Igor Giorgadze
Igor Giorgadze (born 23 July, 1950) is a
Georgian politician, former Minister of State Security (1993-1995), founder of a political movement "Anti-Soros" and the leader of a political party "Samartlianoba" (Justice)
Giorgadze was born in
Zaisan, Eastern
Kazakhstan, on a
Soviet -
Chinese border. His father General Panteleimon Giorgadze, a
World War II veteran, wanted his son to receive military education. In 1968 Giorgadze got accepted at the prestigious Higher School of the USSR Committee for Sate Security (
KGB) in
Moscow. He graduated in 1973 with a degree in
Jurisprudence and foreign languages. Besides
Georgian and
Russian, he speaks
Turkish and
French as well as
Serbo-Croatian and
Azeri. Lieutenant-General Giorgadze held various posts with the security services of the Republic of Georgia. From 1980 to 1981 he also took part in combat operations in
Afghanistan as a member of the KGB "Cascade" task group in the city of
Kandahar. He has been awarded fifteen government decorations, including the "For Merit in Combat" medal and holds the title of "Honorary Officer of the KGB of the USSR".
During the 1992-1993 civil war between the adherents of the first Georgian president
Zviad Gamsakhurdia and his opponents, Igor Giorgadze sided with
Eduard Shevardnadze and in 1993, was appointed the country's Minister of State Security. During his ministerial tenure Giorgadze actively promoted working relations with the special services of
Russia, the
USA,
Turkey,
Armenia,
Azerbaijan,
Ukraine,
South Africa and other countries and has developed good contacts among his foreign counterparts, influential statesmen and political figures.
However, 1995 marked the start of a rift between Igor Giorgadze and ex-President Shevardnadze, rooted in Giorgadze's growing conviction that the president was engaged in creating a "mafia state". This fact was also repeatedly noted by the then management of the CIA, with which Giorgadze maintained official and working relations. On August 29, 1995 there was an attempt on the life of Eduard Shevardnadze by unknown persons and 4 days later Giorgadze was removed from his post. The true reason of the minister's dismissal was believed to be his high popularity ratings of the forthcoming presidential elections and a real threat of electoral defeat for Shevardnadze. An open letter to the president, published by Giorgadze in October of that year started the phase of open confrontation between them to which the Shevardnadze responded by sending out warrants to Interpol for Giorgadze's arrest. During the 1997-1998 court inquiry into the circumstances of the attempt on Shevardnadze, Igor Giorgadze was accused of masterminding the attempted assassination. However, although the court examined 14 defendants and 365 witnesses during the proceedings, no tangible evidence or testimony proving Giorgadze's alleged role in the attempt was presented. Nevertheless, Igor Giorgadze continued to be persecuted by the Shevardnadze regime as he is persecuted now by the present provisional authorities in Georgia.
All former defendants in the assassination attempt trial have been set at liberty with some of them now actively engaged in political life.
Eleven years after the alleged involvement in attempted assassination of the former president of Georgia, in an interview with Georgian Times Shevardnadze retrieved his allegations stating that he had "…never said anything bad about Igor Giorgadze, because there was no evidence."
At the same time Igor Giorgadze is still denied an opportunity to enter the Georgian political arena, however, he remains one of the most popular opposition figures in Georgia. In July, 2001 the "Samshoblo" ("Motherland') All-Georgia Patriotic Alliance was officially registered in Tbilisi. The organization, comprising nine parties and popular movements representing a broad political spectrum - from the extreme left to the right - elected Giorgadze its Chairman.
In 2003 he founded a political party "Samartlianoba" (Justice) and in 2005 Giorgadze became the initiator of a political movement "Anti-Soros" which is an alliance of four opposition parties including the "Samartlianoba" party. The movement was created to counter the expansion of influence of an American billionaire George Soros who admitted sponsoring the "Rose Revolution" in Georgia.
Igor Giorgadze's whereabouts are unknown but he is believed to reside in one of the Eastern European countries.
