Speaking at a news conference in Tbilisi on September 7 Irina Sarishvili, a leader of the Imedi Party and chairperson of Igor Giorgadze’s Charitable Foundation, strongly denied allegations that Giorgadze’s allies in Georgia were plotting a coup.

Sarishvili said that law enforcers claim activists were plotting a coup during a meeting which allegedly took place on May 4, 2006 (initially it was reported that this alleged meeting was held on May 24, 2006).

“According to this absurd allegation Temur Zhorzholiani [leader of Giorgadze’s affiliated Christian-Monarchist Party who was arrested on September 6] was at the meeting. But we can prove that Zhorzholiani on May 4 was in a hospital after a heart attack,” Sarishvili said.

Sarishvili herself, once an influential politician, also faced arrest as she was held for several hours in the office of the Giorgadze Charitable Foundation in Tbilisi while law enforcers carried out a search of the office. She was released later on September 6.

Speaking at the news conference Sarishvili also dismissed allegations that USD 49 000 recovered from the house of Maia Topuria, a top executive of the Justice Party in Tbilisi, was intended for a coup.

“This money was obtained by Topuria after selling very precious antiques. On the other hand it is funny to think that a coup was being plotted with only USD 49 000,” Sarishvili said.