Prosecutor General Irakli Shotadze resigned. He cited the complication of his health as the reason for this. Shotadze published the relevant statement on the website of the General Prosecutor’s Office.
He claims that he has to take the most difficult decision, taking into account the recommendations of doctors. As Shotadze mentioned, the treatment process will probably last several months and he has been abroad for more than a week for this purpose. He has already submitted his resignation application to the Parliament.
“Due to the complicated health condition, I have made a decision to leave the position of the Prosecutor General of Georgia. I have to make the most difficult decision for me, taking into account the recommendations of the doctors. The treatment process will probably last several months, and I have been abroad for more than a week for this purpose. Therefore, given the current situation, it is impossible to continue performing the powers of the Prosecutor General. This is why I have already submitted my resignation application to the Parliament of Georgia.
It is the fifth year that I have held the position of the Prosecutor General of Georgia, and I have been working in public service in general since 2005. It is a great honor for me to be in the service of my country and I am proud of the contribution that we have made with my colleagues over the years to the reform and development of the Prosecutor’s Office, the fight against crime and the modification of the criminal justice policy. In terms of reforms, the strengthening of the institutional independence of the Prosecutor’s Office is particularly noteworthy, as a result of which the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia was transformed from a sub-departmental institution of the Ministry of Justice into an independent institution”, reads the statement.
The Parliament of Georgia approved Irakli Shotadze as the Prosecutor General on February 18, 2020 for a period of 6 years. This was the second time he held this post during the “Dream” rule.
Irakli Shotadze became the Prosecutor General for the first time in 2015, but he resigned from his position on May 31, 2018. Shotadze’s resignation was preceded by actions by the family of Davit Saralidze, who was killed on Khorava Street in Tbilisi in December 2017, and his supporters, who protested the violations in the investigation process.
From Shotadze’s resignation until his re-appointment, in 2018-2020, the post of General Prosecutor was held by Ivanishvili’s former personal lawyer, Shalva Tadumadze. In 2020, he was first appointed as a lifetime judge of the Supreme Court, and then became the chairman of the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court.
