Prosecutors in the Rustavi have begun criminal procedures against United National Movement MP Davit Kirkitadze and three other people for an incident that occurred outside the opposition party's office in the southern city on October 24 last year.

The three suspects have been granted bail by the Rustavi City Court, and the prosecution will the same request for the MP "in due time," according to the Prosecutor's Office. The three accused, including Vasil Balakhadze, were demonstrating outside the UNM headquarters on October 24 when they were approached by MP Kirkitadze, other party members, and supporters, according to the prosecution.

According to the prosecution, MP Kirkitadze assaulted Balakhadze and another suspect in the case, who then assaulted two UNM supporters.

It was observed that Kirkitadze is suspected of violating Article 126 (1.1c), which deals with violence against two or more people, while Balakhadze is accused of violating Article 126 (1.1b, 1.1c), which deals with violence perpetrated by a group of people against two or more people. Article 126 (1.1b) - collective violence – is filed against the two additional individuals.

The brawl took place on October 24, six days before the hotly contested 2021 municipal election runoffs. At the time, MP Kirkitadze was running for mayor of Rustavi against Georgian Dream's Nino Latsabidze.

On the same day, Kirkitadze spoke to the media about the event, accusing the GD of staging a "provocation" and claiming Balakhadze was a member of Georgia's State Security Service. Balakhadze denied any ties to the ruling GD party, claiming that the activists had gathered to remind "the Georgian populace, the people of Rustavi, what the (UNM administration) government was doing."