NBG’s Turnava Accuses President of “Pressure”
In an interview with TV Imedi, Natia Turnava, the Acting President of the National Bank of Georgia (NBG), hit back at President Salome Zurabishvili, who called for her resignation yesterday, and accused her of “exerting pressure” on the NBG Board and herself.
Turnava defended the controversial decision to shield the Georgian citizens from international sanctions and said her actions were “in line with Georgia’s Constitution”, and asserted that this move would enhance the protection of Georgian citizens.
Responding to President Zurabishvili’s expressed regret about Turnava not meeting the expectations, she said “the strongest measure of success” with which she measured her success was “to meet the expectations of the Georgian citizens for the stability of prices and financial services.”
On September 19, the National Bank of Georgia (NBG), under Natia Turnava’s leadership, revised its regulations governing international sanctions enforcement. This revision was purportedly intended to safeguard the assets of Otar Partskhaladze, a former Prosecutor-General targeted by US sanctions. The NBG’s decision sparked widespread public criticism, including a strong rebuke from Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who accused Turnava of tarnishing both the bank’s and the nation’s reputation and called for her resignation. Zurabishvili also urged the NBG Board to overturn the controversial decision.
- 20/09/2023 – State Department: Those carrying out transactions with Partskhaladze risk sanctions
- 20/09/2023 – Politicians React to NBG Scandal
- 20/09/2023 – MoJ Recommends to Revoke Partskhaladze’s Georgian Citizenship
- 20/09/2023 – NBG Acting President Holds Briefing on NBG’s U-Turn
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