Mamuka Mdinaradze responds to US Ambassador Kelly Degnan's comments on de-oligarchization bill
By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, October 6, 2022
Executive Secretary of "Georgian Dream" Mamuka Mdinaradze commented on Kelly Degnan's statement regarding de-oligarchization and called on the US Ambassador to Georgia to be more specific and clarify, so the International community do not think that her opinion matches with that of the opposition's.
"We would like to call on the representative of our strategic partner, friendly country in to be clear with her statements, for example, regarding the issue of de-oligarchization - if there is not much clarification, many people in this country and even outside the country will have the impression that the message box of the opposition matches the pathos of the ambassador of our partner country," Mdinaradze said.
According to Mdinaradze, the statement that the law of de-oligarchization should be adapted to the Georgian reality and specifics, at the same time, if it means that it should be adapted to a specific person, i.e Bidzina Ivanishvili, it means that we put the principles of law aside.
"Yesterday Khatia Dekanoidze came out and said that the law should be adapted to Bidzina Ivanishvili, today Kelly Degnani came out and said that this law should be drawn up with Georgian specifics. If there is not more clarity here and if there is not more clarification, many people in this country and even outside the country will have the impression that the message box of the opposition coincides with the pathos of the representative of our partner and friend country, the ambassador.
Based on the fact that it fits the Georgian reality and specifics, at the same time, if it means that it fits a specific person whom they want it to fit, i.e. Bidzina Ivanishvili, it means that we put the principles of law and the principles of democracy aside and as in some authoritarian countries,or even worse, the law can directly apply to a particular person. This is against the principles of the law, and therefore more clarification and precision is needed, what is meant behind this statement", Mdinaradze said.
In addition, he asked the journalists if they could name one specific theoretical circumstance, what specific regional specifics could de-oligarization have, which could be different in Ukraine and different in Georgia," said Mdinaradze.
The US ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan commented on the de-oligarchization law and said that Georgia should adjust its political specifics with Ukraine's de-oligarchization law and not just 'borrow' it without changing anything.
"There are different ways in which countries address undue influence in the political sector, and I think each country should consider this issue and find its own solution. I don't think it's always useful to just borrow from someone else without adapting it to the specifics of your country's situation. There are many good examples that can be discussed and developed into something suitable for Georgia," Degnan said.
