A certain group of persons operating in the territory of Georgia and outside it is planning to organize destabilization and civil unrest in Georgia in October-December of this year. Such a statement was released by the State Security Service of Georgia [SSSG].

“In the interests of state security and peaceful coexistence of citizens, we would like to inform the public that according to the information received within the framework of the ongoing investigation in the SSSG, a certain group of persons operating in the territory of Georgia and outside of it is planning to organize destabilization and civil unrest in Georgia in October-December of this year, the final goal of which is to change the Government in a violent way.

The dates for the start of destructive processes are the October-December period of the current year, when the European Commission’s interim and the final conclusions of the European Union are to be published. The expectation of the conspirators preparing to overthrow the state government is calculated on the fact that the published conclusion will be negative, which, with the information networks at their disposal, and the artificially “pro-Russian” labeling of the government, will create a fertile ground for public unrest and further riots.

One of the authors of the mentioned plan is the former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and currently the Deputy Head of Military Intelligence of Ukraine, Giorgi Lortkifanidze and his subordinates of Georgian origin, including the former member of the 3rd president’s guard, Mikheil Baturini, and also a member of [Mikheil] Saakashvili’s close entourage, Mamuka Mamulashvili, commander of the “Georgian Legion” of Ukraine. The mentioned plan is planned to be implemented with the coordination and financial support of foreign countries.

According to confirmed and verified information, to implement the plan developed by Giorgi Lortkifanidze, a rather large group of Georgian origin fighting in Ukraine and a part of Georgian youth influenced by interested parties, whose training is being conducted near the Polish-Ukraine state border, will be used.

In order to prepare youth groups to be used for the revolutionary scenario, the organization “Canvas” is used, the core of which is the organization “Otpor”. It is these organizations that took an active part in the revolutionary processes developed in Serbia in the past, and therefore, they will be regularly used in different countries to train young people and involve them in destructive processes.

Several scenarios of the development of events are considered by the mentioned persons, which include the establishment of the so-called “tent city”, the construction of barricades near the central avenues and strategic objects in Georgia, the occupying and barricading of government buildings, as well as other illegal actions that contain elements of serious provocation.

In particular, it is confirmed that the organizers are considering the implementation of a scenario similar to the “Euromaidan” held in Ukraine in 2014 in Georgia. It is also known that an explosive device, which the organizers of criminal actions intend to detonate, will be placed in a pre-selected tent at the place where the rallies organized by Lortkifanidze and Baturini will take place, namely in the so-called “tent city”.

This, according to their criminal plan, should cause casualties among the peaceful population participating in the protests and among the representatives of law enforcement bodies. In the event of a terrorist act, destructive forces hope that there will be an indiscriminate shooting between law enforcement officers and protestors, which will create fertile ground for further civil conflict.

The mentioned provocations were not planned for the 1st time against Georgia, although they were prevented in the past through the effective and preventive response of the law enforcement officers. Considering the challenges of the current difficult geopolitical situation, unlike previous cases, the current plan represents a much higher risk factor that threatens the security of the country, as well as the life, well-being and health of the ordinary population of Georgia.

In order to neutralize the mentioned risks, the SSSG implements and will implement all necessary preventive measures in coordination with other competent agencies. Also, in order to receive additional operational information, the service will address the relevant agencies of the partner countries regarding the mentioned issue”, - reads the statement of the SSSG.