Gov’t “demanding evidence” for US sanctions on judges - Vice PM
Thea Tsulukiani, the current Minister of Culture, previously served as the Minister of Justice. Photo: Justice Ministry press office
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Thea Tsulukiani, the Georgian Vice Prime Minister, on Monday said her Government was “demanding evidence” behind the United States Department of State’s decision to impose visa restrictions on four Georgian judges for alleged corruption.
In her comments for the media following the sanctioning of the current and former judges last week, Tsulukiani claimed unfair treatment from foreign governments by saying “everyone not too lazy to do it is posing tests to our country”, and stressed Tbilisi was demanding “evidence, playing by the rules and equality”.
In her listing of the alleged unfair attitudes to her Government, the official also cited last year’s refusal of the European Council to grant the European Union membership candidate status to Georgia while accepting applications by Ukraine and Moldova.
It is a test when the bloc unfairly rejects Georgia's membership and promotes Moldova and Ukraine - who are our friendly countries but far behind our country and our people in terms of progress and reforms”, she said.
It is also a test when you tell our country that its opinion does not count, that ‘I can discipline your judge in the way I want, without evidence’. This is why we are demanding evidence, playing by the rules and equality”, Tsulukiani added.
The State Department on Wednesday imposed visa restrictions on judges Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, Irakli Shengelia and Valerian Tsertsvadze for their alleged “involvement in significant corruption”, and said 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 judges and officials from the ruling Georgian Dream party have called the decision “unfair” and “groundless”.
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 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 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.
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 Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday said he was “proud” of the country’s judiciary and judges, following the United States Department of State’s move last week to sanction three acting and one former Georgian judges for alleged corruption.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday claimed surveys confirmed citizens' trust in the domestic judiciary had “increased greatly”, in comments following a meeting with members of the High Council of Justice.
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.
Nino Kadagidze, the Chair of the Georgian Supreme Court, on Monday expressed her fears the United States Department of State’s sanctions on four Georgian judges could be “used” against the country’s interests ahead of the European Union’s decision this year on whether to grant the country its membership candidate status.
Salome Samadashvili, an MP for the opposition Lelo party, on Monday criticised Levan Khaberishvili and Ana Tsitlidze, two leaders of the opposition United National Movement party, for their departure for a visit to Poland ahead of a vote on the creation of an investigative commission in the Georgian Parliament following the United States Government’s sanctioning of Georgian judges last week.
Thea Tsulukiani, the Georgian Vice Prime Minister, on Tuesday said the United States Department of State’s sanctions on Georgian judges were “incomprehensible” in light of the West’s “backing” of their lifetime appointment to ensure further independence of the domestic judiciary.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said “personal attacks” on judges of the country’s judiciary were “unacceptable” when allegations of them being “corrupt” came without a “single fact or evidence”, in comments on the United States Department of State’s sanctioning of four former and current judges in the country.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the question of the opposition United National Movement party forming a Parliamentary investigative commission into the domestic judiciary following the United States Government’s sanctioning of Georgian judges could not be discussed “in any case”.
Archil Talakvadze, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday said the “radical” part of the domestic opposition would “not be allowed” to “undermine” the country’s judiciary and European prospects, in comments after the ruling Georgian Dream party refused to register for the opposition-initiated vote on forming a Parliamentary inquiry on the domestic judiciary.