18 Candidates Nominated for Chief Prosecutor

Eighteen candidates have been nominated for the Chief Prosecutor, including Shalva Tadumadze, the newly appointed Head of the Government’s Administration (nominated by the Tbilisi State University), and Shalva Shavgulidze of the Free Democrats, named by the European Georgia, an opposition party in the Parliament.

Other candidates are: Paata Shavadze; Zurab Jorbenadze; Gia Berdzenidze; Nana Revazishvili; Tamar Kereselidze; Grigol Gagnidze; Ioseb Bachiashvili; Jemal Gakhokidze; Shalva Tadumadze; Edisher Putkaradze; Nino Gogniashvili; Irakli Nadareishvili; Shalva Shavgulidze; Nona Pilauri; Alexander Kobaidze; Kote Chilaia; Levan Dzneladze; Teimuraz Oniani.

Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani launched public consultations on selecting the new Chief Prosecutor on June 4.

CSOs boycotted the consultations, calling for suspending the process pending reforms in the appointment procedures.

The organizations argue that since the new Constitution of Georgia, which is to come to force upon new president’s inauguration later this year, makes the Prosecutor’s Office an independent body directly accountable to the Parliament and the chief prosecutor elected by the legislature, selecting the chief prosecutor now, for a term of six years, would be “wrong and detrimental” to the new system.

The opposition United National Movement slammed the selection process as well, with MP Tina Bokuchava saying that “it is impossible to speak of the independence of the process, when Bidzina Ivanishvili’s personal lawyer [referring to Shalva Tadumadze] was named for the position of the Chief Prosecutor.”

Chief Prosecutor Irakli Shotadze resigned on May 31 following mass demonstration at his office over the controversial Khorava street incident last December.

According to article 91 of the Law of Georgia on the Prosecutor’s Office, “in the case of termination of powers of the Chief Prosecutor, the Minister of Justice shall start consultations with academic circles, members of civil society and legal experts to select candidates for the position of the Chief Prosecutor.” Following the consultations, the Justice Minister will select and submit to the Prosecutorial Council for approval at least three candidates one-third of whom is of different gender. Voting for each candidate shall take place separately. A candidate who receives the majority of votes, but no less than 2/3 of all members of the Prosecutorial Council shall be approved as the new Chief Prosecutor.

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