Opposition suspends dialogue with ruling party after detention of Ugulava
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The European Georgia opposition party leader David Bakradze has stated that opposition parties are suspending the dialogue with the ruling Georgia Dream party on 2020 election issue after the sentencing of European Georgia opposition party leader Gigi Ugulava to three years and two months in prison by the Georgian Supreme Court yesterday.
Bakradze said that opposition parties were ready to make new offers to the ruling party on the election issue. However, ‘after the detention on political grounds all doors for negotiations are closed.’
The ruling Georgian Dream party MP Gia Volski has dismissed any political persecution.
US Congressman Adam Kinzinger has expressed his concern regarding the detention on his official Twitter page:
Gigi Ugulava, leader of European Georgia, was arrested today and sentenced to 38 months in prison for an old crime he’s already served time over. To say this is disturbing would be an understatement. Using courts as a weapon is NOT democracy.
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) February 10, 2020
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell says the diplomatic corps will continue mediating with the ruling party and the opposition to see possible ways out from the current situation.
Ugulava was sentenced for embezzlement of 48 million GEL from Tbilisi Municipal Development fund while in office.
He served as Tbilisi mayor between 2005 and 2013.
Read more about Ugulava here.