Interior Minister speaks out against Saakashvili’s ‘plan’
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, September 11
Interior Minister Aleksandre Chikaidze claims that when former President Mikheil Saakashvili met with his team members in Turkey and Ukraine, he gave instructions to them to create destabilization in the country.
In an interview with the Georgian newspaper Alia published on Monday, Chikaidze said: “he gave instructions to them to form mobile groups (each group should include 500 men) to cause problems inside the country,” Tchikaidze said.
The minister is sure that the Saakashvili gave similar instructions to the heads of certain NGOs as well. It appears that the current police raids are related to the “threat.”
The cabinet members have stressed that Tchikaidze would not have made such a statement without real evidence.
Responding to accusations, United National Movement member Goga Khachidze said that Tchikaidze’s statements were ridiculous.
He stressed that when the minister received deserved criticism from the public, he starts gossiping.
“Tchikaidze has invented the story as he has done before. It’s is no problem. Soon he will be bored of the new game and start thinking up some other tale,” Khachidze said.
Minister of Refugees, Sozar Subari, states that the UNM was staging provocations while they were in office as well.
Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Alexi Petriashvili, states that any provocation from the UNM will be failure for the opposition party.
Minister of Defense Irakli Alasania suggests that Tchkaidze has rich experience in police activities and the Ministry of Internal Affairs has a very qualified and competent people.
Commenting on the current raids, President Giorgi Margvelashvili said that the raids are important, but protecting human rights during such operations is more essential.
The president stressed that statistics regarding the low crime rate is a positive aspect. However, the statistics will not comfort those who have been affected by recent grave crimes. Margvelashvili stressed that the government and law-enforcement should constantly think about the public image of the police and try to gain more trust among the people.
