I last met the Patriarch in Berlin, in 2017, at the Shrite Clinic... He kept repeating to me, "You must return to Georgia immediately" - Mikheil Saakashvili

What is happening now is the strengthening of darkness and an attempt to finally take over. I am still optimistic. I believe that we will overcome this very difficult period in all areas quite quickly, if we fight, of course, - this is stated in a letter sent from prison by the third president, Mikheil Saakashvili, who is currently in prison.

“Patriarch Ilia II was a complex person. In 2014, he came to Moscow, met with Putin and said the following phrase - “We should not leave the relations between two peoples to one person”. By this one person, of course, I meant me and the fact that it was because of me that Putin was unable to conquer Georgia in 2008. You all evaluate this statement for yourself (history will evaluate it harshly).

However, on the other hand, I also remember how Ilia II supported me in establishing the 5-cross flag, when during my tenure as Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Sakrebulo, I actively began to use this flag, because I believed that the 5-cross flag reflected our history and values ​​much more than the flag of the First Republic of the Social Democrats.

The flag was banned, it was torn down, criminal cases were initiated against me, and then it was the Patriarch’s active intervention that strengthened our Positions.

I last met the Patriarch in Berlin, in 2017, at the Shrite Clinic. Giuli and I visited him, Shorena Tetruashvili was present at the meeting, and it was a very warm meeting, during which the Patriarch had his hand on me and kept repeating to me, “You must return to Georgia immediately.”

After my return, the Patriarch was already locked up, and I think we remember the reaction of the Patriarchate to my and others’ capture.

I am telling all this because there was no clear-cut white and black, but what is happening now is the strengthening of darkness and an attempt to finally reign supreme.

I am still optimistic. I believe that we will overcome this very difficult period in all areas quite quickly, if we fight, of course.

"Fight and you will win" (Taras Shevchenko) - writes Saakashvili.