Georgian Prime Minister urges US State Department to unequivocally condemn coup attempt in Georgia

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday called on the US Department of State to clearly condemn the attempt to overthrow the Georgian Government, stating that such a move would practically prove to the Georgian people that the US was not interested in inciting unrest in the country.

In his remarks, Kobakhidze emphasised that the Department of State should act based on the objective interests of the American people, not under the influence of the deep state.

“My appeal to the US Department of State is to clearly condemn the attempt to overthrow the government and thereby practically prove to the Georgian people that it is not in their interests to incite unrest in the country”, the PM said.

Kobakhidze pointed to previous communications, noting “there were contradictory statements at one time when President Trump congratulated President Kavelashvili on one of the holidays, the State Department made a general statement where it spoke not about the government, but also about the people”.

“The State Department should demonstrate that it acts in line with the American people’s objective interests. Tina Bokuchava [the opposition UNM party leader] even condemned the attempt to overthrow the government - what prevents the EU or the State Department from doing the same? We have shared detailed information in a closed format with our American colleagues, expressing our concerns about suspicious funding of specific extremist groups. We are awaiting a response”, the PM concluded.

On October 4, large-scale protests in Tbilisi escalated into a dramatic confrontation, as a group of radical demonstrators tried to storm the presidential palace. The unrest occurred on the same day Georgia held municipal elections.

Authorities detained at least five opposition figures, including Paata Burchuladze. They are now facing charges of plotting to overthrow the government - a potential offense that could carry lengthy prison sentences.

Government officials described the events as a failed coup attempt orchestrated with foreign backing. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the protests “an attempted overthrow of the constitutional order”.