Georgian PM claims 500 foreign agents operating in country, vows to enforce law

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Thursday said there were 500 foreign agents operating in the country, acting with external funding and assignments, but asserted that this number does not give them sufficient resources.

In his interview with Imedi TV, the Prime Minister emphasised that ultimately, everyone would be forced to comply with the legislation, and his Government had no intention of compromising on the matter.

“We are not going to compromise here. It is unacceptable for foreign agents to attempt to carry out sabotage against the state for such a prolonged period. Therefore, we will react, and we have enough power. They have no power whatsoever”, Kobakhidze said.

The Prime Minister underscored the ruling Georgian Dream party's strong electoral mandate, stressing that the ruling team had received over 1,100,000 votes in consecutive elections.

Conversely, he noted that the opposition “couldn't mobilise even a third of what they did last year” in this year’s local elections.

“Under such conditions, they have no power, neither the support of the people nor any other resource is backing them”, he concluded.