Tbilisi City Court upheld decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) that bans ex-defense minister Irakli Okruashvili to run for mayor of Gori in the June 15 local elections because of failing to meeting two-year residency requirement.
 
District Election Commission in Gori registered Okruashvili as a mayoral candidate, but the Central Election Commission annulled the decision citing two-year residency requirement. Okruashvili had lived in France, where he had asylum, since late 2007 and returned back to Georgia in November, 2012.

“I will anyway win this battle at any cost and everyone will be convinced in this on June 16 [day after elections],” Okruashvili said after the court delivered its ruling.

Okruashvili’s lawyer said that decision of the Tbilisi City Court will be appealed to higher court.