The European Union said Saturday it had posted bail for Georgia’s jailed opposition leader, Nika Melia, paving the way for his release and ending a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus country.
“Today, a bail worth 40,000 GEL ($11,600) was posted in order to allow for Mr. Melia’s release from pre-trial detention,” the EU delegation to Georgia said in a statement, terming it “an important step taken to end the political crisis in Georgia.”
The timing of when Melia, 41, will be released was not immediately clear.
For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Melia, the chairman of Georgia’s main opposition force, the United National Movement (UNM), was arrested in February in a violent police raid on his party headquarters, sparking strong condemnation from the West.
The move followed a court order to place him in pre-trial detention after he refused to pay an increased bail fee ahead of hearings in a case related to anti-government demonstrations in 2019.
His release is expected to pave the way for ending a political crisis that has gripped the ex-Soviet republic since October parliamentary polls the opposition denounced as rigged.
His party had held out on signing last month’s EU-mediated agreement to defuse the crisis signed by individual representatives of the ruling Georgian Dream party and almost all opposition parties, saying it would do so only once Melia was released from prison.
Read more:
-
Georgia’s prime minister Gakharia resigns, opposition calls for early election
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced his resignation on Thursday, prompting celebrations from the opposition, which called for an early ... World News -
EU urges dialogue to defuse Georgia crisis
The European Union on Monday called on Georgia to defuse a spiraling political crisis that deepened with the arrest of a top opposition leader last ... World News -
Georgian PM Bakhtadze steps down, warns against political divisions
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze announced his resignation on Monday after little more than a year in the job and said the country must not be ... World News -
Russia suspends Georgian airline flights in its territory
Russia on Saturday suspended Georgian air companies from flying in its territory from July 8, a day after President Vladimir Putin banned Russian ... Economy