Georgia’s ruling party Sec Gen on BBC report: anyone proven to harm Georgia’s national interests will face full legal consequences

Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Sunday sharply criticised a recent BBC report, alleging that foreign intelligence services and their local “operatives” were attempting to destabilise Georgia and damage the country’s statehood.

In his remarks, Kaladze responded to the findings presented by the State Security Service regarding the alleged use of the chemical substance Camite.

“The report by the British broadcaster includes other false allegations against the state, which did not become a subject of public scrutiny only because the false accusation about the use of the so-called Camite turned out to be especially sensitive for society. Five days after the artificially stirred agitation began, indisputable facts confirm that no such incident took place - even for the simple reason that this substance does not physically exist in Georgia”, he said.

The official emphasised that the investigation had conclusively proven that no such substance existed in Georgia and accused the BBC of spreading broader anti-state disinformation.

“As for the other anti-state accusations, the report states as a fact that the elections were rigged, despite there being no evidence whatsoever. The main election observation mission - the OSCE/ODIHR mission invited to Georgia - assessed the 2024 parliamentary elections as competitive and declared the Georgian Dream party as the elected Government. It clearly stated that parties had the opportunity to run campaigns, present their views to the public, and, most importantly, people had the opportunity to make a choice”, he noted.

“The same report speaks of physical retaliation against violent protesters, when the public saw with their own eyes how aggressive, foreign-trained groups assaulted law-enforcement officers, set fire to parts of the Parliament building, destroyed and damaged public and private property in the city centre, hurled Molotov cocktails at police, and deliberately fired life-threatening pyrotechnics”, Kaladze continued.

Kaladze further noted that the BBC report also discussed Giorgi Bachiashvili, portraying him as a victim and a target of political persecution.

“Meanwhile, the crime committed by Bachiashvili has been confirmed by two court instances. Additionally, two more criminal cases are being examined, including one for illegal border crossing - confirmed beyond doubt by his own public statement. Further questions are raised by the extreme bias of the authors of this report built on lies. The public should know that they sent us certain questions, to which we provided detailed and comprehensive answers. However, in the final material, these answers were not included at all. They were simply ignored”, he said.

According to him, investigative actions regarding the alleged use of the so-called Camite have been fully exhausted, while intensive investigative work would continue regarding assistance to a foreign organisation in hostile activities by specific individuals.

“In the end, it is clear that the main goal of the hybrid aggression being waged against Georgia is to undermine our country’s stability and statehood, to stir public unrest through fabricated topics, and ultimately damage Georgia’s national interests through renewed confrontation. We state with full responsibility that the State Security Service - responsible for the security of our country, political stability, and the protection of public interests - will not allow foreign intelligence services and their local operatives to destabilise Georgia’s statehood and the interests of the Georgian people. Thus, since nothing remains to be clarified regarding the alleged use of the so-called Camite - we heard from the relevant agency the results of the investigation based on concrete facts, and it must again be stressed that this substance does not physically exist in Georgia - investigative actions are fully completed, and the topic is closed”, he noted.

“As for the most important part of the ongoing investigation - assistance to a foreign organisation in hostile activities by specific individuals - intensive investigative actions will continue. Any person or group against whom sufficient evidence is collected and it is confirmed that their deliberate actions severely harm Georgia’s national interests, its international image and reputation, and undermine state interests - will be punished to the full extent of the law and appropriate measures will follow”, Kaladze concluded.