“I cannot possibly serve as a witness in court because I don’t meet the legal standard for a witness. To be a witness, you must have seen the facts with your own eyes,” the leader of the Federalist Party, Tamar Chergoleishvili, told journalists at Tbilisi City Court, where she is being questioned in the presence of a magistrate judge regarding her statement about Bacho Akhalaia.

According to Chergoleishvili, she is convinced that Bacho Akhalaia was involved in the events surrounding the October 4 developments, though her assessment is based solely on publicly available information.

“I am certain that Bidzina Ivanishvili is the informal ruler of this country. I am also certain that Mamuka Khazaradze was directing the political agenda for TV Pirveli throughout this entire period. Additionally, I know for certain that the case against Mzia Amaglobeli and her sentencing were carried out under political pressure. However, I cannot serve as a witness to any of these events in court, as a witness must have seen the facts with their own eyes.

As a politician, I have always exposed those saboteurs who plunge the country into the sort of adventurism they attempted on October 4. I am absolutely convinced of my truth that Bacho Akhalaia was involved in all of this, but my conviction is based solely on publicly available information. Primarily, it stems from the public statements of Levan Khabeishvili, Tina Bokuchava, and most importantly, Ani Nadareishvili and Burchuladze. Any intelligent, attentive, professional journalist or politician would have come to the same conclusion; this wouldn’t merely be my assertion. Had we a free media genuinely committed to investigating the truth rather than simply fulfilling donors’ orders, there would have been public discussion surrounding this matter,” Tamar Chergoleishvili declared.

Chergoleishvili once again clarified that her statement regarding Bacho Akhalaia was based on publicly available information, specifically, public statements made by Tina Bokuchava, Levan Khabeishvili, Ani Nadareishvili, and Paata Burchuladze, as well as comments in response to these statements.

“Anyone who isn’t a fool understands this. Anyone involved in this matter knows I’m right,” remarked Tamar Chergoleishvili.

To the question of whether planning was taking place at Bacho Akhalaia’s house, Chergoleishvili responded that she is absolutely convinced this was the case, though she cannot serve as a witness to it.

“Everyone should think for themselves about the basis of the statements my opinion is founded on. I am certain that Irina Sarishvili was working for Igor Giorgadze on behalf of Russian special services, but I cannot serve as a witness against her in a treason case,” Tamar Chergoleishvili stated.

Regarding Mikheil Saakashvili’s role, Chergoleishvili explained that she is convinced Saakashvili was involved and kept informed.

“The fact that he distanced himself from all this is precisely because he feared that everything would be linked to Bacho Akhalaia. He distanced himself from all of it. Soon Bacho Akhalaia will distance himself, too. Read his posts, read Tina Bokuchava’s post, how she was pleading for them to support her agenda instead of October 4, and then look at what Saakashvili was doing. ‘Now or never’ and so on,” noted Tamar Chergoleishvili.

A few days ago, Tamar Chergoleishvili, leader of the Federalist Party, stated that meetings were being held at Bacho Akhalaia’s house in connection with October 4, which had become a source of conflict within the United National Movement.