The information spread in the media by Levan Papava, an employee of the Public Defender’s Office, regarding the creation of a discriminatory environment in the workplace and the evaluation of his activities with a low score, serves as an attempt to cover up the ongoing disciplinary proceedings against him.

Disciplinary proceedings are being conducted against Levan Papava in the Public Defender’s Office based on the report of a female employee of the Office, in order to study actions aimed at deliberately discrediting her and damaging her business reputation. In the same report, the employee also speaks about pressure from Papava and creation of a stressful work environment.

As for his evaluation as a civil servant, the legislation provides for the possibility of evaluating an employee with various points in the presence of relevant arguments, which was used in previous years as well, both in relation to him and other employees of the Office.

Levan Papava had complaints about certain evaluation components during the previous Public Defender's tenure as well, and a number of commissions were created in the Office, which, among other things, studied the ethical behavior and communication of employees, including Levan Papava, in the West Georgia Division. His complaint related to the evaluation was considered by the independent commission set up in the Office, which involved an invited member as well.

Thus, the procedures for considering Levan Papava’s complaint in the Office have completed and we will wait for the court hearing on this issue.