News Agency "Pirveli"
Batumi residents connect the detention of Ruslan Galogre with the wish of the government to seize the hotel from the family of Galogres. Ruslan’s brother – former head of Georgia-Turkey custom house, late Oleg Galogre – built the hotel during Aslan Abashidze’s governance in Adjara.
The hotel “Galogre” is located in the center of Batumi; it was renovated last year and opened in spring. President Saakashvili also attended the opening ceremony. He made statement on the balcony of the hotel and ordered to remove the building of the public school # 3 (he thought it was ugly building) and decorate the historic district of Batumi. Afterwards, the idea of Piatsa was born, which is still being constructed next to Galogre.
Then, Oil Terminal was in charge of the hotel management. Now, the family of Galogres runs it.
It is noteworthy that several days before Ruslan Galogre’s detention, the information about seizing the hotel from the Galogres was spread in Batumi. Since the Piatsa Square has strategic status, and the property expropriation is very common nowadays, Batumi dwellers think the detention is connected with the fact. However, this information is not proved officially.
As for Ruslan Galogre, he is 62 years old man; he has a wife and a son. His family members cannot understand the reason of his detention. They say that Ruslan Galogre had not been involved in the business for several years already; he owned two shops in Z. Gamsakhurdia Street and worked as a manager at the hotel Galogre.
According to the family members, Ruslan Galogre is accused in treason that is absurd. “Ruslan had no connection with business, or with governmental officials or with politics. Moreover, he had no connection with military servants. So, I am surprised with the accusation,” said the detainee’s cousin Anzur Kudba.
The attorney of the detainee Lodri Lebanidze stated that his client was sentenced to two-month pretrial detention. He was charged under Article 316 of the Criminal Code of Georgia though the accusation is not completely formed; the investigation is underway and it will take at least two more months.
Article 316 of the Criminal Code of Georgia envisages the crimes like Illegal grab of military leadership or Disobedience to Legitimate Authority. In the first case, the crime shall be punishable by prison sentences ranging from five to eight years in length and in the second part (Illegal movement, bolstering or changing the place of dislocation of the military force or equipment, or any other disobedience to the legitimate authority by a military leader) shall be punishable by prison sentences ranging from seven to twelve years in length.
On October 15, Constitutional Security Department detained several other people together with Ruslan Galogre in Batumi; among them was former head of local Armenian Diaspora Armen Gevorkian. The detainees were taken to Tbilisi immediately.
Armen Gevorkian was head of the Armenian Diaspora in Batumi in 1998-2004 and after Aslan Abashidze’s government was replaced in Adjara Autonomous Republic, he resigned. He owned a small market in Zviad Gamsakhurdia Street.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has not made official statement about the detention and promises to make it on November 5. However, they do not clarify why on November 5.
Reuters reported last Friday that about twenty people were arrested for the espionage in favor of Russia.
According to the newspaper “Batumelebi”, people are arrested for espionage in Batumi for the second time lately. More precisely, on May 13, 2010, Counter Intelligence Department detained former members of the Russian army – retired colonel Mikheil Vialov (he has Jewish mother; retired colonel Iuri Skilnikov and driver of General Borisov - former commander of the military base # 12 – Iuri Malchuk. Skilnikov and Malchuk are citizens of Russia and they live in Batumi with the status of permanent residents).
If accusation against Ruslan Galogre about espionage is true, it shall be connected with his late brother Oleg Galogre who had some allies in Russia. When he worked in the government of Aslan Abashidze he had serious connections in Moscow. After Abashidze was removed from the government in Adjara, Galogre was not detained like other members of the government though people still rumor about his huge wealth in Batumi.
After Abashidze’s governance finished in Adjara, the Galogres moved to Moscow. During the presidency of Eltsin, Oleg Galogre was deputy head of the custom department of the Russian Federation and ran serious business there; later his son – Giga continued his business. However, supposedly, Oleg Galogre had “settled” all problems with the current government of Georgia too; his daughter – Natalia Galogre – was culture attaché at the Georgian Embassy in the Great Britain for some time.
It is noteworthy that during Aslan Abashidze’s authority the Galorges had close relation with one more influential family – Koduas. However, unlike them the Galogres preferred to run business abroad after the government changed in Georgia and had no interests in Adjara.
According to unofficial information, the Galogres own most properties in Russia as well as in Switzerland and England and it amounts to several millions including real estates. As for the Hotel Galogre in Batumi, the late businessman built it not for his commercial interests but for his love to Batumi because he and his family had spent most important time in this city.
It is not known yet what real reasons for the government of Georgia are to oppose the Galorges and what other entities might be deprived from them. However, it is doubtful to seize much property from them because of their influential contacts abroad.
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