Ex-PM Garibashvili’s arrest was ‘criminal raid,’ political analyst

Political analyst Gia Khukhashvili has criticized the case against former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, calling it a politically motivated extortion scheme rather than a legitimate legal process.

“The goal was never to arrest anyone - the goal was to extract money,” Khukhashvili said. “When that goal failed, they began using these so-called legal mechanisms. This is not justice; this is what we call a criminal shake-down - in which the Prosecutor’s Office, the State Security Service, and judges are all involved, crouched together deciding the outcome.”

Khukhashvili argued that the authorities initially sought to pressure Garibashvili into making a payment.

“The demand was: ‘Bring the money, man.’ When that didn’t work, they turned to formal charges. But if he’s supposed to pay that money, he must stay out of prison — how can he collect such a sum while in jail? He probably told them, ‘If I’m locked up, how can I raise that much money? Let me stay outside, and I’ll do everything I can to meet your conditions,’” he said.

In his remarks, Khukhashvili likened the current situation to “harvesting season.”

“Now is the time to shear the sheep, and one sheep asked, ‘Before you shear me, let me grow a bit more wool.’ That’s what’s happening,” he said, using an allegory to describe the alleged extortion.

Khukhashvili dismissed the notion that Garibashvili could claim political persecution.

“Garibashvili cannot wear the mantle of a political victim. Yesterday we were told that he confessed to everything and promised he would not steal again - that from now on he has become an honest man,” Khukhashvili said sarcastically.

Earlier, the Tbilisi City Court set bail of 1 million GEL for former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, to be paid within 30 days.