Non-governmental organization the “Young Barristers” on topic: “Property declarations of politicians and their secret business interests”, based on the published monitoring results of former secretary of Council of Georgia, presently a member of “United National Movement” Giga Bokeria on property declaration and possible connections with economically beneficial arrangements of the politician, responds to publicly spread announcement of Giga Bokeria’s wife, Tamar Chergoleishvili. In precise, the organization responds to her announcement, according to which, the family will file a lawsuit against “Young Barristers” and based on her evaluation, the published data about firms associated with Giga Bokeria, possessed by his father, wife, wife’s sister and son-in-law, and their ownership of income up to 45 million GEL represents a false information.
According to announcement of the “Young Barristers”, based on monitoring, every data of the document represents a public information, among them property declaration filled out by Giga Bokeria, is accessible to every concerned citizen. Therefore, the emotion raised by published research is not understandable, since the organization prepared only analysis based on existing public data. What is more, while society discusses this issue, it is important to pay attention to argumentations of both sides, and before the family of Giga Bokeria sues “Young Barristers” in Tbilisi Civil Court, because of superfluous public interest, it is better if Giga Bokeria himself, instead of expressing ideas in social network, spread official announcement and gave information to society, whether owners of firms named in the research represent his family members indeed or not, and afterwards, society would discuss, whether it was possible for a former civil worker to have any kinds of connections with abovementioned companies. We believe that Georgian society deserves an official explanation by former secretary of Council of Georgia and hope that the famous politician will make a decision corresponding to public interest.
We, the “Young Barristers” believe, that if the family of Mr. Giga Bokeria decides to file a lawsuit because of facts based on published monitoring, both sides will have an opportunity to represent their arguments and proofs at court trial. The organization already has enough grounds to strengthen the data offered to society with arguments. Herewith, following the importance of the subject, the organization addresses journalist corpse to objectively present positions of both sides to public. The organization disagrees with various publications of the subject stating as if the “Young Barristers” published “accusations” against Giga Bokeria and as if his family answers these “accusations”. We explain that published data is a part of public information and does not belong to a category of “accusations”. Therefore, it is important, to present this subject in terminologically correct way.
To sum up, We, the “Young Barristers” explain, that the presented document: ““Property declarations of politicians and their secret business interests”, firms associated with Giga Bokeria’s business interests, which are under ownership of his close family members, does not state anyhow, as if these companies owned an illegal income. The research only stated an issue: Whether could we or not see in this condition business activities of people on high posts, while even according to UN “International code of conduct of Public Officials” “a public official must not use his job position to gain unnecessary financial gain for himself or the family”. A ruling of Constitutional Court of Georgia states the same standard. Whether Giga Bokeria supported his family members with business or not, must be decided by society’s faith.
