Financial Police Chief Ignores Parliamentary Hearing
Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Human Rights Elene Tevdoradze criticized Financial Police chief Davit Kezerashvili after the latter did not attend the committee’s hearing on September 20.
A joint session of the Parliamentary Committees for Human Rights and Legal Issues was expected to discuss the Financial Police?s controversial probe into alleged tax evasion in fast-food restaurants operated by the firm Nikala. Dozens of Kalashnikov-wielding masked men from the special unit of the Financial Police broke into two fast-food restaurants in Tbilisi on June 16 to confiscate documents for the probe.
These two simultaneous operations were carried out while dozens of customers were having their meals in the restaurants. Parliamentarians, as well as the Georgian Public Defender, criticized the Financial Police and its chief for their high-handed tactics and demanded punishment of those responsible for these operations.
?This [Kezerashvili?s failure to attend the committee hearing] is ignorance of the Parliament. And they are wrong if someone thinks that those who ignore the Parliament will not be held accountable. The parliamentary majority will never tolerate ignoring the Parliament and I am sure that the President will also react on this fact,? Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze said at a news conference.
Chairman of the Human Rights Committee Elene Tevdoradze said at the session that the committee will also convene Finance Minister Lexo Alexishvili ?to find out what is going on in his structures.? The Financial Police is under the Finance Ministry?s subordination.
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