered.

“The appointment of a strategic partner to the post of deputy prime minister, already sentenced for serious crimes and wanted by a person, is categorically unacceptable to us. <...> Of course, Georgia will respond to such a step, ”Gaharia said at a briefing. 

Moreover, in the long run this will not affect Ukrainian-Georgian relations, he added, calling Kiev a strategic partner of Tbilisi.

It should be noted that earlier Mikheil Saakashvili submitted a proposal to the official authorities of Georgia. Speaking on the air of the Mtavari Archi television company, the politician said that he would attract $ 5.5 billion from foreign partners to the country if the Georgian authorities grant him temporary official status as a representative of the state leadership and postpone the consideration of cases against him until the fall. Saakashvili also referred to his connections with international financial organizations and among modern political leaders.

Protege of washington

According to experts, Saakashvili gives the wish for the reality when he promises the authorities of Ukraine and Georgia billions of dollars in investments through his ties with world leaders, right up to the head of the White House.

“Saakashvili may know someone, because he is a long-time protege of George Soros and the US Democratic Party. Such communication, of course, gives him the opportunity to maintain his welfare with the help of handouts, grants, but he will bring only next problems to Ukraine, ”said Alexander Dudchak.

A similar point of view is shared by Andrei Suzdaltsev, Deputy Dean, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE.

“Saakashvili really has some contacts, but it is unlikely that these relations can be converted into something useful for Ukraine. Most likely, Saakashvili’s promotion should be evidence of Kiev’s loyalty and control over Washington. And this, in turn, will help Kiev get a new loan from the IMF, which makes decisions under US pressure, ”said Suzdaltsev.

Alexander Dudchak believes that the idea of ​​appointing Saakashvili to the post of deputy prime minister is due, rather, to political rather than economic reasons.

“Perhaps Zelensky, with the help of Saakashvili’s figure, wants to balance the influence of Avakov, with whom the former president of Georgia was actively arguing. Wherever Saakashvili appears, contention begins. Most likely, this situation will end for Zelensky as well as for Poroshenko, ”the analyst predicts.

  • Reuters
  • © David Mdzinarishvili

At the same time, experts emphasize that it is precisely the great influence of the United States on the Georgian and Ukrainian elites that can prevent the aggravation of the conflict between Tbilisi and Kiev. According to Andrei Suzdaltsev, even if Saakashvili really gets a high post in the Ukrainian government, Georgia will not complicate relations with Ukraine.

“These countries are allies that are part of the anti-Russian bloc that has formed in the post-Soviet space. Saakashvili’s appearance as vice president is Washington’s decision, which is the curator of this bloc, ”said Suzdaltsev.

Alexander Dudchak, in turn, says that Georgia will surely "have an unpleasant aftertaste." At the same time, the political scientist also believes that because of the "colossal influence" of the United States on both countries, the contradictions between them "will not be able to develop." 

According to Andrei Suzdaltsev, Saakashvili is also a very “puppet figure” and his prospects are very limited.

“The Georgian leadership now simply keeps its face, therefore, it demonstrates the desire to punish Saakashvili, but this is just a game for the public,” the expert emphasized.