This is what always happens in authoritarian regimes; it’s not a real fight against corruption, it’s a campaign, said opposition politician and economist Roman Gotsiridze, assessing the detention of former high-ranking officials and other individuals.
As he stated on PalitraNews’ program “Polit-City”, Bidzina Ivanishvili “is following Putin’s footsteps.”
“Ivanishvili has taken everything from Russia – starting with the ‘agents’ law,’ media restrictions, and the arrest of political opponents. He’s following Putin’s trail, about one or two years behind. A couple of months ago, Putin also started an anti-corruption drive and arrested deputy ministers but didn’t go as far as ministers. History is repeating itself on a small provincial scale. If Putin does this, backed by an atomic bomb, here it’s done by one angry man who thinks that with his 6 or 7 billion, he can trample the entire country and rule by his own wits. The same with Rizhvadze, whom they threatened to arrest, and he saved himself by attempting suicide. In such cases, 99 out of 100 end very badly – he got lucky. They probably won’t arrest him even because today the government says they have no claims against him. The fact is, he saved himself. The question arises – does this politically damage Ivanishvili’s government when it admits that there is total corruption in the country?” Gotsiridze stated.
According to him, during the 13 years of “Georgian Dream” rule, not a single corrupt activity has been uncovered.
He also assessed the recent detention of former Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze and other individuals, noting that this series of detentions was needed by the government to demonstrate an anti-corruption drive.
“The first case is the arrest of a Defense Minister. Why specifically the Defense Minister? They had to start somewhere. Second, the Defense Minister is a ‘low barrier’ – a private from the ranks, with no political background, who decided to make money in some segment thanks to Gharibashvili or someone else’s favor,” Gotsiridze stated.
According to him, the question arises whether they are scaring Irakli Gharibashvili and former officials or “sewing up a case” to arrest them.
“I don’t think they will arrest Gharibashvili, Liluashvili, or Gomelauri. That’s a different issue. Of course, Bidzina Ivanishvili is very angry with Gharibashvili; he doesn’t want to create a precedent with Gharibashvili. What is the Gharibashvili precedent?! He was Prime Minister twice; during his first term, the Kakheti ‘clan’ issue emerged, and such a term even took hold. He didn’t nip it in the second term either; he made a lot of money. He was reassigned, and Bidzina Ivanishvili kept him in his inner circle. He handed over a huge position and became party chairman. There were many episodes; this man didn’t even show up at the party, started devilish games, his son studies in the U.S. He saw that everyone was being sanctioned. He tried to launder the money he made thanks to Ivanishvili’s favor,” Gotsiridze stated.
Roman Gotsiridze on the detention of former high-ranking officials and others: This is what always happens in authoritarian regimes; it’s not a real fight against corruption, it’s a campaign – Ivanishvili is following Putin’s footsteps
