Russia's intelligence chief warns against western "colour revolution" in Georgia

Georgia is once again facing attempts by Western countries to instigate a "colour revolution," with Russia expressing hope that these efforts will not succeed, said Sergei Naryshkin, Director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).

During the 20th meeting of the Heads of Security and Intelligence Services of CIS member states Naryshkin pointed out that Georgian authorities, who had initially been sympathetic to the West, have since recognised the detrimental nature of such an orientation, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

"Today, Tbilisi is facing another attempt at a colour revolution, essentially an attempt at a state coup. We hope it will fail, just as previous Western efforts to destabilise Belarus and Kazakhstan have failed," Naryshkin said.

"The ruling 'Georgian Dream' party has distanced itself from an ultra-liberal agenda and now stands in defence of the national interests, traditions, and values of Georgian society. But the West never easily relinquishes its influence over its former allies," he added.

The SVR director also noted that Georgia, by reducing its ties with the post-Soviet space in exchange for promises of European integration, has largely deprived itself of strategic depth.

Protests continue in Tbilisi, Georgia, following the October 26 elections, in which the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party retained power. Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the parliament building in the capital ahead of the first session of the newly elected parliament on November 25. The protesters, primarily from opposition groups, have accused the government of rigging the election results and are demanding recognition of their grievances.

Opposition leaders, including Khatia Dekanoidze of the Unity National Movement coalition, have vowed to continue protests overnight, asserting that the Georgian Dream party lacks domestic and international legitimacy. They claim that the election was manipulated, with suspicions of interference from Russia, a country with which the Georgian Dream party has strong ties. Bidzina Ivanishvili, the party’s billionaire founder, has been accused of fostering an authoritarian regime while increasingly aligning with Moscow.

The election, which saw Georgian Dream secure 54% of the vote, was marred by allegations of fraud, including bribery, double voting, and violence. European observers described the electoral atmosphere as "divisive," raising concerns about fairness. Many Georgians viewed the election as a critical moment in the country's aspirations to join the European Union, heightening the stakes of the political crisis.

By Aghakazim Guliyev