Mayoral candidate Gakharia tests negative in hair follicle drug test after ‘drug addict’ accusation

The For Georgia opposition party, which was founded by the country’s former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia back in may 2021, says that Gakharia’s hair follicle drug test performed by FTC-Forensisch-Toxikologisches Labor in Austria, Vienna, on September 14, is negative. 

No drug consumption has been revealed by the test,” said the party and released the lab conclusion. 

It is the second drug test result released by Gakharia since mid-September. 

Gakharia resigned and left the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party in February 2021 because of controversies with the GD on the issue related to the arrest of opposition leader Nika Melia. 

Since then Gakharia has been described as a ‘traitor’ by the GD and the government officials, who also accused him of planning an alleged coup with the United National Movement opposition party.

Ahead of the October 2 municipal elections, in which Gakharia is running for Tbilisi mayor, the GD head Irakli Kobakhidze has stated that Gakharia is a drug addict which the latter called a ‘lie.’ 

For Georgia party has released the results of drug test earlier today.

The controversy emerged after incumbent Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze successfully passed his drug test at Tbilisi Forensics Bureau on September 6  and encouraged his opponents to also test for drugs. 

Gakharia refused to test for drugs in Tbilisi ‘to prevent a provocation staged against him’ and went to Vienna.

He has already submitted a complaint to Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office demanding an investigation into ‘repeated, false claims’ of his being a drug addict.