Georgian Justice Ministry begins formal process of stripping former President of citizenship

The Justice Minister of Georgia, Tea Tsulukiani, says her agency has received an official notice from Ukrainian officials that former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili now has Ukrainian citizenship. Georgian officials will now begin the formal process of stripping Saakashvili of his Georgian citizenship, Tsulukiani says.

Saakashvili received Ukrainian citizenship when he accepted President Petro Poroshenko's invitation to serve as governor of Odessa. According to Georgian law, citizens that accept citizenship in another country automatically lose their Georgian citizenship.

Saakashvili left Georgia in November 2013, following the election of the country's new President, Giorgi Margvelashvili. In July 2014, the Georgian Attorney General filed charges against Saakashvili for allegedly exceeding his authority while in office. In August 2014, a Tbilisi court ordered Saakashvili's arrest in absentia.