TBILISI, DFWatch — After having been questioned about his role in a large embezzlement case, the Tbilisi mayor says the Prosecutor’s Office is in a deadlock and in a hurry.

Even though Gigi Ugulava refused to appear for questioning, he invited investigators to his office. They came and spent four hours of his already packed Saturday schedule.

“It is obvious that the Prosecutor’s Office is in a deadlock, because they will have to question thousands more people, after which those people will again be questioned in the courts. Neither I nor most of society trust the questioning under pressure. That’s why it is important to question each person in an open and public way, in the courts,” he said after having been interrogated.

He was questioned regarding a large embezzlement case which involves the local government in Tbilisi.

“The accusation is about us employing people and paying salaries. They admit that this money was distributed to people as salary,” he said, adding that this is an absurd investigation and they will have to question more than 20 000 people regarding this case all over the country.

“It is funny when in a country where the economy is collapsing and unfortunately groups in the financial sector do not tell anything about it to the prime minister, whole groups of the Finance Ministry are busy with this investigation now,” the mayor said. He added that he is prepared to answer further questions.

Ugulava was questioned on Saturday at his office by Tamar Kuchava and Nugzar Salia from the Finance Ministry’s investigative service. He did not have a lawyer present.