Georgian Government Vows Stability Amid Claims of Foreign Interference

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has claimed that Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan protests, which led to a revolution, were funded by foreign intelligence services.

He warned that a similar attempt is underway in Georgia but assured reporters that his government will not allow such a scenario to take place, The Caspian Post reports, citing TASS.

"All of this [the rallies in Georgia] is financed by foreign security services, as was the case with the Maidan. You remember that security services funded the Maidan, and we see where this took Ukraine. Its statehood has been destroyed. After the revolution funded by foreign security agencies, Ukraine went through two wars. Of course, we will not allow such a scenario to unfold in our country. There are no resources for such a crisis to develop," Kobakhidze said.

Earlier, the Georgian TV channel Imedi published an investigation alleging that, after the government blocked foreign funding for rallies, money began flowing through the University of Georgia - owned by Giuli Alasania, mother of ex-president Mikhail Saakashvili. The report asserts funds were funneled to the university by Giorgi Bachiashvili, a former business partner of Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder and honorary chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party. Bachiasvili is now serving a sentence for stealing nearly 9,000 bitcoins from Ivanishvili.

In late November and early December last year, mass protests erupted after Prime Minister Kobakhidze announced the suspension of talks to launch EU accession negotiations. The demonstrations escalated into daily clashes between protesters and security forces; special units used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds. Some opposition figures have called for people to take to the streets on October 4 - the day of municipal elections - for a rally aimed at the "peaceful overthrow" of the government.