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State Protection Service Still Protects Houses of Former Governmental Officials

November 30, 2012

Maka Malakmadze, Adjara

Officers of the State Special Protection Service still guard at the residential houses of former chairman of the Adjara government Levan Varshalomidze and former chairman of the Supreme Council of Adjara  Mikheil Makharadze. Representatives of the new government believe it is unreasonable expenditure of budget funds.

Adjara autonomous republic has had new government since October 28, 2012. Authority of former government and former chairman of the government of Adjara autonomous republic Levan Varshalomidze was ceased. However, state protection service still guards the house in Baratashvili Street # 20, Batumi center, where Varshalomidze’s family lives.

Deputy chairman of the Adjara Supreme Council Davit Batsikadze requests to cancel state protection for Varshalomidze. “Levan Varshalomidze and Mikheil Saakashvili have not still realized that there is different reality in the country and they cannot continue illegal activities now. In accordance to the law, state protection service can provide a person with relevant service only if he/she is governmental official or senior official who has resigned but his life is in danger. We do not think Levan Varshalomidze’s life is in danger but he still continues to enjoy old privileges that is illegal, to my opinion. I demand the State Special Protection Service to cancel relevant service for Levan Varshalomidze and unreasonable expenditure of budget funds.”

State Special Protection Service still guards the house of Mikheil Makharadze, former chairman of the Supreme Council, currently Member of the parliament. His house is located in Zurab Gorgiladze Street # 159 in Batumi. However, head of public relation department at the SSPS Tamar Zhgenti said their office does not protect Makharadze’s house. “We guard only Varshalomidze’s house in Adjara, who was former senior official.”

Human Rights Center tried to converse with the security officers but they refused to comment on the issue; they just said: “we are implementing our duties.”

Tamar Zhgenti told HRC on the phone that they act in the frame of the law. “The president of Georgia has issued relevant resolution and we act in accordance to it. The president has legal authority to make decision on providing both acting and former senior officials with protection service. I know that Levan Varshalomidze had petitioned to the president on this issue. The number of security guards is not public information.”

Lawyer of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association’s Batumi office Gia Kartsivadze said they could not find the resolution of the president of Georgia on providing Levan Varshalomidze and other former officials with protection service. “Law on State Special Protection Service envisages protection of both acting and former senior officials if the life or health of the latter is in danger. However, we could not find relevant resolution. Maybe it was not issued. In similar situation, the law regulates the term of protecting the person.”

Davit Batsikadze believes Levan Varshalomidze does not belong to special category whose life or health is in danger. “I have not head the prosecutor’s office had launched case against Levan Varshalomidze. Simply, protection service still obeys the president. About 20 people (operative, outdoor protection and personal protection) still serve him. So, he enjoys all privileges he had during chairing the Supreme Council of Adjara that is law violation.”

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