Prosecutor’s Office cannot dismiss ex-PM Garibashvili’s allegations as no basis for probe, Justice House head

Justice House founder and former politician Eka Beselia on Wednesday said the Prosecutor’s Office cannot claim that there are no grounds for launching an investigation when a former high-ranking state official publicly speaks about alleged signs of criminal activity.

Beselia said Garibashvili’s statements should be taken seriously given his former position and direct responsibility for the government.

“It is simply impossible for the Prosecutor’s Office to say that it does not see signs of a crime here. It is understandable that independent institutions do not exist today and that trust is low in this regard, but there is still a formal obligation,” Beselia said.

She questioned how authorities could argue that Garibashvili’s statements do not constitute grounds for an investigation, stressing that he served as prime minister and therefore had direct responsibility for the government for many years.

Beselia added that while she does not expect an investigation into the allegations to be conducted, there is a strong public interest in the information raised by Garibashvili.

“Garibashvili should speak directly and openly. I do not have hope that the facts he is talking about will be investigated, but there is a very important public interest in being informed,” she said.