“Our common opinion is that now in Georgia there is an obvious attempt of a coup d’état and the seizure of power by radical extremist forces, which are guided in many respects from abroad and, as we think, are associated with Mr. [Mikhail] Saakashvili,” said Sergei Gavrilov
Sergey Anatolievich
at a press conference.
“The meeting of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy was the ground for inciting anti-Russian hysteria and discrediting Georgia, as an Orthodox country, to strike at Georgian Orthodoxy and the Georgian Orthodox Church,” he added.
He also admitted that Western secret services could be involved in these events.
During the press conference, the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs, Aleksei Chepa
Alexey Vasilievich
, said that the radicals had called someone to update what was happening and used only English.
“It was absolutely understandable and noticeable, because when we moved from the parliament [where the IAO originally gathered] to the hotel [where it was decided to continue the meeting], we were accompanied by people who were constantly around us and instantly informed their bosses by phone in English,” said Aleksei Chepa.
Sergei Gavrilov noted that the Georgian Orthodox Church is now under attack from the secular authorities of the country.
Isolation of Georgia from its neighbors is one of the goals of the radicals.
“Russian-Georgian relations are steadily developing, trade has increased by a third, 1.8 million Russian tourists visited Georgia last year, two-thirds of Georgian wine is sold in Russia, a third of all transfers of Georgian guest workers, which is about $ 500 million, transferred from Russia“, said Sergei Gavrilov. He noted that further development of relations, the establishment of cultural and humanitarian contacts, the development of pilgrimage are planned.
“Big plans to strengthen good-neighborly relations were the goal, the main object of attack by the radicals,” said the parliamentarian.
In addition, he noted that at the IAO meeting it was planned to discuss the situation around the relations between the Ukrainian authorities and the Orthodox Church, and this topic could also be a “serious incentive for the radicals.”
Sergei Gavrilov thanked Chairman of the State Duma Viacheslav Volodin
Vyacheslav Victorovich
The Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the eighth convocation. Elected in single mandate constituency № 163 (Saratov constituency - Saratov Oblast)
for a clear position, protecting both the interests of the Russian delegation and the international community together with interests of international organizations, including the IAO.
