Shalva Natelashvili

Shalva Natelashvili (born February 17 1958) is chairman and founder of Georgian Labour Party known for his populism and criticism of the current President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili. He is married and has 2 children.

Born in the northern mountain town of Dusheti, Shalva Natelashvili graduated in law from Tbilisi State University and continued post-graduate study in the Diplomatic Academy of Foreign Ministry of the Soviet Union. After working in the General Prosecutor’s Office he became MP in 1992 and remained in the Parliament until 1999. He was among the group of MPs who participated in development of Georgia’s Constitution. In 1995 he founded the Georgian Labour Party, which gradually turned into Eduard Shevardnadze’s major opposition force, and now acts as Chairman of that party. He supported Shevardnadze's government during the 2003 Rose Revolution, however, and later was a staunch opponent of President Mikheil Saakashvili.

2007 Accusations of spying

On November 8, 2007, Natelashvili was charged with espionage and conspiracy to overthrow the government of Georgia. Nika Gvaramia, deputy chief prosecutor, said the charges were based on evidence obtained through surveillance on employees of the Russian embassy in Tbilisi, whom the Georgian side has described as operatives of the Russian intelligence service. [ [http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=16263 Labor Party Leader Wanted for ‘Coup Plotting’ and ‘Espionage’] ] . Two days later this charge was apparently relaxed, as the General Prosecutor's Office said Natelashvili would be questioned "in the status of witness", and President Saakashvili claimed he would not be arrested and he could compete in the January 2008 presidential election. [ [http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=16294 Authorities Soften Stance on Labor Party Leader] . Civil Georgia. 2007-11-10.] . Nonetheless, the charges have led Natelashvili to apply for asylum in the United States [cite web |url=http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=38845|title= Georgian Labor Party leader apply for asylum in the United States|work=Azeri Press Agentliyi] . His supporters claim that the charges are politically motivated, and result from Natelashvili's role in November 2007 anti-government demonstrations.

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