Paata Lagvilava, Newspaper “Tavisupali Sitkva”
On May 4, by midnight, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti regional governor Zaza Gorozia, his deputy Erekle Japaridze, head of the regional police department Tengiz Gunava, Mestia district governor Kakha Kvitsiani, official of the MIA Anzor Margiani and head of the regional financial police Giorgi Shedania visited Mestia district administration together with their colleagues. They forcibly took the single mandate candidates of the political party “Tavisupleba” Vakhtang and Leri Nakanis to the administrative building. Leri Nakani was forced to sign the document based on which he refused to take part in the municipality elections. Vakhtang Nakani did not sign the similar document because the representatives of the local office of the opposition party managed to assist him and took him out of the administrative building.
The local officials have been requesting Nakanis not to participate in the elections since the list of candidates was submitted to the Central Election Commission. Leri Nakani is a famous boxer and he is much respected person among Mestia population.
“I was threatened before that, but last night they broke into my house, took me to the administrative building and made me write the resignation letter. Last year, my son had problems with police and they threatened me with the detention of my son unless I signed the document. I was scared and signed it. I did it under force and I request to abolish the document,” said Leri Nakani.
Vakhtang Nakani is the second number on the list of the political party “Tavisupleba”’. The head of the Financial Police Giorgi Shedania threatened him in his office with destroying his business unless he canceled his candidature; but the members of the local opposition parties managed to enter the office and took Nakani from there.
First number on the election list of the Alliance for Georgia and the head of the Mesita office of the Alliance Neli Naveriani said in her conversation with us that candidates have been terrorized in Mestia after they were nominated. “Last night, ally of Vano Merabishvili (minister of internal affairs) Anzor Margiani attacked the single mandate candidate of the political party Tavisupleba Lasha Pirveli in his home and threatened him to sign the notification; they lied, the first number of the election list had already resigned and he had to do the same as well. Unless he obeyed their orders, they threatened Lasha Pirveli with creating additional problems in the district. Mestia has not been supplied with electricity for several days and we cannot call each other because our mobile phones are flat. Last night we thought Armageddon started in Mestia; they arrived here by 40 vehicles; armed policemen followed them; I do not know what is the situation about the candidates in the villages. We know that they visited our candidates but the phones are not working and we cannot call them. Gorozia and Margiani carried out special operation here last night.”
Pupil of the 10th form Mari Nakani tried to video-record the last night events. The police noticed her and seized the video-camera. During the incident, her friend Jemal Japaridze tried to support Mari Nakani after what the policemen arrested Japaridze and took him in the unidentified direction. “The boy was arrested and pushed into the car. He did not appear last night. In the morning he called his parents from secret number and said he is ok. Now the parents are calm. I think he is already free. We cannot get in touch with Jemali’s parents. Maybe they were threatened,” said the leader of the Alliance in Mestia district Neli Naveriani.
On May 4, during the “special operation” besides Leri Nakani, the candidates of the political party “Tavisupleba” – Mirza Dadvani and Ivane Gulbani, candidates from the village Tskhumari Nugzar Arghvliani and Vladimer Arghvliani were made to sign notifications on canceling their candidatures.
Secretary of the regional election commission Natia Gigani has not appeared in Mestia since May 4. Locals say the Mestia district governor Gocha Chelidze called her at night and threatened with raping her daughter unless he is not elected the district governor as a result of the upcoming municipality elections. He added, if she did not obey his orders, he would not leave the district without punishing her.
Election commission member in Mestia from Labor Party Aleksandre Khergiani said the district governor still threatens Natia Gigani and demands her to register the documents which were signed last night. “Gigani has not come to the office yet. We do not know what will happen this night. We are not supplied with electricity yet. We are afraid the last night events will repeat again. We are not protected at all.”
At the moment, regional governor Gorozia is in Mestia. We called him on the phone. He did not deny that he is in Mestia but denied the information about the last night incidents. “I often visit Mesita and it is not strange at all. Now I am here to observe the construction project. Last night we were negotiating about the project. Members of opposition parties permanently complain about something but everything is false,” he said.
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