TBILISI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2020) The Georgian United National Movement opposition party on Wednesday did not name the mother of former President Mikheil Saakashvili, 73-year-old historian Giuli Alasania, as a candidate for the upcoming general election.
Earlier in the month, United National Movement member Koba Nakopia said that Alasania, whose son founded the party in 2001, might become the party candidate in the city of Zugdidi. Georgia is scheduled to hold a general election on October 31.
During the introduction ceremony, the party announced it would put forward Malkhaz Jalagonia as its candidate in Zugdidi.
In 2013, Saakashvili left his native country of Georgia, where he is facing several criminal charges. In 2015, he was given Ukrainian citizenship and made the governor of the Odessa region by then-President Petro Poroshenko, only to be fired in 2016 and have his citizenship revoked in 2017.
On May 28, 2019, Ukraine reinstated Saakashvili's Ukrainian citizenship, prompting his return to the country the next day. The former president was later appointed as the head of the executive committee at the Ukrainian National Reform Council.
