Josef Tsintsadze: “The authorities bet everything on one card when they arrested Merabishvili”

Interview by Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

When the Premier’s team arrested the former Interior Minister, the author of the famous police reform and the closest supporter of the president, Vano Merabishvili, it appeared to be a situation when compromise and peacemaking were impossible. The trial of Merabishvili seems to be a risky step which can lead to bad consequences for the ruling team. He is the Secretary General of the opposition party and one of candidates for presidency, and his arrest will trigger a harsh reaction by the West. It could negatively influence the basic agreement on association with the EU. Now the authorities will have to bring to responsibility other prominent members of the former ruling team, including the president, because it is obvious that Merabishvili fulfilled Saakashvili’s orders.

The president of the Diplomatic Academy Josef Tsintsinadze told Vestnik Kavkaza about his views on the situation in Georgia.

-          Up to now the West reacted positively to the activities of the current authorities. However, statements by Washington and Brussels after the arrest of the former Premier show that Merabishvili’s cause has gained international importance. The international interest is obvious. Thus, Ivanishvili’s government has to consider this factor.

Now all the cards are in hands of justice. It is important whether the court will be quick, fair and independent. A lot will depend on it. The authorities bet everything on one card. The image of Premier Ivanishvili depends on the result of the trial. The significance of this event shouldn’t be underestimated.

Few people remember other scandalous trials – for instance, over the former defense minister Bachu Akhalaya – because Merabishvili is a person of a different level. He is a crucial figure: the President’s right hand. He used to be called “the grey cardinal.” He was a cardinal, but not grey – very bright. He is an interesting person. So, it is very important that evidence of the prosecution would be convincing. It will determine everything. Big trials only begin in Georgia. Now it’s turn of “whales” of Saakashvili’s regime. For example, Tbilisi’s mayor Gigi Ugulava doesn’t exclude a possibility of his arrest; the former defense minister Dmitry Shashkin makes similar statements.

-          Do you agree that Merabishvili’s arrest resembles the trial of Timoshenko in Ukraine? President Saakashvili says that the similarity is obvious, from the point of view of the authorities’ motivation and an international reaction.

-          I disagree with it. We should admit that law-enforcement agencies had questions to Mrs. Timoshenko ahead of her arrest. She had a corresponding “image” ahead of the trial, i.e. before Yanukovich had come in office, when she took profitable positions in administrations of Kuchma and Yushchenko. Yushchenko accused her as well, not only the new authorities.

Merabishvili’s case is different. He was a skillful reformer. History knows examples when people were defamed, but later history praised them. When Richelieu died in France, whole France celebrated his death with joy, but now Richelieu’s name is associated with establishing of national statehood in France.

-          The President says that a dangerous precedent appears when the government which willingly rejected power after recognition of its failure in the elections becomes an object of repressions and trials. According to Saakashvili, all other governments in the post-Soviet space will think twice before holding fair elections and give power away peacefully. Do you agree with the prediction?

-          He is cunning. The peaceful giving away of power didn’t depend on free will of the authorities. Nobody would leave leading positions in favor of others willingly. The elections determined everything: the voters made their choice. The other thing is behind-the-scene events which voters cannot see. I don’t think that it is a strong argument that the same situation can happen in other countries.