Deputy Chief Prosecutor may step up as Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, November 23
The current Deputy Chief Prosecutor Irakli Shotadze, 32, has been selected as a candidate for the country’s post of Chief Prosecutor.
Thirteen members out of the fourteen-member Prosecutorial council voted for Shotadze after his candidacy was announced along with two others by Georgia’s Justice Minister, Thea Tsulukiani.
The Minister will now send his application to the Government, and if the Government approves, Shotadze's nomination as Chef Prosecutor will then be decided by Parliament.
Before selecting the final three candidates to name before the Prosecutorial Council, Tsulukiani held meetings with various Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), experts, academic representatives and other actors involved in the process.
The civil sector and academic institutions named seven candidates, though Tsulukiani selected only three from the list after conducting interviews.
After a closed voting procedure, Shotadze scored better than Vladimir Gabrichidze and Nana Revazishvili.
The selection process was preceded by several amendments being made in Georgian legislation that simplified the process of selecting the country’s Chief Prosecutor.
Shotadze’s selection for the post has been criticized by opposition parties.
The Free Democrats and the United National Movement stated that it was a “political choice”.
The UNM added that Shotadze “deserved the majority's praise” as he “attended the Government’s meetings and supported political solutions against the former Government members”.
Public Defender Ucha Nanuahsvili stated that the Justice Minister should not be in the Prosecutorial Council as her being there might encourage political influences.
Meanwhile, majority member Eka Beselia stated that Shotadze has worked in the Prosecutorial Council for many years and through his activities he always supported positive motions in the body.
