I understand that Saakashvili came down heavy on corruption in Georgia, particularly in the police force, and that is admirable. The situation on that front improved. Other than that there isn't anything positive to say about him. Has he achieved anything substantive.

If I am not completely mistaken, Batumi is a resort town and a port city with existing infrastructure since Soviet days. So it has a lot going for it. Obviously a place like that is going to be reasonably prosperous.

But what does rural Georgia look like?

As for the fancy buildings in the capital, Saakashvili turned himself into the perfect Washington puppet (and said all the "right" things about Russia).

He was rewarded with every assistance and development grant that Washington and Brussels can offer a country like that. NATO kitted out the Georgian army for free with the latest gear and the EU helped the police there with new equipment.

So there are a few fancy new buildings, some renovation and they keep the streets clean? Very nice, but that's exactly what I saw in Belarus, and they haven't received a penny from the West, quite to the contrary they are almost pariah. They achieved their progress off their own backs....

Saakashvili's popularity has plummeted, he lost the election in 2013. Has he actually created long term economic progress, or just utilised the foreign aid he got?

I personally have never seen anything that was made in Georgia, other than wine, or heard of any company doing business there.

I believe there are huge numbers of Georgians working legally or illegally in Russia because they struggle to find work at home. Not exactly the sign of a healthy economy.

The Georgian currency is so closely linked to the rubel that it dropped just as dramatically and is currently at a decade low. That's how "independent" Georgia's economy is.

Even the EU admits that Saakashvili's claims during the South Ossetia conflict were false EU Report: Independent Experts Blame Georgia for South Ossetia War - SPIEGEL ONLINE .

Georgia invaded, fully aware that Russia would retaliate, exactly as had been communicated. Russia has proven loyal to its allies (listen and learn, America who drop and change allies like others change underwear). Saakashvili appeared on TV and lied about what happened. He was responsible for the deaths of large numbers of people in South Ossetia.

If Russia was an aggressive or expansionist country it would have kept its troops in Tbilisi. Instead they withdrew almost immediately. Compare that with the US decade long occupations in the Middle East, point blank refusing to leave Afghanistan.

The situation with South Ossetia and Abkhazia obviously ending up on the wrong side of an ex-Soviet border is unfortunate. Georgia should listen to the populations there - they made it completely clear that they want to be independent or with Russia. Alternatively, they should have been much more sensitive with language issues and self governance and the breakaway situation might never have occurred.

Saakashvili is also a rather embarrassing person, using the EU flag in an official capacity despite the fact that his country is a complete non-starter for the EU. Chewing on his tie and clowning around in public in an embarrasing way.
Have to wonder if all is right with him.

Georgia's demonstrations etc with banners conveniently in English shows the purpose of a lot of what's going on there: Play the anti-Russia-we-are-so-scared-of-Putin card for every penny they can get out of it. But how about taking a look at the map and reading some history, checking what actual strengths their country has, rather than fishing for foreign aid that will not help in the longer perspective?

I'm glad if this benefits the population there, but Saakasvhili is a proven liar and an obvious puppet. The Georgians were wise to vote him out of office.