"Some group has fortified itself in the Parliament building and keeps shouting like lunatics: ‘I’m a commission, I’m a commission.’ I was summoned in connection with this case," said Giorgi Vashadze, leader of Strategy Aghmashenebeli, after leaving the court, where he was questioned in the presence of a magistrate judge.

According to Vashadze, during the questioning he stated that there is no functioning parliament in the country and that power has been usurped.

“They were asking me questions, and I stated clearly that the Parliament does not exist in the country, and that power has been seized. As for the group in question—this group was created in violation of the Constitution and the only thing it does is act against Georgia’s national interests. That’s what we discussed, nothing more. I can legally justify why this Parliament is unlawful,” Vashadze said.

For context, Vashadze was summoned for questioning by the Prosecutor’s Office, but he requested to be questioned in court in the presence of a magistrate judge. The Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation under Article 349 of the Criminal Code, which refers to failure to comply with a lawful request of a parliamentary investigative commission. The investigation was initiated based on a motion by the head of the parliamentary investigative commission, Tea Tsulukiani.