In an unprecedented move, the United States Government imposed sanctions on Georgia’s former Prosecutor General and member of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s inner circle Otar Partskhaladze. According to the State Department, “FSB have leveraged Partskhaladze to influence Georgian society and politics for the benefit of Russia.”
Partskhaladze was included into the list of more than 150 companies and individuals from Russia, Turkey, UAE, and Georgia aimed at cracking down on sanctions’ evasion, deny Russia access to technology and financial resources that enable the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The State Department referred to Mr Partskhaladze in package with a Russian intelligence officer Aleksander Onishchenko.
“FSB Officer Onishchenko likely assisted his associate Partskhaladze in obtaining a Russian passport and possibly Russian citizenship. Partskhaladze has fully taken on 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,” the US Government press release said.
Partskhaladze was appointed as Georgia’s Prosecutor General by the Georgian Dream Government in 2013 but had to resign as the opposition found he had a criminal record in Germany and was convicted of “armed robbery” in 2001.
Despite resignation, he became a close associate of oligarch and Georgian Dream’s founder Bidzina Ivanishvili and is believed to have remained informally in charge of the Prosecutor General’s Office. Georgia’s current Prosecutor General Irakli Shotadze is Partskhaladze’s close friend and associate.
The former Prosecutor General is also believed to have acted as a key dealbreaker on behalf of Bidzina Ivanishvili, dealing with large business deals together with Ivanishili’s nephew Ucha Mamatsashvili. Mr Ivanishvili’s rapper son Bera became the godfather of Partskhaladze’s grandchild.
Leonid Kalashnikov, a Russian MP and a Committee Chair in the State Duma told Formula TV Mr Partskhaladze was involved in negotiations between Georgia and Russia on restoring direct flights, suggesting he acted on behalf of the Georgian Government. Georgia went ahead with the move despite the US and the EU warnings.
In 2017 Partskhaladze physically assaulted Lasha Tordia then head of Georgia’s State Audit Service with a firearm. In 2022, Mr Tordia obtained a political asylum in the US. That Mr Partskhaladze escaped any punishment, critics say, mirrors the fact that Bidzina Ivanishvili has put him above the law.
In 2018, Rustavi 2 reported that Mr Partskhaladze kidnapped and beat up former Sports and Youth Minister Levan Kipiani whom he also threatened with rape.
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