Georgian president warns of false claim about "Georgian fighters from Ukraine"

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has described claims that Georgian fighters in Ukraine are ready to come to Tbilisi and support the protests as a "provocation".

Source: Interpressnews, citing Zourabichvili, as reported by European Pravda

Details: In an address on 1 December, Zourabichvili warned that Georgia's State Security Service may be orchestrating provocations during the anti-government protests.

Quote: "I have received several messages in different forms linked to claims that Georgian fighters from Ukraine are supposedly planning to arrive or have already arrived in Georgia to join in with the protests as military personnel."

Zourabichvili emphasised that such reports are "a direct provocation".

"This is not happening, no one should believe this, because it is directly directed against the protest. This is what worries the ruling party the most," the Georgian president stressed.

Earlier, media outlets had circulated a statement from a so-called "Military Committee of the Caucasian Union" which claimed that Georgian fighters are prepared to defend the Georgian population "by any means" and are allegedly "waiting for a signal from the Georgian president".

Background:

• Large-scale anti-government protests have been taking place in Georgia for the third day in a row following the government's announcement that it will not take part in EU membership negotiations over the next four years.
• Georgian law enforcement has employed harsh measures against the protesters, drawing condemnation from Western nations.

Support UP or become our patron!