Ruling party Secretary, Parliament Committee Chair criticise former President’s involvement in Saakashvili lobbying
In her comments, Botchorishvili said it “must be embarrassing” for Margvelashvili to “[appear concerned] about the former President only in exchange for material benefits”. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
Tweet 
Share
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's European Union Integration Committee, on Monday criticised the alleged involvement of Giorgi Margvelashvili, a former President of the country, in a lobbying effort for raising the topic of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili in international media.
Their comments followed the latest disclosures on the United States Department of Justice’s website, which revealed the media company Cision PR Newswire had received $11,500 on behalf of Saakashvili for including a reference to Margvelashvili as a part of a “coalition whose efforts are to save the life of the former president, Saakashvili” in a press-release intended to be picked up by international media outlets.
In his response, Mdinaradze alleged the money had been spent on an “underhanded lie by Margvelashvili and its distribution in international media”, and added “this amount was only for the spread of one fake, [so] you can imagine how much money the entire campaign needs”.
In her comments, Botchorishvili said it “must be embarrassing” for Margvelashvili to “[appear concerned] about the former President only in exchange for material benefits”.
During these years, politicians who were worried about Mikheil Saakashvili's health and talked about his so-called humanitarian needs [were] all part of the lobbying [...] campaign that was conducted, and that is clear to the public. A lot of money was paid for this”, Botchorishvili claimed.
Margvelashvili responded to the allegations by saying “when dirty lies and misinformation begin, it is not my purpose to comment in depth and with seriousness”.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday alleged the existence of an international campaign “orchestrated and funded” for the purpose of promoting and lobbying for interests of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili, following the latest disclosure on the United States Department of Justice’s website of activities of a lobbying firm associated with the former official’s lawyers.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the Parliament, on Thursday claimed the latest disclosures on the activities of the United States-based law firm lobbying for the release of the imprisoned former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili had “fully exposed” the “hostility” of the former official, the United National Movement opposition party and “their handlers” to “national interests” and Georgia’s European integration.
Thea Tsulukiani, the Vice Prime Minister of Georgia, on Wednesday said the latest disclosure of the United States-based law firm Akerman with the country’s Department of Justice had “proved” the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili had “paid for” European Parliament resolutions calling for his release and for lobbying for sanctions to be placed on the Georgian Government for his alleged ill-treatment in detention.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Committee on Human Rights, on Wednesday claimed the legal team of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili’s was working to “create impressions damaging the country's reputation” internationally, after the latest disclosure on the United States Department of Justice’s website of activities of a lobbying firm associated with the former official’s lawyers.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday alleged Giorgi Margvelashvili, a former President of the country, had “accused” the state and its penitentiary service of “torturing” the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili in detention in an “unfortunate” development.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday claimed the latest disclosures on the United States Department of Justice’s website had “directly revealed” the United National Movement opposition party in Georgia was “paying money for [achieving a] sanctioning [of] the country”, and called the development “simply a disaster”.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the documents published on the website of the United States Department of Justice had revealed Evan Elliot, an employee of the United States Embassy in Tbilisi, had been contacted by lobbyists of the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the Georgian Dream ruling party in the Parliament, on Tuesday claimed opposition leader Mamuka Khazaradze and his party Lelo for Georgia were “lobbying against the country’s interests”.