Incumbent Tbilisi Mayor Kaladze slams Gedevan Popkhadze and German Ambassador

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze on Friday harshly criticised Gedevan Popkhadze, a member of the Coalition for Change, calling him “a filthy person, capable of anything,” in response to Popkhadze’s recent comments about ruling party, Georgian Dream, Founder Bidzina Ivanishvili.

“Popkhadze is the dirtiest person, capable of saying anything. Nothing more should be expected from him after the things he allowed himself to say. His statements should not even be taken seriously, because he himself is not a serious person. Everyone here knows very well who Gedevan Popkhadze was,” Kaladze said.

Earlier, Popkhadze had remarked that if someone were to set fire to Ivanishvili, he “would not be upset”.

When asked why German Ambassador Peter Fischer did not react to Popkhadze’s remarks - while previously visiting him during a hunger strike - Kaladze replied sarcastically: “Fischer was also on hunger strike, we just did not know about it. He was doing it quietly at home.”

Kaladze went on to accuse the Ambassador of political interference and double standards.

“What kind of statement do you expect from the German Ambassador? He is an ordinary radical, just a citizen of another country. He encourages hatred and evil stirred by external forces and has become one of the representatives of extremism here. He has crossed every red line and every diplomatic framework with his actions and statements. Such behaviour is damaging - first and foremost, for him. This is a clear double standard. He directly interferes in the country’s internal political affairs and makes statements based on lies. There is no truth in his claims,” Kaladze said.

He also recalled the Ambassador’s conduct during Georgia’s parliamentary election campaign, saying: “his behaviour back then was unimaginable. In no developed country would diplomats of foreign states be allowed to act in such a way”.