Ministerial candidates’ goals and assessments of the minority
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, October 24
Candidates on the ministerial posts spoke on their future plans on October 23 at the committee meeting. Statements made by Minister of Justice appointee, Tea Tsulukiani, have been met with negative comments from the minority representatives. The other appointees' speeches have been taken more “peacefully.”
At the beginning of her speech, Tsulukiani emphasized that the country's justice system will become independent, impartial and active “constitutional control” will be carried out for ensuring this.
Reform will be undertaken at the Supreme Council of Justice and the body will be de-politicized. According to Tsulukiani, a “fair punishment model” will be established and the successful world experience will be used in this regard.
“We will also establish the upper level of monetary fines,” Tsulukiani stated.
She also initiated the reform at the Prosecutor’s Institute. According to her, the Chief Prosecutor’s office will function in the frames of the Ministry of Justice. However, it will be an independent law-defending body chaired by the chief prosecutor and not by the Minister of Justice.
Plea agreements will be preserved, however, not with such “negative form” as it has been used during the previous government, according to Tsulukiani.
“The former government has turned the plea agreement into a trade and money making scheme. We will make the agreement fair where the victim’s interests will be taken into consideration,” Tsulukiani said.
According to the nominee, the Ministry of Justice will not take part in the construction of such projects like "Lazika."
The houses of justice will also be preserved. However, their projects and financial issues will be strictly looked over by the Ministry of Finance.
The minority representatives have criticized Tsulukiani for her statements made regarding the houses of justice and the ministry’s participation in constructing barbeque houses. The minority representatives have also asked questions concerning plea agreements.
According to Giorgi Vashadze, from the UNM, the ministry did not take part in constructing of such projects and building of the houses of justice was a successful Georgian innovation, which does not exist in any European state. In response, Tsulukiani stated that the ministry was really taking place in financing such kinds of projects as are the houses of barbeque.
Fellow representative of the minority, Davit Sakvarelidze spoke on the positive side of plea agreements and described it as a means of collaboration. He also asked the question of why plea agreement should not be used with juvenile detainees.
“The plea agreement can be used only when the crime is light. The plea agreement is successfully used with all types of crimes in the united States,” Sakvarelidze stated.
According to the nominee on the post of the Interior Minister, Irakli Gharibashvili, the first aim will be police to de-politicize. He also underscored that the Constitutional Security Department of the MIA and Special Operative Department will be abolished and their functions will be shared with other structures.
“We also plan to separate the Security Service from the MIA and create another body from it,” Gharibashvili said.
Defense Minister Nominee, Irakli Alasania underscored that there is “no responsibility and less control in the Ministry of Defense."
“We have information that millions of GEL has been spent without any explanation,” Alasania stated and emphasized that his aim will be the creation of good conditions for any soldier.
Alasania highlighted that Georgia will have both defensive and tactical weapons in the future.
UNM representative Gia Baramidze assessed Alasania as professional and stated that the minority will always support positive projects for the country.
The Georgian Dream is going to look over the tax politics and make various initiatives concerning the issue. A statement regarding the topic was made by Nodar Khaduri, nominee on the post of finance minister.
