a former prime minister attacked, his party accuses the government

Former Georgian Prime Minister Guiorgui Gakharia, now leader of an opposition party, was attacked in Batumi, in the west of the country, his party, For Georgia, said on Wednesday January 15. While the Georgian Interior Ministry announced that it had opened an investigation, Mr. Gakharia's party accuses the power in place of being responsible for this attack.

“An organized attack was launched against Guiorgui Gakharia in the lobby and outside the Sheraton Hotel”in the coastal city of Batumi, a member of the For Georgia party, Berdia Sitchinava, said at a press conference.

Guiorgui Gakharia, prime minister from 2019 to 2021, was alone and was attacked by a group of around ten people at 2 a.m., according to his party. In images of the attack broadcast by Georgian television, he appears on the ground, conscious but visibly disoriented.

Berdia Sitchinava accused Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire who de facto controls the Georgian Dream party in power since 2012, of having “orchestrated a cowardly attack against Guiorgui Gakharia”. “Our fight against this violent regime continues”he said.

Nose fracture

Guiorgui Gakharia wrote on Facebook on Wednesday that his state of health was « normal »thanking his supporters. He suffered a broken nose and a concussion, according to Georgian media.

On the social network “firmly condemned” this aggression. “This cannot and must not be tolerated”she said. In conflict with the government, M^me Zourabichvili left the presidency in December and made way for a supporter of power.

On Wednesday, the American embassy in Georgia denounced “violence by the Georgian Dream party against Georgian citizens – including opposition leaders, journalists, members of civil society and protesters”. These acts “appear to be aimed at intimidating Georgians”she said, without however directly mentioning Guiorgui Gakharia.

Daily protests

Georgia has been going through political turmoil since the legislative elections of October 26, won by Georgian Dream but denounced as rigged by the pro-Western opposition, which is demanding a new election.

Tensions worsened on November 28 when Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the postponement of the question of integration into the European Union until 2028, triggering an ongoing pro-European protest movement.

Daily demonstrations continue in the country, although their size is much smaller than at the start of the movement at the end of November. A large-scale strike movement, rare in Georgia, was organized for three hours on Wednesday to demand new elections. The strikers gathered in the capital, Tbilisi, joined by Salomé Zourabichvili.