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Poland remains committed to extending its support for imprisoned former Georgian president, Mikheil Saakashvili, despite a recent incident involving a Polish doctor, according to the Polish foreign ministry.
During a recent visit to the Vivamedi clinic in Tbilisi, Polish doctors intended to aid Saakashvili, but an unintentional incident occurred, which was swiftly clarified on the spot and addressed during a meeting with the Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Georgian media reported that the Polish doctor was alleged to have attempted to smuggle a biological sample from the former president. As a consequence, the chargé d’affaires of the Polish embassy in Tbilisi was summoned to the Georgian foreign ministry.
Despite this setback, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed satisfaction and appreciated the Georgian government’s willingness to allow examination and treatment of the former President, with the full involvement of Georgian doctors.
The ministry reassured its Georgian partners of its unwavering commitment to cooperation and its readiness for potential future actions to support both Georgia and Mikheil Saakashvili.
Regarding the incident’s disclosure by Georgian authorities and certain emotional statements made by representatives of the state, the Polish side emphasized that this should not affect the assessment of Saakashvili’s health, the efforts of Georgian doctors, or the analysis of test results.
Mikheil Saakashvili, who served as Georgia’s president from 2004 to 2013, is currently serving a six-year prison sentence for abuse of power, a move he and his supporters believe to be politically motivated. Saakashvili’s health condition is deemed life-threatening by Georgian and Western human rights defenders.
In a recent development, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that a group of Polish doctors had initiated an examination of the former Georgian president, earning appreciation from Saakashvili for the dispatch of a “very professional medical team.” Poland remains steadfast in its support for Saakashvili’s wellbeing and will continue its efforts to assist him during this challenging time.