Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
The fact that an arrest of the closest ally of Georgian President, his right hand, Vano Merabishvili, was unavoidavle became clear after “the session of political prisoners of Saakashvili regime” in Tbilisi. Several thousand people who found themselves behind bars for various reasons during Saakashvili’s epoch demanded from the authorities “to begin the process of restoration of justice, i.e. punishment of all guilty in repressions, murders, and tortures.” The former speaker Nino Burdzhanadze joined the session; she has already announced her participation in the presidential elections in autumn. She also has many times stated that the new authorities “postpone punishment of former leaders and prevent improvement of the political situation in the country.”
Ivanishvili’s team, despite all possible drawbacks to its image in the West (a predicted reaction to an arrest of a general secretary of the opposition party, one of possible candidates to presidency), couldn’t ignore the attitude of the most active part of the society. Otherwise, the attitude could be used by Burdzhanadze and her supporters in their interests. The prosecution of the Western Georgian district of Imereti made a charge against Merabishvili, arrested him, and addressed to the court for a permit for two-month custodial arrest.
The prosecution accuses former officials of bribing voters with budget money. According to the investigation, in summer 2012 ahead of the parliamentary elections, the prime minister ordered to the minister to hire 22 thousand social workers officially for unemployed people census; in fact they campaigned for the presidential party. About $3.5 million were spent for this. Merabishvili is accused of the fact that being the internal minister, he seized a luxury summer cottage by the sea, accusing the former owner of tax evasion, and later lived there with his family in summer.
According to Vestnik Kackaza, the prosecution will soon charge even more serious accusations against “Saakashvili’s right hand”: the overly violent suppression of the opposition protest on May 26, 2011 (four people were killed) and an attempt of falsification of evidence on the murder of Sandro Girgvliani by top-policemen after a fight in one of Tbilisi cafes. In general Merabishvili can be sent to prison for 30 years.
The former minister of healthcare Zurab Chiaberashvili is arrested together with the former Premier. He used to be the envoy of Georgia in PACE and thought to be a successful diplomat.
Of course the main target was the former internal minister for the authorities, as personification of Saakashvili’s regime, while Chiaberashvili has never caused social aggression. So, the court’s decision was adequate: Merabishvili is arrested for two months, while Chiaberashvili is released on the pledge of $12300.
As it was expected foreign players, including the USA State Department and the EU representative, “expressed concern” about the arrest of Vano Merabishvili and warned that they will “attentively follow the investigation and the trial.” But it cannot stop the machine of punishment of “former officials.” According to the political scientists Georgy Nodia, in this process Ivanishvili has no other choice, but to turn toward Russia.
