Two high-ranking police officers have resigned from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia in protest the detention of former colleagues. This is reported by the Mtavari TV channel.

Chabuka Rapava left the post of deputy head of the General Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the day before Revaz Lazishvili left the post of head of the Samegrelo—Zemo Svaneti Border Police department.

The decisions followed the detention of former Police Chief Khobi Lekso Rapava and former Deputy Head of the Constitutional Security Department of Georgia Giorgi Datiashvili. During the search of their homes in Samegrelo and Tbilisi, unregistered firearms and ammunition were seized. It is also known that on the same day in Samegrelo, a search was carried out in the house of another former law enforcement officer, Ruslan Shamakhi, hunting rifles were seized from there.

The country's largest opposition party, the United National Movement, reported that all three former security officials are their active supporters. The incident was called a "criminal and inadequate act of the authorities", linking it with the upcoming elections. Opponents of the ruling Georgian Dream claim that Rapava, Shamakhia and Datiashvili planted weapons.

The party claims that Rapava and Shamakhia "took part in the disclosure of the election fraud scheme." Meanwhile, Datiashvili's relatives believe that they decided to detain the former policeman because of his participation in the rally in support of ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, which took place in Tbilisi on October 14.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili commented on the beginning of the resignations of high-ranking police officers earlier. He made the statement even before it became known about Rapava's dismissal.

"Police officers and officers should first respect their own uniform and uniform. Anyone who wants to participate in party activities and politics is their choice. They must choose their own path, and that's what happened yesterday. There is no sensation in this. One policeman, or rather a politically engaged person, could not stand it and obeyed their order," Garibashvili said.

The prime minister also ruled out that the detentions of former security officers relate to politics.

"Yesterday the Ministry of Internal Affairs made a comment. The police have a lot of information, and if a crime occurs, they react. This is absolutely normal, it is their direct responsibility and there is nothing surprising and requiring investigation here, except that everything should be transparent and open," he said.

apsny.ge