Melia: Still Trying to Get Me out of Parliament

Nika Melia, a member of the United National Movement (UNM) has made the first comment after the announcement of the verdict in the Cartu Bank case, saying that the case is politically motivated and serves only one goal, to get him out of Parliament.

Speaking to reporters, he described the case as 'absurd,' noting that 25 people had been charged in the case of Cartu so far, however, after seven years, "the legal proceedings against them were stopped and only he was prosecuted."

He also added that Bidzina Ivanishvili sees that the vertical of his power has collapsed, and the cases against him [Melia] are only aimed at getting him out of Parliament. 

As for the second case in which the opposition MP is accused of leading and engaging in group violence during the June 20 rally, he says, "Ivanishvili must realize that no criminal case can stop any opponent and activist."

Melia was acquitted in one episode of the Cartu Bank bankruptcy case but found guilty in another: abuse of power.

He was fined GEL 25,000 and was deprived of the right to hold a public office for 2 years and 3 months.

Melia, along with the former Justice Minister of Georgia Zurab Adeishvili, was charged in the mentioned case in 2013.

The two are accused of abuse of power and hiding property through fraudulent transactions in the case of Cartu Bank.

By Ana Dumbadze