Minister Demands Medical University Rector to be Sacked

Georgian Education Minister Kakha Lomaia requested that the Georgian President dismiss Ramaz Khetsuriani, acting rector of the Tbilisi State Medical University, citing financial fraud and failure to implement reforms at the University.

This was an anticipated move by the Education Minister given the background of the crisis involving would-be medical students, who have been protesting outside of the Georgian Parliament building for more than two weeks. Dozens of these potential medical students have even resorted to a hunger strike since March 17 in protest of the Georgian Education Ministry?s decision to abolish a privilege for the State Medical College students, which envisaged enrollment into the State Medical University without entrance exams for those students who completed three years of study at the State Medical College.

However, Education Minister Kakha Lomaia claims that his demand to dismiss Khetsuriani has nothing to do with these protests. ?This is not connected with the protest rally or the hunger strike by the students of the State Medical Collage,? the Education Minister said at a news briefing on March 21.  

At this news briefing the Education Minister also demonstrated photos of real estate belonging to Ramaz Khetsuriani in an attempt to strengthen his allegations that Khetsuriani was involved in illegal financial transactions and claimed that this real estate was purchased by illegal income. Ramaz Khetsuriani denied these accusations.

?All my property is declared and the allegations by Kakha Lomaia [Education Minister] are not true,? Ramaz Khetsuriani said in the interview with Rustavi 2 television on March 21.

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