Vano Merabishvili Plans to Return to Active Politics
Former Interior Minister of Georgia Vano Merabishvili, who left the so-called Matrosov prison this morning after almost 7 years of imprisonment, has said he plans to return to active politics: "It is necessary to do this, and I will definitely do it."
Merabishvili added he "guarantees" that the ruling party Georgian Dream, under Bidzina Ivanishvili's leadership, will lose power this year.
"I would like to thank my supporters gathered here or those who show support from far away. With their support and hope for the future, I have retained strength, energy, hope and belief to continue to fight to end this regime this year. I guarantee that this government will be finished in a year," he said.
He also promised that "by the end of the year, after toppling the government, the doors of the 'Matrosov prison' will be opened wide."
Merabishvili stressed the need to change the current government.
“It is necessary to do so and we will certainly do so. It is necessary for the country to start developing, to move forward, to grow the welfare of our people, to dissolve hopelessness, to give prospects to theyouth, to increase employment and wages, and to give decent pensions to older persons. We will definitely win.
"I guarantee you that by the end of the year, after toppling this government, the doors of this prison will be opened for [the release of] every political prisoner. Everyone I know in this prison is a political prisoner," the former Interior Minister said.
In addition, he addressed police officers, saying that he will do his best to restore the dignity of law enforcers in the country.
“I would like to address the Georgian police officers and tell them that we will do our best, together with our friends, to restore the dignity of the police, restore confidence and improve their social situation,” he noted.
Former Interior Minister of Georgia left the penitentiary facility this morning, released after spending almost seven years there.
On February 17, 2014, he was sentenced to imprisonment after being found guilty of the brutal dispersal of the May 26 rally, hiding of evidence in the Sandro Girgvliani case, voter bribery, and physical abuse of the opposition MP Valeri Gelashvili. He was sentenced to 6 years and 9 months in prison.
Merabishvili denied all charges, saying they were politically motivated. The opposition claimed his imprisonment was a ‘witch hunt’ against the former government.
He was one of the most influential figures of the United National Movement.
The trial regarding the November 7 rally crackdown and the raid in Imedi TV is still ongoing against him. He is accused of abuse of power in these cases. However, as he claimed after release, "about ten more cases can be brought against him, but this can't break him."
By Ana Dumbadze
Related Story: Former Interior Minister Merabishvili Released from Custody