Tbilisi Mayor Unleashes Criticism of Moscow-Backed ‘Traitors’

In a televised address Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava said that Georgia should never become a victim of Moscow-backed traitors as it once did in 1921 when Bolsheviks’ troops occupied the country.

The televised interview was symbolically recorded in the Museum of Soviet Occupation, which was opened in Tbilisi this May.

In his speech Ugulava recalled those Georgian heroes who tried to resist the Soviet occupation 85 years ago, and also the “traitors” who assisted the Bolsheviks in taking over the country. He also referred to the allies of Moscow-based wanted ex-security chief Igor Giorgadze who were arrested by Georgian police on September 6 for allegedly plotting a coup.

Ugulava’s speech was obviously a part of his pre-election campaign to win a second term as Tbilisi Mayor in the October 5 local elections. Ugulava is the ruling National Movement party’s nomination.

“There are many parallels between 1921 and today. Like then, Russia is still doing everything not to allow Georgia’s independence… Russia has found several of our compatriots, then and today, who were ready to undermine our independence… I mean [Temur] Zhorzholiani [Giorgadze’s arrested associate], [Irina] Sarishvili [chairperson of Giorgadze’s Charitable Foundation in Tbilisi], [Irakli] Batiashvili [leader of the opposition Forward Georgia party], [Emzar] Kvitsiani [wanted for treason charges] and [Igor] Giorgadze,” Gigi Ugulava said.

“But neither then nor now has this small group of people expressed our people’s opinions,” he added.

He also recalled the 1920 agreement between Georgia and Russia that legalized the Communist Party in Georgia.

“Legalization of the Communist Party in Georgia was followed by the creation of armed groups here and eventually we lost our independence. We have no right to repeat our mistakes of the past,” Ugulava said.

“As Al Qaeda will never be able to create a charitable foundation in the United States, in Georgia too we should put an end to those parties that question our country’s independence,” he said, making a clear reference to the Igor Giorgadze Charitable Foundation in Tbilisi, which was closed by law enforcers on September 6 following a series of arrests of Giorgadze’s associates.

Currently 13 persons remain in custody charged with plotting a coup. Key leaders of Giorgadze’s Justice Party and other organizations affiliated with Giorgadze are among them.

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