A Week Before His Death Bondo Shalikiani Spoke About His Possible Murder on Political Grounds

Colleague of the former Georgian MP Bondo Shalikiani murdered in Minsk claims he was murdered on political motives. 

The woman told local Belarusian TV-company that a week before the murder Bondo Shalikiani called her and said if he was murdered, she had to report to law enforcement bodies that he was murdered on political motives.

“A year ago I saw he was carrying pistol-gun. He said: “My life is in danger, I am threatened.” A week ago he called me and said: “If I am killed, please report to law enforcement bodies that it was political murder and there was nothing criminal in it.” He was a businessman and a calm person; he never stood on somebody’s way and could communicate with anybody,” Shalikiani’s colleague told the local TV-Company.

She added that a common acquaintance from Georgia introduced him with Shalikiani in 2009. 

“I knew him as a businessman and never detected anything criminal in his activities; he was a very good person. Now people are blaming him in being a criminal,” the woman said.

According to her, Shalikiani lived in Belorussia for about 3, 5 years but was not hiding there. He used to travel to Moscow and Smolensk in Russia but stayed there only one or two days.

The woman added that Shalikiani ran restaurants in Minsk and petrol business in Smolensk oblast of Russia. Belorussian media reports that a man born on August 7, 1967 was killed in Minsk. The investigation committee supposes that several murderers were involved in the accident. The man had a passport of Russian citizen Pavlov on him. The investigation is studying information to estimate whether the murdered person is a Georgian criminal and former MP Shalikian or not.

Bondo Shalikiani’s funeral will take place on August 14, in Kutaisi.

News Agency “Pirveli”