Asef Chiragov, who was nominated by the political party Lelo as a candidate for mayor of Bolnisi, has announced his decision to withdraw from the race in favor of Georgian Dream candidate Zamur Chitanava.

Chiragov shared the decision on social media, stating that he became convinced Chitanava would “take care of the development of Bolnisi and protect the interests of the local population.”

“I am no longer going to divide the votes with Mr. Zamur. I decided to withdraw my candidacy in his favor,” Chiragov wrote.

According to him, after accepting Lelo’s nomination, he soon realized that “specific people are trying to use my resources and sincere desire as a tool to satisfy their own political interests.”

Chiragov emphasized that his initial motivation was to work for the well-being of his native region, but underlined the importance of unity and stability at this stage.

“Nowadays, there is no time for pointless political confrontation. The most important thing is to maintain peace and stability, which is the only path to development,” he added.