Candidate from Georgian party in power gives up his participation in elections

Valery Giorgobiani, a candidate for majority deputy in the Tsager Constituency of Georgia from the party in power United National Movement, has refused to take part in the elections after his compromising audio record was made public.

According to the audio record that was presented to the press by the opposition, at the sitting with the District Administration, Valery Giorgobiani threatened the employees of budget-funded organizations to fire them, if at the parliamentary elections on May 21 the Unified National Movement would not win 80 percent of votes.

"In spite of the fact that no investigation has been conducted so far and the truth has not been established, Mr Giorgobiani has written an application and gave up his participation in the parliamentary elections," said Zurab Melikishvili, one of the leaders of the United National Movement, to the "New Region" Agency.

Zurab Melikishvili has noted that Giorgobiani is ready to cooperate with the investigation. Besides, the United National Movement hopes that the person who has provided the scandalous audio record will also help the investigation to establish the truth.