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Deputy Ramin Bairamov – the Grey Cardinal on Regional Scale

September 27, 2010
Manon Bokuchava, Kvemo Kartli

MP Ramin Bairamov rarely falls in the center of attention of Georgian media. But, in this case, our interest is drawn to him since Gardabani residents themselves are coming against the deputy with different charges.

“If you are with him, you are protected and calm. If you are not, you face danger every day. He can throw stolen junk in your yard and the next day put your in jail with the charge of theft. People who talk about the human rights violations and problems in Gardabani are unacceptable for Bairamov. He gets rid of these kind of people,” – states the journalist well informed of the events of Kvemo Kartli, but doesn’t want to reveal himself/herself.

In the private conversations with us, Gardabani residents who also don’t want to reveal their names, name someone called Ibragim, nicknamed “Ibo.” According to them, “Ibo” is raiding Gardabani residents. They say that Ibragim cut the piece of ear of one of the Marneuli residents several years ago. Police detained “Ibo.” In the days of his arrest, Ramin Bairamov was often seen at the door of the preliminary detainment cell,” – say the locals.

MP Bairamov doesn’t deny the acquaintance with Gardabani resident Ibragimov, but says that we don’t know the right version of this story. “Ibragim, who I didn’t know until this incident, was wounded and stayed in the hospital. Since I’m the majority deputy of Gardabani, I was interested in this person and tried to find out what happened with the help of law enforcement departments,” – says Baramov. On the question whether he shows such an attention in case of detainment of other Gardabani residents, Bairamov answers that he tries to maximally support people.

Journalist retells: “About a year and half ago, according to my information, Bairamov beat a journalist of Azerbaijani first channel from the village Qesalo. This fact was never resounded, since the journalist himself decided so. I don’t know why this happened. Bairamov’s goal is to be the one and only for Azerbaijani government. He’s afraid of every smart and perspective Azerbaijani. That’s why from Gardabani local government and not only from there, the firing of many perspective Azerbaijanis is attributed to him. And he, ignorant of Georgian language, sits in the parliament and “discusses” the draft laws. He doesn’t show a protest that Gardabani is dead. No innovation, developed in our country, is reflected in Gardabani.”

Case #21090027 – story of deputy’s father

In Georgian media, the pretensions towards Ramin Bairamov were presented by one more Gardabani resident, Mamed Rajabov from the village Vakhtangisi.

Approximately two months ago, in the office of People’s Party, the resident of Vakhtangisi Mamed Rajabov stated that the father of Ramin Bairamov, Gambar Bairamov took 18 000 dollars for liberation of his arrested son. Rajabov stated that despite payment of this money, Gambar Bairamov didn’t help him. That’s why he addressed the oppositional political party. After the press conference, he stated to journalists: “When I told Gambar Bairamov, that I would submit a complaint against him, Ramin Bairamov himself came to the village and said – how dare you blackmail my father?! Don’t submit complaint anywhere, we’ll give you money back,” – states Mamed Rajabov.

Ramin Bairamov categorically denies the meeting and talking with Mamed Rajabov: “I never met him. Though I would like to say in general, that my father has been working in police for 35 years and respects the law. The thing is that people who are envious of me, could not find anything and started oppressing my father. I know who is behind all this. Rajabov was blackmailing my father and that’s why my father addressed police. Ultimately someone named Paata was arrested who had really taken the money.”

Some Paata, whose last name MP can’t recall, is Paata Kimotidze. This person practically was not seen in the case in the beginning. After deputy’s father submitted complaint against Rajabov, the roles radically changed in several days. Gambar Bairamov completely disappeared from the case. And, the defendant Mamed Rajabov turned into the sufferer. Right at that moment, some Paata Kimotidze appears in the role of an offender, who, according to the investigation took away Rajabov’s money. Gambar Bairamov was not blamed of anything.

Interesting detail: in the corresponding criminal case, while requesting the compulsory measure for the defendant Kimotidze, the investigator of Gardabani regional agency Vakhtan Todua writes that Rajabov gave money to Kimotidze in parts on three different meetings, at Bairamov’s home. For some reason, the investigator doesn’t have a doubt about connection between this case and Gambar Bairamov, though he himself writes following: “On September 23rd of 2008, Mamed Rajabov, gave 1 500 US dollars to Paata Kimotadze in the home of Gambar Bairamov, in his presence; On September 26th of 2008, at the gate of Gambar Bairamov’s residence home, in his presence, Mamed Rajabov gave 3 500 US dollars to Paata Kimotidze,” – writes the investigator Vakhtang Todua. The corresponding document is included in the criminal case of Rajabov, the registration number of which is 21090027.

Paata Kimotidze is the only one who serves the penalty on this case under the article of swindle. Nobody gave the lost money back to Rajabov. They didn’t even believe that he gave money to Gambar Bairamov and not to Kimotidze, who, according to him, was accompanying Bairamov.

One More Story

“I gave money to Paata Kimotidze for the privatization of the land. He and Bairamov’s father – Gambar – were like brothers. Kimotidze worked for the security department of Bolnisi district. You can call his wife and she will tell you what kind of relationship they had with Bairamov’s family,” this story is related with the privatization of the land where Kimotidze’s name is mentioned together with Bairamov again.

A resident of Gardabani also confirmed this information and said that about ten people from the villages of Aghtaklia, Karataklia and Gachiani in Gardabani district had given money to the Bairamovs for the privatization process. The respondent personally showed us the plots which Gambar Bairamov had promised him to assign in exchange of money.

The wife of Paata Kimotidze (our source of information suggested us to talk with her) wrote in the protocol of interrogation about the relation between her husband and Gambar Bairamov. More precisely, the testimony of Khatuna Kikuashvili – wife of Paata Kimotidze – made on January 28, 2009 is in the case materials # 21090027. “In August of 2008 my husband met Gambar Bairamov with whom he decided to start a business. They established the Ltd “Luka and Company”. He and Bairamov wanted to import bitum from Azerbaijan and sell it in Georgia. However, they did not succeed in business and the company stopped activities. Meanwhile, my husband had close relationship with Gambar Bairamov. I also accompanied my husband in their meetings. We met Bairamov near the church in Gardabani. We spoke on business regarding the import of bitum and oil from Azerbaijan. As far as I know, my husband and Gambar met an Azeri businessman Iashar Ismailov in Rustavi.”

Kikuashvili repeated the story in private talks with us; she added that she has serious financial problems after the business relation between her husband and Gambar Bairamov failed. “Paata established an Ltd together with Bairamov and mortgaged our house in the bank. If my husband had earned so much money as the investigation claims, our family would have lived better. We both took loans of 1000 GEL from bank. It was necessary for the common business. Paata had to travel to Baku for the business two times,” said Paata Kimotidze’s wife.

Despite that, Ramin Bairamov said in his conversation with us that his father had met Kimotidze only once and he thought he was a lawyer.

“The people who want to discredit me could easily find the witness. I am proud of never having accepted a bribe in my life and for my fight against corruption. Tell me the names of your respondents,” said Bairamov.

We explained to him that we did not have right to tell him the names. “It is very strange that your respondents are afraid of me. Nobody is afraid of me. Believe me; they speak like that only with the journalists and human rights defenders. Tell them I am ready to meet and talk with them in my office together with you,” said the MP.

A Letter from Prison

There is one more interesting detail in Rajabov’s case. On April 24, 2009 Paata Kimotidze, who is already in prison # 8, petitioned to the Rustavi district deputy prosecutor Lasha Areshidze for help. “Mr. Lasha, I urge you to replace the investigator of my case – detective of the Gardabani district police department Vakhtang Todua by a more qualified investigator.”

“I told you at the trial too that I want to cooperate with the investigation and make complete testimony. I also request permission to study my case materials but Vakhtang Todua illegally refuses me without any grounds. He did not take a testimony from me because he obeys the directives of the high-ranking official whom I mentioned in my testimony,” the letter of Kimotidze reads. The only name mentioned in his letter is MP Ramin Bairamov, son of the high-ranking official Gambar Bairamov.

The head of the non-governmental organization “Multinational Georgia” Arnold Stepanian remembers the first appearance of Bairamov in the society. “Ramin was a sociable, enthusiastic and active young man. We assisted him to establish an NGO “Bridge”. This organization was not associated with us. However, it was our partner organization in Gardabani district and we closely cooperated with each other. In general, our policy is – to assist everybody sometimes even financially who wants to work in the non-governmental sector. Bairamov was not an exception in this view. I can say that if he had continued working in the NGO sector, he could have achieved much more. In the government he stopped development,” said Arnold Stepanian.

During the conversation Bairamov denied his cooperation with the Multinational Georgia and stated that he only attended the trainings of Stepanian’s organization.  

“Those friends, whom Ramin Bairamov acquired during the Rose Revolution, are influential people in the MIA,” added Arnold Stepanian. Our anonymous respondents also speak about Bairamov’s good relationship with the officials of the MIA.

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