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Democracy & Freedom Watch
Dec 1 2012
Ex-minister wanted to fly to Armenia with forged passport
by DFWatch staff | Dec 1
TBILISI, DFWatch - The former interior minister Vano Merabishvili is
under investigation for having tried to board a flight from Tbilisi to
Yerevan Friday with a forged passport.
Merabishvili was traveling together with President Saakashvili and others.
According to the interior ministry, upon arrival at the border control
at Tbilisi airport, employees of the president's protocol service
presented Merabishvili's passport, which was a forged passport.
The border police noticed that it was issued in someone else's name,
one Levan Maisuradze, and appeared to bear that person's signature,
but contained a photo of Vano Merabishvili - an easily recognizable
face to all Georgians.
In order not to interrupt the planned visit, Merabishvili was given an
opportunity to present his real passport.
The group then flew to Yerevan, and returned to Tbilisi later in the
evening, exiting the airport at 23:00.
Now, an investigation has been launched, and Merabishvili has been
called to come to the prosecutor's office Saturday for interrogation.
Later on Saturday Vano Merabishvili held a press conference to respond
to the ministry's statement.
Looking slightly insecure, he noted that the new government is trying
hard to assure society that he attempted to leave to Yerevan with fake
passport together with president delegation, but that such a claim is
absurd.
`We all know this government plans to scare and to detain everybody,
but their statement today goes beyond all boundaries,' he said, adding
that current events in the country affect everyone.
Merabishvili, who is chairman of the National Movement party, left the
party office without answering any questions from journalists.
http://dfwatch.net/ex-minister-wanted-to-fly-to-armenia-with-forged-passport-40699
From: A. Papazian
Dec 1 2012
Ex-minister wanted to fly to Armenia with forged passport
by DFWatch staff | Dec 1
TBILISI, DFWatch - The former interior minister Vano Merabishvili is
under investigation for having tried to board a flight from Tbilisi to
Yerevan Friday with a forged passport.
Merabishvili was traveling together with President Saakashvili and others.
According to the interior ministry, upon arrival at the border control
at Tbilisi airport, employees of the president's protocol service
presented Merabishvili's passport, which was a forged passport.
The border police noticed that it was issued in someone else's name,
one Levan Maisuradze, and appeared to bear that person's signature,
but contained a photo of Vano Merabishvili - an easily recognizable
face to all Georgians.
In order not to interrupt the planned visit, Merabishvili was given an
opportunity to present his real passport.
The group then flew to Yerevan, and returned to Tbilisi later in the
evening, exiting the airport at 23:00.
Now, an investigation has been launched, and Merabishvili has been
called to come to the prosecutor's office Saturday for interrogation.
Later on Saturday Vano Merabishvili held a press conference to respond
to the ministry's statement.
Looking slightly insecure, he noted that the new government is trying
hard to assure society that he attempted to leave to Yerevan with fake
passport together with president delegation, but that such a claim is
absurd.
`We all know this government plans to scare and to detain everybody,
but their statement today goes beyond all boundaries,' he said, adding
that current events in the country affect everyone.
Merabishvili, who is chairman of the National Movement party, left the
party office without answering any questions from journalists.
http://dfwatch.net/ex-minister-wanted-to-fly-to-armenia-with-forged-passport-40699
From: A. Papazian