TBILISI, September 7 (RIA Novosti, Marina Kvaratskhelia) - Georgia's secret services had information about a coup d'etat being prepared in the country, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said Thursday while answering questions from journalists.
Georgia's interior minister said Wednesday the country's law enforcement agencies had information that 29 supporters of controversial former Georgian minister and security chief Igor Giorgadze were preparing to overthrow the government and arranging for Giorgadze's return. The 29 were detained Wednesday.
Giorgadze fled the country in 1995 after being accused of organizing an assassination attempt on then-president Eduard Shevardnadze.
"They will get what they deserve, and those who finance them can be sure of that," Saakashvili said during his visit to Poland.
Georgian law enforcement agencies carried out a full-scale operation to arrest supporters of Giorgadze, his Justice party and other public and political organizations, including the leaders of the opposition Conservative Monarchist party, Teimuraz Zhorzholiani, and of the Anti-Soros political movement, Maya Nikoleishvili.
In line with Georgia's laws, they have to be charged within 48 hours.
Moscow regards the mass arrests as an internal affair, Russia's ambassador-at-large and co-chairman of the Joint Control Commission for Georgian-South Ossetian conflict resolution said.
"We regard yesterday's arrests of opposition representatives as the country's internal affair," Yury Popov told a news conference.
Commenting on statements about Russia's alleged involvement in the opposition's activities, the diplomat said it was not surprising. "Georgia by habit blames Russia for all its troubles," Popov said.
