Lol the government is still letting Russians into the country as much as there are coming. The government just lately stated that they are open to open direct flights to Moscow again.
Russia is trying to pull in Georgia now the same shit they tried to pull off in Ukraine in 2014. They've even tried to push through the same "foreign agent" law that Russia uses now to oppress anyone publicly contradicting Kremlin's narrative.
The worst part of the slow murder of Saakashvili, who's not getting the care he needs while being held by Georgian pro-Russian government under dubious pretenses, is that it fucks over the entire population of Georgia by throwing the country firmly onto the deck of the sinking Titanic.
If Saakashvili dies, this puts an end to Georgians' aspirations to be a part of the EU (or even increasing cooperation), because the EU doesn't need a regime that murders their political opponents in plain sight while playing Russia's fiddle.
Like, the EU has enough trouble with Orban already; it'll be an easy thanks but no thanks.
So Georgians who aren't keen to returning to USSR lifestyle of "we have the best ballet but no toilet paper" have a rather short window of opportunity before it closes for a long, long time.
Being a pro-EU politician in a neighbouring country to Russia is a dangerous job as Victor Yuschenko found out in Ukraine in 2004.
If there is a Georgian Maidan then Russia will probably just "regime change" them either through assassinations, little green men or invasion.
Yuschenko got off easy. [Viacheslav Chornovil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viacheslav_Chornovil), a prominent soviet dissident and the leading anti-russia candidate of 1999 presidental elections, [did not](https://archive.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/ex-prosecutor-says-1999-death-of-opposition-leader-chornovil-was-murder.html).
Jesus Christ, they beat him to death with brass knuckles? I thought throwing people out of windows was bad, but what kind of assassins just beat a guy to death?
> If there is a Georgian Maidan then Russia will probably just "regime change" them either through assassinations, little green men or invasion.
Well, the good news is that we know that, and they won't be able to pull that shit off in 2023.
They're already failing in one invasion, opening a second front is a fun idea that would surely help it /s
With these articles from The Guardian from that time when journalists still had some integrity I'm concluding that what you're saying is nonesense. Too few people actually bother to read history. I can back these articles also from other sources since there is actual research done about the Rose revolution.
About Georgia war, the EU conclusion:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/30/georgia-attacks-unjustifiable-eu
About Orange Revolution:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/nov/26/ukraine.usa
The Rose Revolution:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Revolution
There's quite good research in the front page of Google search done by many institutes and US goverment. I can't link them here because they're pdfs. The role of NGOs and media were big in Rose Revolution. These NGOs were funded by the US. They actually did research afterwards how it went and what happened. They were disappointed that Saakashvili did not go for more democracy but chose a more authoritarian path. He couldn't curb corruption in Odessa either and turned against Poroshenko.
Saakashvili's adventures in Ukraine:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/05/former-georgian-president-mikheil-saakashvili-is-detained-in-ukraine
Reading these I know exactly why that foreign agent law couldn't pass and why EU opposed it.
I hope that redditors have some integrity and actually read these articles and consider them. I got interested in this topic since situation in Georgia didn't make any sense. Why wave EU flags against transparency laws recarding media, NGOs and their funding. It would have exposed the Russian ones also. Seems like Georgia has quite a history regarding those NGOs.
A law like that might make sense in a stable democracy, but the Georgian government can't be trusted with that power. It's obvious the purpose is to discredit the opposition and make EU/US look bad (why do you think they're disrespecting Western officials on every possibility). You think they will accurately mark themselves or organizations as Russian agents? EU/US funding is generally transparent, while Russian is secretive, so this only benefits them to mark their opposition as unpatriotic.
[I am Ukrainian](https://imgur.com/gallery/xUWSYRn). From Odesa, it so happens.
My wife is from Kyiv.
I can assure you that anyone claiming that some foreign entity is "behind" either the Orange revolution, or - more importantly - the **revolution of dignity** in 2014 - is full of shit or is paid for by Russians (which is the same thing, really).
Funny thing, I **specifically** said 2014 Ukraine, and all of your links are about **something else**.
>Why wave EU flags against transparency laws recarding media, NGOs and their funding
That's because the law mirrors [the foreign agent law in Russia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_foreign_agent_law), which, in its current edition, says:
>The Russian foreign agent law requires anyone who receives "support" from outside Russia **or is under "influence" from outside Russia** to **register** and declare themselves as "foreign agents". Once registered, they are subject to additional audits and are **obliged to mark all their publications with a 24-word disclaimer** saying that they are being distributed by a "foreign agent". The phrase "foreign agent" (Russian: иностранный агент) in Russian has strong associations with Cold War-era espionage.
Translation: this requires **anyone** refuting Kremlin's viewpoint to register and wear a special mark when talking in public.
As a Jew, I know where that's going, and so do Georgians.
For example of the mark, see any video [Yulia Latynina](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxil2qoSLmA). She still tries to comply by the ridiculous laws. Every other independent journalist has simply left Russia (TV rain being the most prominent example, being one of the last independent media companies).
[Meduza](https://meduza.io/feature/2021/04/30/pochemu-meduzu-priznali-inostrannym-agentom-i-kto-za-etim-stoit-nam-poka-izvestny-dve-versii) was declared a foreign agent, for example.
And yeah, it's a known tactic to first make it about receiving money. Watch my hands:
>**At first**, the law applied to NGOs receiving funds from abroad that engaged in "political activity". The "foreign agent" designation was first imposed against media organizations in 2017. In December 2019, Putin signed an expansion of the legislation to include private individuals or groups receiving any amount of foreign funding which published "printed, audio, audio visual or other reports and materials". **In September 2021**, the law was **expanded** to include Russian citizens who **report or share** information on crime, **corruption** or **other problems** related to the **military**, space and **security services** or their employees.
Nobody is buying that "foreign influence" rhetoric when the actual law is **currently used in Russia** to suppress anyone who calls the war in Ukraine a war.
>Why wave EU flags against transparency laws recarding media, NGOs and their funding. It would have exposed the Russian ones also.
I have a bridge to sell to you if you actually believe this BS.
This is the best tl;dr I could make, [original](https://www.politico.eu/article/i-was-poisoned-by-russian-agents-georgias-ex-president-says-mikheil-saakashvili-nato-eu-georgian-dream-georgian-security-services-politically-motivated/) reduced by 92%. (I'm a bot)
*****
> Georgia's former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who has been detained by authorities in Tbilisi for over a year, suffering dramatic weight loss and severe ill health, told POLITICO he believed he was "Poisoned by Russian agents."
> The Russian agents "Infiltrated [the] Georgian security services," Saakashvili said.
> According to the Tbilisi clinic where Saakashvili is held, the former president has been refusing treatment since last October, and "Expressed distrust" towards his doctors.
*****
[**Extended Summary**](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/1206w63/i_was_poisoned_by_russian_agents_georgias/) | [FAQ](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/31b9fm/faq_autotldr_bot/ "Version 2.02, ~677760 tl;drs so far.") | [Feedback](http://np.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%23autotldr "PM's and comments are monitored, constructive feedback is welcome.") | *Top* *keywords*: **Saakashvili**^#1 **Georgian**^#2 **Ivanishvili**^#3 **Georgia**^#4 **Dream**^#5
“I´d like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species, and I realized that you’re not actually mammals.
Every mammal on this planet instictively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment, but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed. The only way can survive is to spread to another area.
There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus.
Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You’re a plague." ~Agent Smith
Russia/Putin's regime is an all-consuming virus and won't be happy until every bit of land and it's occupying culture is consumed.
are Russians running out of Polonium or what is this "the guy can still talk about it" bullshit? at this point I almost want to err of the side of "dude is just stressed, nobody tried to kill him" because of how embarrassing this is for Russia.
Case in point: [Viktor Yuschenko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Yushchenko), who was disfigured, but not killed.
[Alexei Navalny](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexei_Navalny) is still alive in prison.
Looks like they are keen on semi-killing opposition leaders, to avoid turning them into martyrs.
Very probably.
What do you want anyone to do about it?
Russia is a paria state, very few will deny that. But: what can be done? That is the big question. So far, without a statisfying answer...
> But: what can be done? That is the big question. So far, without a statisfying answer...
Join the \#savemisha \#freesaakashvili protest actions next time they happen in a city near you. These are organized worldwide.
He turned a literal shithole to a somewhat functioning country, but by racketeering the businesses, destroying the media and jailing or killing the opposition. A lot of the projects where financed by the asshole, who rules the Georgia now Ivanishvili.
>Also a Georgian here. Glad to see there are at least a few of us who can see through his bullshit.
You know what's bullshit?
Georgia gov't not using the opportunity to do the right thing and letting a neutral state like Turkey provide medical care to Saakashvili and wash their hands off of murder abetting allegations.
All while trying to push a "foreign agents" law through the votes.
> Saakashvili is famous for being a clown and doing everything to get attention. When other UNM people were arrested, they at least had the decency to shut up and serve their **rightful sentence**, but Saakashvili can't even do that.
Yes, he literally can't even do that **because he has not been sentenced**.
>He should stay here and serve his sentence
Yeah. What sentence again? Stop spreading misinformation.
>I never ever brought up the current government or the foreign agents law, so why are you bringing it up here?
Because it's the current government that's effectively killing Saakashvili now, just like the Russian government is killing Navalny.
> You think I support the current government? Oh please...
How do you do, fellow oppositioners
>My English isn't that good so yeah I sure did mistranslate some of the things which is my bad.
Oh come on, your English is perfectly fine, and you didn't "mistranslate". Saakashvili is held without a trial, he has not been sentenced and found guilty.
The justice system isn't "I accuse you of a crime, you go to prison if you are man enough, you rot in jail indefinitely otherwise".
>Let me correct that. My point is, his colleagues were man enough to admit their mistakes and shut up and go to prison, which is indeed what Saakashvili can't do.
Yes, because he was **not found guilty**. His trial date is being pushed while his health is deteriorating.
Holding someone without a trial is a violation of human rights, regarding whether that someone has actually committed a crime or not.
Whatever this guy is, he shouldn't be dying in prison.
Release him to a neutral state like Turkey to receive proper medical care, return him for trial when he recovers.
He should not. He should also give up power and get over himself. He also should not return to a country where he is wanted by the government.
I honestly think if he accepted the terms of his arrest and stopped drinking heavily in the hospital, it would help his case. But alas.
I encourage people to actually read up on Saakashvili before believing anything he says. No matter how much you hate Putin, Saakashvili is not really someone you want to believe or support.
President Saakashvili’s claim came as part of broader complaints about Moscow’s attempts to capture the state.
Lol the government is still letting Russians into the country as much as there are coming. The government just lately stated that they are open to open direct flights to Moscow again.
has to be scary to be a Russian who fleed to Georgia, for the gov't to still be so lenient on Russia.
And what about that is a bad thing exactly? Many Ukrainians and Georgians have Russian passports like me for example.
Attempts?)
Russia is trying to pull in Georgia now the same shit they tried to pull off in Ukraine in 2014. They've even tried to push through the same "foreign agent" law that Russia uses now to oppress anyone publicly contradicting Kremlin's narrative. The worst part of the slow murder of Saakashvili, who's not getting the care he needs while being held by Georgian pro-Russian government under dubious pretenses, is that it fucks over the entire population of Georgia by throwing the country firmly onto the deck of the sinking Titanic. If Saakashvili dies, this puts an end to Georgians' aspirations to be a part of the EU (or even increasing cooperation), because the EU doesn't need a regime that murders their political opponents in plain sight while playing Russia's fiddle. Like, the EU has enough trouble with Orban already; it'll be an easy thanks but no thanks. So Georgians who aren't keen to returning to USSR lifestyle of "we have the best ballet but no toilet paper" have a rather short window of opportunity before it closes for a long, long time.
Being a pro-EU politician in a neighbouring country to Russia is a dangerous job as Victor Yuschenko found out in Ukraine in 2004. If there is a Georgian Maidan then Russia will probably just "regime change" them either through assassinations, little green men or invasion.
Yuschenko got off easy. [Viacheslav Chornovil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viacheslav_Chornovil), a prominent soviet dissident and the leading anti-russia candidate of 1999 presidental elections, [did not](https://archive.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/ex-prosecutor-says-1999-death-of-opposition-leader-chornovil-was-murder.html).
Jesus Christ, they beat him to death with brass knuckles? I thought throwing people out of windows was bad, but what kind of assassins just beat a guy to death?
Gopniks do.
Being pro EU and the opposition to Putin's puppet candidate and they spike your dinner with dioxin.
Yes. These are acts of war. Russia is a terrorist state. We must support Ukraine. They are the ones who are pushing back.
> If there is a Georgian Maidan then Russia will probably just "regime change" them either through assassinations, little green men or invasion. Well, the good news is that we know that, and they won't be able to pull that shit off in 2023. They're already failing in one invasion, opening a second front is a fun idea that would surely help it /s
With these articles from The Guardian from that time when journalists still had some integrity I'm concluding that what you're saying is nonesense. Too few people actually bother to read history. I can back these articles also from other sources since there is actual research done about the Rose revolution. About Georgia war, the EU conclusion: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/30/georgia-attacks-unjustifiable-eu About Orange Revolution: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/nov/26/ukraine.usa The Rose Revolution: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Revolution There's quite good research in the front page of Google search done by many institutes and US goverment. I can't link them here because they're pdfs. The role of NGOs and media were big in Rose Revolution. These NGOs were funded by the US. They actually did research afterwards how it went and what happened. They were disappointed that Saakashvili did not go for more democracy but chose a more authoritarian path. He couldn't curb corruption in Odessa either and turned against Poroshenko. Saakashvili's adventures in Ukraine: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/05/former-georgian-president-mikheil-saakashvili-is-detained-in-ukraine Reading these I know exactly why that foreign agent law couldn't pass and why EU opposed it. I hope that redditors have some integrity and actually read these articles and consider them. I got interested in this topic since situation in Georgia didn't make any sense. Why wave EU flags against transparency laws recarding media, NGOs and their funding. It would have exposed the Russian ones also. Seems like Georgia has quite a history regarding those NGOs.
A law like that might make sense in a stable democracy, but the Georgian government can't be trusted with that power. It's obvious the purpose is to discredit the opposition and make EU/US look bad (why do you think they're disrespecting Western officials on every possibility). You think they will accurately mark themselves or organizations as Russian agents? EU/US funding is generally transparent, while Russian is secretive, so this only benefits them to mark their opposition as unpatriotic.
[I am Ukrainian](https://imgur.com/gallery/xUWSYRn). From Odesa, it so happens. My wife is from Kyiv. I can assure you that anyone claiming that some foreign entity is "behind" either the Orange revolution, or - more importantly - the **revolution of dignity** in 2014 - is full of shit or is paid for by Russians (which is the same thing, really). Funny thing, I **specifically** said 2014 Ukraine, and all of your links are about **something else**. >Why wave EU flags against transparency laws recarding media, NGOs and their funding That's because the law mirrors [the foreign agent law in Russia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_foreign_agent_law), which, in its current edition, says: >The Russian foreign agent law requires anyone who receives "support" from outside Russia **or is under "influence" from outside Russia** to **register** and declare themselves as "foreign agents". Once registered, they are subject to additional audits and are **obliged to mark all their publications with a 24-word disclaimer** saying that they are being distributed by a "foreign agent". The phrase "foreign agent" (Russian: иностранный агент) in Russian has strong associations with Cold War-era espionage. Translation: this requires **anyone** refuting Kremlin's viewpoint to register and wear a special mark when talking in public. As a Jew, I know where that's going, and so do Georgians. For example of the mark, see any video [Yulia Latynina](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxil2qoSLmA). She still tries to comply by the ridiculous laws. Every other independent journalist has simply left Russia (TV rain being the most prominent example, being one of the last independent media companies). [Meduza](https://meduza.io/feature/2021/04/30/pochemu-meduzu-priznali-inostrannym-agentom-i-kto-za-etim-stoit-nam-poka-izvestny-dve-versii) was declared a foreign agent, for example. And yeah, it's a known tactic to first make it about receiving money. Watch my hands: >**At first**, the law applied to NGOs receiving funds from abroad that engaged in "political activity". The "foreign agent" designation was first imposed against media organizations in 2017. In December 2019, Putin signed an expansion of the legislation to include private individuals or groups receiving any amount of foreign funding which published "printed, audio, audio visual or other reports and materials". **In September 2021**, the law was **expanded** to include Russian citizens who **report or share** information on crime, **corruption** or **other problems** related to the **military**, space and **security services** or their employees. Nobody is buying that "foreign influence" rhetoric when the actual law is **currently used in Russia** to suppress anyone who calls the war in Ukraine a war. >Why wave EU flags against transparency laws recarding media, NGOs and their funding. It would have exposed the Russian ones also. I have a bridge to sell to you if you actually believe this BS.
This is the best tl;dr I could make, [original](https://www.politico.eu/article/i-was-poisoned-by-russian-agents-georgias-ex-president-says-mikheil-saakashvili-nato-eu-georgian-dream-georgian-security-services-politically-motivated/) reduced by 92%. (I'm a bot) ***** > Georgia's former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who has been detained by authorities in Tbilisi for over a year, suffering dramatic weight loss and severe ill health, told POLITICO he believed he was "Poisoned by Russian agents." > The Russian agents "Infiltrated [the] Georgian security services," Saakashvili said. > According to the Tbilisi clinic where Saakashvili is held, the former president has been refusing treatment since last October, and "Expressed distrust" towards his doctors. ***** [**Extended Summary**](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/1206w63/i_was_poisoned_by_russian_agents_georgias/) | [FAQ](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/31b9fm/faq_autotldr_bot/ "Version 2.02, ~677760 tl;drs so far.") | [Feedback](http://np.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%23autotldr "PM's and comments are monitored, constructive feedback is welcome.") | *Top* *keywords*: **Saakashvili**^#1 **Georgian**^#2 **Ivanishvili**^#3 **Georgia**^#4 **Dream**^#5
“I´d like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species, and I realized that you’re not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instictively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment, but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed. The only way can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You’re a plague." ~Agent Smith Russia/Putin's regime is an all-consuming virus and won't be happy until every bit of land and it's occupying culture is consumed.
Almost like america capitalism isnt doing the same
are Russians running out of Polonium or what is this "the guy can still talk about it" bullshit? at this point I almost want to err of the side of "dude is just stressed, nobody tried to kill him" because of how embarrassing this is for Russia.
They seem to occasionally partly poison people to inspire fear.
Case in point: [Viktor Yuschenko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Yushchenko), who was disfigured, but not killed. [Alexei Navalny](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexei_Navalny) is still alive in prison. Looks like they are keen on semi-killing opposition leaders, to avoid turning them into martyrs.
Very probably. What do you want anyone to do about it? Russia is a paria state, very few will deny that. But: what can be done? That is the big question. So far, without a statisfying answer...
> But: what can be done? That is the big question. So far, without a statisfying answer... Join the \#savemisha \#freesaakashvili protest actions next time they happen in a city near you. These are organized worldwide.
I am not doubting this story.
Russia just can't keep their fucking hands to themselves
[удалено]
[удалено]
He turned a literal shithole to a somewhat functioning country, but by racketeering the businesses, destroying the media and jailing or killing the opposition. A lot of the projects where financed by the asshole, who rules the Georgia now Ivanishvili.
Maybe it's bullshit. But it also fits a pattern
[удалено]
>Also a Georgian here. Glad to see there are at least a few of us who can see through his bullshit. You know what's bullshit? Georgia gov't not using the opportunity to do the right thing and letting a neutral state like Turkey provide medical care to Saakashvili and wash their hands off of murder abetting allegations. All while trying to push a "foreign agents" law through the votes.
[удалено]
> Saakashvili is famous for being a clown and doing everything to get attention. When other UNM people were arrested, they at least had the decency to shut up and serve their **rightful sentence**, but Saakashvili can't even do that. Yes, he literally can't even do that **because he has not been sentenced**. >He should stay here and serve his sentence Yeah. What sentence again? Stop spreading misinformation. >I never ever brought up the current government or the foreign agents law, so why are you bringing it up here? Because it's the current government that's effectively killing Saakashvili now, just like the Russian government is killing Navalny. > You think I support the current government? Oh please... How do you do, fellow oppositioners
[удалено]
>My English isn't that good so yeah I sure did mistranslate some of the things which is my bad. Oh come on, your English is perfectly fine, and you didn't "mistranslate". Saakashvili is held without a trial, he has not been sentenced and found guilty. The justice system isn't "I accuse you of a crime, you go to prison if you are man enough, you rot in jail indefinitely otherwise". >Let me correct that. My point is, his colleagues were man enough to admit their mistakes and shut up and go to prison, which is indeed what Saakashvili can't do. Yes, because he was **not found guilty**. His trial date is being pushed while his health is deteriorating. Holding someone without a trial is a violation of human rights, regarding whether that someone has actually committed a crime or not.
Sounds disturbingly plausible to me.
[удалено]
Whatever this guy is, he shouldn't be dying in prison. Release him to a neutral state like Turkey to receive proper medical care, return him for trial when he recovers.
He should not. He should also give up power and get over himself. He also should not return to a country where he is wanted by the government. I honestly think if he accepted the terms of his arrest and stopped drinking heavily in the hospital, it would help his case. But alas.
Twern’t none of mine. I think it was the Czechs.
More like this guy is sliding into irrelevance and trying to keep attention on himself.
Yeah. Probably just imprisoned and poisoned *himself*. /s
Ah yes, the famous Russian self-help book, "How to murder your way to popularity"
I guess it's better than dying by gravity from your hotel window?
I encourage people to actually read up on Saakashvili before believing anything he says. No matter how much you hate Putin, Saakashvili is not really someone you want to believe or support.