About Civil.ge
Eng | Geo | Rus
Last updated: 10:55 - 1 May.'18
RSS
Mobile
Twitter
Facebook
Court Suspends Tbilisi Mayor from Office
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 22 Dec.'13 / 11:44

The Tbilisi City Court ruled to suspend directly elected mayor of the capital city, Gigi Ugulava, from office after he was charged with misspending of GEL 48.18 million of public funds.

Prosecution’s motion seeking for Ugulava’s pre-trial detention was rejected by the Tbilisi City Court late on Saturday night; the court instead ordered GEL 50,000 bail.

But few hours after that, prosecution’s separate motion seeking for suspending Ugulava from his mayoral office was considered by the judge without hearing oral arguments of the parties.

Ugulava, who is among UNM opposition party leadership, said late on Saturday before court’s decision on second motion was announced, that addition charges against him and attempts to push him out of the mayoral office was part of government’s pressure on the opposition, especially ahead of the local elections next year in which Ugulava plans to seek re-election as Tbilisi mayor.

In a written statement after he was suspended, Ugulava said: “It has been confirmed once again that legal proceedings against me are purely of political nature.”

“The court has been dragged into the political process and the mayor, elected by 55% of Tbilisites, has been sacked without any argument,” Ugulava said. “There is no other constitutional mechanism, except of election, to dismiss a directly elected mayor.”

UNM has condemned court’s decision to suspend from office directly elected mayor of the capital city.

UNM MP Giorgi Vashadze said on Sunday the ruling shows the leadership of the Tbilisi City Court is under the government’s control. He said its part of government’s “all-out attack” on the opposition. He also said that the party is now considering appealing court’s ruling to the Constitutional Court.

Charges, which were filed against Ugulava on December 18, involve allegations that he was behind a scheme through which GEL 48.18 million of municipal funds were funneled to cover UNM party’s various expenses in 2011-2012.

Ugulava is already standing trial into similar, but unrelated charges, which were filed against him in February 2013. At the time prosecution was asking the court GEL 1 bail and suspending Ugulava from the office – both of these motions were declined by the court.

Latest News
01 May.'18 10:55
We Have Moved to a New Platform
Direct Your Bookmarks to https://civil.ge.
29 Apr.'18 03:54
Ruling Party Candidate Wins MP By-Elections
Givi Chichinadze will represent Vani and Khoni single-mandate constituency in the Parliament of Georgia.
28 Apr.'18 09:40
Polls Open for Vani and Khoni MP By-Elections
48,123 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in Vani and Khoni single-mandate constituency.
27 Apr.'18 17:23
State Dept’s Europe Affairs Point Man to Visit Tbilisi
Wess Mitchell will meet senior government officials and address the NATO-Georgia Public Diplomacy Forum.
27 Apr.'18 13:45
In Quotes: Georgian Politicians on Ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Comeback
Bidzina Ivanishvili will be approved as the Georgian Dream party chairman at the upcoming convention.
26 Apr.'18 18:15
SG Jens Stoltenberg: Georgia NATO’s ‘Very Close’ Partner
The NATO Secretary General says Foreign Ministers meeting tomorrow will recognize the country’s progress.
26 Apr.'18 14:24
Ex-PM Ivanishvili to Chair Georgian Dream Party
Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said Ivanishvili was ‘best equipped’ to add new dynamism to the party.
26 Apr.'18 11:12
Lawmaker Proposes Criminal Liability for ‘Insult of Religious Feelings’
The parliamentary human rights committee decided to set up a working group for scrutinizing the draft law.
25 Apr.'18 17:21
New Abkhaz Government Head Appointed
Gennady Gagulia has served as the Abkhaz “prime minister” twice - in 1995-1997, and 2002-2003.
25 Apr.'18 14:43
Watchdog Improves Georgia’s Press Freedom Ranking
None of the countries of the former Soviet Union (except the Baltics) are ranked ahead of Georgia.

About Civil Georgia
Civil.Ge © 2001-2025, Daily News Online
Registered office: 2 Dolidze Str, 4-th Floor.
48