Radio Free Europe/Radio Free Liberty, October 22, 2012

Georgia's missing acting Defense Minister Dimitri Shashkin has announced that he decided to leave the country.

Shashkin said via his Facebook account on October 22 that he hoped to return to Georgia someday. He said he left Georgia because his viewpoints do not coincide with those politicians who won the parliamentary elections on October 1. Shashkin also called on his colleagues and friends "not to believe unbelievable stories" about him that may emerge soon. [.....]

Also see:

After Elections, Many Georgian Officials Disappear, Leave Town, RFE/RFL, October 16

As the historic peaceful transfer of political power unfolds in Georgia, some outgoing officials with the former government apparently are not waiting around to find out how the story ends.

Since the October 1 elections, which were won by the opposition Georgian Dream coalition of billionaire businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili, a growing number of senior officials and former officials from the government of President Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement have disappeared. Georgian media have been rife with speculation that they have fled the country in fear of possible prosecution by the new authorities.

Among those missing in action since the election results became clear are [.....]