If necessary US Embassy should make explanations over judge-related allegations – Papuashvili

The Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, said Tuesday that he was surprised by the “ambiguity” regarding the accusation of the US Embassy’s interference in the independence of the Georgian court.

 

“I would expect the US Embassy to be as transparent as possible in this regard, and if it was necessary to make clarifications to the judge personally or publicly, to find a form and make these clarifications,” Papuashvili suggested.

 

Lasha Chkhikvadze, the judge in the case of Nika Gvaramia, the founder of  the opposition-minded Mtavari channel,had accused the representative of the US Embassy of “demanding a report from him” and said that he was informed about the removal from the list of visitors to the US,via the Embassy-funded programme, following delivering a verdict in the case.

 

According to Papuashvili, instead of a transparent explanation, there was still ambiguity on this issue.

 

US Ambassador Kelly Degnan has several times dismissed the allegations.