Ruling party head claims “corrupt processes” behind US sanctioning of Georgian judges
Kobakhidze alleged attempts to “stigmatise” the Georgian judiciary were being made “mainly through the hands of foreign agents”. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
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Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday claimed “corruption processes” behind the United States Department of State’s decision to designate four Georgian former and current judges for sanctions for their “involvement in significant corruption”.
Kobakhidze’s comment followed the Department of State’s public sanctioning of Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, Irakli Shengelia and Valerian Tsertsvadze under the visa restrictions authority, with the DoS alleging they had “abused their positions as court Chairmen and members of Georgia’s High Council of Justice, undermining the rule of law and the public’s faith in Georgia’s judicial system”.
The GD official claimed “corruption was discussed in this statement, and corrupt processes are behind [it]”.
Corruption is not only about money, and it is particularly disturbing that Secretary of State [Antony] Blinken got directly stained by [his involvement in] such a statement, which is very bad. It speaks very badly of the people who bring such information to the Secretary of State”, Kobakhidze said.
“Of course, we all understand that Antony Blinken does not sleep or wake up thinking about Georgia - he has many more things to do. [But] [w]hen they bring him such crude documents, it is very serious, and it speaks about corrupt processes underlying it all”, the GD official continued.
Kobakhidze alleged attempts to “stigmatise” the Georgian judiciary were being made “mainly through the hands of foreign agents”.
Here, too, there is a political interest in interfering with the independence of the judiciary and encroaching on its independence. All this, including the latest statement, shows that they do not see Georgia as a state, they do not recognise our statehood - and we, of course, must protect the state's interests to the end: we must show everyone that Georgia is a state”, he noted.
Archil Talakvadze, the Vice Speaker in the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday said the United States Department of State’s decision on Wednesday to impose sanctions on four Georgian judges was “unfair”, "absolutely unacceptable” and “incompatible” with the strategic cooperation between the states.
Edmondo Cirielli, the Italian Deputy Foreign Minister, on Wednesday pledged his Government's support for Georgia’s European integration in a Tbilisi meeting with his Georgian counterpart Teimuraz Janjalia, the Georgian foreign office said.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee in the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday said a part of domestic opposition parties was using developments related to the country’s European Union membership candidate status as a “tool for their own political struggle and nothing more”.
The co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe praised “many reforms” implemented by Georgia since joining the Council and “good progress” made by the country to bring democratic and rule of law institutions in line with European standards, Imedi channel said on Tuesday.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday highlighted a lack of Western sanctions on the Georgian judiciary under the previous United National Movement Government, where he said the system had been used as a “repressive tool”, in comments following the United States Department of States’ sanctioning of four current and former Georgian judges.
Georgian judges Levan Murusidze and Valerian Tsertsvadze on Thursday called the decision of the United States Department of State to impose travel restrictions on them for alleged corruption “unfair” and “politically grounded”.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Thursday addressed his American counterpart Anthony Blinken with a letter following the Department of State’s public sanctioning of four Georgian judges under the visa restrictions authority.
Grigol Liluashvili, the Head of the Georgian State Security Service, on Thursday confirmed that a citizen of the United States had been denied entry into Georgia due to his alleged involvement in the “training of destructive groups” during the last month's protests against the bill on transparency of foreign influence, with the clashes of demonstrators with law enforcement outside the Parliament building in Tbilisi.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday said the United States Department of State’s “personal attack” on four Georgian judges it had sanctioned on Wednesday, and its labelling of the individuals as “corrupt” was “absolutely unacceptable”, adding “partners do not act like that”.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Friday said the move by the United States Department of State to impose visa restrictions on four Georgian judges “should not become a reason for further deepening of political polarisation” in the country.
Georgian judge Irakli Shengelia, one of four sanctioned by the United States Department of State last week, on Monday said he was going to appeal the decision in a US court.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday vowed his support to Georgian judges following the sanctioning of four current and former professionals by the United States Department of State for alleged corruption.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday said Otar Partskhaladze - the former Prosecutor General of the country who was recently sanctioned by the United States Department of State for “influencing Georgian society and politics for the benefit of Russia” - had held “no connection” with state structures “for the last 10 years”.