President Saakashvili’s remarks about alleged threats facing Georgia and Azerbaijan were “alarming” and not in line with country’s interests, Defense Minister Irakli Alasania said on March 1.

“I think these were anti-state remarks. I have an impression that he apparently wants everything to be left in ruins after going from politics,” Alasania said. “It was really alarming and anti-state statement. Such an approach is anti-state, which obstructs Georgia’s regional security.”

After visiting Baku, President Saakashvili said on February 28 that Russia was preparing the same "scenario" for Azerbaijan, which was applied against Georgia in last year's parliamentary elections when, as he put it, "oligarchs, Russian funds, blackmailing and provocations" were used. Saakashvili also said that a Moscow-based ethnic Azerbaijani “wealthy so called businessman” Soyun Sadikov, who is an honorary chairman of ethnic Azerbaijanis union of Russia, AzerRos, was allegedly plotting a movement in Georgia’s predominantly ethnic Azerbaijani populated Kvemo Kartli region to demand the region’s autonomy.