The For Georgia opposition party on Tuesday addressed the Prosecutor General’s Office, urging an investigation into alleged corruption within Georgian Manganese, which has been operating under special management for nearly seven years.
The party asserted there were compelling grounds to suspect inefficient management, posing a threat to the legitimate interests of the state and its citizens, potentially involving corrupt transactions and embezzlement of substantial funds.
It noted period between 2009 and 2016 saw the company’s original management “flagrantly violating” legislation and environmental protection standards, resulting in “significant harm” to the populations of western Zestaponi and Chiatura municipalities. Environmental damage during this time was estimated to exceed 416 million GEL, the party noted.
Despite state sanctions from 2012 to 2016 “proving insufficient” to curb the company’s environmental violations, and in light of potential harm to employees if the license were suspended or revoked, a court-appointed special administrator assumed control in 2017, it added.
“Regrettably, the special administrator, whose term has been extended multiple times, has been unable to rectify the environmental damage or adequately protect the interests of the local population”, the party stressed and contended that suspicions arise of the company being mismanaged by the state-appointed special administrator for nearly seven years, potentially motivated by personal financial gain rather than the best interests of the enterprise, its employees, local communities, environmental preservation, and the nation.
