One of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, Nika Melia, has once again addressed Georgia’s third president, Mikheil Saakashvili, in a letter sent from prison, calling on him to publicly identify the person he claims betrayed him.
Melia said Saakashvili should “write openly as soon as possible” about whom he is accusing of treason, arguing that the public has a right to know the truth about events surrounding Saakashvili’s return to Georgia and subsequent imprisonment.
“The public must know the truth. Both the present and the future need it, and history must preserve the relevant facts,” Melia wrote.
Melia said the issue goes beyond a personal dispute and concerns matters of significant public interest. He alleged that there are still undisclosed details regarding political developments in 2021 and 2022 and insisted that “all knots must be untied with concrete, indisputable facts.”
Melia also criticized Saakashvili’s recent comments regarding the May 26 opposition rally. Referring to Saakashvili’s claim that larger demonstrations in support of his release had previously been undermined, Melia accused the former president of spreading false accusations and attempting to discredit other opposition figures.
“The truth is necessary so that no one can behave tomorrow or the day after tomorrow as unworthily and as damagingly as Saakashvili,” Melia wrote.
In the letter, Melia also reflected on his long-standing political disagreements with Saakashvili, stating that their relationship had always been “difficult and tense” and that their differing visions ultimately divided supporters within the opposition.
He further claimed that by mid-2021 support within the party had become almost evenly split between the two politicians and argued that personal rivalry increasingly influenced political processes.
Melia concluded by reiterating his demand that Saakashvili publicly identify the “anonymous” individual he has referenced in previous statements, saying the former president can no longer avoid providing a direct answer.
The latest exchange is part of a long-running public feud between former allies Nika Melia and Mikheil Saakashvili. In recent weeks, Saakashvili has suggested that unnamed individuals within the opposition played a role in political decisions surrounding his return to Georgia and subsequent imprisonment in 2021. Melia has repeatedly demanded that Saakashvili identify those individuals and provide evidence to support his claims. The disagreement has further highlighted divisions within Georgia’s opposition camp.
