Finance Ministry refutes “slanderous, absurd” misinformation on alleged links with US-sanctioned ex-official

Georgian Finance Ministry on Tuesday refuted claims by the United National Movement party and "related political groups” on the body’s alleged links with Otar Partskhaladze, the former Prosecutor General, who was sanctioned last week by the United States for “influencing Georgian society and politics for the benefit of Russia”, as “one more absurd and slanderous” misinformation.

The Ministry’s statement followed the allegations by the UNM members, who earlier today had claimed that Partskhaladze “is controlling the Finance Ministry and ensuring the smooth movement of sanctioned cargo in the country”.

We remind the public that for more than a year, this political group [the UNM] and its related organisations have been deliberately harming the interests of our state and deliberately casting a shadow on the country's reputation, unreasonably asserting that Georgia violates international sanctions [imposed by international community against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine]”, the body said.

Georgia continues to “effectively” take appropriate measures in enforcing international sanctions, the Ministry noted, adding it “is in constant consultations” with the “competent agencies” of Georgia’s partner countries.

Georgia's successful work in the direction of sanctions enforcement is recognised by all partner countries at the highest level, and despite this, the spread of false information by politically motivated individuals continues”, the state body stressed.

The Ministry also highlighted the positive assessments regarding the sanctions made this June by David O'Sullivan, the European Union Sanctions Envoy, James O'Brien, the Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination at the US State Department and Kumar Iyer, the Director General for Economics, Science and Technology at the United Kingdom Foreign Office.