“Leave the microphone and then go,” Kakha Kaladze, the Georgian Dream mayoral candidate, told UNM leader Nika Melia while the latter was leaving the live debates in protest.

UNM’s mayoral candidate Melia said he did not want to partake in the debates with Kakha Kaladze.

“I respect the voters of all parties, but I am not going to be in one space with a violent, corrupt man who runs criminals,” Melia stressed.

On September 21, 2021, GPB First Channel hosted debates among all the Tbilisi mayoral candidates, including Tamar Kekenadze – Third Force- Strategy Aghmashenebeli #1; Giorgi Lomia – David Tarkhan-Mouravi, Irma Inashvili – Alliance of Patriots of Georgia #8; Ana Bibilashvili – Lelo #9; Mikheil Kumsishvili – Shalva Natelashvili – Georgian Labor Party #10; Giorgi Kutateladze – Georgia #13; Teimuraz Bobokhidze – Mamuli #15; Giorgi Laghidze – Giorgi Laghidze – Future Georgia #20; Arnize Richard Ogbunuju – Our United Georgia #23; Giorgi Gakharia – Gakharia – for Georgia #25; Ketevan Nakashidze – Mamuka Tuskadze – For Social Justice #29; Evgeni Ghviniashvili – Socialist Workers’ Party #30; Zaza Khatiashvili – Free Georgia (Zaza Khatiashvili, Kakha Kukava, Grigol Jojua) #37; Kakha Kaladze – Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia #41; Ana Dolidze – Ana Dolidze – For People 48; Giorgi Gachechiladze – Gachechiladze – Green Party #50. Nikanor Melia from the United National Movement, # 5, also took part in the debates but left after a one-minute of introduction speech.

The local elections are scheduled for October 2, 2021.