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Erosi Kitsmarishvili was found in his car with a wound to his head.

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgian politician and media investor Erosi Kitsmarishvili was found dead in Tbilisi Tuesday afternoon.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs immediately launched an investigation into what appears to have been a suicide, and later the Prosecutor’s Office also joined in the investigation.

The body of Kitsmarishvili was found inside his car in the parking lot under his flat on Chavchavadze Avenue in Tbilisi.

Kitsmarishvili was known as the founder of Rustavi 2, the largest private TV company in Georgia, and Ambassador to the Russian Federation. He was one of the driving forces behind 2003 Rose Revolution.

According to the MIA, Kitsmarishvili had a wound to his head and his “firearm”, presumably a pistol, was discovered in the car. Later in evening the Prosecutor’s Office released a statement saying that “the firearm” discovered in the car had been registered by Kitsmarishvili the same day, July 15.

In the June 15 local elections, Kitsmarishvili was a candidate for mayor in his hometown Rustavi, a city of about 100,000 people south of Tbilisi. He came third with 12 percent of votes, too little to proceed to the second round.

The first round was won by the Georgian Dream candidate with 40 percent and the National Movement candidate received 29 percent. The second round was won by the Georgian Dream candidate too with 65 percent against 35 percent for the UNM candidate. Kitsmarishvili backed the latter in the second round.