Georgian intelligence service warns of plot before presidential poll
Dec 11, 2024
Tbilisi [Georgia], December 11: Georgia's intelligence services issued a warning on Tuesday of a potential plot by criminal elements to topple the government days before the country holds presidential elections.
Local media reported a warning from the intelligence agencies of "organizers of destructive and criminal activities" that were planning to obstruct Saturday's election.
According to the local media reports, foreign intelligence agencies were said to be coordinating the anti-government campaign.
The country's pro-European president, Salome Zourabichvili, dismissed the warning as unsubstantiated scaremongering.
She accused the intelligence agency of psychologically terrorizing people.
"Today's statement by the secret service should be considered a human rights violation," she said.
Allegations of fraud in parliamentary elections at the end of October have led to weeks of demonstrations, particularly in Tbilisi.
An announcement from Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the nationalist Georgian Dream party, which emerged as the winners, that European Union accession talks would be postponed to the end of 2028 caused increased protests.
Street battles broke out between demonstrators and the police.
Several hundred arrests have been made over the past two weeks amid allegations of police violence, and opposition leaders have been detained.
For the first time, the president is to be elected by parliament along with regional representatives, instead of directly by the electorate.
Georgian Dream has a majority and has nominated former national footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili as its candidate.
Zourabichvili, who backs Georgian accession to the EU, has said she will not stand down, on account of the controversy over the parliamentary elections.
Meanwhile, thousands of people took to the streets across Georgia for the 12th consecutive day of protests against the government's decision to shelve European Union accession talks after disputed elections.
Source: Qatar Tribune
