22 May 2013 10:08

Ex-Georgian PM Merabishvili officially indicted

TBILISI. May 22 (Interfax) - The Georgian Chief Prosecutor's Office presented an indictment against former Prime Minister and current Secretary General of the former ruling party Untied National Movement Vano Merabishvili and Kakheti Governor Zurab Chiaberashvili late on Tuesday.

Merabishvili and Chiaberashvili have been accused of corruption, abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds.

Merabishvili's and Chiaberashvili's lawyers Giorgi Chiviashvili and Giorgi Gelkhauri told journalists their clients refused to plead guilty.

The lawyers said a court should hold a hearing within the next 48 hours to decide what pretrial restrictive measure should be imposed on Merabishvili and Chiaberashvili.