Incoming Prime Minister promises Khurcha incident conspirators to be identified and punished

The incoming Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili promised from a parliamentary tribune that those who staged the actions in the Khurcha case will be identified and punished.

In this sense, Garibashvili outlined the UN experts report on the case mentioning where it is indicated that the incident was prepared in advance and used for the propaganda purposes, causing doubts about the reason for it.

"This is the UN experts report. Fact that is investigated by us is alarming. Investigation found that the former government, with participation of the officials in the Interior Ministry, implemented the so-called terrorist act against their own citizens. This is the fact. This is the reality discussed  not only by the then opposition, but also by UN experts. The investigation is continuing and the final verdict will be made by the court, - said incoming Prime Minister during  a hearing in Parliament.

The two former officials, of the Georgian State Security Agency, have been detained on the basis of arranging the terrorist act in the village Khurcha of the Zugdidi district, near the breakaway region of Abkhazia on May 21, 2008.

Roman Shamatava was the former Head of the Constitutional Security Department of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia within the Georgian Interior Ministry, and Malkhaz Murgulia was a former employee of the Department of Special Tasks at Samegrelo in the Upper Svanetis Special Event Centre.

Investigation was launched for the crime under article 323, part II and III of the Criminal Code of Georgia. The crime is punishable with 15 to 20 year of imprisonment or lifetime imprisonment.