Saakashvili Hints he Wants Finance Minister’s Resignation

President Saakashvili said on June 29, while addressing the government’s session that the cabinet should consider Finance Minister Valery Chechelashvili’s “responsibility” for a corruption which persists in the Tax Department.

He said that although he is sure that Chechelashvili himself is not involved in the corruption, “but it is not enough, it is important also not to have corrupt officials around you.”

“I want to put on your agenda consideration of responsibility of the Finance Minister,” Saakashvili said, while addressing the cabinet members.

The Georgian President’s this statement follows after the police arrested chief of the Tbilisi Tax Department, his deputy and several other officials of the Tax Department for allegedly taking about USD 80,000 as a bribe in exchange of writing-off tax payment of USD 1,6 million from one of the private firms.

“It is clear that the system needs urgent and fundamental reforms… It is still possible to collect at least 100 million [the President did not specified the currency] in taxes,” Saakashvili said.

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