“We believe that the society of Georgia has a clear perception of the contrast between policies “Georgian Dream” and the opposition around the “National Movement”, - the First Vice-Speaker, Giorgi Volskis stated at the briefing.

He recalled the investigation concerning the June 20 developments in re Articles 225 and 315 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which envisages call on for the mass violence and participation therein, as well as coup and riots and stated that yesterday, in live broadcast the former President Mikheil Saakashvili made practically the confession.

“We have heard the statements by the former President, Mikheil Saakashvili being convicted for certain criminal cases and recognized guilty by all three instances. He made the statement about the recent developments in the country and made a practical confessing testimony confirming the legitimacy of investigation on June 20 events. He indicated that these people at the rally had the intention of the coup and will keep this way”.

He noted that M. Saakashvili is not only the key figure of the political organization under the umbrella of the National Movement but the definer of the coordinated actions and resumed policy. He stressed the estimations made by Saakashvili on visa-free travel and freedom of media: “he has already made a statement that Europe needs no over-developed Georgia and blamed the West in colonialist approaches. The negative assessment of visa-free travel made yesterday was yet another confirmation of this ideology”.

As he estimated, “it is impudent that the initiator of the rout in TV “Imedi”, organizer of detentions of photo reporters, controller of media means, an appropriator of Rustavi2 – this person speaks about media freedom using the TV channels which have been registered in the shortest period”. G. Volski stated that “Saakashvili and the former and present fragments of the National Movement impudently evade the tangible and visible progress on EU integration path, he evades the democracy indices by the international organizations, including on freedom of media. He wills not to recall the ECHR July 18, 2019 Orders concerning Rustavi2 case and the fact that their appeal has been rejected by ECHR”.

G. Volski recalled the statement by Saakashvili about a revolutionary scenario in Georgia: “however, his statement made yesterday is directly connected to certain events and clarifies the reasons why the investigation had questions about his direct connection with June 20 developments. The strategy of the “Georgian Dream” for provision of peace and stability in the country will remain intact and every attempt of destabilization will be eliminated”.

G. Volski hoped that the Georgian society has a clear perception of the difference between the opposition policy and the current developments.