Georgia’s Security Service seeks Ukraine’s help to investigate alleged coup in Georgia

Georgia’s State Security Service has addressed the Government of Ukraine today in connection to a phone conversation released last night that including threats of possible unrest and a coup in Georgia. 

Deputy Head of Georgia’s State Security Service Levan Izoria stressed an investigation had already been launched locally about the audio recordings, released last night on Ukrainain website www.uareview.in.ua, that revealed conversations between Georgia’s ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili with leader of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) Giga Bokeria and director of private broadcasting TV company Rustavi 2 Nika Gvaramia. 

Bokeria and Gvaramia already confirmed the authenticity of the October 19 phone conversations, in which Saakashvili encouraged a potential "revolution" scenario if the court ruled in favour of former Rustavi 2 owner Qibar Khalvashi concerning the ongoing legal dispute between current and ex-shareholders of the private broadcaster. 

Despite the admissions that the two phone conversations were legitimate, Izoria said "all measures would be applied to investigate the origin and authenticity of the recordings” and "all individuals involved would be summoned for questioning”. 

The State Security Service has already addressed relevant bodies in Ukraine for support in search of all necessary information,” Izoria added. 

Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili held a special briefing today to discuss the controversial phone conversations with other Georgian officials, and called the conversations "immoral and cynical”. 

Years ago people on the audio recordings were responsible for the country fate. They used to disperse peaceful rallies, robbed businesses, invaded and controlled unbiased media outlets, tortured people and damaged the state image,” Garibashvili said in reference to UNM. 

He added "those people” failed to realize there was now democracy in Georgia and the Georgian statehood was stronger than it was three years ago. 

Garibashvili PM stressed he had already discussed the issue with Georgia’s law enforcement agencies and security bodies and promised that the topic would be completely investigated.

PM Irakli Garibashvili met with the Head of State Security Service Vakhtang Gomelauri and Minister of Interior Affairs Giorgi Mghebrishvili yesterday. Photo by Prime Minister's webpage. 

Our Security Service and law enforcement bodies are working 24 hours a day. All the people who were involved in the disgusting activity will be punished strictly,” Garibahsvili said. 

The country’s top official also addressed the public to control their emotions and not to be provoked "despite the tension” caused by the ongoing issues. 

Garibashvili also urged all forces "inside and outside the country” to refrain from making political statements over the Rustavi 2 ownership dispute case and let the impartial court deliver a fair verdict. 

Furthermore, he appealed to journalists and everyone "voluntarily or involuntarily” not to become a weapon of a "narrow political interests.” 

Garibashvili concluded his speech by saying his Government "fully controlled the situation” and would not let any unrest occur in the country. 

In the recent phone conversations ex-president Saakashvili told Gvaramia and Bokeria to transform the Rustavi 2 building into a fortress, with iron barricades and armed people, adding the situation should end with "shooting.”  While speaking about the feedback and the international interest in the case, Saakashvili called these people "foreign idiots”. 

Counter responses 

Saakashvili, who now served as the Governor of Odessa in Ukraine, spoke out since the recordings were released and said Rustavi 2 "was the last fortress on which the country’s democratic future was dependent”.

You should not be surprised that I appeal to all to defend the fortress. If there will be a need to physically defend the freedom of speech we should be ready for this,” Saakashvili wrote on his Facebook page. 

The provincial dictator [referring to Georgia’s former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili] will not even refrain from shooting his own people,” he wrote. 

On this note Gvaramia said no other media outlet was capable of conducting a revolution as it was beyond the abilities of the media.

Today the Rustavi 2 news service aired a special statement that said the company distanced itself from any violation of the law, and in the instance that confrontations happened, they would shift the whole responsibility on the Government. Rustavi 2 also appealed to the Government to reveal how the recordings were obtained and why they had not been released immediately when obtained. 

Members of the opposition UNM accused the Government of illegal surveillance. 

What does Free Democrats say?

Head of the parliamentary opposition Free Democrats (FD) Irakli Alasania appealed to Saakashvili to "stand far from Georgia” and not interfere in the state’s activities.

He failed to erect barricades in 2008 during the Russia-Georgia war when it was really necessary and ran from the battlefield as everyone knows…” the opposition leader said.

He added the audio recordings proved Saakashvili’s real attitudes to Georgia.