About Civil.ge
Eng | Geo | Rus
Last updated: 10:55 - 1 May.'18
RSS
Mobile
Twitter
Facebook
Okruashvili Remarks Revive Debate on Zhvania’s Death
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 26 Sep.'07 / 15:31

Although lacking any evidence, Irakli Okruashvili’s claim that the evidence surrounding the death of the late prime minister, Zurab Zhvania, was fabricated, was “very important,” the former PM's relatives said on September 26.

Speaking in an interview with Imedi TV on September 25, Okruashvili, who was Defense Minister at the time of Zhvania’s death, claimed that Zhvania’s corpse had actually been brought into the flat where it was apparently discovered. He added, however, that he was not prepared to speculate on the issue and refused to say “that Zhvania was murdered.”

Zhvania’s relatives claim that the late PM was murdered and the corpse moved to the concerned apartment as no fingerprints were found there.

“He has to provide evidence to back up what he has said; if he fails to do so it will put him in an uneasy position,” Nino Kadagidze-Zhvania, the widow of the late PM told Rustavi 2 TV. “I do not, however, think he is the kind of person to put himself in such a position.”

Goga Zhvania, the late PM’s brother, said it was “very important” to hear a former government insider making this statement.

“Okruashvili possesses lots of information and when such a person says the same [as the family], this is very important,” Zhvania told Imedi television on September 26, “but it will be even more important if concrete evidence is produced.”

The late PM’s brother said he would seek a meeting with Okruashvili to discuss the issue.

Meanwhile, Goga Zhvania met on September 26 with a lawmaker from the ruling party, Elene Tevdoradze, who had close political links with Zhvania in the past.

Tevdoradze said on September 26 that “it is probably necessary to ask some questions of the prosecutor’s office.”

Other politicians with close links to Zhvania in the past, however, were more critical about Okruashvili’s claim. Vice-Speaker of the Parliament Mikheil Machavariani said on September 26 that Okruashvili was using Zhvania’s death for his own political ends.

“Zhvania was not killed,” Kakha Bendukidze, the state minister in charge of reforms said. “It was a fatal incident.”

According to the official preliminary conclusions (the General Prosecutor’s Office still hasn't published its final findings) the late PM died of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a faulty gas heater. The heater had been improperly installed in the apartment where Zhvania's body was reportedly found on February 3, 2005 in the Saburtalo district of the capital, Tbilisi. Along with Zhvania, Deputy Governor of Kvemo Kartli region Raul Usupov was also found dead in the same apartment, also reportedly killed by carbon monoxide poisoning.

Latest News
01 May.'18 10:55
We Have Moved to a New Platform
Direct Your Bookmarks to https://civil.ge.
29 Apr.'18 03:54
Ruling Party Candidate Wins MP By-Elections
Givi Chichinadze will represent Vani and Khoni single-mandate constituency in the Parliament of Georgia.
28 Apr.'18 09:40
Polls Open for Vani and Khoni MP By-Elections
48,123 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in Vani and Khoni single-mandate constituency.
27 Apr.'18 17:23
State Dept’s Europe Affairs Point Man to Visit Tbilisi
Wess Mitchell will meet senior government officials and address the NATO-Georgia Public Diplomacy Forum.
27 Apr.'18 13:45
In Quotes: Georgian Politicians on Ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Comeback
Bidzina Ivanishvili will be approved as the Georgian Dream party chairman at the upcoming convention.
26 Apr.'18 18:15
SG Jens Stoltenberg: Georgia NATO’s ‘Very Close’ Partner
The NATO Secretary General says Foreign Ministers meeting tomorrow will recognize the country’s progress.
26 Apr.'18 14:24
Ex-PM Ivanishvili to Chair Georgian Dream Party
Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said Ivanishvili was ‘best equipped’ to add new dynamism to the party.
26 Apr.'18 11:12
Lawmaker Proposes Criminal Liability for ‘Insult of Religious Feelings’
The parliamentary human rights committee decided to set up a working group for scrutinizing the draft law.
25 Apr.'18 17:21
New Abkhaz Government Head Appointed
Gennady Gagulia has served as the Abkhaz “prime minister” twice - in 1995-1997, and 2002-2003.
25 Apr.'18 14:43
Watchdog Improves Georgia’s Press Freedom Ranking
None of the countries of the former Soviet Union (except the Baltics) are ranked ahead of Georgia.

About Civil Georgia
Civil.Ge © 2001-2025, Daily News Online
Registered office: 2 Dolidze Str, 4-th Floor.
20