Mayor Kaladze: Safety and rights of Irakli Garibashvili, like those of all prisoners, are protected

The safety and rights of former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, as well as those of all prisoners, are protected, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said when asked about the new charges brought against the former prime minister.

Kaladze said Garibashvili’s statements released in recent days were likely intended as preventive measures.

“It is very unfortunate and unpleasant when you have to speak about a former teammate. A few days ago, we saw contradictory statements from him. Presumably, he had information about various issues that were under investigation, and his statements were probably preventive in nature.

Former politicians often use this method in general, attempting to shift legal issues into a political context. It is very difficult for me to speak about this. He is our former teammate. One thing I can tell you is that the safety and rights of Irakli Garibashvili, as well as those of all prisoners in the country, are protected,” Kaladze said.