Head of Georgian MIA announces conditions for his resignation

Giorgi Gakhariya, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), said he would leave his post if investigators find numerous systemic violations committed by law enforcers during the dispersal of protesters in Tbilisi.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that after the scandal with the Russian delegation in the Georgian Parliament on June 20, protest actions are held in Tbilisi on a daily basis, where protesters have already achieved resignation of the Speaker of the Parliament and holding the 2020 elections according to the proportional electoral system. Their last demand remains – the resignation of Giorgi Gakhariya, the head of the Georgian MIA.

While preventing the protesters' intrusion into the building of the parliament, policemen acted within the bounds of the law and defended the Constitution, state institutions and lives of ordinary people, Giorgi Gakhariya stated after the sitting of the government on June 28.

He has stressed that only the authorized special means were used: truncheons, tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons. According to Minister Gakhariya, investigators should show whether policemen had followed the rules for the use of these special means. "If it's established that a large number of systemic violations were committed, I will leave the post," Mr Gakhariya said on air of the "Rustavi-2" TV Channel (translated by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent).

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 28, 2019 at 11:16 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.