Burjanadze Questions Government’s ‘Cadre Policy’

The controversy surrounding the arrest of Irakli Okruashvili has, according to Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burjanadze, highlighted an urgent need for “serious reconsideration and serious analysis” of what she referred to as the government’s “cadre problem”.

Her comments, made on October 3 and her first since the recent political standoff began, have been seen as a sign of her disapproval of ministerial and other high ranking appointments. As well as Okruashvili, they are set against the background of the recent proposed nomination of ex-Finance Minister Lexo Alexishvili as head of the Central Bank. Burjanadze had at the time sought to have a different person nominated and had actually publicly come out against Alexishvili’s nomination.

As well as what she considers questionable appointments, Burjanadze was also miffed by the delay in which law enforcement agencies had dealt with Okruashvili’s alleged wrongdoings.

“I believe it has also been a mistake that wrongdoings which Okruashvili is now charged with had not been uncovered earlier and that a timely and appropriate response was so long in coming,” she said. 

She dismissed the former defense minister’s allegations against the president, saying they were “utterly absurd.”

“There are only two solutions to the existing impasse,” Burjanadze told reporter. “Okruashvili should either prove the accusations and put forward at least one piece of evidence to prove them, or he should be held accountable for specific wrongdoings.”

“It is a test for our authorities, judiciary, law enforcement agency to secure a transparent investigation into those charges brought against Okruashvili,”

Burjanadze also called on the opposition to engage in “a serious dialogue” to strengthen the democratic institutions.

“Let’s start a serious dialogue, a serious consideration of how to develop the mechanisms which will help us to continue reforms in all directions, which will enable us to strengthen democratic institutions and to strengthen trust in the democratic institutions,” Burjanadze said. “This is work which should be done jointly. Despite differences in opinions, it is of vital importance to continue dialogue in this area.”

She also said that “national unity” was of vital importance as well.

”Polarization between the public and the authorities, polarization between the public and political parties, polarization between the ruling and opposition parties is totally unacceptable from the point of view of the country’s interests.”

“Unity, however, does not mean that we should stop having different opinions,” Burjanadze said and then cited a recent statement by the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Illia II, who said: “dissenting opinion should exist, but it should not grow into enmity.”