Dismissals in Ministry of Defense Raise Concerns of Political Purge

The Georgian Ministry of Defense has begun dismissing staff on the grounds of reorganization. Reportedly a large number of those dismissed had signed a petition supporting the European course of the country in late November of 2024 and distancing themselves from the GD’s decision to halt the EU accession process. Several employees have already publicly confirmed their dismissal.

What was the Petition about?

Around 60 employees of the Ministry of Defense have issued a joint statement reaffirming that Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic course is the only viable path. The statement was a public rebuke to GD’s decision to suspend the country’s EU accession process. The statement reiterated the employees’ commitment to Article 78 of the Georgian Constitution and said that GD’s policy could lead to the country’s international isolation.

Not only defense ministry employees but also other civil servants broke the silence against the GD’s foreign policy U-turn. Up to 140 Foreign Ministry staff have signed a similar petition reaffirming their commitment to the EU integration.

Dismissals from MoD

As reported by the dismissed officials, the GD Ministry’s decision was explained by the reorganization motive.

At the end of December 2024, the elected President of the GD, Mikheil Kavelashvili, approved a number of amendments to the Law on the Civil Service of Georgia, which made it easier to reorganize the public sector. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) assessed the move as a political purge. The organization’s president, Nona Kurdovanidze, argued that the amendments weakened the protection of civil servants, including through judicial mechanisms.

Another watchdog, the Social Justice Center also slammed the GD government for the repressive amendments.

TI-Georgia’s Executive Director Eka Gigauri reported that since the amendments to the law on Civil Service and the pro-EU protests, some 400 civil servants have been dismissed from state institutions.

Who is Fired?

Several dismissed officials took to social media to share their statements. All of them are the signatories to the petition supporting Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic path and the Art. 78 of the Constitution.

The Chief Specialist of the Personal Data Protection Division of the Ministry of Defense Administration, Anano Gorgodze, wrote on social media that she was dismissed on the grounds of reorganization. According to her, the Personal Data Protection Division is being completely abolished under the same pretext. She has been working at the ministry since 2017.

“As a signatory of the petition, I would have felt somewhat insulted if I had been kept on,” she added.

Among those dismissed is Nino Gorgodze, who was the head of the division that oversaw the implementation of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package (SNGP)- a key NATO integration mechanism. This division, which covered cooperation with NATO in the frames of the SNGP has reportedly been downgraded.

Mikheil Ramazashvili, who worked at the Department of International Relations and Euro-Atlantic Integration of the Ministry, has also been dismissed. He is the signee of the petition.

He characterized his decision to sign the statement as “an act of steadfast commitment to my principles and the path chosen by the state,” adding that “the concept of homeland is greater than a salary.”

Mariam Obolashvili, formerly an employee of the Department of Strategic Communications and Public Relations, also spoke out publicly about the dismissals.

Giorgi Shaishmelashvili, a member of the political group Freedom Square and a former MoD employee, was dismissed from the Defense Ministry in 2023 during protests against the foreign agents law.

He wrote on social media that, according to his information, at least ten people have been dismissed from the Ministry including Makuna Kevlishvili, Gutsa Gvelesiani, Tekla Kalandadze, Nino Tsikhelashvili, Nino Ugrekhelidze, and Tamar Isakadze.

He said he knew of several more cases, but since they hadn’t been made public yet, he didn’t disclose the names of others.

He further noted that the the dismissed individuals “are being punished for upholding Article 78 of the Constitution” adding that “this is a demarche against NATO integration.” He also stressed that GD’s defense minister was able to carry out the purges partly due to the “ambiguity policy” of Georgia’s international partners, referring to the GD government’s ongoing security and defense relations with the West.

“Our partners must realize that the minister is using this to simulate his pro-Western stance and, ultimately, to create an illusion of legitimacy for the government,” Shaishmelashvili wrote.

Also Read:

• 13/01/2025 – Politically Driven Purge Guts Civil Service
• 02/12/2024 – Kobakhidze Alludes to Purges, Says Civil Service is “Self-Cleansing”
  

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