The Committees discussed the address of the Prosecutor’s Office on detention of Nikanor Melia and at the end of the 6-year sitting, issued the approval.

6 MPs voted for and 1 against at the Procedural Committee sitting and 9 MPs voted for and 3 against at the Legal Issues Committee sitting.

The Chair of the Procedural Committee, Giorgi Kakhiani elucidated the decision. “If approved, the Prosecutor’s Office becomes entitled to address the Court for detention of Nikanor Melia. Our decision will be reflected in the Committee conclusion. The final decision will be made at the plenary session”.

The procedure entailed the arguments. The Head of the Prosecutor Supervision Board of the Prosecutor’s General Amiran Guluashvili introduced the address: “The formal and actual basis for application of detention envisaged under the Criminal Code of Practice exists towards Nikanor Melia. He is accused of grave and violent crime against the public order and safety. He could incite the peaceful protesters for the violent attack to the police, which in capacity of the penalty envisages detention”.

The opposition asked the reporter to submit the evidences used by the PO to lift the immunity of the MP.

According to the Majority, the solid and true arguments shall be provided prior to voting necessary for the fair decision.

The Chair of the Faction “Georgian Dream”, Mamuka Mdinaradze addressed the PO representatives to specify the evidences and elucidate them. “We need the answers to the additional questions to make the correct decision. We need arguments as we speak about detention of the MP. We cannot approve the appeal in this simple way, we also cannot allow the precedent despite the dislike by Nika Melia. I am sure that these people cannot even assume the responsibility, including Melia and Saakashvili but we need to make proper steps”.

The accusations entailed dissent.

The PO representative, A. Guluashvili gave the consistent answers and stated about expediency of detention. “Any illegitimate basis, even the political sympathies shall be irrelevant as we cannot treat MP differently from other citizens due to his/her mandate and immunity. If other average citizen is subject to the criminal legal procedures for the crime, similar shall be applied to everyone despite the political affiliation and the position”.

The political groups had the floor to express the positions.

Most of the attending MPs approved the issue.