The Georgia Intelligence Service warns of an increase in tensions before the presidential elections

MADRID Dec. 10 () –

The Security Service of Georgia (SUS) reported this Tuesday that, according to its information, the anti-government demonstrations that have been taking place for several days in the main cities of the country could escalate and become violent, even leaving fatalities. with the aim of influencing the presidential elections next Saturday.

According to the SUS, violence in the demonstrations would escalate starting this Tuesday and deaths could be recorded with the aim of stirring tension, encouraging more radical attitudes and intensifying criticism of the Government, which they would try to hold responsible. of what happened, according to the Georgian news portal Tabula.

The events would be carried out by “a group of local actors who implement a criminal plan, whose objective is to artificially increase the protest” on the eve of the presidential elections and “overthrow the government by violent means.” The Georgian authorities assure that the plan has “the coordination of the special services of foreign countries.”

“The organizers of the aforementioned destructive and criminal actions plan to prevent by all means the election of the president of Georgia on December 14, 2024 (…) which will artificially lead to an official crisis,” the Georgian Intelligence services have highlighted. , which detail a scenario like that of the ‘color revolutions’, the name by which the protests against Russian influence in former Soviet republics are known.

For her part, the current president of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, has downplayed these warnings, ensuring that it is an attempt by the authorities to psychologically terrorize the population, who for days has been gathering in the streets at night to protest against the Government, accused of being close to the Kremlin and which at the end of November announced the suspension of negotiations for entry into the European Union.

“Today’s statement by the secret services should be considered a violation of Human Rights,” said Zurabishvili, who in 2018 was proposed by the governmental Georgian Dream as a candidate for president of the country, but who throughout her term has has been becoming the main critical voice of the Executive, which he classifies as an extension of Moscow in the country.

The scenario of Saturday’s presidential elections is uncertain, not only because of the tension in the streets and these warnings from Georgian Intelligence, but because it will be the first time that the electoral reform promoted by Georgian Dream is put into practice and which establishes that The head of state will be elected by Parliament together with regional representatives, rather than directly by the electorate.

Georgian Dream, which has a majority in Parliament, has nominated as a candidate the former footballer Mijeil Kavelashvili, co-founder of the Popular Power party, a split from Georgian Dream but with whom they have once again approached closer positions.

Zurabishvili, for his part, has assured that he will not resign from office due to the controversy over the parliamentary elections, held in October and marred by accusations of fraud in favor of the ruling party.