Georgian Parliament official: BBC film aimed to sow unrest, advance deep state interests

David Matikashvili, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party and Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on Procedural Issues and Rules, on Sunday commented on the recent BBC film, stating that its sole objective was to destabilise Georgia, create tension, spread anxiety among the public, and provoke antagonism toward the Government - a development which, he argued, would ultimately serve the goals of an informal governing force, the so-called deep state.

“Their only goal was to destabilise our homeland, create tension, sow panic among the people, and provoke antagonism toward the government in society - ultimately supporting the goals of informal governance, the so-called deep state”, he said.

The official described the report as a “poor, substandard campaign” intended to mislead the public and manipulate societal perceptions.

“They tried everything, and now they have resorted to this poor, substandard campaign. The BBC report poisoned the Georgian people in order to manipulate them for their own objectives and to fulfil the goals of the deep state”, Matikashvili concluded.

The investigation conducted by the State Security Service confirmed that the substances used during the December 4–5, 2024 events were legitimate crowd-control agents, including chlorobenzylidene malononitrile dissolved in propylene glycol, and that the alleged chemical Camite was never purchased by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The BBC published an investigative article claiming that the Georgian authorities deployed a chemical substance dating back to World War I during protests in 2024.

The Georgian Government rejected the allegations and announced legal proceedings against the BBC in international courts.