Representative of the Georgian Dream in Gori Complains about His Politically Motivated Persecution

Lado Bitchashvili, Shida Kartli 

“I was fired on political grounds because I am a member of the ruling political party. Acting municipal governor Davit Oniashvili is the mayoral candidate of the Movement for Construction,” Gela Kapanadze stated after he was fired from the position of the deputy district governor. 

Gori district governor did not indicate concrete reason of his deputy’s dismissal in his October 2 order. In his interviews with journalists Davit Oniashvili said Kapanadze was sacked because during working hours he was in the office of the Georgian Dream and participated in the pre-election agitation.

“The election legislation prohibits public servants to participate in the political agitation during working hours. According to our information, he not only participated in the pre-election campaign but called office staff members and demanded to publicly support the ruling party. It became reason of his dismissal,” Davit Oniashvili said.

Gori DEC # 32 studies alleged violation of the Election Code by Gela Kapanadze; the evidence on the violation is the news-item prepared by the TV-Company Trialeti, where during the working hours the deputy governor Gela Kapanadze is speaking about the issues related with the political party Georgian Dream.

 

Lawyer of the Human Rights Center’s Shida Kartli office evaluated the fact. Aleksi Merebashvili said the DEC should react on the violation of the election code and not the district governor. 

“The district governor shall verify the grounds of the dismissal in accordance to the General Administrative Code. The governor did not mention the grounds of the dismissal in the order. As for the violation of the election code, either District Election Commission or the Central Election Commission shall react to it and impose fine of GEL 2000 on the violator,” Aleksi Merebashvili said.

Gela Kapanadze responded to Davit Oniashvili with accusations and intends to appeal the dismissal at the court.

“I have questions to Davit Oniashvili with regard to the following issues: about the tender on Rtveli 2016 in Kvakhvreli village; about the expenses of his business leaves and other financial documents, which will be published in near future,” the former deputy governor and first number of the proportional list of the ruling party Gela Kapanadze said.

 

Gela Kapanadze occupied the position of the deputy governor on March 16, 2017. He said it happened as a result of the interference of the ruling party.