Georgian Dream has been using Mikheil Saakashvili as a scarecrow for 10 years. If Mikheil Saakashvili decides to leave politics at least temporarily, I think Georgia­n Dream will no longer have a chance to play this game, Strategy Builder MP Paata Manjgaladze said, responding to the statement of Mikheil Saakashvili's lawyer that Saakashvili wants to take care of his health and leave Georgian politics.

According to Manjgaladze, he respects any decision of Mikheil Saakashvili.

"I respect any of his decisions, since he is actually in prison and captivity, so I am not going to criticize, I will not judge him. I am a representative of another party, and if you are interested in my opinion, de-oligarchization should be the first task for reducing polarization.We see that Georgia­n Dream has been using Mikheil Saakashvili as a scarecrow for 10 years. If Mikheil Saakashvili decides to leave politics at least temporarily, due to his health, I think Georgia­n Dream will will have no more chances to play this game and there will be fewer risks of polarization. But this is not up to me, and I respect any decision of Saakashvili in this situation, who is currently a prisoner," Manjgaladze said.

When asked about the possibility that Georgia­n Dream will create another scarecrow if Saakashvili leaves politics, as it refers to all parties as satellites of the National Movement and supporters of war, Manjgaladze said that it would be difficult.

"It will not be possible to create another scarecrow, as they have invested a lot into “blackening” the National Movement and Saakashvili since 2011, and this trick has already been exposed, so it will be difficult to invent a new scarecrow by using the same methods," Manjgaladze said.

source: IPN