Ukraine expels 20 Saakashvili's supporters

The Migration Service has started the procedure of deporting 20 Mikhail Saakashvili's supporter, whom the former head of the Odessa Region had brought to Ukraine as figures of culture, a source from the Ukrainian General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that today Yuri Lutsenko, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, has announced the refusal to provide Mikhail Saakashvili with a refugee status. Saakashvili himself has stated that he had not received any documents from the State Migration Service of Ukraine; therefore, his lawyers had already appealed to the court.

While being the head of the Odessa Regional Administration, Mikhail Saakashvili instructed his subordinates to issue the documents, thanks to which 20 Georgian citizens received permits to live in Ukraine. They entered Ukraine as figures of culture, but in fact failed to take any part in any cultural activities in Ukraine, Larisa Sargan, Mr Lutsenko's press secretary, has stated today.

According to Ms Sargan, 20 Georgian citizens had received their documents for living in Ukraine within one year; however, now there is every reason to extradite them; and the State Migration Service of Ukraine has already begun this procedure. She also made it clear that in Ukraine Saakashvili may see charges of abusive practices.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.