Former Chief Prosecutor makes public statement
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Tuesday, January 14
Former Chief Prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze made an unexpected statement, answering all the questions in his interview with Primetime newspaper on January 13.
On December 25, Gigi Ugulava, who has been suspended from his office, stated that “Partskhaladze was sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in a prison in Augsburg for armed robbery. Through the court’s decision, he was deprived of his voting rights and right to hold certain positions. The punishment is in force until August 2, 2016,” Ugulava said.
Responding to the accusation, Partskhaladze stated then that he was really charged in Germany. However, the charge was related with a verbal dispute with a German police officer, due to the officer’s misbehavior, and not with the armed robbery. However, after large-scale speculations over the issue, Partskhaladze resigned.
In his recent interview, Partskhaladze claims that the large-scale “black PR” stunt against him was connected with well-known criminal cases and former high-ranking officials of the Prosecutor’s Office.
“My appointment was followed by the detention of the former deputy Prosecutor Davit Chkhatarashvili, who, as it was clarified later, worked comfortably at the office until my coming there. He was free and gave consultations to employees of the Prosecutor’s office at the time. Chkhatarashvili was employed as a consultant,” Partskhaladze said.
He added that an intense investigation was launched after his coming to the office and serious crimes were opened.
“The United National Movement (UNM) was afraid of me… However, the course will continue,” Partskhaladze said.
He also responded to the speculations of the UNM that his diploma was false
“I was an especially gifted student. That is why I finished school and graduated from the university earlier than others... I was 20 years old when I graduated from the university,” Partskhaladze said.
The former chief prosecutor denied speculations that he met and suggested collaboration to the former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili.
“Merabishvili lied as he wanted to attract public interest and to show to the former President Mikheil Saakashvili that he is in prison and wants assistance,” Partskhaladze said. He stressed that he personally made a decision to resign and informed Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili about it.
UNM MP Davit Sakvarelidze states that Merabishvili was really taken from his cell, and the Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance destroyed the video materials.
“The whole political spectrum is involved in covering-up the crime,” Sakvarelidze said, while refraining from revealing the source that provided the UNM with the information.
Head of the Elections of Political Technologies Research Centre, Kakha Kakhishvili, thinks that Partkhaladze’s decision to resign was a “bit belated but right.” According to him, despite various explanations, the cases, which would be investigated while Partskhaladze is in office, might be discredited due to the large-scale speculation among the public over his criminal record.
