Irakli Okruashvili on the charges: I hope, unlike Badri Japaridze and Mamuka Khazaradze, they will give me a 'small discount' – Even birds don’t build nests today, but it seems the authorities are working with a different calendar

"I hope, unlike Badri Japaridze and Mamuka Khazaradze, they will give me a 'small discount,'" said former Minister of Defense Irakli Okruashvili in response to a question about what he expects during the hearing on the preventive measure, after the charges were presented to him.

Okruashvili was officially charged for failing to comply with the request of the temporary investigative commission of the Georgian Parliament.

"No one has any moral right, with any argument, to declare that masquerade and that so-called commission, while dozens of young people, including Mzia Amaglobeli, remain in prison. There is no commission, just as Georgia does not have a Parliament. Since childhood, I was taught that today even birds don’t build nests, but it seems that in this building and in the government in general, they work with a different calendar. This rule is unfamiliar to them, and they quickly filed charges against me. I hope, unlike Badri Japaridze and Mamuka Khazaradze, they will give me a 'small discount,'" said Okruashvili.

For reference, Irakli Okruashvili was summoned to the Georgian Parliament’s temporary investigative commission to provide an explanation, but he did not attend.

This action is considered a criminal offense under Article 349 of the Criminal Code, which concerns "failure to comply with the request of the temporary investigative commission of the Georgian Parliament." This offense is punishable by a fine, imprisonment for up to one year, or deprivation of the right to hold office or engage in activities for up to three years.