Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava has been questioned in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged misspending of public funds by former employees of two municipal funds.
Ugulava, an ally of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, told journalists on December 18 he believed the goal of the probe is to prevent him from participating in local elections in May.
According to Ugulava, the campaign against him is orchestrated by former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose Georgian Dream political coalition won parliamentary elections last year.
Ugulava claims Ivanishvili plans to have the current minister of infrastructure and social development, David Narmania, installed as Tbilisi's new mayor.
Ugulava said he was ready to start his election campaign "as of today."
A number of investigations have been launched against Saakashvili associates after his party lost parliamentary elections in October 2012.
Ugulava, an ally of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, told journalists on December 18 he believed the goal of the probe is to prevent him from participating in local elections in May.
According to Ugulava, the campaign against him is orchestrated by former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose Georgian Dream political coalition won parliamentary elections last year.
Ugulava claims Ivanishvili plans to have the current minister of infrastructure and social development, David Narmania, installed as Tbilisi's new mayor.
Ugulava said he was ready to start his election campaign "as of today."
A number of investigations have been launched against Saakashvili associates after his party lost parliamentary elections in October 2012.