Levan Varshalomidze, a former Adjara government chief, has been detained in Kazakhstan due to a Russian indictment related to consulting for Ukraine. UNM representatives argue the case is baseless and call for his release, highlighting his contributions to Batumi and Ukrainian reforms.

Levan Varshalomidze, a former chairman of the Government of Adjara and member of the Unity-UNM party, was detained in Kazakhstan on March 18 while trying to cross the border. According to Levan Bezhashvili from UNM, Varshalomidze’s detention is related to a Russian indictment for his involvement in political consulting with the Ukrainian government.

Bezhashvili emphasized that the case against Varshalomidze is unfounded and has called for effective communication to facilitate his release. He stressed the importance of reaching a conclusion beneficial to both Georgia and Kazakhstan regarding this matter.

Varshalomidze was prominent in the redevelopment of Adjara, especially its capital, Batumi, during his term as head of the government from 2004 to 2012. He later became an adviser to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in 2015 and contributed to implementing significant reforms in Ukraine.

The detention of Levan Varshalomidze in Kazakhstan is linked to a Russian indictment stemming from his political consulting work. UNM representatives are advocating for his release, asserting that the indictment lacks merit. Varshalomidze’s political history includes significant contributions to the development of Batumi and reform initiatives in Ukraine under President Poroshenko.

Original Source: civil.ge