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Compiled by Messenger Staff
Wednesday, April 27
Bokeria’s team prepares Ugulava for presidency

In his interview to Akhali Taoba Gela Nikolaishvili, member of the NGO Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights, says that Giga Bokeria and his team has a good image and influence in the west and presumably their western friends will not be against this team taking authority in Georgia. On the other side is Saakashvili with powerful forces and it will be interesting to see which team reaches the goal.

“The worst thing is that neither of those teams think to leave the authorities and it is because of the fact that if they do so they will go directly into prison. So they will do everything to maintain authority by all means,” Nikolaishvili said.



Scandal around Black Lion continues

Karaman Kutateladze will file a complaint at Tbilisi Civil Court on the warrant sent by the Russian side, Kutateladze’s lawyer Dimitry Gabunia stated, 24 Hours reports.

As InterPressNews was told by Gabunia, the Georgian side demands the return of Georgian painter Pirosmani’s masterpiece “Black Lion” from the current possessor.

“We issued the warrant for a different purpose, to deliver expertise. Selling or other transactions regarding Black Lion was not discussed. We demand the nullification of Efimov’s statement, according to which the painting was purchased. We demand return of the painting”, Gabunia said.

Efimov in his turn asserts that nine years ago he paid 160 000 USD to Kutateladze for the painting on the grounds of the warrant, which allowed him even to sell the masterpiece. Ephimov`s mother has also confirmed the deal between Kutateladze and her son. Inga Voronina, who lives in Tbilisi, says that Ephimov and Kutateladze were friends and that his son purchased over 50 paintings from him.

The scandal started after the painter Karaman Kutateladze stated that the painting exhibited in Moscow was stolen from his family in 1993. Representative of “Rosakhrankultur”, the current owner of Black Lion, Viacheslav Efimov says he legally purchased the painting from Kutateladze and he has a legal document proving this. Kutateladze categorically denies this.