Georgian political figure, businessman Levan Gachechiladze dies aged 61

Georgian businessman and politician Levan Gachechiladze has died at the age of 61, his family has confirmed.

Gachechiladze was a prominent opposition leader and served several terms in Georgia’s parliament. He first entered politics in 1999 as a member of the Citizens’ Union of Georgia, before breaking away to co-found the New Rights party with Davit Gamkrelidze.

In 2002, he became a member of Tbilisi City Assembly and later represented the Vake district in parliament as part of the New Rights bloc.

Gachechiladze was the joint opposition candidate in the 2008 presidential election, challenging then-President Mikheil Saakashvili. He later served briefly in the seventh convocation of parliament as part of the United Opposition bloc.

Before politics, Gachechiladze was also known as an entrepreneur.