Koba Liklikadze: Gia Baramidze must find the courage to apologise swiftly and retract what he plainly stated

The questioning of Koba Liklikadze, Coordinator of the Protocol and Public Relations Division at the State Service of Veterans Affairs, has concluded at the Prosecutor General’s Office regarding the ongoing high treason and sabotage investigation.

Speaking to journalists following his interrogation, Liklikadze stated that he does not believe it would be right to see Gia Baramidze behind bars, a man against whom Russia has already issued an arrest warrant.

“The investigator was interested in knowing during which period I took part in the 1992–1993 conflict, what my experience was, whether I had seen captured Abkhazians, whether I had met Giorgi Baramidze, and what I had heard about his involvement in prisoner exchanges or combat operations. The questioning centred primarily around these points, to which I provided comprehensive answers.

I did not personally see Giorgi Baramidze there, but I had heard from colleagues and press centre staff directly involved in the process that he took part in prisoner exchanges. I also recalled an instance when I interviewed a young Abkhazian prisoner who was swapped during one of the exchanges, and who stated at the time that the Georgians had treated him very well.

A public figure of his stature, who has held various high-ranking positions, should not be making statements like this. He must find the courage to apologise swiftly and retract what he so clearly and unequivocally declared.

I believe our veterans were waiting for an apology most of all; people who, unlike many Georgian politicians, possess neither high salaries nor socio-economic privilege, but hold onto their dignity above all else. When you claim that prisoners were being executed, while painting the opposing side as angels bound by Russian discipline, it directly insults their honour. That said, I do not think it is right for Gia Baramidze to end up behind bars, a figure for whose arrest Russia has already issued a warrant,” noted Liklikadze.

Regarding the statement issued by the foreign office of occupied Abkhazia, Liklikadze added that it was “collateral fallout resulting from Gia Baramidze’s comments, but we will sort this out amongst ourselves and do not require the Abkhazians acting as advocates,” Koba Liklikadze stated.