Georgian leader satisfied with Prosecutor’s work on Kezerashvili case

Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has made his first comments about the extradition of Georgia’s ex-Defence Minister David Kezerashvili.

On February 27, a French court decided Kezerashvili would not be extradited back to Georgia despite being wanted in his home country and facing multiple criminal charges.

In an interview with Georgian Public Broadcaster last night, Garibashvili said the United National Movement party celebrated victory in advance, and there were "many cases in which Kezerashvili participated”.

The Prime Minister did not agree with the opinion that the Prosecutor’s position on Kezerashvili’s case was weak.

"I do not know the details of the particular case but talking about why the independent French court made such a decision is very difficult and I do not want to speculate further on this topic. The side of the French court was the French Prosecutor's Office not Georgian. This is a very notable detail [and] people should not be confused,” Garibashvili said.

He said the process would continue in the Georgian Court and he believed fairness would be achieved.

Meanwhile Kezerashvili was named on the Interpol wanted list before he was arrested and detained in France on October 10, 2013, in accordance with Georgia’s request.

Kezerashvili is accused of bribe-taking, violating Georgia’s transport rules, in relation to large amounts of movable items, and illegal money laundering committed by a group that was accompanied by acquiring a large amount of income. He also faces charges of alienating TV Imedi in 2008.

He has also been accused of protecting a scheme that illegally smuggled alcohol.