2017-03-15
The Georgian state has showed basic human decency, this is the image we have been building step by step and this is the major change brought about by the elections in 2012-Georgia has become a human-oriented country, the Prime Minister of Georgia spoke of the recent events in Batumi in his comments to the press.
According to Giorgi Kvirikashvili, today Georgia has a government guided by completely different ideals, and the state today is grounded in a totally different foundation.
"The investigation continues. At the initial stage, some were put under administrative detention, but now a more in-depth criminal investigation is underway, and everyone threatening the country's consistent development, which is cherished so dearly, must be punished, of course, be they participants of the rally, its instigators, or anyone else," the Prime Minister stated.
Giorgi Kvirikashvili also commented on the accusations and speculations following the late-night events of March 11 in Batumi, emphasizing his own personal responsibility for the commendable response of the state.
"I would like to address my country and its citizens and say that we were on top of things since the moment the situation escalated that night. I was personally involved, and I assume personal responsibility for everything, for the state's admirable actions in tackling this challenge. I spoke with Zurab Pataridze, the Head of the Adjara Government, who was on a plane from Istanbul, very concerned about the developments. We agreed that he would appeal to the Interior Minister to free the six detainees, whose detention was used as the excuse for everything that happened, as some politicians subsequently took advantage of these events to instill emotional excess in the people. This is how the first wave of tensions simmered down. We waited patiently for the tension to die down, and the special forces interfered only after a few dozen people were left there to turn the situation into sheer vandalism. It was the right decision and well calculated one. This is when the Government of Georgia showed its special character-showed that the human being is what matters to us most," the Prime Minister stated.
According to Giorgi Kvirikashvili, the state maintained stability without trampling down people and without special operations units raiding citizens, as was repeatedly the case in the past.
"But do not let our basic human decency mislead anyone, and let not anyone dare undermine the stability in the country, because the state's response will be tough as soon as we see the red line crossed. By the way, we know well how some politicians tried to maintain momentum until morning, and if we did it, they would have likely kept the tensions high. Yet there is no protest momentum in the country, and this is why those politicians have failed utterly. As they saw their hopes dashed, they, in their insidiousness, started putting the blame on the Government," the Prime Minister said.
The Head of Government said that the organizers were easy to identify and their appeals were loud. "A part of the National Movement was openly inciting the crowd, appealing to their emotions. They tried to do what they wanted to do, but they failed, and failed utterly. We saw how they tried to put together crowds in Tbilisi, Rustavi, and Kutaisi, yet all they could muster was 20-25 people. Their comments were highly obnoxious, and there is no doubt that the full weight of responsibility falls on their shoulders. We are waiting for the completion of the investigation. I honestly do not know which version is being probed, and I am not interfering with the process. The investigators will surely get to the bottom of this case, but the political responsibility falls heavily on the group of politicians guided by the slogan: ‘Let the whole country lie in shambles unless we are in power,'" the Prime Minister emphasized.
Prime Minister's Press Office