Ruling party head apologies for calling landslide survivor a “liar”

Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday apologized to Davit Jeladze, a survivor in the August 3 deadly landslide that killed 26, for calling him a “liar” on Monday. 

 

Kobakhidze explained he had met with Jeladze, who earlier described the official’s comments as “utterly insulting”, now calling him a “brave man”. 

 

In his press comments early on Monday, Kobakhidze said “fake information” was being disseminated that one of the survivors – in reference to Jeladze – was fighting the landslide with his underage relative for three hours – claiming it was an “incredible lie”, adding if struck by the flood, “no one had chances” to survive. 

 

The comment has caused a serious backlash on social media, adding to the Government criticism about a “delayed and ineffective” response to the disaster. 

 

On Wednesday Kobakhidze said he wanted to express his regret for “hurting Jeladze’s heart”, claiming during an earlier briefing a journalist showed him Jeladze’s photo in the flood, which he saw “for the first time”. 

 

“Very often fake photos are being circulated on social media. I didn’t even know who had posted that photo or what exactly was depicted in it. I asked the question, to what extent this photo and the circumstances described there corresponded to the truth”, Kobakhidze said. 
Seven people are still missing following the landslide.