Saakashvili slams Transparency International Georgia as “grant-guzzler” group after NGO leaves him off political prisoners list

Imprisoned former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has sharply criticised Transparency International Georgia after the organisation did not include him on its list of political prisoners.

In a statement published on social media, Saakashvili described the decision as “completely disgraceful”, arguing that the organisation lacks public credibility and claiming that many people view its representatives as insincere “grant-guzzlers”.

According to Saakashvili, the decision did not surprise him, as he believes parts of Georgia’s non-governmental sector contributed to the discrediting of his reform-oriented government and facilitated the rise of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili and the current ruling authorities.

He accused NGO leaders of refusing to acknowledge their role in the country’s political developments and of continuing to blame him for Ivanishvili’s emergence on the political scene.

Saakashvili also questioned why Transparency International Georgia does not consider him a political prisoner while, according to him, institutions such as the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, and Amnesty International have previously characterised his case as politically motivated. He argued that he remains the ruling regime’s primary political opponent and a key target of Russian interests.

The former president further accused the organisation of remaining silent on what he described as years of political persecution, election-related violations, and democratic backsliding in Georgia. He claimed that such silence contributed to the establishment of an increasingly authoritarian system.

Responding to a clarification issued by Transparency International Georgia, which stated that its list included only individuals imprisoned for statements or participation in protests, Saakashvili argued that he is currently being prosecuted for political speech and for calls to participate in demonstrations. He said this aspect of his case had been deliberately overlooked.

Saakashvili concluded by calling on what he described as “fair-minded people” to respond to what he called the organisation’s injustice and expressed hope that other civil society groups would speak out in support of his position.