Organiser of putsch in Georgia hiding in Minsk

Georgian media reported that deputy of the Georgian parliament Valery Gelbahiani, accusing by the authorities of an attempt coup, may be hiding in Minsk, where he has been seen recently.

According to Georgian media, Valery Gelbahiani disappeared from Tbilisi just after the authorities of the country accused him of preparation for a putsch together with Badri Patarkatsishvili.

Georgian newspaper Alia refers to a source in the Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs, which said Valery Gelbahiani owned an apartment in Minsk which had recently been robbed. Soon the hiding Georgian politician himself was allegedly seen in Minsk, Telegraf report referring to Radio Svaboda.

According to sources of Georgian media, former head of election campaign team of Badri Patarkatsishvili came from Tbilisi to London, and then to Belarus. Georgian media say the hiding politician is going to get to Moscow.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus didn’t confirm the information about staying of Valery Gelbahiani in the country. “You say the names I hear for the first time. It’s difficult to solve even our own situation,” Aleg Slepchanka, spokesman of the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs said.

Earlier electoral staff of Patarkatsishvili, former candidate for presidency, said they would send Special Forces to detain Gelbahiani.

“According to our information, Gelbahiani will be detained soon... with possible using of Special Forces,” it was said in the headquarters of the Georgian oligarch on the New Year’s Eve.

The General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia spread audio- and videorecordings of meeting between Erekle Kodua, Head of the Operative Department of the Interior Ministry, former judge Marina Gabunia and Valery Gelbahiani, head of presidential candidate Badri Patarkatsishvili’s electoral staff. A criminal case on the fact of anti-state plot was brought up based on the materials.

It can be heard on the records how possible overthrow of Mikheil Saakashvili is discussed.