Saakashvili’s “recovery” and “comeback”, we have a unique case that illustrates how massive and well-coordinated is the disinformation machine that works against the Government, reads an open letter released by the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia.

“Our partners often wonder why there is such a noticeable gap between Georgia’s impressive democratic achievements, on the one hand, and the country’s (mis)perception abroad, on the other hand. Indeed, over the last ten years, unlike the previous decades, Georgia has made enormous strides in democratic development. Yet, the outward image, created by the opposition’s political radicalism, obscures many achievements of Georgian people and government.

How can we account for this gap between perception and reality? The Government’s explanation that the misperception is mostly a result of the radicals’ premeditated and well-coordinated defamation campaign, apparently, does not break through the wall of Western skepticism. The very scale of disinformation makes it difficult for some of our Western partners to believe that there is such little substance behind the massive anti-government defamation campaign. The only tool the Government has in its arsenal of countering disinformation is to rely on numerous authoritative rankings, ratings, and polls that indicate Georgia’s progress and the people’s support for the government. Nonetheless, our partners often tell us what has become an unfortunate mantra of Georgia’s foreign relations: “perceptions are more important than facts”.

Now, with Saakashvili’s ‘recovery’ and ‘comeback’, we have a unique case that illustrates how massive and well-coordinated is the disinformation machine that works against the Georgian government. Facts first: Over a year and half ago, on 1 October 2021, Saakashvili illegally smuggled himself into Georgian territory. He was arrested for the two crimes perpetrated during his tenure as president. He had already been tried and sentenced by all three instances of Georgian courts by 2018. Almost immediately after Saakashvili’s arrest, speculations about his health have abounded. He was transferred from prison to a comfortable prison clinic, with very good medical care and generous access not only to his family, but also to his political subordinates. Saakashvili himself, his family, his radical Georgian and foreign supporters, subordinated political media, and affiliated non-governmental organizations incessantly alleged that Saakashvili was ‘about to die’ and ‘on the verge of death’ with dozens of incurable diseases, including dementia, cachexia, depression, etc. Most vicious part of these allegations implicated the Georgian government in ‘poisoning’ Saakashvili, alluding to the methods used by the Kremlin against its political opponents.

The reaction from abroad was ample and loud: European diplomats came with demarche to the minister of justice of Georgia; three resolutions by the European Parliament called on Georgian Government to stop mistreating Saakashvili; Russian human rights activists incorporated Saakashvili’s case into their agenda and the authors of the Magnitsky list became his ardent advocates; presidents of Ukraine and Moldova expressed their solidarity; innumerable articles were published in foreign press and most renowned TV companies and publications covered the ‘issue’. Domestically, the radical parties under Saakashvili’s wing made his health the top item of their political agenda. Numerous attempts were made to mobilize large groups of people to show solidarity with Saakashvili. His supporters even announced the plans of his forceful extraction from the clinic where he serves his sentence. Except, people never came to demonstrate on behalf of Saakashvili because Georgians, unlike some foreigners, stopped believing him a very long time ago”, - writes Shalva Papuashvili.