Georgian Vice PM says opponents using “unacceptable methods” in political, election “processes” “regrettable”

Levan Davitashvili, the first Vice Prime Minister and Economy Minister of Georgia, on Thursday lamented use of “unacceptable methods” in political and election “processes” after the  State Security Service on Wednesday said it had uncovered plans for assassination of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and a 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. 

The Service said the purpose of the alleged plans was to overthrow the Government “through violent means by destructive forces on the backdrop of creating disorder and weakening the Government”.

Davitashvili emphasised it was “especially unacceptable” when the alleged plans were “not simply illegal measures, but [...] the most serious crimes imaginable against a country or a person, [...] the alleged cases of terrorism”. 

He added the “political assessment” was “clearly very direct”, adding there had been “many times illegal actions and attempts to disrupt” the country by opponents. 

“[U]unfortunately, there are still such unacceptable cases and very low standards of political processes in our political life. I think this should end forever, and the right choice of our country's population in the fall [with parliamentary elections in October] will be very important for that", he added.

The Vice PM also said it was “clear that trust in Georgian law enforcement agencies is of the highest quality” and claimed the level of the institutions had been shown in rulings made by international courts on appeals by Georgian citizens over the recent years.