Georgia’s ruling party official accuses “wealthy NGOs” of arming protesters, inciting Gov’t overthrow

Levan Machavariani, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party and Deputy Chair of the parliamentary faction of the ruling party, on Wednesday commented on the Tbilisi City Court’s decision to freeze the bank accounts of several non-governmental organisations amid an ongoing investigation.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Machavariani noted that the court ruling highlights what he described as “signs of sabotage”.

He claimed that wealthy NGOs had simultaneously supplied protesters with incendiary materials, fireworks, and Molotov cocktails, while also encouraging them to attempt to overthrow the Government.

“These NGOs were not only providing the so-called ‘weaponry’ to demonstrators but were also consistently calling on them to defy state authority. They went as far as paying fines on behalf of detained individuals and openly assuring protesters not to fear breaking the law, since any penalties would be covered by the organizations”, Machavariani concluded.

The Georgian Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday announced that, as part of an ongoing investigation, the Tbilisi City Court approved the freezing of bank accounts belonging to several domestic non-governmental organisations.

According to the statement, the measure was taken within the framework of an investigation into acts of sabotage, attempted sabotage under aggravated circumstances, assistance to foreign or foreign-controlled organisations in hostile activities, and the mobilization of funds for actions directed against Georgia’s constitutional order and national security.