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Tbilisi mayor activity suspended until court decision

However, the City Court did not satisfy the request by the Chief Prosecutor’s Office to choose arrest as a measure of restraint

TBILISI, December 22, 16:45 /ITAR-TASS/. The City Court of Tbilisi has sustained the motion of the Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office, removing Gigi Ugulava from the office of Tbilisi Mayor “until the court renders the final decision in the probe” into the embezzlement of public funds on a large scale.

The court’s decision said “the City Court has shared the opinion of the Chief Prosecutor’s Office that the charges against Gigi Ugulava are directly connected with the activity of the Mayor’s Office and certain obstacles could be created for the investigation if he continued in the mayoral office”.

In order to prevent “any influence” on the investigation, the City Court removed Ugulava from office until the court passes the final decision on the investigated case,” the court’s resolution said.

However, the City Court “did not satisfy the request by the Chief Prosecutor’s Office to choose arrest as a measure of restraint,” releasing him from the courtroom on a pledge of a 50,000-lari bail (29,500 dollars).

Addressing officials from the Mayor’s Office, Ugulava said he did not agree with the court ruling, “but as a law-abiding citizen would comply with this decision”.

He said in case his mayoral duties were suspended, First Deputy Mayor Sevdiya Ugrekhelidze would be acting mayor until the new election in May 2014.