Former Georgian Defense Minister and founder of TV channel Formula, David Kezerashvili, has responded to the recent statement made by the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office, labeling it as politically motivated and an attempt to discredit him.
“The Georgian government continues its defamatory campaign against me by using state institutions and agencies. The charges announced by the Prosecutor’s Office on September 6 are yet another attempt at politically motivated persecution and defamation,” Kezerashvili’s statement released by Formula TV reads.
Ex-minister also pointed to remarks by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, which followed the prosecutor’s briefing, as evidence of the political agenda behind the charges. Additionally, he accused pro-government media outlets of exploiting the prosecutor’s allegations for propaganda purposes.
Kezerashvili also assured that the US Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission) has issued a statement that exposed the Georgian government’s actions and motives.
“The Helsinki Commission made it clear that ruling Georgian Dream is using black money from a global network of call centers to finance its operations and suppress the opposition,” he said, adding that the government is attempting to divert attention from its involvement in these serious crimes by shifting blame onto political opponents.
He addressed a previous investigative report by the BBC that linked him to the fraud call center operations, claiming that the report is currently being challenged in British courts.
Kezerashvili also emphasized that the majority ownership of TV Formula has been transferred to employees to protect the media outlet during this time. He assured the public that the outcome of the legal proceedings would be made public once the case was resolved.
The Georgian Prosecutor’s Office recently announced it had uncovered another transnational crime, in which the names of Kezerashvili and his family members were mentioned. According to the investigation, a criminal group was formed by a Ukrainian citizen through the Georgian-based company “Morgan Limited,” operating between 2019 and 2021.
The group, including Georgian and foreign nationals, set up call centers that deceived European citizens into making fake investments on fraudulent trading platforms.
