Russian Pranksters Release Alleged Conversation with Georgian Interior Minister
Strana.ua has released an audio recorded by Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus who allegedly spoke with the Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Mghebrishvili over the extradition of Georgia’s ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili.
In a telephone conversation, Lexus, posing as Ukraine’s Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, offers the Georgian minister the hand over of Saakashvili. However, the minister says Georgia does not want Ukraine to extradite Saakashvikli to Georgia.
“We do not want to create a hero out of him. The situation has been stabilized here, we are coping fine without him and if he arrives, there will be unrest,” the alleged voice of Mghebrishvili says.
The Press Office of Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) says no such conversation has ever taken place.
“It is not feasible think that ministers of two countries discuss national topics through non-protected telephone communication," the statement of MIA reads.
However, the Russian pranksters claim the recording is authentic and they are ready to send it to Georgia for analysis.
“We have given the recordings to the independent expertise agency and the conversations have always been confirmed authentic. We have the personal cell phone number of the Minister and we will present it if needed," said Alexei Stolarov (Lexus).
Saakashvili also commented on the issue, saying the informal ruler of Georgia, oligarch and founder of ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, Bidzina Ivanishvili is afraid of his [Saakashvili’s] arrival in Georgia.
"Ivanishvili is afraid of my arrival in Georgia, as Georgian people, who already have enough material to compare my ruling with the oligarchic oppression, will take to street and make them go away. But my nearest plans are related to Ukraine and its release from the oligarchs of Moldavia and Donetsk," Saakashvili’s Facebook post reads.
Opposition party the United National Movement (UNM) has addressed the government of Georgia to send the recording to the international expertise bureau.
Nika Melia from the UNM says the recording shows that there is no justice or democratic political system in our country.
“We demand the government to send the recording to the international expertise bureau in the coming days. If the government does not take this step, no one should doubt that this is an authentic tape. If they do not do so, the UNM will submit the tape to the bureau,” Melia said.
The ruling GD says the recording is not authentic and they are actively demanding Saakashvili’s extradition to Georgia.
Parliament Vice-Speaker Gia Volsky says that a lot of people in Georgia are demanding Saakashvili to pay for his crimes.
As for the recording, Volsky says the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other law enforcement agencies have a rule that their conversations are carried out through a closed line.
“The Georgian government and investigative bodies have not changed their position on the issue of bringing Mikheil Saakashvili to Georgia in order to get answers to many questions,” he added.
Saakashvili was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship around a week ago. If he returns to Ukraine, he will be deported to Georgia and held responsible for various charges, officially raised against him in 2014.
By Thea Morrison