Justice Minister says wanted former official Kezerashvili freely moving in Europe raises questions

Georgian Justice Minister Rati Bregadze on Wednesday said a free movement of David Kezerashvili - the wanted former Defence Minister of Georgia in the former United National Movement Government - in Europe was raising many questions.

Bregadze’s comments followed after the Georgian Prosecutor's Office on Friday said that over $1 million had been transferred to bank accounts of Kezerashvili, his sister and nephew as part of the fraudulent appropriation of funds from European citizens.

“The fact that Kezerashvili is trying to fund the [domestic] opposition in various ways is clear from his statements. He did not try to ignore this fact. Of course, it's sad that a person in relation to whom there are many questions, who actually contributes to the development of radicalism in Georgia - as [Georgian Parliament Speaker] [Shalva] Papuashvili said - really raises questions. I am confident that as a result of working with our foreign partners, these questions will be answered properly”, Bregadze said.

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said recent scandalous revelations about money transfers related to illegal call centres had given the Georgian Government a “clear” idea of how the country’s foreign partners, instead of engaging in misplaced moralising, can help Georgia to shore up existential dangers.

In his social media message, Papuashvili noted that handing over Kezerashvili to Georgian authorities by the European Union was the only way to dispel suspicions that the wanted former official was enjoying certain guarantees of freedom in exchange for funding radical groups in the country.