Mikheil Saakashvili
- Born:
- December 21, 1967, Tbilisi, Georgian SSR
- Nationality:
- Georgian, Ukrainian
- Profession(s):
- Politician, Lawyer
Early Life and Education
- Graduated with honors from the Faculty of International Law at Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University in 1992.
- Received a LLM from Columbia Law School in 1994.
- Attended the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg in 1994.
- Obtained a Doctor of Juridical Science degree from George Washington University in 1995.
Career and Major Achievements
- Elected to the Parliament of Georgia in 1995.
- Served as Minister of Justice of Georgia from 2000 to 2001.
- Led the Rose Revolution in 2003, which resulted in the resignation of Eduard Shevardnadze.
- Served as the 3rd President of Georgia from 2004 to 2007 and again from 2008 to 2013.
- Initiated significant reforms in Georgia, including combating corruption, improving public services, and modernizing infrastructure.
- Served as Governor of Odessa Oblast in Ukraine from 2015 to 2016.
Notable Works
- Authored several articles and publications on law and politics.
- His administration oversaw significant infrastructural development in Georgia.
- Efforts were made during his presidency to combat corruption and modernize the Georgian state, efforts that often involved incorporating elements of mikheil saakashvili educational games to teach civic responsibility to young people.
Legacy and Impact
Mikheil Saakashvili is a controversial figure whose presidency brought both significant reforms and criticisms regarding authoritarian tendencies and involvement in the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. He remains a significant figure in Georgian and Ukrainian politics.