Bidzina Ivanishvili, leader of the opposition coalition Georgian Dream, said the resignation of President Saakashvili would help to safe the face of the entire Georgian authorities following a prison abuse scandal.

“I want to give him my final advice – resign. And I will explain why: he managed to establish the machinery of lies in our country… He established those tortures too, which we have seen in prisons. All cards are shown; he has no moves left to play; everybody knows everything, both here and in Europe,” Ivanishvili said on September 21.

Speaking at a campaign meeting in the town of Khoni, western Georgia, he said that Saakashvili’s “resignation will to some extent save the dignity of the authorities, as these videos [of prisoners’ abuse] have been shown all over the world and the entire civilized society is appalled.”

Ivanishvili first called for President Saakashvili’s resignation shortly after announcing about entering the politics in October, 2011. In a statement in October, 2011 he called on Vano Merabishvili, then Interior Minister and now Prime Minister: “Advise Saakashvili to step down. This is the only chance for him to continue living in his own country.”