Saakashvili Thanks Okruashvili for Support amid Russia’s Aggression

President Saakashvili said he was grateful to Irakli Okruashvili – a man whom he once called his “biggest mistake” – for expressing full support amid Russia’s military aggression against Georgia.

“I want to thank Irakli Okruashvili, who called last night and he was almost crying, saying he was ready to come and enlist in the reserve troops,” he told tens of thousands of people gathered on August 12 outside the Parliament.

The huge rally was designed by the authorities to, as they said, show Georgia’s unity in the face of Russia’s aggression.

Irakli Okruashvili, the Georgia’s ex-defense minister, who once was Saakashvili’s closest ally, turned into Saakashvili’s major foe last year. He was granted political asylum by France after Tbilisi City Court found him guilty of “large-scale extortion” and sentenced him to 11 years in prison in absentia in March.

At the rally President Saakashvili also thanked the opposition parties for showing unity and in particular he thanked Levan Gachechiladze, a former presidential candidate, who was Saakashvili major rival in the January 5 elections.

“I want to thank Levan for saying that Russia will never decide who will become the President of Georgia. Thank you for this statement,” Saakashvili said.