UNM leader Khabeishvili says arrest of ex-Security Chief Liluashvili confirms his earlier allegations

Chair of the Political Council of the opposition United National Movement, Levan Khabeishvili, on Tuesday said he had repeatedly accused former head of the State Security Service of Georgia, Grigol Liluashvili, of protecting illegal call centres, claims that were previously dismissed by the ruling party.

“When I exposed Liluashvili from the Parliament’s main podium for protecting call centres, the collective Kobakhidze–Volski camp claimed Khabeishvili was a provocateur. When I went to specific locations with the media where call centres were operating, again, both you - the media - and I were labeled provocateurs. Now that they have turned on each other from within, it turns out I was right,” Khabeishvili wrote.

He added that he had also conducted and published investigations related to former head of the Kindergarten Management Agency, Kakha Gvantseladze and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, noting that he had been branded a provocateur in those cases as well.

“Back then, too, I was called a provocateur - and once again, it turns out I was right,” Khabeishvili stated.

Earlier today, Liluashvili was arrested for accepting particularly large bribes by an organised group. The offence carries a penalty of 11 to 15 years of imprisonment.