Saakashvili: President took my passport, but I will continue to fight for modern Ukraine

Photo: Facebook / Mikheil Saakashvili

Former Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, deprived of his Ukrainian citizenship, wrote a column for an influential American publication. Washington Postin which he promised to continue the fight against corruption in Ukraine.

Article called "The President took my passport, but I will continue to fight for modern Ukraine." Site "15 minutes" made a translation of the text, which we provide in full.

Last week, during a short visit to my uncle’s family in the United States, I learned that President Petro Poroshenko deprived me of my Ukrainian citizenship by quickly signing a secret document that deprived me of citizenship and valid travel documents. He also forbade me to return to the country.

How just a few months can change everything. Only a little more than two years ago, the same president awarded me Ukrainian citizenship at a high-ranking ceremony in Kiev. Before that, I was the president of Georgia for two terms, turning a small and backward country into one whose success in reforms was marked by the World Bank.

During my time in office, we managed to increase the gross domestic product of Georgia 4 times, 11 times increase the state budget, eliminate corruption and red tape, and most importantly, pave the way for the first democratic transfer of power in the region.

After that, I decided to do something unusual: I decided to start a political career in another country, accepting Poroshenko’s offer to become the governor of Odessa, the largest and most strategically significant region of Ukraine.

Photo: Facebook / Mikheil Saakashvili

The tasks assigned to me were clear. I was instructed to clean this traditionally corrupt region and eradicate the local mafia. Meanwhile, the former members of my Georgian government were appointed to other high-level government posts, helping to create new Ukrainian police forces and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine in other institutions.

After a good start, in collaboration with the newly attracted young Ukrainian idealists, we started having problems. The president not only did not help us in our efforts, but too often supported the same ingrained interests with which we had to fight.

It soon became apparent that Poroshenko’s invitation was part of a PR campaign that was supposed to show him a reformer in the eyes of the Russian public, and also to attract money from international donors. In fact, he refused to challenge the oligarchic structure of Ukraine, or at least rein in his friends.

After a year and a half of efforts, I decided to refuse to work with Poroshenko and officially resigned as governor. However, I never intended to leave the Ukrainian people, and I addressed the people directly, creating a new political party - the Movement of New Forces.

Photo: Facebook / Mikheil Saakashvili

We were joined by many previously elected representatives at all political levels, as well as many other leaders who are striving to fight corruption and oligarchs.

Although the presidential administration managed to block our access to all major television channels, I created my own talk show on a small private channel, quickly turning it into one of the most popular political programs in the country. Unfortunately, my program was temporarily taken off the air in July, shortly before Poroshenko stripped me of my Ukrainian passport.

Photo: Facebook / Mikheil Saakashvili

As a legal basis, he took cases initiated against me by the Georgian government, which is controlled by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, a man who has a long history of close business ties with Russia. No country in the world recognized these accusations, including Ukraine itself, whose General Prosecutor’s Office rejected them as politically motivated two years ago.

It is clear why Poroshenko acted so hastily, completely ignoring the due process of law. There were no hearings or a lawsuit, and no advance notice was received. All decisions were made in secret. The Constitution of Ukraine directly prohibits the government to deprive a citizen of his citizenship. This act is clearly contrary to the international obligations of Ukraine, including the 1961 Convention of the Year. This is how Carl Bildt responded to Poroshenko’s decision Twitter: “Depriving political enemies of citizenship contradicts all principles.”

Whatever Poroshenko’s intentions, he cannot stop my political activities, and even less, he cannot silence me. I will continue to mobilize my supporters in Ukraine to fight the corrupt and oligarchic elite that is dragging the country back, plundering its best resources and undermining economic growth.

We are moving forward with our plans to unite all pro-Western democratic forces. In the fall, we plan to launch a campaign to change electoral legislation, enforce anti-corruption laws, and remove oligarchs from privileged access to the government.

Ukraine deserves much more. I am ready to help protect this great nation both from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is undermining it from the outside, and from Poroshenko and other oligarchs who destroy it from the inside. Despite the fact that I am forbidden to return to Ukraine, I will continue to fight for my rights as a citizen and will continue to work on the best vector of the country's development. ”

Read also on ForumDaily:

Mikheil Saakashvili - about making friends, Ukrainian corruption and friendship with Trump and Clinton

Saakashvili confirmed the words of Trump about the intervention of Ukraine in the American elections. VIDEO

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.