Georgian NGOs urge authorities to clarify situation with ministers' resignation

The authors of the joint statement issued today by 11 NGOs believe that the Georgian public needs a full explanation of the reasons for the resignations of high-ranking officials. They ask the Prime Minister of Georgia to meet them and explain the situation.

On October 28, five senior officials of the Georgian Ministry of Defence (MoD) were detained on charges of embezzling budget funds. Former Defence Minister Irakli Alasaniya expressed his confidence of their innocence.

The members of the NGOs ask the Prime Minister and former ministers to meet them and review their estimates of the events occurring in the country. The above 11 NGOs motivate their request by the fact that the former ministers have put, by their statements, the Georgia's further integration into Euro-Atlantic structures into question.

Furthermore, the authors of the document believe that the former Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili was actively involved in these political processes.

The NGOs stressed in their statement that the Georgia's integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures, and the democratic development of institutions are the choice of the people; and it is unacceptable that a separate political force or person change the country's foreign policy.

The Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili has announced that new Minister for Integration into European and Euro-Atlantic Structures as well as Foreign Minister will be appointed in the coming days.

The current government is completely composed of the members and supporters of the ruling coalition "Georgian Dream".

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.