Saakashvili Confident Ukrainian Rada will Approve Him as Deputy PM

Georgia’s ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is set to be appointed as Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for Reform, has responded to his possible appointment to the post. 

The former Georgian leader is confident and optimistic that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will approve him as Vice Prime Minister.

"I think there will be enough votes. I'm very optimistic. There was only no mobilization in the 'People's Servant' faction," Saakashvili told channel 'Ukraine 24,' referring to the fact that there was not enough support for his candidacy among the members of the mentioned faction.

He added that he supported the 'People's Servant' party during the elections.

"In the elections, when I saw that my party was gaining 2-3% of the votes and we could not enter parliament, I called on my supporters, many thousands of Ukrainians, to vote for the 'People's Servant' party," he noted. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has offered Mikheil Saakashvili the seat of deputy prime minister in charge of reforms. 

"I am honored to receive President Zelensky's proposal to become Deputy Prime Minister in charge of reforms," the ex-president of Georgia said. 

The proposal is currently being discussed. 

There is a negative view of President Zelensky's proposal among the members of the Georgian government. Some have addressed the Ukrainian government with letters, saying that Saakashvili's appointment "would cast a shadow over the friendship between the two countries." 

Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia commented on President Zelensky's plan, saying that such a step would be followed by an appropriate reaction from Georgia.

Georgia’s Speaker of the House Archil Talakvadze also remarked on the existing situation, saying that such decision "will harm the present political cooperation between our countries, and these types of decisions will be unfathomable and unacceptable to us." 

"I hope that no decision will be made that will cast a shadow over the friendship between our countries," Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said regarding the issue. 

Related Story: Zelensky Offers Georgian Ex-president Saakashvili Deputy PM Seat