Georgian president targets radical voices accusing government abroad

Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili has urged the government to take a firmer stance against citizens who act against the nation’s interests by transmitting unverified information to foreign entities.

The remarks came in response to a journalist’s question about a document reportedly sent by former Defence Minister Tina Khidasheli to the United States Department of State. The document alleged that Georgian authorities were helping Iranian companies circumvent international sanctions, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

"Authorities and state institutions must adopt a stricter stance toward citizens who act against their own country and convey unverified, unsubstantiated information to foreign nations as if it were an established fact," Kavelashvili said.

The president emphasized that such actions should be thoroughly investigated, and that those responsible must face legal accountability.

Kavelashvili also pointed out that accusations propagated by representatives of the so-called “radical wing” have repeatedly been refuted by officials from the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States, who instead praised the transparency of Georgia’s government.

"These individuals accuse their own authorities and their own country abroad, through foreign television channels. It is essential that they face legal responsibility so that they have no right to act against their state, spread disinformation, and mislead the international community with rumors and unverified claims," he added.

The president further noted that the accusers have failed to provide evidence to support claims of a connection between Georgian authorities and the Russian government, allegations of election fraud, or the existence of so-called “black holes” in the country’s political or economic processes.

By Vafa Guliyeva