Georgia denies development of dangerous pathogens in Lugar laboratory

Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), announced that in Georgia, the Lugar laboratory could be engaged in development of dangerous pathogens. The laboratory does not conduct any research for military purposes, but fights against the coronavirus infection, states Paata Imnadze, the deputy director of the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC).

According to Maria Zakharova, US biological laboratories abroad can be engaged in developing pathogens of dangerous diseases, the TASS reports.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson has recalled that Georgia hosts the US-Georgian Richard Lugar Public Health Research Centre, which is a part of the US Army infectious disease control system.

In response, Vladimir Konstantinidi, the spokesperson for the Georgian Foreign Ministry, called on Russia to "refrain from provocative statements about the Lugar Research Centre" and direct efforts "towards a real fight against the disease dangerous to the whole world," the "1tv.ge" reports.

"We managed to prevent the rapid spread of the coronavirus infection in March ... So, the allegations against the Lugar laboratory are completely unfair," Paata Imnadze, the deputy director of the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health.