Georgian operatic bass expresses solidarity to TBC Bank founders
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, August 1
Famous operatic bass of Georgia, Paata Burcguladze, founder of the charity foundation Iavnana, and former opposition politician, has released a statement on his Facebook page, expressing solidarity to TBC Bank founders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze.
“I cannot even imagine how much one should hate his own country to spend enormous amount of money on destroying the reputation of well-known and respected Georgians and the organizations created by them all over the world,” Burchuladze writes, referring to the investigation launched against Khazaradze and Japaridze for alleged money laundering.
He says “whatever the task of the Prosecutor’s Office is, how cannot they understand that any briefing aimed at negative campaign, which pleases only one person, destroys the country’s institutions?!” The “one person” which Burchuladze mentioned, is the founder and chair of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.
The operatic bass says he also has a similar experience, when around two years ago, the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia (POG) launched an investigation into his charity foundation activities.
“Almost two years have passed, but the Prosecutor’s Office could not provide any evidence against the Iavnana fund, though they morally and financially destroyed it,” the letter reads.
Burchuladze noted the main danger for the oligarch [Ivanishvili] is any new force, be it the movement of Mamuka Khazaradze or the young people fighting in front of the parliament.
“Dear Mamuka…I am beside you and all the patriots, whose goal is to save the country from Ivanishvili”, reads the statement.
Khazaradze and Japaridze were sentenced to GEL 700,000 bail each by Tbilisi City Court last week.
The POG stated on July 24 that they decided to charge Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze for the legalization of $16,754,000, as a result of which, they received a large amount of income. The investigation into the case was launched on 2 August 2018.
The founders of TBC deny charges and link the developments to Khazaradze’s political plans and Anaklia Deep Sea Project, construction of which is led by TBC Group.
As for Burchuladze, POG launched an investigation into the alleged misappropriation and embezzlement of large amounts of money by the charity foundation Iavnana and its heads in September, 2018. Burchuladze said the accusations are false and are intended to damage the foundation.
