07:13, 1 July 2014

Tbilisi: UNM supporters protest against Gigi Ugulava's summoning for interrogation

Participants of the action of the "United National Movement" (UNM) Party. Tbilisi, March 27, 2013. Photo by Beslan Kmuzov for the "Cuacasian Knot"

On June 30, in central Tbilisi, near the building of the government's chancellery, a protest action was held under the motto "To Europe without political persecutions!" The action was attended by several hundred supporters of the "United National Movement" (UNM) Party dissatisfied with the call for questioning of the former Mayor of Tbilisi Gigi Ugulava.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Ugulava, who was Tbilisi Mayor from June 2010 to December 2013, was dismissed by the court after being accused of embezzling some 28 million US dollars from the city development fund. On June 30, the Investigative Service of the Georgia's Ministry of Finance summoned him in for questioning. Later it became known that he was shown new embezzlement charges.

According to the protesters, Ugulava was summoned for questioning in connection with the upcoming second round of mayoral elections in Tbilisi, the "Echo of the Caucasus" reports.

This second round is scheduled for July 2014; similar elections will be also held in eight cities of Georgia.