Public Broadcaster Airs ‘Coup Plot’ Chronicles
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 21 Nov.'07 / 10:08

The Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) aired on November 20 a documentary outlining the official version of events leading up to the November 7 unrest.

The Georgian authorities, and the documentary makers, claim that the recent anti-government demonstrations were part of a Russian-backed coup attempt, financed by business tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili and incited by Imedi TV, co-owned by Patarkatsishvili. It has also been claimed that some opposition leaders, with alleged links to Russian intelligence operatives in Tbilisi, were also involved. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), the documentary maintained, was in charge of coordinating the entire operation.

It also said that ex-Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili was an important component in the plot. According to the documentary, Okruashvili initially planned a miltary mutiny involving the seizure of strategic facilities in the capital. The GPB film claimed that such an attempt was undertaken on September 27 at a military base in the suburbs of Tbilisi, but was thwarted due to rapid counter measures undertaken by the authorities.

The film, which provides no counter arguments, was re-aired by both Rustavi 2 and Mze TV later on the same day.

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