Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor Irakli Shotadze is stepping down from his post, citing health problems as the reason for his decision. However, many experts believe that oligarch and honorary chairman of the ruling party Bidzina Ivanishvili, widely considered the shadow ruler of Georgia for over a decade, orchestrated Shotadze’s departure.
“The treatment process will likely take several months, making it impossible for me to continue fulfilling my duties as Chief Prosecutor. That is why I have already submitted my resignation to the Parliament,” Shotadze wrote, emphasizing the contributions he and his colleagues have made over the years in reforming and developing the prosecution service and fighting crime.
Irakli Shotadze “The treatment process will likely take several months, making it impossible for me to continue my duties as Chief Prosecutor. That is why I have already submitted my resignation to the Georgian Parliament,” writes Irakli Shotadze, highlighting the contributions he and his colleagues have made over the years in reforming and developing the prosecution service and combating crime.
Irakli Shotadze has served as Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor twice: from 2015 to 2018 and again from 2020 to 2024.
He first resigned on 31 May 2018, following a controversial court decision in the case of the murder of 16-year-old David Saralidze, which left the identity of the killer unknown.
This sparked outrage among Saralidze’s family and the public, leading to mass protests in Tbilisi demanding the resignation of the entire government and the Chief Prosecutor. Saralidze’s family members, human rights activists, and lawyers accused the prosecution of fabricating case materials and shielding the killers.
Amid these protests, Shotadze announced his resignation. Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder and de facto leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, called the resignation a “high standard” and stated that, in his view, Shotadze was not at fault.
The opposition has no doubt that Shotadze’s return to the post of Chief Prosecutor two years later was personally orchestrated by Ivanishvili.
According to Natia Mezvrishvili, a member of the “For Georgia” party and former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Ivanishvili is now “disposing” of Shotadze in hopes of protecting himself from prosecution following the anticipated defeat in the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 2024:
“Ivanishvili’s decision is entirely predictable. The Chief Prosecutor’s term ends shortly after the elections. Ivanishvili is preparing for defeat and wants to ensure he is safe from prosecution and the courts post-election. Therefore, a new, loyal Chief Prosecutor must be appointed for a six-year term before the elections,” Mezvrishvili wrote on her Facebook page.
