Levan Kipiani, former Sports Minister today admitted that he had participated in a performance staged by Zaza Okuashvili, Founder and owner of the Omega Group.

Kipiani said that Okuashvili needed the performance to settle relations with foreign partners. “I would like to apologize to the society and my family for the circumstance that was created around me. I testified to the court today and would like to shed the light on the situation,” Kipiani said after leaving the court building.

Kipiani said that he had worked at Omega Group since 2015 and that he was portrayed in the video recordings as an informer. But he said there was a joint plan in the recordings. According to the former minister, Okuashvili told during the last meeting that his business was pressured regarding budgetary funds for foreign partners. As Kipiani told reporters, the recorded material was intended for internal use only.

“My being a former minister and my background would be convincing for foreigners. Okuashvili would assure foreign partners that his business was pressured by the Georgian government and his financial liabilities would be overdue,” Kipiani stated.