Georgian Parliament official says Helsinki Commission has turned into “a kind of mouthpiece for radicals” who have no interest in real facts

Givi Mikanadze, the Chair of the Parliament’s Committee on Education, Science and Youth Affairs, on Tuesday criticised the US Helsinki Commission and Senator Jeanne Shaheen over recent remarks concerning Giorgi Bachiashvili, calling the statements one-sided and misinformed.

Referring specifically to Senator Shaheen’s statement on social media, where she described reports of Bachiashvili’s “abduction” as “a blow to democracy”, Mikhanadze dismissed the criticism, saying such statements lack value.

“It is unfortunate but a fact that the Helsinki Commission has turned into a kind of mouthpiece for radicals who have no interest in the real facts. They merely encourage and pour water on the mill of those who serve the radical agenda”, the Parliament official said.

“Statements that are not based on truth and do not reflect the reality and fairness of the situation in the country are worthless”, he concluded.

The Georgian State Security Service late May detained Giorgi Bachiashvili, the former Head of the Co-Investment Fund, as a result of the investigative and operational measures.

Bachiashvili, the former CEO of the Co-Investment Fund, had previously been sentenced to 11 years in prison in a high-profile case involving the misappropriation of cryptocurrency belonging to Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party.