The government will transfer imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili to the private facility of Vivamedi for evaluation to avoid any "potential consequences" to his health, Justice Minister Rati Bregadze said. The news comes as concerns grow over Saakashvili's deteriorating health, with requests rising for the Georgian Dream government to send him for treatment abroad.

Minister Bregadze claimed in a press conference that Saakashvili has "some medical concerns," but did not elaborate. If the former President is transported to a private facility, physicians would assess him and treat him as needed, according to the Justice Minister. Furthermore, the Minister stated that Saakashvili, who is presently imprisoned at Rustavi Prison, refuses to take some of his prescribed medication, "effectively denying the entire therapy by his own will.” He further stated that the former President eats only selectively, putting his health at risk.

After meeting with Saakashvili, MP Koba Nakopia, chair of the United National Movement party's political council, told reporters that Saakashvili had agreed to be transferred to the Vivamedi facility for exams. According to Nakopia, the authorities have promised to take Saakashvili for a medical examination and then return him to the Rustavi Prison. The authorities planned to transport the ex-President immediately, according to the UNM leader, but Saakashvili declined and chose to undergo the check-up in the coming days because he had scheduled a meeting with family members. MP Nakopia also disputed the Justice Minister's allegation that Saakashvili avoids certain drugs and foods, claiming that he is unable to take them owing to "serious health difficulties."

On 5 May, supporters of imprisoned Mikheil Saakashvili conducted protests in the capital, Tbilisi, the seaside city of Batumi, and outside the Rustavi Prison, as requests for the ex-transfer president's abroad for treatment have grown in recent weeks. After a panel of doctors formed by Public Defender Nino Lomjaria gave an evaluation on April 27, indicating Saakashvili's health had worsened significantly, he was suffering from "protein malnutrition" and "losing weight swiftly," the series of protests began. The supporters, his family, and political allies view a transfer overseas as a way to provide him the therapy he needs, which the Public Defender's specialists describe as "difficult neuro-psychological and physical rehabilitation." Nikoloz Saakashvili, the father of former president who led the gathering outside the Government Chancellery, said that the sole demand at this point is that "they save Misha's [Mikheil's] life." "In truth, his condition is really terrible," he told, adding that the ex- President's diseases are hard to treat in Georgia. "We are not requesting his release or a stay of execution," the former President's father stated, adding that Saakashvili will return to Georgia after treatment to "show that he truly is an innocent guy."