Ex-chair of Supreme Court becomes State University Deputy-Rector
By Tea Mariamidze
Friday, May 10
Nino Gvenetadze, a Georgian magistrate, and ex-Chair of the Supreme Court between March 20, 2015, and August 2, 2018, has become the Deputy-Rector of Tbilisi State University (TSU).
Tbilisi State University confirmed the information and added that Dr. Nino Okribelashvili was appointed as the second deputy rector.
In 1985 to 1990 Gvenetadze studied at Tbilisi State University, graduated from the Faculty of Laws with honors and became Doctor of Laws in 1995. Between 1990 and 1993 studied a post-graduate in Criminal Law for the Institute of State Law of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences. She became Associate Professor in TSU in 1999 in the Criminology Institute until she was named as Professor of the School of Law in 2007. Between 1994 and 2001 Gvenetadze was a member of the Drafting Committee of the new Criminal Code, and president of the Young Lawyer's Association from 1998 until 1999.
Nino Gvenetadze entered the Supreme Court on 1999 until 2006 as member of the Chamber of Criminal Cases.
On March 20, 2015, Parliament of Georgia approved Gvenetadze as the new Chairwoman of the Supreme Court after then-President Giorgi Margvelashvili selected her.
On November 9, 2017, Gvenetadze resigned on August 2, 2018, claiming health problems were the main reason.
However, the opposition and the non-judge members of the High Council of Justice, the body responsible for the appointment of judges, stated they did not believe the reason that Gvenetadze named.
HCOJ members Ana Dolidze and Nazi Janezashvili claimed Gvenetadze’s resignation was caused by several reasons, including the absence of the support from the government regarding the court reform, informal influences in the judicial system and several high-profile unresolved cases.
Opposition parties claim Gvenetadze received the post from the authorities in return of the silence.
Irakli Abesadze from the European Georgia says the court system is in the 'hands of a particular clan,' which rules the system.
“There were many questions when Gvenetadze resigned unexpectedly. This post should not become a gift from the government for her silence,” he said.
Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze congratulated Gvenetadze, saying he also teaches in TSU and is pleased to have such a colleague.
The speaker rejected the allegations that Gvenetadze was appointed to the post by the government to 'keep her quiet.'
“Opposition's statements regarding this issue are speculations. They always use such topics, so their reaction was not surprising,” he said.
TSU is the first-ever national university in the Caucasus which was opened in 1918, laying the foundation for a European-type higher school in Georgia, based on Georgian educational traditions.
Giorgi Sharvashidze has been the rector of the university since September 2016.
