What 200,000 dollars? I have one pair of shoes and 2 T-shirts, I don't have a house or property, I don't own a car, if I told someone in this country that I would give him anything from my pocket, they would die laughing, - the chairman of the political council of the National Movement, defendant Levan Khabeishvili, said at the trial.

He spoke in detail about his case.

"I want to state my position clearly. I want the public to have my position formulated in detail. The prosecutor's office accuses me, whoever can put me in prison accuses me of offering a bribe. I have been politically active for years, I was engaged in anti-corruption activities. I was also engaged in political activities in the Tbilisi City Council, in the Parliament. If I wanted influence, I would have been an MP even in the conditions of these rigged elections, I would have arranged my life well. I could be sentenced to 7-9 years, others - 14. This is not psychological pressure, making a person think every day that he can be detained for 7 years because of his words is not psychological pressure, it is equated with torture. Yes, Mr. Judge, a person in prison thinks about many things.

I ask the public, how can a politician's statement be considered a bribe? I ask the judge, if you judge all cases fairly, I am asking you – if I tell you that your salary will increase, fivefold, a hundredfold if the government changes, is this a crime? If this is a crime, then I have committed other crimes, I will appeal to the prosecutor, add other cases, I have made promises to pensioners. I have made promises to teachers many times, what's the difference?

What 200,000 dollars? I have one pair of shoes and 2 T-shirts, I don't have a house or property, I don't own a car, if I told someone in this country that I would give him anything from my pocket, they would die laughing. What 200,000, my wealth and property are my truth and my children, whom we raise conscientiously. Why do you want to obscure it? Put Khabeishvili in prison, let him be separated from his family, but do you want to live in a country where a politician is arrested for political promises?” he said.

For information, Levan Khabeishvili is accused of promising a bribe to an official to commit an illegal act and publicly calling for the overthrow of the state government.

Khabeishvili was charged under Part 2 of Article 339 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to the promise of a bribe or money to an official to commit an illegal act.

In addition, Levan Khabeishvili was also charged under Article 317 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to a public call for the overthrow of state power.