Nika Melia’s consent to the bail is not on the agenda either legally or otherwise. The court is under the authority of the government. The government can apply to the court to request bail at any time, Nika Melia’s lawyer Giorgi Kondakhishvili stated.

According to him, Nika Melia does not have to accept the bail.

“Nika Melia’s consent to the bail is not needed. Nika Melia’s consent to either bail or amnesty law has neither legal nor another effect. The key to Nika Melia’s release is in the hands of the government. Just as arrest and detention were a political decision, so, his release from political custody is in the hands of the authorities. It is a problem for the government that Nika Melia is in prison but released Nika Melia seems to be a bigger problem. Therefore, they try to prolong Nika Melia’s imprisonment. They have been trying for two months to make the public believe Nika Melia has the keys and could pay the bail at any time. On the contrary, they demanded detention during the April 13 trial,” Kondakhishvili said.

The Georgian political parties signed A way ahead for Georgia, a compromise document submitted to the parties by the European Council President Charles Michel, at the Orbeliani Palace on April 19. According to the agreement, the parties address two cases perceived as politicized (Giorgi Rurua and Nika Melia cases), either by an amnesty and/or by taking such steps to produce an equivalent outcome.

Nika Melia addressed the document-signatory parties urging to retract the amnesty bill as considers it inadmissible. Melia was arrested on February 23, 2021. He has been accused of organizing mass violence during anti-government protests in 2019. UNM leader denies the charges.