Zurab Kurashvili: “Nobody Has Offered Position of Kakheti Regional Governor to Me”

Mikheil Mamalashvili, Kakheti

Zurab Kurashvili’s candidature is considered for the position of Kakheti regional governor. Public Broadcaster spread information about it but Zurab Kurashvili told Human Rights Center that nobody has offered him the position. “Nobody has offered anything to me. I do not know why this information was spread. I have no idea about it at all.”

Zurab Kurashvili was Telavi district interim governor since November 12, 2012. Before that he was head of Georgian Dream’s office in Telavi. Before that he was director of the Company Global TV.

He resigned from the position of the interim governor on June 17, 2013 based on his personal application.

During his acting as an interim governor, 78 people were fired from the district administration. Among them were two pregnant women – specialists of the legal unit – Elene Berdzenishvili and Nona Gomeluari. Kurashvili asked every employee to write undated resignation applications saying it was unwritten law for everybody to write resignation applications when leadership is changed in the office.

On May 24, 2013 Public Defender of Georgia Ucha Nanuashvili recommended to the district governor to restore fired pregnant employees to their positions but Kurashvili did not implement the Ombudsman’s recommendation.

Opening of Stalin’s statue in Telavi on September 1, 2013 is also associated with Zurab Kurashvili. After his resignation, it was reported that he had issued order to set the statue on April 18 through ignoring the decision of the municipal board. On the same day, Chairperson of the Telavi Municipal Board Dimitry Bochoridze stated the statue was set up illegally.