Georgia’s ruling party official: State Security Service investigation into nationwide blackouts fully justified

Levan Machavariani, the First Deputy Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party faction in the Parliament, said on Saturday that the State Security Service’s investigation into the nationwide electricity outages on July 24 and 25 was fully justified, stressing that any individual or group responsible for possible interference must be identified.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Machavariani said it would be premature to speculate on specific theories about the causes of the shutdowns.

“Everything needs to be studied, and if anyone has been involved - whether a person or a group - it must necessarily be revealed, because this is ordinary sabotage against the country”, he said.

He further argued that the scale of the incident makes the investigation necessary and appropriate.

“It is very difficult to talk about versions, and it would not be correct on my part either. However, of course, the launch of the State Security Service investigation is absolutely adequate and relevant, given that a shutdown of such a large-scale nature, an accident - all of this needs to be studied, and if anyone has interfered here, whether a person or a group, it must necessarily be revealed, because this is ordinary sabotage against the country”, Machavariani concluded.

The State Security Service of Georgia has launched an investigation following multiple emergency power outages across the country.

The investigation is being conducted under Article 318 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which addresses sabotage.