NEWS

PM Garibashvili says ‘leaked files’ are UNM ‘dirty, anti-state provocation’

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili says that the United National Movement opposition party is trying to spark tension in the country for municipal elections.Photo: government of Georgia press office.

Agenda.ge, 14 Sep 2021 - 13:09, Tbilisi,Georgia

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has responded to the release of alleged files on clerics and politicians leaked from Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS), stating that it is a ‘dirty provocation of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party against state institutions.’

Georgian media outlets receive ‘leaked files’ with alleged compromising materials on clerics

UNM, the evil power’s, major goal is to discredit state institutions. They have attacked the church and the army, which are the most trusted institutions in the country. They have tried to discredit the SSS. They are fighting against all state institutions in Georgia,” Garibashvili said earlier today.

He said that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) is ‘well-aware’ of the UNM goal to ‘undermine state institutions and damage the country’s image.’

Garibashvili stated that the Georgian people also know this, which is why the UNM has lost all elections since 2012.

GD also stated yesterday that the ‘UNM stands behind’ the ‘leaked files,’ while SSS has not yet responded to the issue.

Georgian media outlets received a link to thousands of files yesterday from one ‘Hakim Pasha,’ titled 'Georgian State Security Sevice’s compromising materials against Patriarchate.’

Georgia's third president Mikheil Saakashvili pledges he will return to Georgia. Photo: Interfax.

The unidentified sender wrote that he had spent several years working in the SSS, ‘the agency which is the biggest threat to the country, which listens to everyone and which has made the church one of the biggest evils in Georgia.’

The files allegedly contained data obtained via illegal surveillance since 2014, under the Georgian Dream (GD) government.

The files contain personal data of top clerics. Some of the files point at alleged crimes like sexual relations with minors, taking bribes in exchange for mediation to pardon an inmate, spying for Russia and other crimes.

The opposition, Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria and International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy have stated that SSS is likely to be engaged with illegal surveillance to use the data to blackmail individuals.

The files have been removed from the Internet.

Georgian media outlets receive ‘leaked files’ with alleged compromising materials on clerics

13 Sep 2021

Georgian media outlets have received files allegedly leaked from the country’s State Security Service (SSS), which contain personal data on clerics. The media outlets received a link to the files earlier today from ‘Hakim Pasha,’ titled 'Georgian State Security Sevice’s compromising materials against Patriarchate.’

Georgian State Security Service investigates disclosure of state secrets

10 Aug 2021

The Georgian State Security Service has launched an investigation into the disclosure of state secrets under the classification of ‘secret,’ the body reported earlier today. The official statement of the State Security Service reads that the facts of public information dissemination about the official duties of the body’s staff and officials have become more frequent recently, noting that it ‘clearly violates the law on State Secrets.’

Opposition-minded Mtavari TV accuses ruling party of ‘mass illegal surveillance’

02 Aug 2021

Director of the opposition-minded Mtavari-Arkhi TV channel Nika Gvaramia released a ‘script obtained from the country’s State Security Service’ yesterday which ‘confirms the agency is making illegal recordings of politicians, members of NGOs, foreign diplomats, as well as members of the ruling party.’

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01 Mar 2017

With 87 votes for and 2 against, the Georgian Parliament today adopted a final draft of a law that will establish a covert surveillance agency under the auspices of the State Security Service.

Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s office launches investigation into alleged ‘leaked SSS files’

14 Sep 2021

The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into the release of alleged files on clerics and politicians leaked from Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS). The Prosecutor’s Office has urged everyone, including media outlets, which have the files to cooperate with investigators.

Ruling party: UNM plans to release more personal footage of public figures

14 Sep 2021

The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party says that the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party has plans to release secret recordings of the private life of public figures ‘or their fabrication’ from abroad in the coming days to spark tension ahead of the October 2 municipal elections.

PM Garibashvili on leaked files: every traitor, author of dirty conspiracy will be punished

14 Sep 2021

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has called the recent leakage of files against clerics and politicians 'a direct conspiracy' aimed to cause misunderstanding between the church and the state. "There is a very strong and solid unity between the government and the church and this will be always be so”, PM Garibashvili said earlier today.

Leaked files: opposition demands creation of parliamentary investigation commission

15 Sep 2021

Lelo - Partnership for Georgia opposition parliamentary faction and ex-PM Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party have demanded the creation of a parliamentary investigation commission on the personal data files allegedly ‘leaked’ from the country’s State Security Service (SSS).

Leaked files: investigation underway, journalists being questioned

16 Sep 2021

Police are looking into the authenticity of allegedly leaked files on clerics and politicians from the State Security Service (SSS) which surfaced on September 13. Georgian media outlets received thousands of files titled 'Georgian State Security Sevice’s compromising materials against Patriarchate’ online from an unidentified sender which contain data of possible illegal surveillance by the state body.

Girchi - More Freedom members released after car smashing protest

17 Sep 2021

Two members of the opposition Girchi - More Freedom party, Nika Mosiashvili and Boris Kurua, have been released earlier today after they smashed the party’s Skoda Octavia car with batons and hammers in front of the State Security Service (SSS) office in protest yesterday. The party head said they were protesting the ‘recent leak’ of personal data files and ‘mass illegal surveillance in the country by the state agency.’

Patriarchate on leaked files: we are waiting for explanations from gov’t

17 Sep 2021

The Georgian Patriarchate says it is waiting for the Georgian government to explain alleged leaked files on clerics from the State Security Service (SSS) which surfaced on September 13. Secretary of Georgian Patriarch Ilia II and Archpriest Mikael Botkoveli stated that the Patriarchate of Georgia will make an official statement regarding the issue in about two days, noting that a meeting of a Holy Synod has not been scheduled yet.

PM Garibashvili on 'leaked files': investigation moving forward

03 Oct 2021

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili says the investigation into the files allegedly leaked from the State Security Service (SSS) is moving forward really fast. Calling the files fabricated, Garibashvili claims they were targeted against the state, the SSS itself, and the church. "We are very well aware whom this dirty signature is connected with. This is [Mikheil] Saakashvili and his new allies. The investigation will tell the rest”, he told Imedi TV.