Interior Minister arrives in parliament over anti-drug raid in night clubs

The Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia came in parliament today to speak about the police raid in nightclubs in Tbilisi on May 12 and to answer to the lawmakers’ questions.  

In his speech Gakharia thanked police as they acted within the law during the raid. 

No one has yet provided even a single fact that the police exceeded their power during the raid,” Gakharia said.

If such a fact is revealed and confirmed, we are ready to react appropriately,” Gakharia said. 

The minister stated that the police raided in the two nightclubs only after they had evidence over the sale of drugs. 

We chose the midnight for the operation as club life starts at night. Police  excused for disturbing of people and  explained the reason of the raid. 

We created discomfort for 70-100 people in the clubs who arrived there for entertainment. However, the raid took place  because of the public interests and the benefits brought by the raid are significant ,” Gakharia stated. 

Gakharia said that no one can say that "even a hair was dropped” from them due to the actions of police inside the clubs. 

The minister told the lawmakers that his body was focused on protection of safety and spoke about the Human Rights Protection Department, which was created in the Interior Ministry in January this year. 

Gakharia also announced about a tourist patrol during his speech.