Parliament Committee Chair claims interference in domestic politics with “stolen money” over ex-official Kezerashvili's efforts to influence political processes
In his remarks over the matter, Samkharadze noted that political parties and political activities cannot be funded from abroad as this was prohibited by domestic legislation.Photo: GD press office.
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Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Sunday claimed the interference in the domestic politics with “stolen money”, in his remarks over the wanted former official David Kezerashvili's efforts to influence Georgian politics.
Samkharadze’s comments followed after the Georgian Prosecutor's Office on Friday said that over $1 million had been transferred to bank accounts of David Kezerashvili, his sister and nephew as part of the fraudulent appropriation of funds from European citizens.
In his remarks over the matter, Samkharadze noted that political parties and political activities cannot be funded from abroad as this was prohibited by domestic legislation.
“It is very easy to finance opposition activities in Georgia. The first route is through Kezerashvili funding political parties, television channels, and, as he admitted, non-governmental organisations. In Kezerashvili's case, everything is plain: this is stolen money, funds fraudulently obtained from European pensioners”, Samkharadze claimed.
“This in itself is a violation of the law of Georgia, because political parties and political activities in Georgia cannot be funded from abroad, this is prohibited by law”, the Parliament official stressed.
Kezerashvili is wanted in Georgia for embezzlement of state funds during his time as Defence Minister in the United National Movement Government between 2006-2008, with the Tbilisi Court of Appeals last year upholding the City Court verdict on the case and ordering him to pay €5,060,000 in compensation to the Ministry.
The Prosecution Service of Georgia on Friday said the analysis of the information seized from the bank sector had determined that one of the managers of the [fraudulent] call centre operating under the name of Morgan Limited LLC, who is in custody based on an arrest warrant issued as part of the measures carried out, transferred over $1 million to Kezerashvili, his sister’s and his nephew’s bank accounts in the period when the citizens of the European countries were defrauded.
The British public broadcaster BBC last year revealed its investigation into a fraudulent “call centre” scheme involving Kezerashvili, detailing a global network of a scam operation targeting customers.
The Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday said that the wanted former Defence Minister being able to enjoy unimpeded movement in the European Union member states and “funding radicalism” and “polarisation” of the Georgian political scene from abroad was “deeply disturbing and worrying”.