Time in Tbilisi: April 25, 2024 18:40
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili made a special statement at a briefing after his meeting with the coalition majority at the Georgian Dream coalition office this evening, where he announced he had dismissed the country’s Defence Minister Irakli Alasania.
"The Prosecutor’s Office revealed some violations and the investigation is ongoing. There is a contradiction between the Minister of Defence and investigative bodies, also an attempt to politicize this case [has been] obvious during the past few days."
"This is unacceptable for me and negatively affects the working of the Government and the safety of the country,” Prime Minister Garibashvili said.
He emphasized his decision to dismiss Alasania was made to avoid politicization of the Defence Ministry and the Georgian Armed Forces.
The PM said another reason why he decided to fire Alasania was to guarantee the independence of the final investigation into the Ministry of Defence case.
Garibashvili noted that yesterday he had a very sincere meeting with members of the fraction 'Free Democrats' and he did not received argued responses from Alasania to questions he and investigators had on the MoD case.
Prime Minister Garibashvili stressed that the fight against corruption was the one of the Government’s top priorities and "we are and will be uncompromised” in revealing cases of corruption in any ministry.
He assessed Alasania’s statement that charges against the Ministry of Defence were an "attack on Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic choice” as "irresponsible".
"Georgia’s European and Atlantic integration is the choice not only of our Government but of the Georgian people. This process is and will be irreversible,” said PM.
"The European integration of our country does not mean that in the Defence Ministry could possibly be the misspending of four million GEL," he added.
The PM invited all members of the 'Free Democrats' [Irakli Alasania-led party, part of the Georgian Dream coalition] fraction tomorrow to a broader meeting of Georgian Dream coalition political council.
Meanwhile Garibashvili announced Mindia Janelidze, the Secretary of Security and Crisis Management Council, as the next candidate for the post of Defence Minister. Until his approval, the First Deputy Defence Minister Irakli Gegechkori will lead the Ministry.
Georgia’s Defence Minister Irakli Alasania believes two criminal investigations related to the Ministry of Defense and general staff of the Georgian Armed Forces (GAF) was "obviously politically motivated”.
Georgia’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has once again been brought into the public spotlight after the Chief Prosecutors Office announced negligence charges against several Ministry officials today.
Defence Minister Irakli Alasania has complete confidence in the integrity of his employees and says he is sure of "complete innocence” in the case of allegedly misspending 4.1 million GEL of state money by Ministry high officials.
Four current and one former high officials from the Ministry of Defence have been arrested for allegedly misspending 4.1 million GEL.
State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Alex Petriashvili announced his resignation during a live interview with the Georgian Maestro TV after receiving news of the dismissal of his political ally Defence Minister Irakli Alasania. Alasania was fired by the Prime Minister last evening.
"I cannot call this situation political crisis,” says Georgian Vice Prime Minister Kakha Kaladze while assessing the recent Governmental changes in the live interview with Rustavi 2.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has introduced the country's new Defence Minister today.
Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze resigned a day after Prime Minister sacked Defense Minister Irakli Alasania after he criticized the arrests of several Defence Ministry officials as politically motivated and an "attack on Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic choice”.
US Ambassador in Georgia Richard Norland says people should not speculate about the dismissal of the country's Defence Minister and said the country must continue working towards its Euro-Atlantic goals.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili believes allegations made by recently dismissed Defence Minister Irakli Alasania and former Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze that the country’s European and Euro-Atlantic policy threats are "ridiculous and naïve.”
Free Democrats - the party led by ex-Defence Minister Irakli Alasania – have left the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) coalition.
This decision was announced by Alasania when he and his team left the broader meeting of the political council of the GD coalition only ten minutes after it started.
NATO’s representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia region James Appathurai says he is closely following the situation in Georgia following a change in government and is "glad” the country will not divert Georgia from its Euro-Atlantic path.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili is calling statements of three former high officials who left their duties this week – one was dismissed and two resigned) - as "totally irresponsible” and their actions of quitting their duties could be seen as "sabotage” against country.
The country’s recently-dismissed Defence Minister Irakli Alasania has refused future cooperation with Georgia’s opposition party United National Movement (UNM).
The United States (US) Department of State released a special statement on the dismissal and resignation of several Georgian Government officials.
The Georgian leader believed the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) coalition would have the majority in Parliament despite Alasania and members of the Free Democrats quitting the coalition and the Government will continue to work more effectivly.
Justice Minister continues role, optimistic about Georgia’s European future "There is no bright future for Georgia if it diverts from its European path,” said Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani.
Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili says he is confident Georgia’s domestic and foreign policy was clearly defined and any suggestion that there is a threat to the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration are unreasonable.
European Union (EU) Ambassador to Georgia Janos Herman is responding to the political developments in Georgia and says he is confident in Georgia’s European integration.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has introduced Deputy Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili as the country’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The new Foreign Minister of Georgia has a clear vision of the country’s foreign policy and the United States (US) is 100 percent supportive of Georgia’s vision, says a top US official.
Georgia’s financial authorities are keeping a close eye on the financial activities of the country’s Ministry of Defence, it has been revealed.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has appointed Georgia’s Ambassador to Greece and Serbia David Bakradze as the country’s new State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has declassified some of the controversial procurement documents that relate to an alleged unlawful tender and the misspending of 4.1 million GEL.
New faces are appearing in Georgian Governmental structures in a bid to make state institutions operate more effectively.
Tbilisi City Court today delivered a verdict into the high profile case involving four serving and one former Defence Ministry officials. The men were found guilty of misspending 4.1 million GEL and sentenced to a seven-year prison term.
Irakli Alasania, Georgia’s former Minister of Defence and leader of opposition party Free Democrats, has made an announcement he is temporarily leaving politics.
Five top figures of Free Democrats opposition party have quit, citing the party's poor performance in the elections as a reason for their decision to step down.