TBC Bank refuses to restore US sanctioned ex-official’s access to accounts despite National Bank’s approval

TBC, one of the largest commercial banks in Georgia, on Wednesday said it would not restore access of Otar Partskhaladze, a former Prosecutor General of Georgia sanctioned by the US for promoting Russian interests, to his accounts, despite the decree by the National Bank of Georgia on Tuesday that obliged domestic banks to allow the individual’s access to his accounts until a domestic court discussed the validity of sanctions. 

“We remain in compliance with international sanctions imposed by the US, the European Union and the United Kingdom. We remain in compliance with the sanctions whether we are affected [whether we have to enforce them] or not. Now, as yesterday, we are in compliance with the sanctions,” TBC Bank told Radio Liberty. 

The Bank of Georgia, another largest commercial bank in the country, has not commented on the issue so far.