US-sanctioned ex-Prosecutor General of Georgia left country – official

Grigol Liluashvili, the head of the Georgian State Security Service, on Thursday said Otar Partskhaladze, the former Prosecutor General of Georgia under the current Georgian Dream Government in 2013, had left the country following his summoning to the agency for an interview, after his sanctioning by the US State Department in September for alleged cooperation with the Russian intelligence services and obtaining Russian citizenship in violation of domestic laws. 

Liluashvili claimed the US had sent “no evidence” backing its allegations so far, and citing “personal information” as refrained from saying whether the former official left for Russia. 

He also said the US was requesting “details” around the case from the Georgian law enforcement agencies, which he claimed was very ‘thought-provoking”, and alleged the State Department was “unlikely” to have information over Partskhaladze’s possible offenses earlier. 
Liluashvili noted without “serious evidence”, the allegations against Partskhaladze were unlikely to be confirmed in the court. 

Shortly after Partskhaladze’s sanctioning, the National Bank of Georgia changed its previous stance and said restrictions, which included immediate freezing of assets, would not spread on Georgian citizens without the judgment of domestic courts. 

The opposition said by the decision the current authorities put the country’s financial system “at risk” and allowed the former official to re-register his properties and withdraw his funds.