GEODIGEST

The Director of the Pension Agency, Georgiy Danelia, and representatives of the Investigative Service of the Ministry of Finance contacted the head of the Revenue Service of Georgia, Levan Kakava, to respond to the evasion of income tax by Sootechestvennik LLC. As reported to the correspondent in the structures of the Ministry of Finance, coercive measures have already been applied to Sootechestvennik, they have fined them, and the investigation is currently ongoing.

A CASCADE OF FAKES

The SOVA publication reported that Sootechestvennik LLC did not pay income tax on the salaries of its employees and did not make contributions to the Pension Agency. During the journalistic investigation, it also became known about manipulations with a fake phone number and addresses of the Legal Defense Center of Alexander Bezhetsentsev, financed by the Foundation for Support and Protection of Compatriots' Rights (Pravfond). The foundation "We Help in Georgia" mentioned in the article removed the contacts of his Center from its page after the publication of the investigation, as well as the incorrect email. address of another legal center.

In response to the SOVA investigation, a letter allegedly on behalf of KSORSG was published on the websites of KSORSG, Politforumi.com (Gulbaat Rtskhiladze), Gruzinform (Arno Khidirbegishvili) and in the newspaper "Compatriot", about which the heads of many KSORSG organizations and even 2 deputy chairmen actually knew nothing and did not sign the letter.

An investigator of the Investigative Service of the Ministry of Finance (Financial Police) and former employees of the newspaper "Compatriot" also refuted the false information provided in the letter.

Readers will probably be interested to read the exposure of the fakes provided in the letter, with the help of which they are trying to incite ethnic hatred in Georgia, declaring pressure on the Russian-speaking diaspora.

By the way, we asked whether the SOVA correspondent sent questions to the head of the Russian Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland in Georgia Dmitry Trofimov, since this fact is also denied. It was not difficult to verify that the request for an interview was indeed sent on 2.11.2022 at 11:08 Tbilisi time to the Section's email address - interests.section.rf@gmail.com, which is recorded in all directories of diplomatic missions accredited in Georgia, on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry, KSORSG... A letter with the subject "Questions for the Head of the Russian Interests Section" could not go unnoticed at the diplomatic mission.

Let us clarify that the KSORSG website and the Sootechestvennik newspaper, where the answer was published, are run by Alexander Bezhetsentsev, who was previously caught by colleagues sending fake letters, and his deputy and accountant Dmitry Bregvadze - both interested parties. It would seem easier, according to the Tax Code, to pay income tax, which was withheld from employees' salaries for 2 years, but was not actually paid to the budget, however, their actions contribute to an international scandal.

Incidentally, the Georgian Parliament expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that on the Pravfond website, A. Bezhetsentsev is listed as a member of the scientific advisory council, which does not exist. The deputies explained that anyone could attend a meeting in the legislative body where the idea of ​​creating a council was discussed, but this does not mean that they will be elected to the council, which is still unknown whether it will be created.

The authors of the fabricated letter went so far that instead of the investigator of the Financial Police, they themselves made a "decision": "The preliminary decision of the investigator was expectedly unambiguous: "this case is of a civil nature, no financial violations were found, the organization really does not have a profit and is actually engaged in charitable activities."

In this episode of the letter, as in the others, they not only deliberately distort the facts, but also hide the fact that it is not about profit, but about income tax and pension contributions, which were written off from employees' salaries, but were not actually recorded anywhere...

Investigator of the Investigative Service of the Ministry of Finance (financial police) Ketevan Dalakishvili categorically denied the fake decision published in "Compatriot" on the KSORSG website: 

"I have never said anything like that and could not say anything like that, since I did not make such a decision. I called the representatives of Sootechstvennik to give testimony and did not tell them anything else..."

After the authors of the letter assured that no structures were interested in them, the Investigative Service of the Ministry of Finance contacted the Revenue Service to study the issue.

Deputy Minister of Labor and Health Tamila Barkalaya noted in a conversation with us that in this case, it is the Revenue Service and the financial police that should react, and by going to court, the employee can collect unpaid funds from the employer to the Pension Agency. Since Sootechstvennik LLC paid salaries and fees to employees, it should have paid income tax. Lawyer Vako Natsvlishvili says that this is the first time he has encountered such a case and it is difficult for him to imagine that his manager, writing off money, would not pay it to the Pension Agency and the tax office. According to the expert, such a fact can be regarded as fraud, embezzlement. Natsvlishvili recalled that, according to the Tax Code of Georgia, the payer of wages (employer) is a Georgian tax agent, and he is obliged to pay income tax on behalf of an individual (employee).

On November 28, the head of the Pension Agency, Giorgi Danelia, in order to respond, sent a second official letter to the head of the Revenue Service, Levan Kakava, in which he reported that on November 10, in order to study all the circumstances important to the case, he requested information from the Revenue Service, where they confirmed to him that from 2018 to 2022, Sootechstvennik never recorded income from wages. i.e. did not pay income tax.

Sootechstvennik LLC not only keeps silent about the fact that it was fined, but generally denies the appeals to them by representatives of the Revenue Service. While the head of the Georgian Pension Agency is also busy studying the issue, the authors of the letter are trying to mislead their colleagues at the KSORSG, who are not well versed in legal subtleties: “What is another thesis from the SOVA.news article worth regarding the “study of the fact of alleged tax evasion” being conducted at the Pension Agency? We checked our personal account and were convinced that it does not contain any comments.”

The Pension Agency has the right to directly contact “Compatriot” after it has paid the income tax. But since this has not been done, that is why the head of the Pension Agency called on the Revenue Service to respond.

The accountant of “Compatriot” withheld money from the salaries of employees, but did not contribute the funds withdrawn from the account to the budget, as he himself reported to the editor, which is confirmed by audio recordings and SMS correspondence (located in the structures of the Ministry of Finance).

Moreover, the bank statements provided by the correspondents also testify to the facts of non-payment of the due fees to the employees.

Suspecting the accountant Bregvadze of concealing money, the editor said that she did not trust him: “I am interested in comparing my list and the list that you are working on. I want to check... I ask you to send me the statements for the first 4 months. You still haven’t sent them. Why can’t you show me why you are concealing them? I will then raise this issue officially...”

Bregvadze nervously and vaguely answered: “And did anyone not receive anything? Did anyone not receive anything, even a penny?”

It seems that the representatives of “Compatriot” got confused in their fakes; today they are already claiming that the fees were not given to anyone except the editor, since the LLC “is engaged in charity work.” In short, Bregvadze promised to send "a list of those employees, to whom and how much he transferred", as well as payrolls (sometimes he gave journalists cash in hand), but he never did, citing the fact that "Compatriot" is a commercial organization.

The psychological pressure on the editor increased, and by order of Sventitsky, she was prohibited from performing her professional duties at the next meeting. The Public Defender of Georgia noted that the relationship had indeed worsened and ruled: "Miranda Oganezova was illegally not allowed to attend the conference that was held in the RF Interests Section." And she was forced to leave her post as editor.

I wonder, if "Compatriot" claims that it is not obliged to pay taxes, why did they contribute more than 700 lari to the budget. Miranda explained that after the uproar, they paid into the budget approximately the amount that was written off from her salary in 2019, but they still did not file a declaration, and therefore an overspend was recorded. “They hope that it will be written off only in the event of a debt…”

It was not difficult to debunk another fake: “any responsibility for the financial activities of Sootechestvennik LLC lies solely with M. Oganezova, the only employee of the newspaper who has ever received a fee (after her dismissal in November 2019, no employee has been paid fees) and who has consistently evaded payment.” 

But bank statements and other documents indicate the opposite: in addition to Oganezova, accountant Bregvadze paid fees to correspondents Nino Shaduri-Zardalishvili, Ketevan Mgebrishvili, Mariam Kanashvili, the now deceased Vladimir Sarishvili, Nodar Broladze, proofreader Elena Denyaga, layout designer David Abuladze, and others. In the audio recording, Bregvadze confirms that he takes his own fee.

Miranda Oganezova believes that we should be proud, and not hide, that talented Russian-speaking journalists, students, a 95-year-old WWII veteran, whose memory was exchanged for 5 lari, “written off to the budget,” worked for the newspaper.

The one who consistently evaded taxes is not Oganezov's editor, but accountant Bregvadze, who testifies that he was responsible for calculating employees' salaries, paying taxes and contributions, sending reports... The accountant urges the editor to ignore the notifications from the Revenue Service, which in 2019 reported "no income tax return": "This is just a reminder... I submit returns monthly, annually."

What is the point of hiding employees, the income tax written off from their salaries, publishing a false decision on behalf of the investigator, etc., when all this can be easily refuted?

"They decided to squeeze into the ranks of those who suffered from Russophobia, so as not to lose Russian grants. Only someone morally bankrupt can resort to inciting ethnic hatred, especially in conditions when hundreds of thousands of Russians come to Georgia. This cleverly twisted deception would be difficult to detect without an evidence base. Please note, a cascade of fakes from human rights watchdogs. But the grantor should be interested in the real result, how efficiently taxpayers' money is spent, and not encourage the imitation of the vigorous activity of the beneficiary by passing a vote of no confidence in itself. Pravfond, ignoring violations and numerous complaints from compatriots, extended the contract with an incompetent and disgraced beneficiary. It is unacceptable that the accountant of Pravfond, whose duties included conscientiously conducting an audit of Bezhetsev's center, having arrived in Tbilisi, discussed possible ways to discredit me. It is not surprising that Moscow offices are littered with libels. Perhaps the ex-director, now adviser to Pravfond Panevkin and Sergei Foshkin, patronizing Bezhetsev, have their own reasons for this, and they do not care about the image of the fund, and in general the authority of the country they represent. And if their daughters, wives, mothers were treated in a similar way, would they tolerate the humiliation directed at them, would they continue to finance Bezhetsev and others like them? ”, says journalist Oganezova.

It is curious that Bezhetsev also receives grants to protect women's rights. According to official information, the European Union allocated 341 thousand euros for the project of Bezhetsev's mother's organization "Association of Women of Multinational Georgia", where the first partner is listed as the youth organization of her son, Alexander Bezhetsev. (EU Project Number: 380-100). https://euneighbourseast.eu/ru/projects/eu-project-page/?id=135 

KADENETS: "REFUGEES ARE SCOUNDRIES.

EXPELLED FOR SCUM"

Compatriots explained that fake letters sent to the Russian Foreign Ministry and various structures are a long-tested method of dealing with unwanted people. Previously, the diaspora was shaken by scandals over fabricated letters. Those who protested the writing and sending of fake letters found themselves outside the KSORSG: journalist, editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Compatriot" Miranda Oganezova, lawyer Marina Babunashvili, legal expert Larisa Agabalaeva (at the time of the article's publication).

Compatriots said that the head of the Russian Federation Interests Section Dmitry Trofimov himself in September 2021 called for the exclusion of lawyer Marina Babunashvili from the KSORSG, citing her alleged unwillingness to work with council members. Although in a statement addressed to the Chairman of the KSORSG Nikolai Sventitsky, Babunashvili explained: “The reason for our withdrawal is your inability, as a leader, to restore order in the organization entrusted to you... A mass mailing was sent out on behalf of our organization and from a fake email address, very similar to the address of our organization, with a link to materials published on the official website of the KSORSG. Such facts are beginning to acquire a systematic nature and neither I nor my organization want to have anything to do with them in any way.”

So, the leaders of the KSORSG organizations confirmed in a conversation with journalists that they did not sign any article about “pressure on the Russian-speaking diaspora” against SOVA in defense of Bezhetsev, his mother-in-law and accountant, did not apply to government agencies or the court, because they are not responsible for financial issues. Accordingly, the letter is not considered the position of the KSORSG.

It is known that when managing financial resources, it is easier to influence people, but not everyone is willing to make a deal with their conscience.

Deputy Chairperson of the KSORSG Natalia Vereshchagina emphasized that she did not sign any letter against Miranda. Incidentally, despite the letters from Sventitsky and Bezhetsentsev discrediting Miranda, the Public Defender of Georgia noted that she does not doubt the professionalism of editor Miranda Oganezova and appreciates her role and contribution, and also cited positive assessments from Vereshchagina and many members of the Russian diaspora, and not only.

– Natalia Ivanovna, the newspaper “Sootechstvennik”, on the websites of the KSORSG, Politforumi.com (Gulbaat Rtskhiladze) and Gruzinform (Arno Khidirbegishvili) published a letter on behalf of the KSORSG “The Russian-language information channel “Sova.news” has once again attacked the Russian-speaking diaspora in Georgia.” Did you agree to the publication, did you sign this appeal? Did anyone show you this letter?

– No, no one. I was contacted earlier by SOVA. They had questions, we talked, and that was it, nothing, no problems. As for whether they rebelled or not, I have not expressed any opinion to anyone, so I don’t know who is publishing what, I can’t say. I don’t know who wrote this… Contact those who wrote it, contact Sventitsky, he probably knows, as the chairman of KSORSG, or Bezhetsev.

Nikolai Sventitsky did not answer the correspondent’s numerous calls.

Lyubov Kapianidze, teacher, former director of the 6th school in Gori:

– What letter should they have distributed, when I didn’t write anything and didn’t give anyone my consent. Where is this letter anyway? I haven’t seen it on the KSORSG website. I don’t know Arno Khidirbegishvili (Gruzinform) at all. I didn’t write anything, I didn’t sign anything, and why did they need this?

Vasily Kadenets, former 1st Secretary of the Sukhumi Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Georgia and Deputy Chairman of the Customs Department of Georgia, asked in surprise what letter he was talking about, after which he was laconic: “Rezhentsev is a scoundrel, I did not sign any letter… He has no courage.”

Vasily Kadenets also reported that he had previously excluded Alexander Bezhentsev and Dmitry Bregvadze from the ranks of the Georgian Cossacks: “I excluded them for scoundrelism. The day after tomorrow I have a speech scheduled in the Section…”

Victoria Popova, teacher, Pushkin Prize laureate, Rustavi:

– I did not sign it, no one showed it to me. I am not interested in this. I do not sign any letters… My organization only provides methodological assistance to teachers teaching Russian. Nobody discussed this article with me, I have no idea...

– The article on behalf of KSORSG says that you place all the blame on Miranda Oganezova, that you contacted the pension agency, tax office for verification and are going to sue...

– This is the first time I've heard this from you. What does the court have to do with it, etc. I repeat, we are not part of any groups or legal proceedings... Our cultural and educational center is an apolitical organization that has united teachers.

Vasilisa Minakova, a teacher from Dmanisi, said that she did not sign and should not have signed the letter, since she is not the one publishing "Sootechstvennik".

Alexey Myasnikov, Poti: "I don't know anything..."

Alexandra Anisimova, honorary citizen of Batumi: "I didn't contact anyone at all. What does it have to do with me? I think they should sort it out locally." 

Larisa Agabalaeva, lawyer, Senaki: “Back in 2019, Bezhetsev sent a fake letter from the KSORSG mailbox on my behalf to the Russian Foreign Ministry and others, in which I allegedly threatened to sue his opponent, who accused Bezhetsev of financial fraud and injuring his accountant, which is why he was given a suspended sentence. Instead of apologizing, Bezhetsev, blackmailing me, demanded that I slander myself, otherwise my projects would be blocked and I would be excluded from KSORSG. Children from my region were deprived of New Year's gifts. At the upcoming conference, I will also raise the issue of Bregvadze returning the money withheld from the salaries of journalists, even if it is written off due to the statute of limitations, since the newspaper is not their private property. He, along with his wife and Bezhetsev, should distance themselves from the newspaper. But why does the Section, without discussing with us and without our applications, allocate tens of thousands of lari? I have in vain appealed to the Section with a request, instead of dozens of copies of Sootechstvennik, which has long ceased to meet the stated goals, to subscribe to at least 1 copy of KP v Gruzii and Vecherka.

WITHOUT THE PRINCIPLE OF TRANSPARENCY?

Sootechstvennik is one of the expensive projects in KSORSG. In October, the head of the RF Interests Section, Dmitry Trofimov, allocated 16,800 lari for the purchase of 10 issues of the more expensive Sootechstvennik. When applying for funding, Sventitsky justifies this by the interests of KSORSG, which is why compatriots for whom the newspaper is subscribed complain about the lack of transparency and ask questions. More than 10 thousand lari go to the printing house and distribution, but it is unknown how the remaining several thousand lari are spent and how they were spent before, when it was stated that after the departure of journalist Oganezova from the newspaper, no one else is paid royalties, and the articles are copied from the Internet. Then for what purpose, with the money left over from the previous sale of the Section's newspaper, did the diplomat pay the increased cost of the newspaper, when the printing house did not raise the price? These and other questions from SOVA, addressed to the head of the RF Interests Section, remained unanswered.

A source in the Section reported that Dmitry Trofimov urgently decided to buy the Sootechestvennik newspaper after representatives of Sootechestvennik LLC were summoned to the Investigative Service on October 17 (and not weeks earlier, as he wrote in reports to his superiors), one of whom, accountant Bregvadze, the diplomat had previously awarded a letter of thanks.

"Trofimov hastily allocated funds for the purchase of tickets to the Griboyedov Theatre, which had become more expensive, and for the purchase of gifts. Previously, the Section employees had tried to settle the issues fairly, however, Trofimov, who at that time held the post of Deputy Director of the 4th Department of the CIS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sided with Sventitsky. Many people in the diaspora used to organize interesting events, of course, there are talented compatriots and we must give them the opportunity to realize themselves," said an interlocutor from the Section, who, for obvious reasons, did not want to be identified.

We asked the former Chairman of the Audit Commission of KSORSG, lawyer Marina Babunashvili, whether Alexander Bezhetsev's organization had ever provided a financial report on KSORSG projects.

"No, never. Only Irina Svarchuk and Larisa Agabalaeva submitted reports..."

She also informed the sponsor of the projects about this. Her repeated requests (for the provision of a report) had no effect." A lawyer whose organization officially left the KSORSG in September 2021 notes that there was never a call from the KSORSG chairman to submit a report.

“The organization of the head of the KSORSG Sventitsky itself, the Russian Club, never submitted (a report). And when I asked to provide it, the second member of the Audit Commission, Bezhetsev’s deputy Dmitry Bregvadze, replied: “I know that we submitted everything and submitted it directly to the Section.” This was one of the reasons why I left this shameful organization. I was so shocked by the situation in the organizational part and the attitude towards the heads of organizations in general, how some were oppressed, that there was no other way out - I wrote officially and sent a letter, explaining the reason for leaving. Firstly, you know, such problems always come from the head. And I thought so, I think so, and my opinion will never change, that the head of an organization who stimulates or, on the contrary, does not interfere at all is a sign that the organization is akin to a dead baby. This leader was not, and probably is not today, the kind of person who can manage anything. I wrote this openly and sincerely. I told everyone that I do not agree with such leadership, that it is stupidity and this person does everything except for the Russian-speaking diaspora, which is and will be in Georgia, to sow at least some good," said Marina Babunashvili. 

The lawyer explains that the Audit Commission was created in order to establish at least an iota of control: “I always told them, if you can’t work, I’ll teach you… Reports were never presented, so this is one of the main reasons for the lack of transparency… We didn’t know at all how the funds were spent, why this or that project was financed, and if they were financed, then how and in what way the money was spent…”

We also got our hands on a document from the RF Interests Section, from which it becomes known: Sventitsky and Bezhetsentsev requested hundreds of dollars just for hosting the KSORSG website, instead of the real cost - about 40 dollars, which are credited to the Russian company REG.RU.

Since the life of most KSORSG members is not covered on the website, compatriots instead of Bezhetsentsev proposed Vereshchagina and activists of her organization for the post of administrator, which caused a negative reaction from the management. Then Natalya Vereshchagina asked herself: "other members of the KSORSG, except for the elected ones, are in principle prohibited from submitting projects, and I remember that we were often reproached for not submitting projects ourselves, as a result of which A. Bezhetsentsev is doing all this."

Sventitsky submitted Bezhetsentsev's project to the Section without discussion, which, unlike Vereshchagina's project, was not submitted to the KSORSG. In her appeal, Natalya Vereshchagina noted that projects are approved without any consideration: "over all these years, we had no idea at all about the amounts allocated for maintaining the site, and not only the site."

She called "not to humiliate the dignity of your opponent, as is done with respect to Agabalaeva L., and all just because she did not agree to take on a letter written by another person."

"Would any of you have acted differently? Not only writing, but even reading other people's letters, as a rule, has always been considered bad form. And if I had submitted an application on a topic that was interesting to more influential colleagues from our Council, and we, as it seems, share such things, then the question of my expulsion could have been raised? ", - wrote one of the leaders of the Russian diaspora Vereshchagina.

Compatriots say that, in addition to the website and the newspaper, with the arrival of Sventitsky to the leadership, Bezhetsev has been approved other projects without discussion, including a children's camp project, in which he attracts not teachers, but his wife Nino Kartvelishvili, accountant Bregvadze, an employee of his center... The children are taken to the same hotel.

A document signed by Deputy Public Defender of Georgia Ekaterina Skhiladze (No. 13-4/4331 dated May 5, 2021) sheds light on many things. It contains text from an audio recording in which Bezhetsev denounces long-term leader Nikolai Sventitsky: “Honestly, he turned out to be a very envious person. He couldn’t stand the fact that I was chosen somewhere. It’s shameful and disgraceful...” “I’m not a fool. I’ll say it in plain text. The man made a lot of money. He made all the hotels. I know how he makes hotels, he takes a percentage. He provided all the cars, although we wanted them, we agreed. He took a percentage too... I’ve measured everything now. It’s all about money... He doesn’t let anyone make money, you understand. He doesn’t give anyone anything. He takes everything himself... We have some budget money, he takes everything himself... Others can be given the opportunity to earn money..."

Since we are talking about a possible system of income provision, we will add that KSORSG is considered a non-profit organization.

Journalist Miranda Oganezova explains that Bezhetsev believes that Sventitsky owns a printing house with a front man and that is why "the projects are designed for printing in order to earn money."

"According to Bezhetsev, Sventitsky has "big connections in the MDS and he receives more projects than anyone else" per year. It is important to review the activities of sluggish organizations that indifferently watch the oppression of their compatriots, and to really care about disadvantaged compatriots, and not provide for the "elite" - grant-eaters with connections. What fight against Russophobia and improvement of the rights of compatriots are we talking about when the beneficiary of Prafvonda Bezhentsev used Nazi rhetoric in a letter to compatriots: “Aren’t there too many people of non-Slavic nationality in the diaspora lately?” The human rights activist also called for “putting a cross on Oganezova”.

THE PATH FROM NEWSPAPER TO BULLETIN 

In 2017, the Parliamentary Library of Georgia signed an agreement with the editor of "Compatriot" M. Oganesova and the newspaper was assigned an ISSN number. It can be subscribed to in any country in the world, at the request of the publisher, it can be sold in kiosks. But the process is simplified, since the entire circulation is purchased by the Interests Section, and the proceeds from the sale go to salaries and fees. According to numerous estimates, Oganesova widely covered the life of the Russian diaspora, reports from different countries, interviews, analytical articles were published, acquainted with the fates of WWII veterans ... The importance of the newspaper for the integration of national minorities into society, noted the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities L. Zanieri.

Who is actually waging a war against representatives of the Russian diaspora in Georgia and why in Russia, when speaking about Russophobia, are they hushing up the facts of oppression of Russian speakers in the diaspora itself, where they contributed to the downgrading of the role of the Russian-language newspaper. Compatriots are surprised, the RF Interests Section allocates funds to purchase tickets for performances and those artists and directors who insult Russians and the President of the Russian Federation on social networks. By the way, the website of the People's Defender published a statement by the Council of National Minorities, which was signed by both Bezhetsev and his mother, representing the Russian diaspora, and in which they recognized "large-scale military aggression of Russia on the territory of Ukraine." We contacted the head of the Council of National Minorities Bella Osipova (who participated in projects with Bezhetsev) to find out how the process of drafting the statement went. Osipova explained that anyone could remove from the text what they did not agree with. and add their own suggestions.

So, let's follow the chronology of how the newspaper was turned into a bulletin:

February, 2020. In an interview with SOVA, A. Bezhetsentsev, long before the Charter's decision, himself stated that Sootechstvennik is not a media outlet: "Let's start with the fact that the Sootechstvennik newspaper itself is not a newspaper, but a printed organ of KSORGS."
September, 2020. In a letter to the Charter, as well as later, A. Bezhetsentsev writes that Sootechstvennik is a bulletin."
2021. In a letter to the Office of the Public Defender, Bezhetsentsev again insists that "the publication is not a newspaper, but a bulletin."
April 2021. Bezhetsentsev's mother-in-law, Nelli Kartvelishvili, speaking on behalf of her son-in-law at a Charter meeting, assures its members that Sootechstvennik is not a newspaper, but a bulletin, but she could not provide any evidence. The Council of Europe became interested in the Charter's strange decision not to consider Sootechstvennik a media outlet.
May 2021. Bezhetsentsev's mother-in-law introduces herself to the editor of Geodigest as Bezhetsentsev's lawyer, belittles the significance of Sootechstvennik, saying that the newspaper is nothing: “What was Oganezova doing? She was filling out the KSORSG bulletin. This (Sootechstvennik) is nothing, it's a bulletin... Of course, it's not a newspaper. It is recorded that it is not a newspaper. Our position is the same as the Charter's position. Of course, it is a bulletin! This is the position of Alexander Bezhetsentsev." After editor Rusudan Gvazava asked why they invited a journalist who recorded interviews and traveled around the regions to work if this was a bulletin, Kartvelishvili started shouting:

– They could have brought a baker, what difference does it make… They will invite whoever they want, and they will pay their salary.

– Then why do you say that this is not a media product, but a bulletin?

– Because this is an information bulletin…

Recall that Bezhetsev, who filed a lawsuit against the GEODIGEST publication in the Charter of Journalistic Ethics, lost the case. At the end of 2021, the Charter issued a second decision, which states that the article “I will put an end to Miranda” (which tells about the facts of harassment of journalist Miranda Oganesova by Bezhetsentsev “Compatriot”, provided reliable and verified information.

“In order to avoid responsibility for interfering in journalistic activities and pressure, Bezhetsentsev jeopardized the image of the newspaper. He deliberately harms the publication of compatriots, for the protection of whose interests the Pravfond transferred considerable funds. Having taken responsibility for the functioning, for the third year he has deliberately violated the terms of the agreement with the Parliamentary Library, because of which “Compatriot” may be deprived of the international ISSN number (During the preparation of the material, it became known that “Compatriot” decided to fulfill its obligations). Bezhetsentsev believed that everything would go unnoticed, and in the monitoring of the Institute of CIS Countries for receiving a grant, as if nothing had happened, he writes that “Sootechestvennik” is one of the three Russian-language media outlets published in Georgia,” says Oganezova.

As for the editor’s employment contract, the Public Defender does not share Bezhetsev’s position that it was not concluded, since this contract was signed and sealed, there is no reason to doubt the validity of the contract: “Elena Denyaga’s explanation cannot be taken into account, since it was her responsibility to sign, and if she was not authorized to sign, she should have refused. It should also be noted that Elena Denyaga owns 50% of the shares of Sootechestvennik LLC.  

Regardless of whether a contract was signed with the applicant or not and/or who signed it, the indisputable fact is that the applicant was an employee of the newspaper."

The Public Defender, apparently, given that Bezhetsev is a member of the council under her Office, found it difficult to clearly recognize discrimination, shifting responsibility to other structures, but, nevertheless, she identified a number of violations.

The head of the Labor Inspectorate, Beka Peradze, explained that the employer was obliged to conclude a contract with the employee.

"Bezhenets contradicts himself, trying to outwit the law. Thanks to the evidence, it is clear that Denyaga knew very well that she was signing an editor's contract, and her contract was signed by co-founder Tamar Bregvadze, but I could not do this due to lack of signatory authority. Denyaga is Sventitsky's secretary and is forced to sign a libel in defense of his deputy, whose mother, Alla Bezhetseva, is also Sventitsky's deputy at the Russian Club. The 2016 protocol records that it was Sventitsky who asked the KSORSG members to elect Bezhetsentsev to the leadership,” the journalist believes.

Speaking about the pressure on the Russian-speaking diaspora, we will add that when asking Oganezova to write an immoral article, Bezhetsentsev said that there was a war going on in the KSORSG and that it was bad that Miranda was not aware of it. “We have a huge, huge war going on,” and he names a member of the KSORSG. Here he also expresses dissatisfaction with why the editor covers the events of the leaders of other organizations. To which the journalist says that people are dissatisfied because the newspaper mainly writes about Bezhetsentsev.

“Who works, and who? Are they doing anything? Is at least one event taking place?” answered Bezhetsentsev, who today hides behind the name of the KSORSG.

Although today Bezhetsev is trying to compromise a famous journalist, but when asking for a compromising article to be written, he calls Miranda a professional: “Nobody will know that you wrote it, I just need a professional.”

He explained that Sventitsky no longer wants to involve his employees from the “Russian Club” in the writing of such articles, so Oganezova should write a letter on someone else’s behalf. This confirms the words of his compatriots that writing forged letters is indeed practiced.

“Read how Sophie responded (name changed). How Sophie wrote to Zakharova (Lika Zakharova, member of the KSORSG, 2018 – ed.) on behalf of Filina (a letter addressed to the Ministers of Education of the Russian Federation and Georgia – ed.) and so on. High style, you need to write it once, so that you can then throw it away. If someone asks me why Tatevosov writes about you, I say: "Here you go, not on the website, here's a link for you"... Here you go, a link, and it's beautifully written there that the person is a little sick, a little offended and all that."

After the editor-in-chief's refusal, Bezhetsev did not calm down: "Kolya will ask you, let's see how you will refuse him, given this situation."

Oganezova: "You can tell him at least 20 times a day, I will also answer Nikolai Nikolaevich that I am against it. And that's it... And you, if you see that I am against it, you are doing the wrong thing now, and you should not press through Nikolai Nikolaevich."

The beneficiary of the Pravfond insisted that Miranda write an anonymous article and then "wash her hands of it." The journalist explains that Bezhetsev understood very well that he was forcing her to commit illegal actions, but he and his lawyers distanced themselves, setting up others.

“One article, professional analysis, to show that he is schizo, I don’t want to go to jail for him, I’ll kill him.”

Despite Oganezova’s categorical refusal, the beneficiary of the Pravfond continued to put pressure on the female journalist. At the same time, he noted that he needed the article against his opponent for himself and would be posting it from “another account.”

“You’re nervous, you’re not letting me explain properly. It’s just that I’m on another account, if someone asks me something, I say: “Here, this article already exists. It’s been answered once.” Who is Mikhail Tatevosov? Here. Read, one article... Quietly, calmly written, that the person is unbalanced, that he was offended, that he was fired for this... With illnesses, schizophrenia..."

Bezhetsev threatened several times that he would raise the issue of her dismissal, and then declared: "Not to work means not to work at all... Cooperation is over."

He began to discredit her and himself admitted that he contacted the editorial offices to terminate cooperation with Miranda.

Bezhetsev: "I have already talked to them, they will not accept anything from you anywhere else... With Molokova, with Molokova..."

The journalist says that pressure was exerted from different sides. Bregvadze began to delay salaries not only to the editor, but also to the employees, the printing house, and, despite the fact that the money from the sale of the newspaper was in the account, he deliberately slowed down the work.

"Nothing, they will wait. “Nothing like that happens,” Bezhetsev replies and says that if it were up to him, Miranda would have to pay for the newspaper.

Publisher and proofreader Elena Denyaga complained to the editor that Bezhetsev and Bregvadze had stood on principle and were not paying the fee. 

And the former editor-in-chief explains: "The fact that I was deliberately oppressed is also evidenced by the fact that after my forced departure, Bregvadze began to transfer the fee to the layout designer and the printing house on time."

SEGREGATION AND CORRUPTION?

At the time of publication of the material, it became known that at the conference of KSORS Georgia, on the initiative of Nikolai Sventitsky, Larisa Agabalayeva was excluded. According to her, the head of the Russian Interests Section, Dmitry Trofimov, verbally insulted his compatriot.

"During the conference, I protested the destructive activities of Sventitsky and his "Russian Club" with the theater, which do not fit with the tasks of KSORSG. It is impossible to sow discord, to incite hostility between peoples. It is unacceptable to simultaneously receive money from Russian taxpayers and insult them on social networks as "sheep and idiots", to receive gifts, to rest in a summer camp financed by the Russian Federation, and to speak out with the slogan "Russian is the language of the enemy"... The Head of the Section, instead of thanking the member of the KSORSG for standing guard over the law and the interests of the historical homeland, contributes to its expulsion. Isn't it nonsense? Moreover, Trofimov began to speak disparagingly about me, to insult me. Who gave him the right to do this? Didn't he exceed his authority? As a diplomat, he could at least pretend that he would study the materials. A diplomat is called upon to resolve a conflict, and not to disorient society. The question arises, what connects Trofimov with Sventitsky, why are they so intertwined? Is it really just friendship? Doesn't he put mercantile interests above state interests, which a diplomat should protect? And here we need to seriously look into it. As for insults addressed to me, it will not harm me. Over the years, I have created an unshakable image with my honesty, integrity, and loyal service. Possible financial fraud can be freely studied, but will is needed. There is a committee on combating corruption in the State Duma, and that is where I am going to appeal. Sventitsky, with the support of Trofimov, is being deliberately excluded from the KSORSG by authoritative and professional personnel who have the courage to speak out loud about violations. And they are primitively trying to convince that Sventitsky has no alternative. Isn't it time to put an end to this?

Earlier, Arkady Gakharia, Secretary of the RF Interests Section, visited Agabalaeva in Senaki and proposed to annually allocate 5 budget places in Russian universities.

"Gakharia, bragging about his acquaintance with Deputy Minister Andrei Rudenko, noted that I am in vain writing to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In exchange for silence, he offered to submit a list of 5 applicants who would be admitted to Russian universities, and I could earn money on this. He also offered to finance the projects. I did not agree. Gakharia, as I understood, is a member of the selection committee that conducts interviews with applicants in the Section building. It is a pity that the fates of young compatriots wishing to study in Russia are decided in this way. And so, on the eve of the conference, before the exclusion, I was informed that Gakharia, with far-fetched accusations, was turning compatriots against me. The diplomat, disguising lies as truth, spreads rumors that I allegedly pass information to a third party who sells it for grants. This cannot be proven, and even more so, I have long been removed from everything. It is unthinkable, diplomats humiliate the dignity, throw mud at compatriots,” Larisa Agabalaeva noted bitterly. At the 2021 KSORSG conference, Trofimov also condemned the speech of an authoritative member of the Russian diaspora, Natalia Vereshchagina.

“Immediately after my speech, he interrupted the debate. They say that we have a national treasure (Sventitsky), and I, you see, dared to make some comments and express wishes. The jaws of those present dropped, no one expected such a reaction. I said that our Coordination Council is an orphanage. I said it correctly. Probably, this is recorded, if at a certain moment they did not turn it off. Trofimov was terribly shocked, although I said that more attention should be paid to all organizations, to work collegially and together, that it is impossible to use an authoritarian method to put everything in one hand... He didn’t like it,” says Vereshchagina.

According to her, unlike him, the former head of the section E. Konyshev did not interfere in the work of the conference.

“He did not interfere, after the greeting he left. Although I could have listened to Trofimov and said: “According to the Regulation, you have no right to interfere in the course of the conference.” But I decided to be above it.”

Compatriots talk about a blatant monopoly and note that regional organizations are not given the opportunity to hold events. By the way, the MDS left unanswered the question of how the 4 million grant allocated to the Bezhetsev family for compatriots was spent.

“Not everyone can come for candy or to a performance on New Year’s, but Trofimov allocated funds specifically for purchasing tickets to performances at the theater run by Sventitsky. The segregation of children in the diaspora deprives them of even New Year’s gifts, while they are promoting themselves on Facebook. 

It is strange why one Sventitsky "Russian Club" should distribute gift sets throughout Georgia, when there are other organizations in KSORSG," says Agabalaeva.

Instead of addressing pressing issues, the management accused Agabalaeva of telling SOVA about violations in the children's camp. "Although, the same publication also advertised a performance taking place in the Russian Griboyedov Theater, the leading actress and director of which actively urged people to buy tickets in order to transfer funds to the Armed Forces of Ukraine," says the lawyer.

Natalya Vereshchagina at the KSORSG conference raised the question of why previously undeclared persons (men) who had no right to be there lived in the camp. In particular, it was noted: "There were cases when they drank there... There were cases when they courted girls, when they climbed to the girl through the balcony. They came, and those who were on vacation told us. And this is not only my opinion. It is a pity that Lyuba Kapianidze is not here, she is also very outraged. A big request, when we send children, especially girls, even boys, we must think very carefully about who we trust our children to. And do not deny that you personally drank vodka along with Coca Cola... We entrusted you with the most precious thing - children. We send children, and we must be 100% guaranteed that our children will not see anything that will hurt them, hurt their pride... "

In turn, Agabalaeva says: "The children noted that the food in the camp has become worse, some underage girls were left unattended on the road, and they had to get home themselves. Subsequently, Bezhentsev's wife, who was also vacationing in the children's camp, called them and asked them to write positive reviews."

Compatriots note with bitterness that Sventitsky and Trofimov did not react in any way, after which the media learned about the problem.

TIME FOR CHANGE?

It is curious that the Section of Russian Interests in Georgia on its official Facebook page is distributing a post by a writer recognized in the Russian Federation as a foreign agent, a video with Russians speaking out against the Russian government. Does this mean that the Russian Foreign Ministry has a different position from the country's president and can we talk about changes in Russia's foreign policy? We asked the leading Georgian expert on the Caucasus, Mamuka Areshidze, about this question.

"I have no specific information about changes. It's just that some Russian publications have disseminated information that major changes are taking place in the Russian Presidential Administration, and this concerns the foreign policy segment. This concerns Ushakov, who is allegedly being replaced. He is old and they say it's time for him to retire. And it is planned to replace those people who oversee various areas, including the Caucasus. The names of Igor Maslov and Valery Maksimov are indicated. I cannot say how true this information is. The only thing is that there have been certain personnel changes. Many of these people are accused not only of not working properly in the MFA for many years, but also of corruption," said Mamuka Areshidze.

СПОСОБСТВУЕТ ЛИ ГЛАВА СЕКЦИИ ИНТЕРЕСОВ РФ ФИНАНСОВЫМ МАХИНАЦИЯМ И ПРИТЕСНЕНИЮ СООТЕЧЕСТВЕННИКОВ?