In his statement, the illegitimate Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, mentioned that after Mikheil Kavelashvili's inauguration as President, he will award the Order of Honor to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Vakhtang Gomelauri, and other high-ranking police officials who have been sanctioned by the United States, Britain, and the Baltic countries.
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If any official suffers a “financial loss” due to sanctions, the state will compensate them, Kobakhidze said.
“As for the financial sanctions, if any official suffers a financial loss because of these sanctions, the Georgian state will fully compensate for this loss. This is not only a response to the sanctions or an unjust decision; it is primarily a response to the worthy actions carried out by representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This is a response to dignity and humanity,” Kobakhidze stated at today's briefing.
Irakli Kobakhidze also announced that he would recommend the following high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Order of Honor:
- Vakhtang Gomelauri – Minister of Internal Affairs, Vice Prime Minister
- Shalva Bedoidze – First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
- Aleksandre Darakhvelidze – Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
- Giorgi Butkhuzi – Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
- Ioseb Chelidze – Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
- Teimuraz Kupatadze – Director of the Central Criminal Police Department
- Vazha Siradze – Director of the Patrol Police Department
- Sulkhan Tamazashvili – Director of the Tbilisi Police Department
- Zviad Kharazishvili (Khareba) – Director of the Special Tasks Department (SDD)
- Mileri Lagazauri – Deputy Director of the SDD
- Mirza Kezevadze – Deputy Director of the SDD
On December 19, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Vakhtang Gomelauri, Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, Sulkhan Tamazashvili, Zviad Kharazishvili, and Mileri Lagazauri for human rights violations.
On the same day, the United States sanctioned Vakhtang Gomelauri and Mirza Kezevadze, and on September 16, Zviad Kharazishvili and Mileri Lagazauri were also sanctioned.
Gomelauri and his deputies, as well as Kharazishvili and both of his deputies, have also been subjected to visa sanctions by Lithuania and Estonia. Vazha Siradze and Teimuraz Kupatadze are also sanctioned by these countries.
Irakli Kobakhidze described the sanctions against senior officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs as an “anti-Georgian decision” and asserted that the Ministry “acted at a higher standard than American and European standards” during the protests. In response to the sanctions, Kobakhidze promoted Gomelauri to Vice Prime Minister.
