Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, head of the ruling Georgian Dream party’s election headquarters, has called on law enforcement agencies to exercise heightened vigilance over the next two weeks, citing concerns that the “radical opposition” may be planning provocations ahead of the October 26 parliamentary elections.
Kobakhidze’s warning comes after a briefing by the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office regarding the 2016 attempted assassination of Givi Targamadze, a former associate of now-imprisoned ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili. The Prosecutor’s Office revealed that darch Khechuashvili, the accused, confirmed he had been ordered to follow Targamadze in 2016, allegedly under Saakashvili’s direction. After a car explosion targeting Targamadze, Khechuashvili reportedly fled to Turkey. The explosion, which occurred just three days before the parliamentary elections, was believed to have been an attempt to influence the outcome, though it resulted in no casualties.
Kobakhidze expressed concern over the resurfacing of Khechuashvili, who allegedly attempted to re-enter Georgia illegally just weeks before the upcoming election. He suggested that this suspicious activity might indicate an effort to provoke unrest or disrupt the election process.
“It is highly suspicious that someone accused of organizing a major pre-election provocation in 2016, facing an 18-year prison sentence in Georgia, would attempt to illegally cross the border just two weeks before the elections. It’s reasonable to suspect he may have been coerced or instructed to carry out a similar mission,” Kobakhidze said.
He also claimed that discussions of potential provocations have been ongoing within opposition party offices, particularly in light of Georgian Dream’s strong polling position, which places the ruling party at around 60% approval. According to Kobakhidze, the opposition is aware of their likely defeat in the elections and may resort to disruptive tactics.
“The collective opposition, led by the United National Movement (UNM), is heading towards another heavy defeat. Now, their conversations are focused on provocations that could interfere with the election process,” he stated.
Kobakhidze emphasized that the current election campaign has been peaceful and free of disruptions, a fact confirmed by a recent report from the OSCE/ODIHR. He issued a stern warning to the opposition against any plans to incite provocations, pledging that the government would respond forcefully to any attempts to destabilize the elections.
“The state is prepared, and no one will be allowed to bring disorder to the country. We will ensure that the election process remains peaceful, allowing voters to make their choice in a calm environment on October 26,” Kobakhidze added.
He concluded by calling on the opposition to refrain from planning any disruptive actions, warning that the state would respond with “the utmost severity” to any provocations.
