PM confirms some parties want tension before elections

Georgia’s Prime Minister is confirming the fact several political parties in Georgia are planning provocations ahead of next month’s Parliamentary Elections.

Today PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili confirmed a statement of the country’s Minister of Internal Affairs, who several days ago said his Ministry had knowledge that there were  some parties that wanted to create trouble in the election period.

Kvirikashvili said among the parties who were "interested in” causing election provocations was the former ruling party, United National Movement (UNM). 

He added UNM had formed special organisations, such as Devoting Georgia, to stage provocations in the pre-election and election periods. 

Kvirikashvili noted all the information about the proposed incidences had been "obtained through legal ways”.

While speaking about possible incidences of trying to destabilise [the government], the Interior Minister based his comments on definite information. The Interior Minister has no obligation to reveal the source of this information,” Kvirikashvili said.

We are doing our best to ensure the forthcoming elections are fair and transparent, and the Government will also use all legal measures to avoid any radicalisation,” the PM added. 

One way to do this was to ensure a police presence during pre-election campaign events for political parties.

Kvirikashvili said this would ensure safety, reduce the threat of violence or other provocations.

It stops people putting any kind of pressure on someone else and the only reason [for the police presence] is to prevent any tension or complications,” Kvirikashvili stated. 

On another note the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia (GDDG) party was refusing to hold their party events when another political group was hosting a meeting with its voters nearby. 

Kvirikashvili said this was a way to avoid any tension, and he stressed the ruling party was ready to offer a memorandum to other political players that allowed them to also refuse to coincide their events with the other party’s occasion. 

The PM also stressed the current Government was capable of protecting Georgia’s democratic achievements, right of expression, human rights and "wouldn’t let anyone to push the country and derail it from its current route”.