mikheil_saakashvili

Photo published on Mikheil Saakashvili’s Facebook page.

TBILISI, DFWatch–Outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili says he will ‘temporarily’ leave politics and may go on to work within science.

In an open letter posted on Facebook on Friday, Saakashvili explained why he will not attend the inauguration of Giorgi Margvelashvili as new president tomorrow.

Before the election, Saakashvili said he was planning to leave politics no matter what the results of the election would be.

On Friday, he said that he is planning to ‘refrain from participating in Georgian daily political life.’

“I have no intention to hinder them in any form. I wrapped up my consultations with the EU and European Parliament leaders prior to the Vilnius Summit,” he writes.

“I am discussing several proposals from leading foreign universities regarding the establishment of a new international scientific center tied with my name.”

Saakashvili writes that he is aware that the government is worried every time he says or does something.

“I want to tell them too that I wish them success in reversing the economic crisis, in resisting the pressure from Russia and continuing the Euro-Atlantic integration we have so much worked for,” he goes on.

“It’s our common interest to minimize the damages and escape the worst.”

Sunday November 17, Saakashvili will leave office. He was elected in 2004 and has served as president of Georgia for almost ten years.

Read the full letter in English here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/mikheil-saakashvili/%E1%83%AB%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A4%E1%83%90%E1%83%A1%E1%83%9D-%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A5%E1%83%90%E1%83%9A%E1%83%90%E1%83%A5%E1%83%94%E1%83%9C%E1%83%9D/669574573072927