For the past two days, Georgian citizens have witnessed a performance staged by Bidzina Ivanishvili, the sole goal of which is to create immunity from international sanctions for Ivanishvili and his accomplices to save corrupted money, at the expense of Georgian citizens and the future of our country – state the members of For Georgia political party, led by ex-PM Giorgi Gakharia.
“Termination of Georgian citizenship for the sanctioned Russian FSB agent Otar Partskhaladze, at this point, is an ideal solution for Partskhaladze himself and for Georgian Dream – by this decision, Otar Partskhaladze is basically being withdrawn from the jurisdiction of Georgia and at practical sense is in fact excluded from the investigation, parliamentary or any other type of legal response to him.
What is actually the main issue today?
The Russian order issued via Natela Turnava restricted the dissemination of international financial sanctions on Georgian citizens. To put it more simply – in the event of sanctioning the Georgian Dream bosses in the future, financial restrictions will not apply to them. The purpose of this Russian order is to safeguard 20-25 people!
As a result, Georgian citizens have to pay the price – Russian order has already caused tens of millions of GEL damage to the country due to fluctuations in the foreign exchange market and significant depreciation of GEL. In the future, there will be even more severe consequences for our citizens – interest rates on their loans will increase, GEL will be depreciated even more, and as a result of inflation, prices will increase.
That is why the main demand should be the cancellation of Natela Turnava’s Russian order!
We call on everyone – do not become a participant in Bidzina Ivanishvili’s show! With all the leverages at our disposal, we should all demand to cancel Natela Turnava’s Russian order,” – they claim.
According to them, their team will submit a written opinion to the Constitutional Court regarding already initiated constitutional lawsuit demanding the abolition of Natela Turnava’s Russian order.
For the record, after the chairman of the ruling party, Irakli Kobakhidze, called the possible seizure of accounts for the former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze “unconstitutional,” the National Bank changed the procedure for implementing the sanctions regime. The changes on the order of the President of the National Bank of August 8 were introduced on September 19.
The order is signed by Natia Turnava, acting President of the National Bank.
The only citizen of Georgia who has been subjected to international financial sanctions, is former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze.
Background
Otar Partskhaladze is a Georgian-Russian businessman and former statesman who served as the Prosecutor General of Georgia in 2013.
On 7 November 2013, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili appointed Partskhaladze as Prosecutor General. He resigned due to allegations that he had been convicted of robbery in Germany in 2001.
In November 2018, he was charged with beating the former head of the State Audit Office, Lasha Tordia, in May 2017, and granted 5,000 GEL bail. He has been involved in several other high-profile incidents. Several days before his resignation, Partskhaladze admitted to assaulting a police officer in 2010.
On 24 February 2021, Partskhaladze received Russian citizenship. From September 2022, he was recorded in the Russian Federation Unified State Register of Entrepreneurs and owned shares in Russian-based company.
On 14 September 2023, the United States sanctioned Partskhaladze for “operating or having operated in the management consulting sector of the Russian Federation economy.” According to the US State Department, Partskhaladze “worked with the Russian Federal Security Service to influence Georgian politics and society to benefit Russia.
By Ana Dumbadze
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