Saakashvili to Kakhiani: Ivanishvili Did Not Pay Police and Soldiers Salaries During My Time

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili responded on social media to a statement by Giorgi Kakhiani, Deputy Chairman of Parliament. According to Saakashvili, it is a lie that Bidzina Ivanishvili paid salaries to police officers, soldiers, and members of the government and parliament during his time.

Kakhiani stated that "Ivanishvili financed the salaries of police officers, the salaries of teachers, and has done a lot of good for our country".

Saakashvili writes that Ivanishvili not only did not pay salaries, but at one of the meetings told him: "Why do you need such a high salary for patrol officers? It is enough to give them a certificate and a weapon, and they will earn the rest themselves". Saakashvili calls this "the logic of a typical Russian oligarch" and says that he mocked it at the time.

According to him, the only thing Ivanishvili was forced to build was the building of the military unit in Sachkhere. It was incomparably small compared to the huge military units in Gori and Senaki, which were built at the expense of the budget, and Ivanishvili constantly complained about it. Saakashvili maintains that Ivanishvili did not spend a single tetri on anything else, including salaries, equipment, and buildings.

Saakashvili states that the government spent money that appeared in the budget because the "Ergneti black hole" was closed and the government no longer stole. According to him, after Ivanishvili came to power, not a single new building was added for the army or police.

"What surprises me more is that 14 years after 2012 they still shamelessly keep spewing lies, and it would be very strange if anyone believed this", writes Saakashvili.