Victoria Panfilova, NG commentator, exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
The former premier of Georgia, Vano Merabishvili, who was imprisoned before his trial on charges of committing several serious crimes made a sensational statement. He said that on Saturday night about 2 a.m. he was taken from the jail. Merabishvili couldn’t say where they went because “kidnappers” pulled his clothes on his head. A bit later Merabishvili was taken to a building – he assumed it was the Department of Execution of Punishments where he met the head prosecutor of Georgia, Otar Partskhaladze.
Merabishvili said that Partskhaladze wanted him to tell information about foreign accounts of the former president Mikhail Saakashvili and help in investigation of the former premier Zurab Zhvania’s death. In return for cooperation Partskhaladze supposedly proposed giving back Merabishvili’s money which was seized and letting him leave the country. In the opposite case, he warned Merabishvili that his relatives and friends would face serious problems, while his conditions in jail would worsen.
When Merabishvili spoke about this, he refused to attend his trial, forbade his lawyers to do this and demanded publication of the video recorded by cameras in the jail, which shows how he was taken from the prison. Now his interests will be defended by a public lawyer in the court.
The prosecution denies Merabishvili’s accusations, calling them “an attempt to trump facts by numerous witnesses of prosecution, who have given or will give evidence against Merabishvili on his committed crimes.”
Such statements by any prisoner are able to cause a storm. Moreover, the statement was made by a f. His party fellows from tormer premier. The United National Movement started an attack against the authorities immediately. All significant figures from the former ruling party accused the new Georgian authorities of abuse of power. They state that the incident proves the political character of Merabishvili’s arrest, while demands of the head prosecutor confirm that the authorities intend to continue reprisal against their predecessors. They also demanded to dismiss the head prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze and the minister of execution of punishments Sozar Subari.
Representatives of the authorities commented on accusations by the former premier “lightly”, stating that imprisonment could influence negatively Merabishvili’s health and… cause hallucinations.
Premier Irakly Garibashvili urged “the Nationals” to wake up and see the new reality of Georgia. “Such tricks have nothing in common with our governance of the country. These were “the Nationals” who imagined similar scenarios and organized performances, and it seems they think that normal authorities cannot live without such tricks,” Gerabishvili said.
The former speaker of the parliament, the leader of the parliamentary minority, David Bakradze, urged the authorities to approach Merabishvili’s statement seriously and initiate investigation. “What is difficult about it? The prison where Merabishvili is kept is full of video cameras. Videos recorded at Saturday night should be published and we all will find out who lies – the authorities of Merabishvili. It is in the power’s interests: if Merabishvili made up the story about kidnapping and demands by the head prosecutor, it will strike both his image and our party,” Bakradze stated.
The head of the parliamentary committee for legal affairs, Tina Khidasheli, is sure that Merabishvili’s statements is not true, but she agrees with political opponents that investigation should be initiated as soon as possible.
It is interesting that the scandal followed Saakashvili’s statement that he is now working on a program of reforms for Georgia in the USA and intends to return to the country soon and be involved into political processes. Saakashvili also noted that his supporters continue being kept in prison. “I think the authorities will have to release Merabishvili and Akhalay. There was no corruption in Georgia, we earn money honestly, we created a country where nobody stole. So, there are no real evidence against these people… It is bad that they are imprisoned today; but I am optimist,” Saakasjvili said.
Georgian society has several views about Merabishvili’s statement. The first: the former authorities begin a new attack to gain political revenge. The second: Merabishvili stated what the prosecutor wants, i.e. gave a message to the former president: Saakashvili has to do something about Merabishvili’s imprisonment, as he is tired of sitting behind bars, while Saakashvili travels around the world, otherwise he can speak about very interesting things. The third: Merabishvili’s statement can be connected with a recent arrest of top officials from Tbilisi administration and the former security officer of late Zurab Zhvania.
Anyway, what happened on Saturday night in the prison where Merabishvili is kept will be found out in the nearest future, as the authorities are interested in finding out the truth, first of all.
