Ex- Georgian PM Zhvania commemorated 13 years after controversial death

Georgian top state figures have commemorated former Parliament Speaker and Prime Minister of Georgia Zurab Zhvania on his birthday, whose death 13 years ago still triggers controversies as investigation is still in progress.

Zhvania would have turned 55 yesterday.

Zhvania and Kvemo Kartli governor Raul Usubov were found dead in a rented apartment in Tbilisi in February 2005.

Georgian parliament hosted an event dedicated to Zhvania. Photo: Parliament of Georgia press office. 

At that time he was serving as prime minister under the United National Movement government.

The official version of the investigation was that carbon monoxide poisoning caused his death.

However, Zhvania’s family and many in the country believed and still believe that he was killed.

The Georgian Dream government reopened the case in 2012. However, the process has not yet come to an end.

Georgian Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze spoke about Zhvania’s role for the country’s European development.

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili commented on the investigation of Zurab Zhvania's death. Photo: President of Georgia press office. 

Zurab Zhvania assumed the highest political responsibility when our statehood and Georgian parliament was in the process of formation and when our foreign political course was not clearly outlined.

The current statehood and parliament were achieved on his merits,” Kobakhidze said.

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili put a wreath on Zhvania’s grave and said that state figures like Zhvania are rare and they are much in need for Georgia’s advancement.

He stated that it is regrettable that questions still remain unanswered regarding Zhvania’s “murder.”