Imereti Governor Threatens Freedom of Speech

Temur Shashiashvili, President Shevardnadze’s representative in the Imereti region, is concerned with the “behavior” of civil sector and media representatives as the number of critics of his policy grows.

“These are the enemies of society,” said Temur Shashiashvili, as he publicly read the list of individuals on July 21, 2003 during his traditional press conference in Kutaisi. The list included some civil society leaders and independent journalists of the region.

“Criticism of certain journalists went beyond the limit; therefore some actions should be taken,” Shashiashvili said at the press conference. Consequently, he sent a letter to the General Prosecutor and Anticorruption Council Secretary General of Georgia in which he asked for an investigation into whose interests were being protected through criticizing the governor.

This concern of the govern!
or was related to a recent event in Kutaisi when a group of C!
SO representatives accused Shashiashvili of “creating an unhealthy environment for investments in the region”.

“We blame Mr. Shashiashvili because during his period in office nothing is being done for the city [Kutaisi]. You can find no serious investments, no development of the economy in this decade,” Giga Shushania, of the Democracy Support Center and one of the members of “the list of enemies”, said at the CSO conference “Movement for Kutaisi” which was held on July 15, 2003.

“The governor avoids responsibility and blames businessmen for the budget deficit and tough social-economic conditions. We demand to eliminate the fund of the governor in the Imereti region as we believe that all available finances are used for the pre-election campaign to increase the rating of Shashiashvili,” Shushania added.

It is notable that recently the Parliamentary Temporary Investigation Committee became intere!
sted in the activity of the Imereti governor and, in the nearest future the case hearing will be held, where arguments of CSO and media representatives will also be presented.  

Shashiashvili also pointed out Gela Khundadze and Davit Jishkariani, from the “Union of Law and Socially Vulnerable Groups”, on “the list of enemies” for organizing public demonstrations and marches blaming the governor for corruption and demanding his resignation.

The members of the “public enemy list” say they have information that the General Prosecutor’s office in Tbilisi already received a letter from the Imereti governor. However the information office of the Imereti Governor’s Chancellery has stated that no letters have been sent to the General Prosecutor’s office.  

Strangely enough, after the governor’s announcement, the police arrested Gela Khundadze from “Union of Law and Socially Vul!
nerable Groups” and without any evidence, blamed him fo!
r the misappropriation of 30 tons of high quality tea in 1993. Khundadze has been given a 3 month preliminary detention term which ends on November 2, 2003, the date of the parliamentary elections in Georgia. 

Kutaisi CSOs are concerned about this fact and have declared that more provocations should be expected from the authority.

“The arrest of Khundadze is directly related to the statements made by the governor.  It was a sign for other members of “the list” that the same type of actions might be taken against them to stop criticizing the government,” Giga Shushania told Advocacy.Ge.

“The behavior of the presidential representative in Imereti is becoming similar to those head of the states, where the freedom of speech and expression is under the state control. We shall not tolerate the same situation in Kutaisi,” Giga Shushania added.