Family of Mikheil Saakashvili together with MEPs hold briefing at European Parliament
By Liza Mchedlidze
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
The members of Mikheil Saakashvili's family - Eduard Saakashvili, Sandra Roelofs and Giuli Alasania held a briefing together with the European parliamentarians Anna Fotiga and Miriam Lexmann in Brussels, regarding the imprisoned former president's deteriorating health condition.
At the briefing held in the European Parliament, Miriam Lexmann said that the European Parliament will probably connect the issue of Saakashvili and Gvaramia with the issue of granting candidate status to Georgia and the country's EU aspirations will not end 'successfully'.
"If the system kills Mikheil Saakashvili in prison and there is a legal basis for him to receive proper medical care, it will be very difficult for us to say that the country fulfills the conditions imposed on them, and in this case, I would like to mention Nika Gvaramia, on whom the Public Defender's report states that he is clearly a political prisoner, and it is surprising that these two cases would be enough that Georgia's aspiration towards the European Union does not end successfully. We think that when the members of the European Union and the Parliament analyze the current situation in Georgia, especially the situation of Mikheil Saakashvili, which is very serious, we will ask them [the government] to resolve these two issues as one of the conditions for granting EU candidacy," said Lexmann.
At the briefing, Mikheil Saakashvili's son, Eduard Saakashvili said that the family is worried about Saakashvili's condition. He hopes that Saakashvili survives, saying that for that he needs to be given the opportunity to undergo treatment abroad.
"I am not used to speaking in public. But now the situation is different. I don't have the opportunity to see my father, but when I do, every time I see him, I find that he is worse, he is sick. A person who was energetic, charismatic, is slowly disappearing and we, the family members, are very concerned and worried about it.
We can see that his condition is getting worse day by day. He has been in the hospital for 6 months now but it seems that he is not getting the proper attention and his condition is getting worse.
We are grateful for the support we have received. However, the situation has become very serious and something has to change. We are afraid that something terrible will happen to him. We are trying to find a solution for our family during this difficult time. The solution is very simple, both legally and morally. The solution is to allow him to be treated abroad in a proper clinic.
We have a lot of support from our friends in Europe. But the situation is very serious and something has to change. What will be the next step is not clear to us, but this change must happen, and my father's life and health must be saved. I hope that my father, Mikheil Saakashvili, does not die in prison," said Eduard Saakashvili.
