Georgian PM: foreign-funded grants funded campaigns against Orthodox Church and state institutions

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday said that foreign-funded grants had been used in Georgia to fund hatred, aggression, and attacks against the Orthodox Church and state institutions, describing them as a “blatant instrument of foreign interference”.

In his remarks, the Prime Minister noted that his Government had responded by adopting the law on grants, which he claimed had helped stabilise the country.

“Grants were used in Georgia to finance hatred, incite aggression, and support attacks against the Orthodox Church and state institutions. They were, quite simply, a crude instrument of foreign interference”, Kobakhidze said.

He added that the situation changed following the adoption of the Law on Grants.

“After the adoption of the law on grants, we managed to calm and stabilise our country. Before that, there were five attempts at revolution over a four-year period, organised by organisations funded through these grants”, the PM noted.

“When the European Parliament tells us that this law should be repealed, it means that in the fifth year they want to organise a sixth revolutionary attempt. Naturally, our response to this will be very firm. If the European Parliament wants to organise a revolution in Georgia, it will receive an appropriate response”, Kobakhidze concluded.