“Unfair sanctions gave a reason to the opposition and its affiliated non-governmental organizations to attack the court system and wage a discriminatory campaign,” said Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili.

According to the Speaker, the Strasbourg-based court confirmed that sanctions imposed against Judge Lasha Chkhikvadze were unfair and ungrounded.

“I think it is part of the partnership between them after we received confirmation from the Strasbourg court that there were no violations in the case of Nika Gvaramia (Director General of Mtavari Arkhi). Speaking about political motivations was speculation. One week passed, and we have not heard any reaction from any embassy, ​​who were participants of the discriminatory campaign against the Georgian judiciary two years ago,” Papuashvili said.

Shalva Papuashvili said the Georgian people expected a response whether or not the sanctioning of judges was a “premeditated mistake” of the former US Ambassador to Georgia or NGOs.

“We expect the explanation and the development. The outcome is the only one, which is to lift unfair sanctions against a Georgian citizen,” he said.

On April 1, the leader of the parliamentary majority, Mamuka Mdinaradze, on behalf of the parliamentary majority, appealed to the US Embassy and Ambassador Robin Dunnigan “to start a conversation and remove the US-imposed sanctions on the Georgian judges,” stressing the ruling team was “categorical in this request.”

The US Department of State publicly designated Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, Irakli Shengelia, and Valerian Tsertsvadze on April 5, 2023.