Georgian PM calls on law enforcement to exercise “extraordinary” caution to prevent “provocations” ahead of general elections

Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party's election staff and the Prime Minister of Georgia, on Saturday urged the country's law enforcement agencies to exercise “extraordinary” caution to prevent possible “provocations" ahead of October 26 parliamentary elections.

Kobakhidze’s comments followed the reports from the Prosecutor General’s Office on Friday alleging links between the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili and the 2016 attempted murder of his former ally, Givi Targamadze, a member of the opposition UNM party, in Tbilisi, before the Parliamentary elections that year. 

“In his testimony, the accused Darcho Khechuashvili [a former employee of the Georgian Interior Ministry], confirmed that he was tasked with observing Givi Targamadze with the involvement of Mikheil Saakashvili and Gia Lortkipanidze [a former Deputy Interior Minister of Georgia, who currently serves as the Deputy Head of Ukrainian military intelligence]. Let me remind you that the explosion of Targamadze’s car, which fortunately ended without any casualties, was a grave act occurring three days before the 2016 parliamentary elections most likely aimed at influencing the results of the elections”, Kobakhidze noted.

 “The discovery of Saakashvili and Lortkipanidze’s involvement in the crime is a subject of concern and should be of special interest in the investigation. It is strange that an individual accused of orchestrating such a grave pre-election provocation in 2016, who is facing 18-year imprisonment in Georgia, attempted to cross the country via the so-called ‘green border’ and enter Georgia illegally just two weeks before the 26 October parliamentary elections”, he also emphasised.

The PM added that it was “reasonable to assume that someone would take such a step to carry out similar tasks only under blackmail or coercion”.

Speaking for the press in the GD party’s election office, Kobakhidze reiterated the Government’s commitment to not allowing anyone to incite disorder in the country and stressed the ruling party would “make all efforts to ensure a peaceful” electoral environment for voters.

Citing the report published on Friday by the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the head of the Government noted the electoral environment was “free and competitive” and the process was taking place in an “unprecedentedly peaceful environment”.

“The radical opposition is well aware of the ruling Georgian Dream party’s ratings. Everyone knows that the party rating stands at approximately 60 percent and the collective National Movement [the United National Movement party and affiliated opposition groups] is doomed to another failure, ninth electoral loss” and “this explains the ceaseless discussions” in their party offices “are focused on staging provocations” with a goal of “altering the course of elections”, Kobakhidze noted.