Incident Involving Mayoral Candidate Probed

Prosecutor’s office said it had launched a preliminary probe into an incident in which ruling National Movement party activists claimed that they had been assaulted by Tbilisi mayoral candidate, Zviad Dzidziguri, leader of the Conservative Party.

The case is treated as hooliganism, Levan Makharashvili, head of legal department of the Chief Prosecutor’s Office, said on May 7.

Rustavi 2 TV and Imedi TV reported on Friday morning that previous night several activists of the ruling party were assaulted by Dzidziguri outside the latter’s house when the activists were sticking ruling party’s banners in the street. A young man, described as the ruling party activist, told the TV stations that after “the verbal and physical insult”, Dzidziguri also fired four or five shots from a handgun.

Zviad Dzidziguri confirmed that the incident took place, but said it was him who was attacked.

“They started attacking me and I retreated back; I retreated at my home’s doorstep, but not further – I will never retreat back from my home’s doorsteps," Dzidziguri said and added that he had to fire several warning shots fired into the air.

Dzidziguri also said he was ready to cooperate with the investigation.

Gigi Ugulava, an incumbent Tbilisi mayor who runs for re-election, said in a statement that he was "disturbed by news of the attack on UNM [United National Movement] activists by one of the mayoral candidates and his supporters, and the violence that unfortunately followed."

“This kind of violence should have no place in Georgia’s political life,” Ugulava said in a written statement.

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