The News in Brief
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Prepared by Messenger Staff
Georgian Atlantic Council Employees Face Bank Account Restrictions Following Home Searches
Access to Bank Accounts Restricted for Georgian Atlantic Council Employees
Two Georgian employees of the Atlantic Council, Sofo Gelava and Eto Buziashvili, are facing difficulties accessing their bank accounts, raising concerns over potential state interference. Gelava's husband, Giorgi Noniashvili, revealed on Facebook that both employees' accounts have been frozen without clear explanations from the banks.
"After four days of searching, Sophie could not buy bread in the store. That's how we heard the news. His personal accounts and cards are frozen," Noniashvili stated. He described their attempts to get answers from TBC Bank and the Bank of Georgia as frustrating, saying, "They refuse to give a written explanation and to name the reason."
Noniashvili believes that the restriction is illegal since there is no official seizure in place. "Officially, the seizure is not reported, which means that access is unjustifiably and illegally restricted, raising reasonable suspicion of an informal instruction from the state," he added.
Eto Buziashvili's lawyer, Ana Ghakhokidze, echoed this sentiment, noting, "The banks say they don't know why access to the accounts is restricted. There is no seizure, so there is no legal basis for this." She criticized the state for potentially instructing banks to restrict accounts informally, further questioning the legality of the situation.
On October 24, the Ministry of Finance's investigative service reportedly searched the homes of Gelava and Buziashvili, an action Gelava's lawyer claimed was illegal. Both employees are actively involved in exposing Russian disinformation.
Central Election Commission Requests Investigation into Election Fraud Claims
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has asked the Prosecutor's Office to investigate allegations of election fraud made by Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili and other political figures following the 2024 parliamentary elections.
The CEC stated that claims against its integrity are unfounded, citing positive assessments from the OSCE/ODIHR mission and an audit by a U.S. firm that found no significant flaws in the electoral process. The commission emphasized that determining the truth behind these allegations requires a complex investigation outside its jurisdiction.
In their statement, the CEC said, "After the announcement of the results, the Central Election Commission became the target of unwarranted attacks and baseless criticism... It is vital to investigate whether the statements made by the President or any other political figures regarding alleged election fraud are substantiated."
Georgian Atlantic Council Employees Face Bank Account Restrictions Following Home Searches
Two Georgian employees of the Atlantic Council, Sofo Gelava and Eto Buziashvili, are facing difficulties accessing their bank accounts, raising concerns over potential state interference. Gelava's husband, Giorgi Noniashvili, revealed on Facebook that both employees' accounts have been frozen without clear explanations from the banks.
"After four days of searching, Sophie could not buy bread in the store. That's how we heard the news. His personal accounts and cards are frozen," Noniashvili stated. He described their attempts to get answers from TBC Bank and the Bank of Georgia as frustrating, saying, "They refuse to give a written explanation and to name the reason."
Noniashvili believes that the restriction is illegal since there is no official seizure in place. "Officially, the seizure is not reported, which means that access is unjustifiably and illegally restricted, raising reasonable suspicion of an informal instruction from the state," he added.
Eto Buziashvili's lawyer, Ana Ghakhokidze, echoed this sentiment, noting, "The banks say they don't know why access to the accounts is restricted. There is no seizure, so there is no legal basis for this." She criticized the state for potentially instructing banks to restrict accounts informally, further questioning the legality of the situation.
On October 24, the Ministry of Finance's investigative service reportedly searched the homes of Gelava and Buziashvili, an action Gelava's lawyer claimed was illegal. Both employees are actively involved in exposing Russian disinformation.
Central Election Commission Requests Investigation into Election Fraud Claims
The CEC stated that claims against its integrity are unfounded, citing positive assessments from the OSCE/ODIHR mission and an audit by a U.S. firm that found no significant flaws in the electoral process. The commission emphasized that determining the truth behind these allegations requires a complex investigation outside its jurisdiction.
In their statement, the CEC said, "After the announcement of the results, the Central Election Commission became the target of unwarranted attacks and baseless criticism... It is vital to investigate whether the statements made by the President or any other political figures regarding alleged election fraud are substantiated."