Tea Tsulukiani: Do you remember when I told you: Why did you use these rubber bullets?! Do you remember what your answer was? – “What can I do, my Tea, I am just an economist”

Do you remember when I told you: Why did you use these rubber bullets?! Do you remember what your answer was? – “What can I do, my Tea, I am just an economist,” – this is how the chairwoman of the commission, Tea Tsulukiani, addressed the former Minister of Internal Affairs, leader of the Gakharia for Georgia party, Giorgi Gakharia, at the session of the temporary investigative commission of the parliament.

Tsulukiani reminded Gakharia of the meeting held in the government administration after the events of June 20.

“The next morning, at about 12 o’clock in the afternoon, the government and several deputies, Prime Minister Bakhtadze, gathered us at the government chancellery. You were a little late. You joined us a bit later. You sat a bit far from us. I was far from you. We were all outraged that this misfortune had befallen some people. You were also very upset because of these injured people. The only question that was heard from all colleagues, including me, at that meeting was about the rubber bullets, why were they used?! I will repeat what I told you, whether you remember or not, I don’t know. I told you, Mr. Giorgi, have not you seen what happened when Vano Merabishvili used rubber bullets – those injured people? Why did you use these rubber bullets?! Do you know what your answer was? – “What can I do, my dear, I am just an economist.” This was your answer. Now you are saying that I am lying. Say whatever you want,” Tsulukiani said.

Gakharia responded to Tsulukiani: “Of course, you are lying. This is a lie! Madam Speaker, I am not an economist and I would not say that I am an economist, this is a lie!” – Gakharia noted, to which Tsulukiani replied: “You are not even an economist?”

In addition, Tsulukiani asked Gakharia what his political responsibility for the events of June 20 is, which Gakharia constantly emphasizes.

"You say all the time it is your political responsibility, you say that everywhere. You also said that we don't understand things, we almost don't even know the Georgian language, we are intellectually retarded, you constantly criticize us for this. So don't be surprised by the question that I don't understand what political responsibility means. Maybe you can explain to us. Where is political responsibility? I imagine political responsibility if you came out and admitted that something like this happened, after that I simply have no right to be in politics. This is political responsibility," - Tea Tsulukiani stated, to which Gakharia replied that the example she gave, on the contrary, is "irresponsibility and running away".

"What you said and cited as an example of political responsibility is irresponsibility and running away. Political responsibility for me is that if I made a mistake, I always admitted it. I have done many good things and we all did them together, but I also made mistakes. I have taken responsibility for these mistakes, which is why I am in politics and did not run away, which many wanted. With that burden, with mistakes, that's how I am. I am not afraid of your commission either," Gakharia said, to which Tsulukiani replied that "we know that you were a tanker before the war and you are not afraid."