Opposition leader Vashadze’s bail set at $18,000 for failing to appear before anti-UNM commission

The Tbilisi City Court has set a ₾50,000 ($18,000) bail for Giorgi Vashadze — an opposition politician and leader of the Strategy Aghmashenebeli party and member of opposition group Unity — National Movement — for failing to appear before the parliament’s temporary investigative commission aimed at investigating the alleged crimes of the former ruling United National Movement (UNM) party.

On Wednesday, Judge Mzia Gashaulishvili satisfied the prosecutor’s motion.

Vashadze is being investigated under Article 349 of the Criminal Code, which refers to the failure to comply with the request of the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Georgian Parliament, which is punishable by up to one year in prison or a fine. He could also be barred from holding public office for up to three years.

After being granted bail, Vashadze told the media that the judge was ‘powerless’.

‘[The judge] will do whatever the upper echelon of the clan tells her to do. I felt sorry for her’, he said.

On 11 April, Vashadze and one of the leaders of the opposition group Coalition for Change, Nika Melia, were summoned to the investigative commission’s session. However, neither of them showed up.

Most opposition politicians summoned have refused to attend.

Opposition leaders from Strong Georgia, Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, former Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili, former MP Givi Targamadze, and Coalition for Changes leaders Nika Gvaramia and Zura Japaridze have already been charged for not appearing, with bail having similarly been set as a preventive measure.

Former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, who is now a leader of the opposition For Georgia party, has been the only leading opposition member as of publication to appear before the controversial parliamentary commission.

His attendance drew criticism, though he defended his participation.

Gakharia appears before anti-UNM commission, grilled by ex-colleagues over his once-praised tenure

It was unclear until the last moment whether Giorgi Gakharia would even attend the commission’s hearing.

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In March, ruling Georgian Dream party’s parliamentary leader Mamuka Mdinaradze stated that the party planned to petition the Constitutional Court to declare opposition parties unconstitutional, based on the forthcoming conclusions of the commission.

Georgian Dream vows to ban opposition parties

Before the parliamentary elections, one of Georgian Dream’s campaign promises was to outlaw their political rivals and ban ‘pseudo-liberal ideology’.

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The UNM, which ran in the October 2024 elections under the Unity — National Movement group alongside the Strategy Aghmashenebeli party, was in power between 2003–2012, and is most associated with former President Mikheil Saakashvili.

The commission to investigate the UNM’s time in power was established in February, and followed repeated pledges by Georgian Dream to punish the UNM — the ruling party has particularly focused on accusing the UNM of provoking and starting the August 2008 War.

Kobakhidze claims August 2008 war was ‘started by Saakashvili’s regime’

Kobakhidze was responding to a statement made by Tsulukiani, who called the death of soldier Antsukhelidze a ‘senseless victim of someone’s PR’.

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