Alleged Assassination Plot Against Ex-PM Stirs Political Turmoil in Georgia

Georgia's state security service has launched an investigation into a plot to assassinate former PM Bidzina Ivanishvili. The billionaire, who returned to politics recently to support the controversial 'foreign agents' bill, is at the center of a potential coup plot, leading to heightened political instability in the country.

Georgia's state security service announced on Wednesday an investigation into a plot to assassinate former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of the governing Georgian Dream party, is the country's richest man and served as prime minister from October 2012 to November 2013.

The State Security Service stated on Facebook that it was probing criminal activities aimed at 'violently overthrowing' the government and creating unrest. This includes a conspiracy to murder Ivanishvili, who recently gained prominence by supporting a controversial 'foreign agents' bill. The bill has led to mass protests in Tbilisi and political chaos.

While no suspects have been named, independent news site OC-Media reported that at least six individuals have been summoned for questioning. Citing a lawyer and two of those summonsed, the report added that most of them had fought against Russia in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has yet to comment.

The State Security Service did not respond to requests for further comment, and Tinatin Bokuchava, leader of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party, dismissed the coup plot reports as 'absurd delusions' and 'Russian-style propaganda.' She accused Ivanishvili of leveraging these claims to cling to power ahead of the parliamentary election in October. Georgian authorities have repeatedly accused Ukraine-based Georgians of planning a coup, despite not joining sanctions against Russia over the war.

(With inputs from agencies.)