Press Digest 03.11.2014

“Against this backdrop, the present authorities will have to walk on thin ice”

Some Nationals are under threat of imprisonment

Scandalous confession of Saakashvili’s Government – secret document on Sulkhan Molashvili’s case

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“Against this backdrop, the present authorities will have to walk on thin ice”

"From the very beginning it was apparent that the public would be frustrated and the present authorities would not live up to their expectations as these expectations were really over exaggerated and unrealistic. And to tell the truth, the Georgian Dream party manifesto has contributed to this. However, Bidzina Ivanishvili, himself did not have the slightest desire to spark these unrealistic hopes in our people. Although some people including obsequious flatterers and those who wanted to set traps for the present authorities still fueled these hopes in the Georgian people,” states expert and philosopher Zaza Piralishvili in his interview with Kviris Palitra gazette.

“On top of that, after Power changed hands in Georgia, the political processes in our country have not run as smoothly as the leaders of the Coalition hoped. Their attempt to right the wrongs by restoring justice in the country and by displaying the Coalition as a healthy political power has proven futile. Their plans were foiled due to several reasons: 1. their Government, in fact, lacked an information policy. For instance, under Saakashvili, the job they would have done would have been a drop in the ocean if compared to that of the present authorities but they would have held such an effective PR campaign that entire Georgia would have known that something was done in the country. 2. those at the helm of the Georgian Dream have failed to catch on to the situation and predict what repercussions their move to persecute the Nationals who have serious connections with western leaders would have yielded,” maintains Mr. Piralishvili.

“We can understand that each and every Government endeavors to shed light on the positive sides of their rule and cover shortfalls; this is precisely what Irakli Gharibashvili has done while making a report on the Government activity; however, the actual fact is that some positive changes have been drawn in the country but these changes are less than expected. We cannot deny the fact that progress has been made in the health care system, and this progress has had a positive impact on the average Georgian citizen’s life. In addition, our agricultural system has also advanced and our farmers breathed a sigh of relief thanks to serious financial assistance from the Government; however, a rather serious question pops up here – are we still reliant on the Russian market and are we doing nothing to enter the markets of other countries too? Another gullible question has also occurred in my head right now – Don’t you think that the authorities would have taken a much more rational step if they channeled the astronomical funds they have squandered on their own bonuses in the agricultural system by giving western education to the people involved in this sphere? Would this not have served as a precondition for entering the European market in the immediate future?” asks the respondent.

“I don’t specialize in agriculture but one thing I can see clearly: if we maintain the system on which our agriculture is based on, our country will remain a country with a crippled and an underdeveloped agricultural system. And this will always play into the hands of Russia that will be able to use the problems with our market for their political purposes. Another weak point of this Government is that it is inapt to develop new ideas and pass effective reforms; however, the fact that they have released our business and businessmen from constant terror can serve as a feather in their cap,” alleges Zaza Piralishvili.

“As for the recently occurred unpleasant incident in Georgia’s Defense Ministry, first of all, we must stress that the accused authorities cannot really be typecast as innocent until the investigation into their cases is seen through… Against this backdrop, the present Government will have to walk on thin ice. If the high officials have actually committed a crime, they must undoubtedly be given their due; however, all this must not have any negative effect on the country’s fate and future,” concludes the expert.

Some Nationals are under threat of imprisonment

"As you know, in Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, an investigation is under way under article 315 (crimes to upend the constitutional order of a country through force). The body released a statement in relation to this issue on September 10. This announcement from Mr. Izoria gave the creeps to the Nationals, and they were as dumb as oysters for 2 days; however, they came round rather soon and kicked up a fuss by bellowing across the country that the present authorities have subjected them to illegal political persecution,” reports the Kronika gazette.

“Shortly after this, Giorgi Kandelaki wrote a letter to his friends at European Council in which he petitioned them to help them in figuring out whether or not the case was actually instituted against the former high officials and the members of their party. The European friends of the Nationals first expressed their concerns regarding the present Government’s move, then showed their indignation and some of them wrote a letter to MIA to work out everything. Shortly after this, Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs published a letter saying that the case against the National Movement was not instituted but the investigation into it was underway under article 315. This letter elated the Nationals as they decided that nothing impeded their safety,” says the article.

“In this way, this case fell into oblivion for a while. However, a reliable source informed the “Kronika” that the Nationals were in really deep trouble since the investigation into their cases was almost wrapped up and their guilt proved. As per the source, soon charges would have been pressed against the members of the National Movement for their move to brew some corrupt schemes to upend the constitutional order of the country through force. For attempting to arrange a coup and demote the Government, the wrongdoers will be sentenced to 5 to 8 year’s imprisonment. As per the source, the people who will face this terrible charge are as follows: Ex-president Mikheil Saakahsvili, his uncle, Temur Alasania, deputies Giorgi Vashadze, Davit Sakvarelidze, Giorgi Baramidze, Zurab Japaridze, Irma Nadirashvili, Givi Targamadze, Former Secretary of Security Council, Giga Bokeria, former Head of Atchara’s Ministers’ Council, Giga Bokeria, the Head of “Free Zone” as well as other members of this organization,” reads the paper.

“As the source claims, the investigation into the case was launched when Zurab Japaridze and Irma Nadirashvili were apprehended in the Baku airport; however, as these people were high officials, the scandal was lived down soon. As you know, the two top officials attempted to transfer a million USD to the country and as reports went, it was only an experiment and if this experiment proved successful, their other like-minded high officials would have brought much more financial resources from other countries, and with these funds they would have sparked a political upheaval here. Earlier to this, Ugulava’s relative, Giorgi Ghoniashvili, was also arrested for laundering money. This money was allegedly transferred to his bank account by Kezerashvili from different offshore zones on behalf of private companies. These funds were directly channeled in the Nationals’ offices. However, as long as the Government, managed to solve this case and find an illegal way through which the Nationals received these funds, they decided to search for new ways to get money and this new way has turned out to be Baku. The recordings with their detention and questioning as well as a million dollars were filed at Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs as evidence. Plus, they have already held an investigation along with their Azeri colleagues and have learned how these people got hold of this million dollars,” concludes the author of the article.

Scandalous confession of Saakashvili’s Government – secret document on Sulkhan Molashvili’s case

"On September 30, European Court for Human Rights wrapped up 10-year discussions on Sulkhan Molashvili’s case, and on 23 September officially promulgated a final verdict. In January, 2011, Saakashvili’s Government sent a letter to the European Court. In the aforementioned letter, he recognized that all articles of the convention had been infracted and in the wake of this he assumed the responsibility to launch an investigation into Sulkhan Molashvili’s case and pay him a compensation of 20 thousand Euros. The Kviris Palitra gazette has pinned down Sulkhan Molashvili’s lawyer for further details regarding the issue,” reports the Kviris Palitra gazette.  

“As a conclusive report from the European Court says, the Government of Georgia recognizes that some fundamental articles of the European convention on Humans Rights were breached. Thus, under Saakashvili, the inviolable rights of an inpidual, such as the right to receive a just and impartial court trial as well as the lawyers’ service, the right to have access to case materials etc. were violated; plus, under this government, the people were subjected to torture and inhuman treatment. They were also discriminated against according to their party allegiance. And you know, I cannot remember any government that having trampled over so many articles of the convention dared to calmly admitted to this unspeakable crime. After this, the state undertakes an obligation to look into Sulkhan Molasvili’s case and expresses readiness to give him a financial compensation of 20 thousand Euros for the sustained moral harm. And believe this or not, all this happens under the present authorities,” states Sulkhan Molashvili’s lawyer, Soso Baratashvili.

“Now I will focus my attention on one scandalous detail that has not surfaced thus far. As early as under the former rule, after all links between the state and the defendant were broken, in January 2011, the leadership sent a letter to the European Court in which it recognized that all articles of the convention had been infracted and in the wake of this it assumed the responsibility to launch an investigation into Sulkhan Molashvili’s case and pay him a compensation of 20 thousand Euros. Although the state did not bind itself with the responsibility to look over Sulkhan Molashvili’s verdict that is paramount for the latter. This is the reason why, we deemed the position from the state to be unacceptable for us. I can also present you with the then Justice Minister’s latter which has been confidential so far and in which the Government admitted to the infraction of the convention articles; however, I stress, it refused to reconsider Mr. Molashvili’s case,” says the lawyer.

“For breaching the 3rd article of the convention, a case must undoubtedly be brought against those people who tortured Sulkhan Molashvili in 2004. The investigators must bring these people to light and punish them; in addition, those judges that stooped to deliver an unjust verdict must also be held accountable under any circumstances. As for the 6th article of the convention it involves the violation of presumption of innocence; and along with Kublashvili, this crime was perpetrated by Saakashvili himself. The ex-President twice declared live on the air that “he would not let Sulkhan Molashvili go anywhere” and this obviously, influenced the judge’s decision. Precisely after this announcement, Mr. Molashvili was transferred to the 7th prison facility, where the hapless inmate was subjected to insulting and inhumane treatment,” maintains Sulkhan Molashvili’s lawyer.