Rally in support of Saakashvili held in central Kyiv
KYIV. July 27 (Interfax) - Some 100 supporters of Mikheil Saakashvili's Movement of New Forces are protesting the decision to deprive Saakashvili of Ukrainian citizenship in central Kyiv.
After a rally at the Independence Stele, the people proceeded to the building of the Ukrainian presidential administration, an Interfax correspondent has reported. A group of protesters were allowed to go inside to meet with an administration official
Volodymyr Gavrish, a representative of the movement, told the agency the group intends to demand the documents on the basis of which Saakashvili was deprived of his citizenship. "We want to see the decree itself, all documented reasons to go to court. Today's action is spontaneous, but I think it will be indefinite," Gavrish said.
Saakashvili received Ukrainian citizenship under Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's decree from May 30, 2015. On the same day Poroshenko appointed Saakashvili head of the Odesa regional state administration.
On November 7, 2016, Saakashvili announced his resignation as Odesa region governor because he was "tired of constant deceit and corruption," including on the part of authorities in Kyiv. On November 9, 2016, Poroshenko signed a decree dismissing Saakashvili.
On July 26, 2017, the Ukrainian Migration Service announced that Poroshenko had signed a decree depriving Saakashvili of Ukrainian citizenship.
The Ukrainian presidential administration said the termination of Saakashvili's Ukrainian citizenship is connected to the false information provided by him when he obtained Ukrainian citizenship.
Saakashvili said earlier on Facebook that he is in the United States. He said he would seek a lawful right to return to Ukraine.
