Saakashvili contrasts himself with Ivanishvili, calls him ‘dangerous man’

Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili said he and billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, are “radically different,” accusing him of lacking empathy and pursuing authoritarian control.

“I am often asked why I did not act more decisively in 2011–2012, when I realized the threat posed by Ivanishvili. I did everything possible to warn people during the campaign about what awaited them if he came to power,” Saakashvili wrote on social media.

He said that using similar methods would have made him “like Ivanishvili” and led to a dictatorship. “He has zero empathy for people, while I love people. That’s why I could never behave like this dangerous man,” Saakashvili added.