TBILISI. July 28 (Interfax) - Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and a number of former high-level officials have been charged, the Georgian main prosecutor's office said in a statement on Monday.
"A decision to charge with abuse of office has been returned regarding Mikheil Saakashvili, Vano Merabishvili (former prime minister and interior minister), Zurab Adeishvili (former justice minister), David Kezerashvili (former defense minister), and Giorgi Ugulava (former Tbilisi mayor)," the document said.
Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili did not come on Monday for questioning to the main prosecutor's office, which served the notice to his mother Guili Alasania on July 26.
Several months ago Saakashvili was called to the prosecutor's office for questioning as a witness on ten criminal cases opened, however the former president refused to appear having said he did not trust the Georgian law enforcement authorities.
Saakashvili did not show up for questioning on Monday and posted on Facebook that he would arrive to Georgia whenever he decides.
"I will come to Georgia, when I decide this myself and no Russian oligarch will stop me," the former president said.
Former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili is "the Russian oligarch," who continues to rule the country after his resignation and "aims all his efforts not at developing Georgia but at pursuing opponents," Saakashvili said.
"Current Prime Minister [Irakli Garibashvili] and members of his government have said repeatedly that I am the next target," Saakashvili said. This criminal prosecution will "lead to tension in relations between Georgia and the United Stated and European partners," the former president said.