Merabishvili Comments on Failed Attempt on MP’s Life

Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said on June 17 that his deputy Amiran Meskheli met with representative of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) in Georgia on Saturday and handed over materials and evidence related with a failed attempt on life of Georgian opposition leader MP Koba Davitashvili.

Georgian officials said on June 17 that the life attempt against MP Davitashvili aimed at “discrediting Georgian President and leadership,” by portraying the latter as persecutor of its political opponents.

Interior Minister Merabishvili said that suspect Giorgi Kurtaev, who was in Tbilisi to carry out assassination of MP Davitashvili, is now in Russia.

“We are ready to cooperate with everyone and carry out very transparent investigation,” Merabishvili said at a news conference and added that Tbilisi has also requested the FBI help in investigation.
 
Merabishvili said that suspect Kurtaev arrived in Tbilisi from the Russian North Ossetian Republic’s capital Vladikavkaz on May 18 via breakaway South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali for surveillance and went back to Vladikavkaz with a same route after couple of days.

Merabishvili said that Kurtaev returned to Tbilisi on May 28 and started chasing MP Davitashvili.

He also said that Kurtaev, who is now Russian citizens and currently resides in Vladikavkaz, was born in Georgia and lived in Rustavi, a town near Tbilisi, for 16 years. 

While being in Tbilisi the suspect made dozens of phone calls to Vladikavkaz and to several other cities of Russia, Merabishvili said.

“It is hardly imaginable that he had no backing in Russia,” Merabishvili said.

Investigators informed MP Koba Davitashvili about the details of the case on June 17.

“It was aimed at a large-scale provocation in Georgia… I am happy I could survive,” MP Davitashvili told reporters on June 17.

MP Koba Davitashvili, leader of the opposition Conservative Party, said on June 8 that unknown “young person” was planning an attempt on his life. Davitashvili said that unknown person spent two days outside his apartment building. Davitashvili said “young person” escaped only after his neighbors tried to question him on June 7. He said the suspect fired twice from a gun with silencer. One neighbor of MP Davitashvili was injured. In a hurry the person left on a scene a little bag where the lawmaker’s neighbors found Davitashvili’s photo.

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