Georgia’s ruling party Sec Gen denounces EU-funded video for glorifying criminals, fueling polarisation

Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday sharply criticised a European Union-funded video featuring Beka Kobakhidze, an opposition activist, as a speaker, accusing it of attempting to glorify criminals and sow division in Georgian society.

“They are trying to stir up polarization in society. It is unfortunate that such initiatives are funded by European organizations. There is an effort to portray criminals and abusers as heroes. First and foremost, this harms them, it harms our European future, and it harms the process of European integration. Specific ambassadors and representatives of certain countries are directly involved in this”, Kaladze said.

He further claimed that representatives of some European countries had in the past attempted to orchestrate a coup in Georgia.

“They were directly involved in trying to bring about a coup in the country - through their financing, their ideology. Do you not remember, when people were taken to so-called trainings? Parents of children suffering from serious illnesses were being trained, while in reality, the discussions were about revolution”, he concluded.