Nika Melia and Zurab Adeishvili found guilty for bankruptcy of Cartu Bank
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Tuesday, December 3
Nika Melia, a member of the United National Movement, said that the case of the bankruptcy of Cartu Bank is absurd. Tbilisi City Court found him guilty of exceeding power, fined him with GEL 25,000 and suspended from taking any official position for two years and three months.
“This case has been going on for 7 years, 25 people have been charged with me, but somehow only I remained in this case. If the authorities had the opportunity to detain me, they would do it a long time ago,” Melia told reporters.
According to the MP, the decision will be handed over to "collective Beka Odisharia" for execution.
Following a ruling by the Tbilisi City Court on December 2, prosecutor Elizbar Gozalishvili said that the issue of suspending Nika Melia's mandate should be decided by Parliament.
Tbilisi City Court also found Zurab Adeishvili, former Justice Minister of Georgia, guilty of the bankruptcy of Cartu Bank and sentenced him to five years and 3 months imprisonment in absentia. Judge Khatuna Kharchilava announced the decision yesterday.
Zurab Adeishvili, who was convicted by the court on all charges, left Georgia after the 2012 parliamentary elections.
According to Davit Usupashvili, former Chairperson of the Parliament, Leader of Development Movement, the legislative body should consider the termination of the authority of MP Nika Melia "in any case."
As Usupashvili told IPN, the constitution clarifies that if a member of parliament is found guilty by the court, he will no longer be an MP.
“The constitution states that if a Member of Parliament is found guilty by a court, then its membership of the Parliament is incompatible. The sentence does not matter, it can be up to 8 years imprisonment, it can be a fine, but if the current member of parliament is found guilty then the parliament should discuss termination of their powers,” said Usupashvili.
The independent MP, Eka Beselia said that Parliament should not hurry to make a decision on Nika Melia's parliamentary mandate and that they can wait for further developments.
“Going against your opponents with the help of the court creates an image that the ruling party has shown their real face and started repressive actions,” noted Beselia.
According to the Deputy Chairperson of the Parliament, Giorgi Kakhiani, if the court found MP guilty, the parliament should discuss termination of their power.
The former head of the National Bureau of Enforcement, Nika Melia, former Minister of Justice Zurab Adeishvili and dozens of others were charged in late 2012 with abusing power, hiding property and forging documents for Cartu’s bankruptcy.
In December 2012, the Interior Ministry said it had investigated and deciphered an organized-crime scheme involving state political officials and executive and legislative authorities aimed at the bankruptcy of Cartu against Bidzina Ivanishvili.
