MP Kardenakhishvili Might Be Detained

A Member of Parliament, Ioseb Kardenakhvishvili, might be detained. The former governor of the village of Chandari in the Gurjaani District, Gaioz Jafaridze, was detained for abusing his power and has named the MP to be a companion in his illegal activities. The Gorjaani District population blames Kardenakhishvili for having illegally sold a brick factory in the district. One local journalist investigating the activities of the MP has accused Kardenakhishvili of harassing him. The journalist claims Kardenakhishvili ordered known criminals to push him into a car. 

Kakheti Regional Prosecutor’s Office detained Jafaridze for the illegal demolition of an irrigation system. Before paying his 10 thousand lari bail, Jafaridze loudly threatened to expose his companions unless they paid his bond. Law enforcement officers arrested him last year for the second time.

Before the Rose Revolution, Jafaridze and Kardenakhishvili were members of the Chandari village board. A large number of pipes were sold by decision of the board members. The village board continued selling state property after Kardenakhishvili became an MP of the majority National Movement party. Before Kardenakhishvili was elected to Parliament, he was chairman of the National Movement in Gurjaani district and worked as a gynecologist at the district Maternity House.

The Kakheti Regional Prosecutor’s Office made no comment on the current situation, but noted that there is still the possibility of a plea-bargain with the accused Jafaridze. According to current legislation, plea-bargains can be made with the accused if he or she testifies to a crime committed by an official higher in rank.

Kardenakhishvili was also involved in the sale of infants from the Maternity House. His opponents in the party state openly that becoming an MP was a relief for Kardenakhishvili as he otherwise would have been arrested for his crimes. The Gurjaani population blames Kardenakhishvili not only for the covered up infant sales, but also general corruption and the illegal sale of brick factory components.

On January 17th 2004, the people of Gurjaani detained 35 train carriages at the train station containing brick factory cargo. The Czech-made equipment for brick production and other unwrapped installations belonged to the Azeri businessperson Basikhov Fekhredin Elida Oghli, and his representative in Georgia, Levan Chikvaidze.

Officials from Telavi Tax Inspection stated that the Gurjaani Brick Factory Ltd sold the cargo for 57 thousand lari because the enterprise was bankrupt had amassed an 80 thousand lari debt to the state. According to our documents the initial price on the detained cargo in 1987 was 3 million maneti; in 2001 its balanced price amounted to 220 thousand lari. At the time of the cargo’s detention the reaction of the population was so fierce that not only Chikvaidze but his Azeri partner traveled to Gurjaani. The owners of the cargo met officials from the district authority to negotiate the material’s release. An Azeri citizen, Fekhredin Elida Oghli introduced himself to Zaza Kobiashvili, speaker for the District Municipality, as a close friend of the late Georgian Prime-Minister Zurab Jvania. The negotiation was also attended by Aleksandre Sirbiliashvili, former governor of the Gurjaani District , and Soso Kardenakhishvili. According to the agreement, Fekhredin Elida Oghli added 23 thousand lari to above-mentioned sum to cover all debts to the state. The several thousand lari were also paid to railway administration for the extra time the carriages occupied the rails. Fekhredin Elida Oghli also promised Grjaani residents to start a new brick factory in the district with Kardenakhishvili, Kobiashvili and Sirbilashvili acted as guarantees for his statements. It is important to note that initially Kardenakhishvili, Kobiashvili and Sirbilashvili categorically opposed the exportation of the load.

Members of the National Movement’s local office, who often opposed Kardenakhishvili, suspected that the load purchaser and local officials had made some corrupt agreement. Employees of the Gurjaani Brick Factory Ltd petitioned the district administrative board regarding the decision to no avail.

A correspondent of one of the local newspapers who actively worked on the issue says he was threatened by Kardenakhishvili. “I do not remember the exact date. I had just returned home when one of the officials from the Gurjaani Municipality called me and asked to meet him. I agreed and he said he would meet me at my place with his car in several minutes. Soon, I was called out. In the street he asked me to get into his car and I obeyed because I knew him very well. The car was started and we drove to Gurjaani. There were four people in the car including myself and known criminals. The car stopped in the suburb of the town. Soon Kardenakhishvili also got in the car and I protested. No one paid attention to me and we went in the direction of the cemetery in the forest. I did not have a telephone with me to call anyone for help. Kardenakhishvili started to threaten me and the others supported him. I reminded him that he had sought legal action, when he then responded that I must also repair the damage to his moral standing. I then promised everything would be arranged at the court. Kardenakhishvili was too nervous; he shouted at me and said he would withdraw his legal action if I gave up investigating his activities. It was night, I was afraid and I did not reply. Later, the criminals concluded that I was mistaken and would keep silent. Finally I was taken back home. I cannot recall all the details because I was too anxious at that moment,” the journalist said, adding that he was threatened several times after that occasion and that attempts were made on his life.

Ioseb Kardenakhishvili commented only on Jafaridze’s accusations against him. The MP calls the statement of the former governor of the village of Chandari “absurd.”

Kardenakhishvili stated in an interview with Interpressnews that while Jafaridze worked as a governor of the Chandari, he was an ordinary member of the municipality. At that time the municipality enacted a resolution to sell the corrosive pipes and the money should have been used on the village. The MP has signed only one document regarding above-mentioned decision.

“I do not know with who and which business group Gaioz Jafaridze cooperated and how much money they appropriated,” said the MP.

Kardenakhishvili claimed that having made decision on selling the pipes he asked Kafaridze to check all documents because he was not a lawyer and could not understand some of the issues in the decision.

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti