Ex-official Mikautadze open to plea deal if acceptable terms offered, lawyer

Former First Deputy Economy Minister Romeo Mikautadze is willing to enter into a plea agreement if acceptable terms are offered by prosecutors, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters, defence lawyer Beka Nemsitsveridze said no conditions for a potential agreement had been proposed by the Prosecutor's Office so far.

"Mikautadze is ready to sign a plea agreement if acceptable terms are offered. At this stage, no conditions have been proposed," Nemsitsveridze said.

The lawyer added that Mikautadze had submitted a request to the Prosecutor's Office but had not yet received a response.

According to the defence, the primary objective remains the complete acquittal of the former official, the same position maintained during proceedings in the court of first instance.

Nemsitsveridze said it remained unclear how prosecutors intended to proceed and that there had been no discussions regarding specific terms of a possible agreement.

Mikautadze was arrested on 20 June 2025. He was later sentenced by Tbilisi City Court to 10 years in prison and banned from holding public office for two years following the completion of his sentence.

The case is currently under appeal.