The Interior Ministry has denied President Saakashvili’s allegation that cases of bribe-taking by patrol police were detected since the new government came into power.

“There has not been a single case of bribe-taking by patrol police,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement on January 10.

“We call on everyone, including the President to refrain from making statements that tarnish reputation of employees of the Interior Ministry,” it said. “Leveling such allegations without providing specific facts only serve to deliberately discredit the police and the ministry as a whole.” 

In his remarks while presenting new governor of Samegrelo region in the town of Zugdidi on January 10, President Saakashvili also said that the government was putting into various public offices corrupt former officials who served during Eduard Shevardnadze’s presidency.

“In one of the districts of Samegrelo a person has been appointed as chief of police whose nickname is kulaba [money box],” Saakashvili said.

The Interior Ministry said in its statement that no one with such nickname had been appointed.