Irakli Kadagishvili: Otar Partskhaladze believes that the sanction imposed on him by the United States of America is the result of a personal vendetta - this is used to create problems on the path of Georgia's integration with the European Union

According to Irakli Kadagishvili, Chairman of the Committee on Procedural Issues and Rules of the Parliament of Georgia, Otar Partskhaladze believes that the sanction imposed on him by the United States of America is "the result of a personal vendetta".

As Kadagishvili told journalists, the above is aimed at promoting radicalization in Georgia.

"After the start of the war in Ukraine, certain forces inside and outside the country are trying to accuse Georgia of being connected with Russia. We heard statements from many politicians and also foreign experts that Georgia is a place to circumvent Russian sanctions, Georgia even transits weapons to Russia, etc. We heard threats from Ukrainian high-ranking officials that they would sanction certain persons in Georgia, which was orchestrated and supported by the Georgian opposition. We also see that visa sanctions were once introduced in connection with judges, but there was no argument, evidence, explanation in this regard. Even now, a person who has not had any contact with state structures, public service and politics for more than 10 years has been designated. This person himself considers that this is the result of a personal vendetta against him. Therefore, all this raises suspicions that this is an attempt by a radical, global war party to harm Georgia in several directions. On the one hand, such a decision leads to the emergence of a new wave of deepening polarization by the radical opposition. At the same time, it is used to create problems on the path of Georgia's integration with the European Union and to make the situation in the country even more tense. It seems that this is aimed at radicalization in Georgia. An objective vision of what we are dealing with is not yet visible," said Kadagishvili.

For information, the US Department of State designated former chief prosecutor of Georgia Otar Partskhaladze. According to the Department of State, Partskhaladze was designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the management consulting sector of the Russian Federation economy. Partskhaladze is a Georgian-Russian oligarch.

“FSB Aleksandr Officer Onishchenko likely assisted his associate Partskhaladze in obtaining a Russian passport and possibly Russian citizenship. Partskhaladze has fully taken on a Russian identity and routinely travels to Russia. Onishchenko and the FSB have leveraged Partskhaladze to influence Georgian society and politics for the benefit of Russia. Partskhaladze has reportedly personally profited from his FSB connection”, US Department of Statem said.