PM Garibahsvili about Tbilisi Mayor’s case

"Today, for the first time during the last nine years, we have a court that is more or less fully independent and free.  

These were the words of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibahsvili when he answered the questions of local and international journalists today.

Garibashvili's comments were made following a statement by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) co-rapporteurs about the suspension of Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava.

The co-rapporteurssaid yesterday, it was "troubling" when the only directly elected mayor was suspended as a result of a court decision, particularly when it happened few months before the local government elections.

"Europeans are not used to have a Mayor accused of embezzlement of 50 million from the state budget. So they cannot imagine that it happens here, the Prime Minister said.

He underlined that thesuspension of the Tbilisi Mayor was a court decision, which had not been influenced by the Government.

Garibahsvili said Ugulava and his supporters seemed satisfied after the first hearing when Ugulava left the court and said the judge did not grant the Prosecutors motions. Once the judge made an undesirable decision for them, they disliked it, the PM claimed.

"This is a double standard from them. One day they like a judges decision, another day they do not, Garibashvili said, adding that everyone should obey a law and a courts decision.

The PM expressed his readiness to provide the PACE co-rapporteurs with more detailed information about the Tbilisi Mayor issue in case they needed it.

Ousted Mayor Gigi Ugulava commented on Garibashvili's statement on his official Facebook page.  

"The Prime Minister is lying shamelessly," Ugulava wrote, adding that his suspension had been politically motivated.