The Prime Minister of Georgia speaks about the new plan of the "Deep State". As he noted at today`s press briefing, the assault against Georgia and its sovereignty has already begun.

"The latest tragedy in Georgia`s modern history, the August 2008 Russia-Georgia war, took place 18 years ago. However, the pain and deep scars left by those days remain unhealed to this day. The August war claimed the lives of hundreds of people, displaced tens of thousands of citizens from their homes and confronted Georgia with the even harsher reality of the occupation of its territories. Despite the passage of years, the consequences of the war are still being felt, while the memory of those who lost their lives and the suffering of internally displaced persons remain an integral part of our society`s collective memory and shared responsibility.

As a result of the crimes committed by the regime of the United National Movement (UNM) against its own state and people, Russia occupied 20% of Georgia`s territory, recognized Georgia`s historic regions as independent states.

Of course, no one has any illusion that Saakashvili and the UNM, which represent the agency of the Deep State in Georgia, were or are taking any steps independently. In reality, Saakashvili`s adventurism was carried out on the direct orders of the Deep State, whose defining modus operandi at the international level is to set countries against one another and draw them into war, while within countries it seeks to radicalize societies and turn people against each other. As a result, we were left with a reality that was desirable for the Deep State, but tragic for our people and our country: the deaths of our heroic military personnel, police officers and civilians; nearly 30 000 of our citizens forcibly displaced from their homes; more than 100 Georgian settlements left beyond the occupation line; Russia’s recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and the so-called South Ossetia and heightened hostility between nations.

Nevertheless, no Russophobic sentiments took hold in Georgia following the August 2008 war. This, of course, was also in accordance with the Deep State`s agenda, just as its Georgian agents did not display radical anti-Russian sentiment until 2022, following Russia`s 2nd invasion of Ukraine. As I noted in a letter published several days ago, the global war party needed the scale of the conflict that is taking place today in order to draw Europe into the war and to fuel Russophobia among its agents worldwide, including in Georgia, to the highest possible level.

The example of Georgia clearly demonstrates that radical anti-Russian sentiment is false and this is also confirmed by specific facts. However, I believe that society should know what the Deep State`s plan is in relation to the artificial promotion of Russophobia in Georgia through the use of its own agents.

The Georgian authorities have repeatedly stated that, since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022, the global war party had been doing everything in its power to make our country a party to the conflict and open a second front in Georgia. This was precisely the "window of opportunity" that placed our country and our people under an existential threat.

The demand for Georgia to open a second front was soon followed by directives calling on Georgia to join the sanctions imposed on Russia, which were aimed at bringing down the Georgian economy. It was precisely because the Georgian authorities rejected these demands, pursued a sovereign policy and acted in accordance with the country`s national interests that Georgia became a target of European bureaucracy and Western leaders operating through informal oligarchic forces.

In this process, various countries that are unequivocally controlled by the Deep State, including the previous administration of the US-the Biden administration-activated every available mechanism of pressure. Sanctions were imposed on senior Georgian government officials, Honorary Chairman of the ruling party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgian judges, senior police officials, private individuals.

They also used Georgia`s declared goal of becoming a full member of the European Union as a means of exerting pressure on the government. When this too failed to produce the outcome they sought, because they were unable to bring the ruling party-which enjoys the backing of the Georgian population-under their control, they began using their own agents in an attempt to drag Georgia into yet another provocation.

This represents a qualitatively new stage in the assault against Georgia, the Georgian people and our country`s sovereignty, unfolding simultaneously across several fronts. My purpose today is precisely to inform the public about this new phase of the attack that has been launched against our country.

This deliberate assault includes a number of developments that have occurred recently, including the labeling of Georgian military heroes as war criminals by local agents of the Deep State and the dissemination of the absurd lie that, during the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgians did not take prisoners of war but instead executed them; artificially orchestrated anti-Russian campaigns at Georgia`s seaside resorts; and, as I also noted several days ago, false reports circulating on social media in which individuals using fictitious names, surnames and professions claim that an unfavorable environment has supposedly been created for Russian tourists in Georgia.

Of course, these developments are not coincidental. This sabotage directed against Georgia is being coordinated by the Deep State, with its local agents actively supporting these efforts.

If, in 2022, following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, local radical agents, acting on the Deep State`s instructions, were urging the government to open a second front and send volunteers to Ukraine, while foreign agents were simultaneously offering Georgia a military "excursion" into Sukhumi and Tskhinvali, then under the Deep State`s new plan, its local agents must do everything possible to ensure that Russian tourists no longer come to Georgia. Ultimately, this is intended to lead to the Russian authorities suspending all economic relations with our country, allegedly because of anti-Russian sentiment in Georgia. The objective of all these efforts-as well as of opening a second front and joining the sanctions imposed on Russia-is to undermine Georgia`s economy, foment hostility between nations and push developments toward military conflict, which, in our case, could ultimately lead to the extreme weakening of Georgia and the threat of its destruction.

Let us recall that all of this is taking place against the backdrop of the fact that, in accordance with the Deep State`s directives, its agents, following Russia`s occupation of Georgian territories in 2008 and its recognition of Abkhazia and the so-called South Ossetia as independent states, welcomed Russian tourists at the border, as well as Russian investment in strategic sectors of Georgia`s economy, while unilaterally abolishing the visa regime for Russian citizens. Naturally, in light of all the above, it is clear that the promotion of Russophobic sentiments in Georgia today by agents acting on the Deep State`s instructions is an artificial process designed to culminate in the extreme escalation of hatred between nations, the collapse of economic relations and the maximum escalation of tensions.

Therefore, despite the misguided policies of the UNM regime and the Russian authorities-which are political matters that will be addressed by politicians and state institutions-both Georgian and Russian societies must exercise particular caution so as not to act, intentionally or unintentionally, in the interests of the global war party.

Caution is particularly important to ensure that the ties between our peoples are not damaged. We must not forget that numerous mixed families live both in Georgia and Russia. There is also a large Georgian diaspora in Russia, while many people of Russian origin live in Georgia. Therefore, regardless of what the Deep State`s plan may be, we must not allow political disagreements, political mistakes made in the past or the global war party`s plan to involve Georgia in war and open a second front against Russia to become a basis for hostility between our peoples. Maintaining relations between our societies and peaceful coexistence are far more important than any political conjuncture or any particular plan that informal oligarchic forces may have with regard to specific states", - said Irakli Kobakhidze.