Georgian PM: alleged plan for assassination of ruling party Honorary Chair “not surprising” considering influence on domestic politics

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday claimed an alleged plan of assassination of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Honorary Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, was “not surprising” given his “influence” on domestic politics.

Kobakhidze’s comments followed the State Security Service’s statement earlier today that said the body had launched an investigation on plans for assassination of Ivanishvili and conspiracy to overthrow the country’s Government, “organised and funded” by high-ranking officials of the former Government and former employees of law enforcement agencies currently found in Ukraine.

All this is extremely disturbing. It is very important to prevent such acts and the state will do everything it can to do so”, the PM said.

The Government head claimed the “specific warning” by Olivér Várhelyi, the European Union Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, regarding a possible attack during their phone call earlier this year - where the EU official mentioned the threat of “sharing the fate” of Robert Fico, the Slovak Prime Minister who was shot in May, had not been “about any politician in particular” but a “general warning”.

This warning was issued to me as well, but it was of general content. Accordingly, it could have been addressed to any politician from the Georgian Government”, he added.

The PM also claimed “ill-wishers of our country” targeted Ivanishvili as he was a “guarantor of peace and development in this country”.

The Service’s statement came after the magistrate judge of Tbilisi City Court on Tuesday interrogated Gela Kakhabrishvili, a Georgian volunteer involved in the conflict in Ukraine, on a case involving plans for terrorism and organisation of a coup d'état.