MP MAKES PARTIAL APOLOGY FOR XENOPHOBIC ‘SLIP OF THE TONGUE’
By Ekaterina Basilaia

The Messenger, Georgia
May 18 2007

Senior pro-government MP Beso Jugheli’s "slip of the tongue" is once
again in the spotlight, with rumours that the MP, who is the leader
of the Majoritarian faction, may resign.

Jugheli, however, has categorically denied even the slightest
possibility of him quitting politics, and reiterated that he has
never said anything against ethnic minorities residing in historical
districts of Tbilisi.

The confrontation began following discussions of a new tax initiative
proposed by the Ministry of Culture, Monument Protection and Sports,
to impose a "cultural rehabilitation tax" on residents of Tbilisi,
Mtskheta, Sighnaghi, Kutaisi and other historical places, that would
range from 10 tetri to GEL 3 per square metre of property monthly
during restoration works.

Jugheli was in favour of the controversial new draft, which critics
claim could force many property owners to sell their homes because
they wouldn’t be able to pay the fee.

In an interview with the newspaper 24 Saati on April 12, Jugheli
addressed the fears expressed concerning the law, saying that the
proposal "is not directed against Georgians."

"Mainly Armenians, Azeris, Kurds and other nationalities live in the
historic districts… It is not necessary for Mikirtuma [a common
Armenian name often used to refer to the ethnic group] to always
live in Sololaki [a historic district in old Tbilisi]," Jugheli said,
as quoted by 24 Saati.

"I have never in my life said anything like this, that no Armenians,
Azeris or others should live in Sololaki or any other historical
district in Tbilisi," Jugheli told journalists on May 17.

He said that he was even intending to submit a complaint to court
against the journalist of 24 Saati to prove that what she wrote was
"an outright lie." He added later on May 17 that he had changed his
mind about suing the journalist.

"Let him sue; why doesn’t he sue me if he thinks that he is right?"

24 Saati journalist Eka Kvesitadze told Rustavi 2 TV on May 17.

But 24 Saati was not the only media source to disseminate the
compromising statements of Jugheli. According to the head of the
Public Movement Multinational Georgia, Arnold Stepanyan, Jugheli made
similar statements on Radio Utsnobi and an Imedi TV talk show.

"He admitted saying something that, as he claims was a ‘slip of the
tongue’ only on the Imedi TV talk show, however he denies saying
anything on the radio and to the newspaper journalist. But this is
not enough," Stepanyan told The Messenger.

Talking at a press briefing on May 17, Jugheli said that he had
talks regarding this issue with the president, who "reproached"
him for and said "you did it wrong."

Meanwhile, Jugheli has already sent a letter of apology to the Public
Movement Multinational Georgia-an NGO which protested against Jugheli’
statements.

"Due to my unintentional mistake I present my apology to everyone I
insulted. There is no need to chop off my head for this. Beso Jugeli
has never been and will never ever fuel interethnic confrontation. I
am a politician and I shouldn’t make a slip when speaking…Please
forgive me this mistake" his letter to the NGO reads, referring to
his expressions aired by Imedi TV.

"In particular, a journalist of the newspaper ’24 Saati’ Eka Kvesitadze
distorted my quotation. I assure you that I did not say this and will
prove it to you and all of society in the shortest period. This is
a slander and I have already addressed the Tbilisi public prosecutor
Mr. George Ghviniashvili, with a request to make a careful study of
abovementioned case," the letter continues.

Nevertheless, Stepanyan says "this is not enough." He told the paper
that at the moment his organisation has announced a moratorium on
protest actions, giving Jugheli time to find out what happened on
Radio Utsnobi and tackle his problems with newspaper.

"We will give Jugheli a few weeks to conduct the investigation and
find out why such information was spread through the media, otherwise
we will not yield and continue protests against him," Stepanyan told
The Messenger.

Once again Stepanyan warned that unless Jugheli clarifies the issue,
this will lead to the end of his political career, as "we [human
rights NGOs] will do our best to banish him from the political arena
so that he will not be accepted in any political movement."