Late PM’s Widow Speaks of Investigation of Zhvania’s Death

Nino Zhvania, widow of Georgia’s late Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, said in a late night talk show at the Tbilisi-based 202 television stations on May 25, that the General Prosecutor’s Office is “deliberately” considering the accident as the only possible reason of Zhvania’s death and does not investigates other possible reasons behind his death.

According to the official version of the investigation, which is still underway, Zurab Zhvania died on February 3 of carbon-monoxide poisoning caused by a faulty gas heating device. Officials ruled out any foul play from very initial stage of the investigation.

“Many contradictory statements appear in the testimonies of the bodyguards [of Zurab Zhvania], which makes it clear that they [bodyguards] are simply lying. And the entire investigation and an official version which says that it [Zhvania’s death] was just an accident, is built on these testimonies,” Nino Zhvania said.

She said the way the bodyguards acted after they found out about Zhvania’s death as is also “very strange” for her. “After Zurab’s corpse was taken to the hospital, one of the bodyguards takes the keys of Zurab’s personal safe [in the PM’s office]. After this we could not find any of the document dated 2004 in his [Zhvania’s] safe,” Nino Zhvania said, but did not specify the source of this information.

Earlier, on May 23, 202 television also interviewed Zurab Zhvania’s brother Goga Zhvania, who said that he is “now sure” that his brother was assassinated. Goga Zhvania said that his statement is based on a private inquiry carried out by the family.

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