Georgian PM on BBC report: legal complaint planned, all materials open to international review

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday said the issue surrounding a BBC investigation would inevitably take on an international dimension.

In his interview with Rustavi 2 TV channel, Kobakhidze noted that his Government was planning to file a complaint with relevant bodies, including the British broadcaster itself, the UK regulatory commission, and, if necessary, the courts.

“This issue will definitely move to the international level. We stated this from the very first day, because we intend to submit a relevant complaint - initially to the British broadcaster, then to the regulatory commission there, and, if needed, to judicial institutions. The legal procedures are still being clarified, but an international dimension is inevitable”, the Prime Minister said.

He also dismissed calls for further investigation as “incomprehensible”, stressing that Georgian authorities have made all relevant materials fully accessible to international actors.

“We have openly stated that any material - documents, substances, or anything else - is available to any international subject that expresses interest. Instead of coming and reviewing the materials, they make statements from afar. We are ready to share absolutely everything”, Kobakhidze noted.

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.

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.