The third president, Mikheil Saakashvili, is calling on the founder of “Georgian Dream,” Bidzina Ivanishvili, to release from prison those detained during protest rallies in connection with the New Year holiday.

Saakashvili’s message was published on his Facebook page.

“I call on Ivanishvili to release the young people detained during the protests for the New Year.

These people refuse to write requests for a pardon, they are not suitable as a bargaining chip, and it would be reasonable for you as well to release them - perhaps this will at least somewhat calm the public’s anger,” Saakashvili writes.