EXCERPT FROM REPORT BY GEORGIAN NEWS AGENCY KAVKASIA-PRESS TBILISI (A-Info/Kavkasia-Press)–The Georgian parliament–with 151 votes for and one vote against–approved the appointment of Irakli Okruashvili to the post of the country’s prosecutor-general. Okruashvili–who previously served as the Georgian president’s representative [governor] in the Shida Kartli region–was nominated to parliament by Minister of State Zurab Zhvania.
Addressing parliament members before the vote–Okruashvili revealed his priority would be the fight against corrupt officials–and said trials of corrupt officials would be held in absentia–while illegally acquired property by would be transferred to the state. Okruashvili noted that both former and current officials–if convicted of a crime–would be punished.
Speaking in parliament on behalf of Okruashvili’s appointment–Armenian representative Van Baiburdian expressed hope that the prosecutor-general’s office would employ attorneys to represent Georgia’s large minority population. Georgia’s minorities have never had legal representation in either the prosecutor-general’s office or the interior ministry.
