You're reading: Georgia premier complains fugitive former Georgian politicians get jobs in Ukraine government

Georgia's prime minister has complained that former Georgian politicians who are allegedly on Interpol's wanted list have been getting "cushy" jobs in the Ukrainian government.

“We highly value our relationship with the Ukrainian people, but, unfortunately, individuals who are being looked for by Interpol get cushy positions in the Ukrainian government, a government that we support. I have told President [Petro] Poroshenko and Premier [Arseniy] Yatseniuk that the appointment of those individuals is damaging to our relations, which is unpleasant. I can’t explain to the Georgian people why in Ukraine, who is friendly to us, state positions may be given to people such as Zurab Adeishvili, who is being looked for by Interpol under a red notice, and who was one of the chief members of the criminal regime. When he was prosecutor general and minister of justice, 300,000 people were convicted,” Irakli Garibashvili told reporters.

Garibashvili also attacked the appointment of Eka Zguladze as Ukrainian first deputy interior minister. She had held a similar position in Georgia during Mikheil Saakashvili’s presidency.

Garibashvili was also critical of Alexander Kvitashvili’s appointment as Ukrainian health minister. The premier claimed that Georgia’s health service had gone to pieces when Kvitashvili was in charge of it.

“Such appointments will harm the Ukrainian government, but it’s their choice and sovereign right,” Garibashvili said.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry said several days ago that Garibashvili planned to visit Kyiv early in 2015.