Whats Behind Defense Ministers Fraud Charges?
By Jean-Christophe Peuch When he acceded to power nearly a year ago, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili pledged to improve his country’s defense capabilities and to modernize its armed forces with a view toward integrating with NATO. The Georgian leader has been praising his administration for achieving substantial results in that direction, while also pressing for more speedy reforms. Yet, Georgia’s new defense minister claims that, nearly 14 months after the so-called Rose Revolution that toppled President Eduard Shevardnadze, fraud and corruption continue to undermine the army. Prague, 6 January 2005 (RFE/RL) — In remarks broadcast on Georgia’s main television channels, Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili on 4 January identified by name four serving and former high-ranking defense officials whom he accused of fraud and blamed for the “alarming situation” he said prevails in the armed forces. “I want to see these people in jail within a month,” Okruashvili said. Okruashvili char
