PM Kvirikashvili: Drug policy is harsh, needs liberalisation

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili addressed the parliament of Georgia to make the legislative changes to the current drug policy and make it more human and European by the autumn sessions.

Kvirikashvils’s statement referred to the recent detention of rap musicians Mikheil Mgaloblishvili and Giorgi Keburia for illegal purchase and possession of drugs in especially large quantities.

Calling human rights protection "one of our main achievements”, Prime Minister Kvirikashvili said he and his generation knows well "how the system should not work” in the country.

I would like to address our youth. Each step and decision taken by our Government is designed to create a free and civilised environment for you, the future generation of our country... So we are sparing no effort to build a country where freedom of speech, expression, personal individualism will be a fact, not a promise”, Kvirikashvili said.

He said "no individual has been punished for freedom of speech under our Government, nor will our society ever face this threat".

Kvirikashvili further explained that the investigation of the case of a musical duo ‘Birja Mafia’ is still underway and the law enforcers will provide all the relevant evidence as soon as the process will be over.

People gathered in front of the parliamentary building in Tbilisi at a rally demanding release of Mgaloblishvili and Keburia and urging the Government of Georgia to change the drug policy.

Both rap musicians now remain under the two-month preliminary detention.