Georgian PM hails Bidzina Ivanishvili as “main guarantor of peace, stable development of country”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday said Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and Honorary Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, was the main guarantor of the peace and stable development of the country, and further added that it was “absolutely logical” that he was the main target of criminal plans.

Kobakhidze’s comments came after the Georgian State Security Service on Wednesday said it was investigating plans of a “terrorist act” and conspiracy to overthrow the country’s Government, as well as plans for assassinating Ivanishvili.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Kobakhidze noted that in addition to the international context of this criminal intent, there was also a local context, which was the domestic opposition United National Movement party.

“Regarding the international context, there is a certain signature that has already become clear, we have seen a terrorist act, an assassination attempt in Slovakia, we have seen a terrorist act, an assassination attempt in the United States, the same signature, this is an international context and these forces are operating in different countries of the world”, Kobakhidze said.

“As for the local context, you know that the United National Movement [party] is capable of everything. One of the things they excelled at when they were in power was killings - they killed young people right in the streets, dozens of young people were killed. Therefore, no one should be surprised by the conception and preparation of this type of crime by them. This is the international and local context, the rest should be determined by the investigation”, he concluded.