Opposition reveals videos discrediting police
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, January 29
Zurab Japaridze, a National Movement member, presented video footage at a press conference on January 28 that depicts a conversation between a citizen and police officers.
The video clearly shows citizen Eka Kushitashvili, who was stopped for a traffic violation, trying to avoid a fine by using personal contacts. In addition, she spews insults at the police officers.
"The video shows that the woman is trying to avoid a fine and is calling Tbilisi’s chief of patrol police and his deputy for that purpose.
“It is an obvious breakdown of state institutions. We are sliding back to Shevardnadze’s era, when offenders were solving problems through personal links,” Japaridze said.
He also alleged that one of the officers in the video was fired.
The next day the UNM revealed another video showing acts of disobedience to the police.
The videos have triggered turmoil and discussions among the politicians and on social networks.
In her interview for TV, Kushitashvili stated that she did not know the chief of Tbilisi Patrol Police Davit Tsinaridze and other Georgian Dream officials she mentioned in the course of her conversation with the police officers. She stressed that she just used the names to mislead the police and avoid fines.
Some within the majority, such as Tamar Kordzaia, Ani Mirotadze and Zakaria Kutsnashvili, have appealed to officials to make clear statements regarding the issue, as the incident was serious and might discredit law-enforcement bodies.
