The incumbent Prosecutor General, Shalva Tadumadze, who is a candidate for the position of the Supreme Court judge, explained inconsistencies in his law diploma during his interview in the Parliament. Later, he submitted a letter to the Parliament from the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement as well.

After analyzing this information, archive materials and relevant legislation, we reiterate the fact that the relevant qualification of higher education required for the position of the Supreme Court Judge of the incumbent  Prosecutor General cannot be proved. In particular, a judge must hold at least a master's or an equivalent academic degree.

●       Does the letter sent to the Legal Issues Committee establish the veracity of Shalva Tadumadze's diploma?

It does not, as the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement's reply states that Shalva Tadumadze has not requested from the Center to study the veracity of his diploma. Therefore, it has not studied the issue.

●        Is it confirmed that Shalva Tadumadze has completed a 5-year study program?

It is not confirmed. It is questionable whether there was a 5-year study program at the Law Faculty of the Humanitarian Institute between 1994-1998, as the Center does not possess any documentary information on the subject. The relevant information on this is not also kept in the Education Management Information System. The only document kept in the archive materials is the 1997-1998 academic year plan of the Faculty of Law approved by the Rector on September 2, 1997, according to which the duration of study at the Faculty of Law was only 4 years.

●        Is it confirmed that the education received by Shalva Tadumadze equals to the master's degree?

It is not confirmed. There have been cases when the Center has equalized the qualification of the 1998 graduates of the Humanitarian Institute with a master's degree, even though the institution itself was founded in 1994. However, after studying the additional information, it was found that there were three such cases and in all three cases, the students began their studies at other universities in 1993 and then moved to Tadumadze's university and graduated from it in 1998. However, unlike Tadumadze’s case, the overall length of the study was 5 years. The verification process of a diploma implies an individual examination of the study and qualification issues. As a result, the veracity of Tadumadze's diploma cannot be established based on other examples.

It should also be noted that despite the request of the Parliament, the document certifying equalization of Shalva Tadumadze's qualification with the master's degree has not been submitted to the Parliament. More specifically, the Legal Issues Committee asked the Center whether Tadumadze's diploma equals to at least a master's degree. The Center's response states that Shalva Tadumadze has not addressed them with the above question and, therefore, the Center has not studied this issue.

●        Is it confirmed that Shalva Tadumadze could graduate from university with an external diploma?

It is not confirmed. The letter cites the articles of the Law of Georgia on Education (01.08.1997), according to which the education could be obtained in the form of an external study. However, this answer does not specify that under Article 57 (g) and (h) of the same law, a ruling of an external study should have been adopted by the Ministry of Education within one year of the enactment of the law. Based on the official correspondence, we found out that neither Ministry of Education nor the Center possess such a document and probably it has not been adopted.

In light of the above, we urge Shalva Tadumadze to formally apply to the National Center for Education Quality Enhancement, seeking to establish the veracity of his higher education diploma and also to confirm that his education is equivalent to a master's degree.