US State Department Sanctions Former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze for Russia's Malign Influence on Georgia
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, September 15, 2023
The United States has imposed sanctions on over 150 individuals worldwide in an effort to disrupt Russian President Vladimir Putin's access to technology and financial networks that support the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Among those targeted by these sanctions is Otar Partskhaladze.
In a US State Department document, Otar Partskhaladze is referred to as a Georgian-Russian oligarch. He held the position of Prosecutor General of Georgia for a brief period, from November 7 to December 30 in 2013.
According to a US State Department document, Otar Partskhaladze is being sanctioned in response to Russia's malign influence on Georgia. He has been included in the list of sanctioned individuals due to his involvement in the consulting sector of the economy and his ties to the management of the Russian Federation. Additionally, he holds a 50 percent ownership stake in the consulting companies MOSCOW BUSINESS BROKERAGE LLC and INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CORPORATION LLC, alongside Alexander Onishchenko, who serves as an officer in the Federal Security Service of Russia.
According to the document, the Federal Security Service officer, Onishchenko, is alleged to have assisted Partskhaladze, described as an 'associate,' in obtaining a Russian passport and possibly Russian citizenship. As a result, Partskhaladze has fully embraced a Russian identity and frequently travels to Russia.
Based on the document, Onishchenko and the Federal Security Service are using Partskhaladze to exert a favorable influence of Russia on Georgian society and politics. The document also states that, according to reports, Partskhaladze has received personal benefits from Onishchenko and the FSB.
Opposition leaders Levan Khabeishvili and Elene Khoshtaria addressed the sanctioning of Otar Partskhaladze.
Levan Khabeishvili, chairman of the 'United National Movement,' commented that the extensive sanctions list indicates a readiness to hold all of Putin's allies accountable. He believes that the sanctions may soon extend to the founder of the Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili.
At a briefing on September 14, Elene Khoshtaria, leader of the 'Droa' party, viewed the sanctions imposed on Otar Partskhaladze as an exposure of the ruling party, stating, "This is the complete exposure of the Georgian Dream. It serves as a significant warning to all those who undermine the country's national interests, support Russia, and are under the rule of Bidzina Ivanishvili."
