Society

This is a positive occasion for everybody as this is doing justice – Zaza Okuashvili

The founder of Omega Group and TV Company Iberia Zaza Okuashvili has congratulated the Georgian society on the investigation of the Iberia TV case and thanked the prosecutor’s office for doing justice.

He made this statement at the special briefing held at the Iberia TV company today.

“I want to congratulate all of you on this day. We all learnt together that the prosecutor’s office has concluded the investigation of the case of Iberia and the perpetrators have been revealed. This is a positive occasion for everybody, as this means doing justice. This is not the first case that I’ve heard was investigated and this process will continue. The most positive in this process is that the government is keeping its word as in terms of doing justice, so in all others I believe.

I welcome this fact and I hope that for many other firms or persons, who were oppressed or who faced injustice in that period, and we remember all that very well, this day of doing justice will also come and the most importantly, this day will come for our country and future”, - Okuashvili said and said that the prosecutor’s office had investigated a very difficult crime, which was committed 12 years before.

When asked if Irakli Okruashvili should be also prosecuted for the same crime, as he was the prosecutor general when the riot police raided the television, “Omega Group” founder says it’s the competence of the prosecutor’s office.

“I don’t know if Irakli Okruashvili is guilty”, - the businessman says and adds that it’s the competence of the prosecutor’s office to find out accountable persons.

“We’ve said so many positive things and we did not mention prosecutor’s office, which has probably investigated a very difficult case. 12 years have passed and even I may not remember all details. As for Okruashvili’s accountability, he started the pressure on Iberia indeed. I agree, he entered the office, but we stayed in that process for a year. We had an army in our office for a year. Okruashvili was there in the beginning. I can’t take the duties of prosecutor’s office on myself, which, I will reiterate, has investigated the crime committed 12 years ago; neither can I take a responsibility to say who is guilty and who is not. I can’t interrupt in the activities of the prosecutor’s office. The process was started in the period of Okruashvili. As for the end of this process, the firm suffered tens of millions of damage, they stopped us; they broke down, ruined equipment, because they realized that we would not give up our shares or cooperate with them. The same television, which had to be independent, as it will be and as it is now and seditious as well, would never stay under the supervision of any political party. What happened at the end, when this damage was already inflicted, the process was headed by Adeishvili”, - Okuashvili said.

As for the issue of giving up shares, the businessman says that he did not participate in the negotiations.

“The negotiations were not conducted with me”, - Okuashvili said.

It should be noted that the prosecutor’s office of Georgia today announced that the case of Iberia TV closure and the seizure of its broadcasting license was investigated. Two former senior officials – former prosecutor general Zurab Adeishvili and his deputy, Giorgi Latsabidze were charged for this crime.