Alasania accuses the Georgian authorities of creating illegal paramilitary groups

Paramilitary groups numbering over five hundred people each which are not official reserve structural units are being created in the district of Samegrelo, Georgia, Irakly Alasania, leader of “Free Democrats” party, declared at a briefing on March, 20.

According to him, there are reasons to believe that these groups are being created on the eve of the parliamentary election planned on October for the purpose of intimidation, persecution and in some cases using violence against the politicians whose views differ from those of the authorities.

According to the Constitution of Georgia, parliamentary election is held every four years. This October 150 deputies will have to be elected. The past election was held in 2008 and the ruling party “United National Movement” has a great majority in the present Parliament.

“These paramilitary groups are subordinate to certain officials in law enforcement bodies and Armed Forces of Georgia. They are armed and they have only one task: not to let the citizens in Samegrelo and other regions make their free choice”, Alasania declared.

Irakly Alasania sent all the information on the composition, quantity and financing of the paramilitary groups to National Security Council of Georgia.

“Our goal is to neutralize there groups, not to cause a sensation. If “United National Movement” realizes that we are aware of its plans, that they will not be able to frustrate the election and the information of these paramilitary groups may become public the necessity of such groups will just fall away”, Vako Avaliani, Press Speaker of “Free Democrats” party, said to the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

The “Caucasian Knot” has no comments from law enforcement bodies or National Security Council of Georgia in its disposal yet.