The explanation provided by the SSS means that, with high probability, Davitashvili will have to either enter into a plea agreement or face imprisonment - it seems the case is heading in that direction, - this was stated by political scientist and constitutionalist Vakhtang Dzabiradze in the “Palitra News” program “Day’s Newsroom,” commenting on the questioning of former Vice Prime Minister and former Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Levan Davitashvili at the State Security Service (SSS).

According to him, Levan Davitashvili’s statement after the questioning was smile-inducing, because the State Security Service is not the body that deals with gas supply channels.

“It is not surprising to me that interrogations of former high-ranking officials are ongoing, because there is systemic corruption in the country, and the entire state vertical was involved in this corruption, whether anyone likes it or not. Therefore, whoever they need and whoever they consider politically beneficial to arrest, question, or otherwise target, they can freely take steps in that direction. What Davitashvili said right after this questioning was, to put it mildly, smile-inducing from the very beginning, because the SSS is not the body that examines, say, gas supply channels. The anti-corruption department is not the body that deals with gas supply issues, assesses risks, and so on. Naturally, when they summon someone there, it concerns corruption, and naturally, the explanation that the SSS later gave means that it seems, with high probability, Davitashvili will have to either enter a plea agreement or face imprisonment. It appears the case is heading in that direction,” - stated Dzabiradze.

In addition, in the program he spoke about the initiation of criminal prosecution against 10 persons, including former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze and journalist Eliso Kiladze, in the so-called call center case, and noted that new evidence may emerge in relation to former SSS head Grigol Liluashvili, and charges against him may be aggravated.

The political scientist believes that, for now, Liluashvili is not cooperating with the investigation, and therefore pressure on him continues from various directions.

“The Georgian public has long been informed about the existence of so-called call centers. We know that such groups existed. It was quite a high-profile case, and the government had to make a decision, although as they themselves noted, this is only a certain part of the ‘call centers,’ while some part is still under question. What is interesting here is that the same Partskhaladze and Liluashvili had a protective function. They were fully involved in this process. Ghariashvili’s sentence has already been handed down, and I do not expect any changes there, but new evidence may emerge in relation to Liluashvili. Most likely, charges against him will be aggravated from various directions. It seems Liluashvili is not cooperating with the investigation for now and does not admit certain things, which is why pressure on him continues from different directions. One of those directions may be Davitashvili as well - his statements and testimonies given against Liluashvili. The government is trying somehow to whitewash its not-so-pleasant past. After all, the team is one?! It is the Georgian Dream government - whether it is Ghariashvili’s team or Kobakhidze’s makes little difference. The entire government is Georgian Dream, and it is trying to somehow gain a certain support in society,” - noted Dzabiradze.

As for the assessments from part of the opposition that former high-ranking officials are political prisoners, Vakhtang Dzabiradze considers this assessment incorrect.

According to him, the fact is that there is systemic corruption in power, and in the near future the same may happen in the case of the current Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze.

“I don’t think this is a correct assessment. Because first of all, they themselves admitted that they committed a crime. At least Ghariashvili admitted it, and the same is evident in Liluashvili’s case. Since he was Prime Minister and they detained him, saying that he is a political prisoner does not seem correct or justified to me. This looks more like an attempt to recruit their supporters or awaken sympathies toward this or that political party or person. The fact is that corruption existed and still exists. In a year or two, if this government remains, the same will happen in relation to Kobakhidze,” - stated Dzabiradze.

At the same time, the political scientist notes that if they want, a huge number of crimes will be uncovered - not only against former Prime Minister Irakli Ghariashvili, but against the entire “clan.”

“In relation to Ghariashvili, a great many facts would indeed be revealed, and they gave him the opportunity to manipulate so that the talk would not be about someone taking a bribe and so on. Ghariashvili was charged under the article on illegal business activity, and that was deemed sufficient, but in reality it is true - if they want, a huge number of things will be uncovered, not only against Ghariashvili but against the entire this ‘clan.’ Systemic corruption is such a thing that it is enough to grab one person, and then you can reach everywhere if you decide to do so. It is like a spider’s web. It already depends on how politically beneficial it will be to go deeper and dig deeper,” - stated Dzabiradze.