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Controversy at the Tskhinvali University

March 6, 2007

Tskhinvali.pngThe argument between the interim rector of the Tskhinvali State University, Zaza Tsotniashvili, and university lecturers is discussed at the Prosecutor’s Office and at the district court. On February 16, 2007 the Gori District Prosecutor, Kakha Muradashvili, wrote that “separate criminal case should be launched on Zaza Tsotniashvili for abusing his power as a university rector.” The interim rector is blamed for granting one of the students with scholarship illegally, whom he also allowed to continue studying at the university.

The point is that interim rector Zaza Tsotniashvili, fired several lecturers from the university. The list of fired employees included more than one hundred people. The objects of Tsotniashvili’s anger were deputy rector Kako Toliashvili, his wife and sons, Professors Kakha and Beka Toliashvilis.

According to interim rector, Toliashvili gave an interview to local newspaper where he said that he was interested in the expenses of the university budget funds and blamed the board of the University for Corruption. Tsotniashvili said that after this interview the Tskhinvali University’s prestige was decreased.

Lecturers blame the interim rector for not having carried out reform at the high school. After Toliashvili’s statements in the newspaper ethic commission held a meeting and finally Kakha Toliashvili was fired from the university. Kakha Toliashvili said that the interim rector decreases the university prestige himself. He had called the university a ‘marsh’ in his interview with local newspapers. Thus, the ethic commission should discuss the interim rector’s statements as well.

The argument between rector and former deputy rector’s supporters has not finished at it. On December 29, 2006 Madona Gvalia, a student from Zestafoni, applied to the Gori Prosecutor’s Office where she stated that in July of 2004, in her first year at the university, Akaki Toliashvili, a lecturer for the university demanded fifteen lari from her in exchange of a good mark. The prosecutor’s office finished pretrial investigation on the fact that did not find Toliashvili guilty and investigation was dropped. Nevertheless, Toliashvili wondered in his testimony made during the investigation how Gvalia managed to be a student of the fourth year late in 2006 at the university if she had not passed an exam in her first year.  She should be dispelled. Besides that, Madona Gvalia received a scholarship illegally. As we have already mentioned a separate case is launched at the prosecutor’s office on student Gvalia’s case. Thus the student has damaged herself.

One more argument of the fired lecturers against interim rector is that the reform should have been finished at high schools by the end of the 2006. A new rector has not been elected at the Tskhinvali University yet.

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori

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