“With this law, you are leading this country to Russia. This is Treason. For 23 years, I served my homeland, the democratic development of my homeland, and you cannot label me like that. I have been working as a journalist since the time of Aslan Abashidze. Only under the conditions of this government, I had to not be a questioner, but to oppose you,” at a media meeting, Batumelebi editor-in-chief Eter Turadze addressed Parliament Chairman Shalva Papuashvili.
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"Agents usually do not change their profession. They are just agents. You worked in an international organization. I would have a proposal like this: let's start making a register not from 2023, but from 2000 and write everyone in this register. First of all, write down yourself, Shalva Papuashvili, who, when I was distributing the salary for the entire editorial office, for the years 2010 and 2011, when you were working, you probably received as much salary as one person. Then write Mr. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. Then let's write Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose foundation is completely filled with foreign money.
You talk all day, criticizing the National Movement and MEPs. When the previous government was chasing me, I saw Sozar Subari in the footage. You can check with him. You may not have much knowledge about us. Mikheil Saakashvili also said the same thing about what Batumelebi are, that I was carrying out some kind of repression.
When I chased and criticized that government, they chased me day and night, they didn't let me sleep quietly. You signed a contract with that government for hectares of forest and pastures. I wonder, when you worked in an international organization when you gave grants to local organizations, did you force them, did you ask them to work for the interests of a foreign country, were you forced to do the same, and did you receive black money?”
When the National Movement did not make anyone happy, in your own words, and now you call it the War Party, how did you sign property worth millions? We are talking about 10 hectares of forest.
We made a technical error. We are the media that recognized this technical error, and you used it in bad faith to argue that this is exactly why the transparency law is needed. No, Mr. Shalva. We work according to internationally recognized standards. We admitted a technical mistake, but you broke the law. You violated the tax code, buying 10 hectares of forest and arable land in Kakheti at the Alazani Valley for 1 GEL. Mr. Shalva, why didn't you sign the gift and why didn't you pay the relevant taxes? Why did you buy it for 1 GEL? This is a crime, Mr. Shalva, what you have done. I do not doubt that you will be embarrassed now, but I will exercise my freedom of expression.
Maybe Adeishvili is a criminal, maybe Adeishvili created the system.
I was the one who visited the prisoners in the penitentiary, Mr. Shalva, and reported on their situation. You were nowhere then. I was a person who was followed by Constitutional Security Department special services and was not allowed to live freely; you lived very well then, you were nowhere. Now I am the conduit of the National Movement, Russian interests? Are you talking about this?!
I wonder if you will start registering the list of 'carriers of interests of a foreign country' from 2000. You, Bidzina Ivanishvili, etc., will be there, including Sozar Subari, whom I once respected very much, who was by our side all the time when we were harassed.
This is treason. With this law, this country is leading you to Russia. This is betrayal. You have personally committed a criminal offense with this document, and the time will surely come when the prosecutor's office will investigate your case because you have hidden taxes. According to my calculations, at least 200 thousand GEL.
Because you signed a property worth several million for one lari by circumventing the law.
- It's a lie. How long will you keep this up? Have you not apologized for that?
- We clarified technically what mistake you made. There is a document.
- You can't, madam, just apologize once…
- Yes, there is a document. You used this apology, this interpretation, as you are accustomed to.
- We need to agree on something. Let me respond to you then.
You and I cannot agree. You are leading this country to Russia. With this law, how will you regulate the money brought in by Primakov's fund? How will you regulate the money brought in by Fartskhaladze's suitcases? How is Primakov's fund reflected here? Does money come legally from Russia? You are fighting the money that comes in legally because you want to abolish non-governmental organizations and independent media.
- You have a political position and make political statements.
- You have taken me out of journalistic standards. Your government managed to do it, Aslan Abashidze didn't either. I have never gone so far as to ask questions; you want me to become an agent, and you don't deserve that.
