President Not to Terminate Citizenship of Otar Partskhaladze who was Exposed in Espionage

‘’Otar Partskhaladze has been exposed in espionage and an investigation against him has been launched. If Partskhaladze is to be punished, he should be punished properly, as a citizen of Georgia,’’ said Salome Zourabichvili on September 22. Before that, on September 19, the President wrote on social media that she is awaiting the conclusion from the Ministry of Justice on the termination of Georgian citizenship of Otar Partskhaladze, which she will immediately comply with.

The Public Services Development Agency sent a report on the termination of Georgian citizenship of Otar Partskhaladze to the President on September 20.

‘’Signs of sabotage can be discerned here as well. We have said that terminating Partskhaladze’s citizenship would resolve the existing awkwardness – this was our official statement.

By maintaining Partskhaladze’s citizenship, Salome Zourabichvili apparently seeks to perpetuate the awkwardness and create inconveniences for the state, which is appalling.

By refusing to revoke the citizenship, Salome Zourabichvili directly violated the law,’’ said Irakli Kobakhidze, the chairman of the ruling party Georgian Dream on the air of TV Imedi.

According to the statement by the Administration of the President, Salome Zourabichvili is not violating either the constitution or the law – according to Article 26 of the Organic Law ‘’On Georgian Citizenship,’’ the term of consideration and decision of applications and submissions on citizenship issues should not exceed 3 months.

‘’As for the president’s decision, she is fully aware of the legal and moral sides of this issue.

With this decision, the President is giving state bodies the opportunity to take appropriate measures within a reasonable time and protect the country’s reputation and interests.

Today, when the European future of Georgia is on the line, it is important for the country that the ‘’Russian decision’’ made by the National Bank be revoked. Turning Georgia into a ‘’black hole’’ is in the interests of only one country and directly contradicts the state interests and our Euro-Atlantic path,’’ says the statement released by the president.

Salome Zourabichvili also commented on the election of Nana Keishvili and Teimuraz Khomeriki, who were nominated by the parliament, as board members of the National Bank: ‘’After the public and shameful rejection of the candidacy of Giorgi Bakradze, who is recognized nationwide as a highly competent and experienced professional, it became necessary to expose the malicious practice of the [parliamentary] majority, through which they approved [new board members] by 82 and 83 votes.’’

On September 20, three members left the board of the National Bank - Nikoloz Gagua, Archil Mestvirishvili, and Papuna Lezhava. All three held the position of vice president. They made the decision to resign after Natela Turnava, the acting president of the National Bank, changed the rules for the enforcement of sanctions on September 19, which no longer obliged commercial banks to impose sanctions on the US-sanctioned ex-prosecutor general Otar Partskhaladze.

On September 14, news broke that the USA imposed sanctions on the former chief prosecutor of Georgia, Otar Partskhaladze. The State Department document names Partskhaladze as a Georgian-Russian oligarch who worked with the Federal Security Service of Russia [FSB] to influence Georgian society and politics in Russia's favor.