The prominent Georgian pro-government media outlet Imedi has claimed that noted Czech activist Igor Blaževič is planning a ‘revolutionary scenario’ along with members of the Georgian opposition. Imedi further reported that Georgia’s Security Service (SSG) is ‘already aware of planned unrest currently in development’ and is ‘initiating a legal response’.
In an article published on Thursday, Imedi said ‘open-source information indicates that Blažević is currently affiliated with the Prague Civil Society Centre’ — indeed, Blažević is listed as a ‘senior advisor’ on the organisation’s website.
The Prague Civil Society Centre ‘works to support and empower changemakers, journalists, and thinkers in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. We provide the support they need to push for more open, accountable, and democratic societies’, the website’s biography reads.
The organisation offers grants to media outlets and civil society, as well as hosting events.
For his part, Blaževič has founded and worked in a variety of human rights organisations, including One World, the EU’s largest human rights film festival. He has also personally taken part in a number of humanitarian missions around the world.
Imedi wrote that ‘Blaževič recently conducted training sessions for members of the opposition, marking more than 10 such sessions to date. These meetings involve the distribution of specific instructions’.
The type of ‘instructions’ he allegedly gave were not specified.
‘The report further claims that Blaževič was the individual who instructed the opposition-leaning TV Pirveli to circulate unverified reports regarding potential government changes’, Imedi added.
Georgian Dream officials have already responded to the allegations, with Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze saying ‘we should not be surprised’.
‘We know the attitudes toward Georgia — for years, substantial funds have been spent to organise a coup from abroad, to create confrontation in society and deepen polarisation [...] We have seen multiple attempts at revolution, although the majority of our citizens clearly understands what processes are underway, who the real enemy of our country is, and what interests are at play regarding Georgia’.
As of the time of publication, neither Blaževič nor the Prague Civil Society Centre have publicly commented on the allegations.
Both Imedi and members of the ruling Georgian Dream party have repeatedly accused foreign governments and the domestic opposition of being in cahoots to plot a revolution in the country over the past few years.
Mikheil Gvadzabia
