Irakli Kobakhidze: I have the impression that Gakharia is avoiding answering questions – he has left Georgia for several weeks - Such a shameful flight from the investigative commission needs no evaluation

"I have the impression that Gakharia is avoiding answering questions – he has left Georgia for several weeks. Such a shameful flight from the investigative commission needs no evaluation," said Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze regarding the repeated summons of Giorgi Gakharia, the leader of "For Georgia," former Prime Minister, and former Interior Minister, to appear before a parliamentary investigative commission.

Kobakhidze noted that the situation regarding the so-called Chorchana case is as clear as day: "It was a mini-model of what Saakashvili did in 2008."

"I have the impression that Gakharia is avoiding answering questions, which is why he is requesting a different format for dialogue. I believe it would be in his interest to attend the commission’s session and answer questions if he is truthful. Of course, I have a different opinion. I know that, according to a letter, he has left Georgia for several weeks. This is laughable. Such a shameful flight from the investigative commission needs no evaluation. If he had answers to the questions, he wouldn’t do this.

As for the Chorchana case, the investigation must be completed here as well. This is the responsibility of the parliamentary investigative commission and law enforcement agencies. For me, the picture is as clear as day – this was a mini-model of what Saakashvili did in 2008," Kobakhidze stated.

Additionally, according to the Prime Minister, Gakharia was acting in accordance with "orders and tasks from the deep state."

"I want to show you Gakharia’s actions in a more complex way. This was not just an isolated incident – when he carried out a provocation that led to significant damage to the country’s interests, there were prior cases like the so-called ‘Bassiani’ and ‘Pankisi’ incidents, numerous cases where Gakharia took steps that caused serious harm to the country. I cannot believe – I’m not that naive – that Gakharia did this out of mere foolishness and not in accordance with orders and tasks. Gakharia had a simple task: to carry out provocations to harm the country’s interests. These were his assignments, which he received from outside, from the ‘deep state.’

Today, Georgia is independent and sovereign as never before," Kobakhidze stated.

In response to a question about whether "Georgian Dream" was controlled by the "deep state," the Prime Minister clarified that "Georgian Dream" was not controlled but had to account to the "deep state."

"Such a situation existed back then, including in 2019, when a call came from the ‘deep state.’ By ‘deep state,’ I mean an official, but at that moment, they were not representing the interests of the respective entity but the interests of the ‘deep state.’ Today, we do not make such compromises," said Irakli Kobakhidze.

For context, Giorgi Gakharia was summoned for the second time to the parliamentary investigative commission on June 23 to discuss the Chorchana issue. According to a statement from "For Georgia," Giorgi Gakharia is not currently in Georgia and requested to participate in the commission remotely, a request that was denied.